Soon it was midday. Buka took me to the palace. Upon arrival, I was taken to a hut at the King's harem. Buka had already advised and talked extensively to me. I was asked to stay in my hut. A maid was introduced to me, and I was asked to send her or allow her to accompany in case I had to go out. The huts in the palace looked larger and a little different from the huts I saw every day.
****
"Which part of the palace am I?" I asked the maid.
"The bridal chambers" she replied.
"How many brides-to-be are here?"
"At the moment, you are the only one here"
"What is your name?"
"Yhuri"
"Yhuri, for how many years have you been in the palace?"
"Four years, please"
"As compared to the world outside, where do you think is peaceful?"
Yhuri smiled and hesitated to answer. I knew I had to push a little further but I wasn't going to force her to go against her will.
"I am not going to tell anyone. I just want to know in order to adjust" I said.
"Foods and wines are in abundance here, but the outside world is more peaceful" Yhuri replied.
"Thanks for being honest. Let's get along in the future. I want to rest." I said.
Suddenly she rushed to spread the mat on the floor and place a pillow on.
"You don't have to do that for me. I can do it myself" I said.
She looked astonishingly at me when I finished talking.
"I have been doing it myself as long as I can remember" I continued.
"Please allow me to do it. It is my duty to serve you. I understand that you are not used to being served, but allow me to" Yhuri said.
"Ok, if you say so," I replied.
"Maybe, you should go and have some rest too"
"Please, don't hesitate to call when you need help," Yhuri said.
"Ok, thank you"
Yhuri left me and I laid on the mat. I couldn't stop myself from wondering how life in the palace was going to be like. I had enough rest in the afternoon. In the evening, Lady Shui visited me and kept me company throughout the evening. We talked a lot and she told me how much she liked me. She made me feel at ease and excited to start my journey in the palace. Lady Shui visited me the next day and our relationship became more intimate. I then decided to marry Mbaku even if the King refused to allow me to join the army because no mother-in-law could love me more than Lady Shui. Soon it was the day for the marriage rites to be performed. I was very nervous, but I was filled with an unexplainable excitement. The adage, 'a woman, no matter how she looked like, looks very beautiful on the day of her marriage' was very true. I couldn't help but stare and admire my own reflection in the mirror. Lady Shui and Nana came to see me and checked if everything has been done right. They smiled at each other when they saw how excited I was. Lady Shui left ,after making sure everything was in order, to the venue. She lifted a white cloth before leaving. I understood her immediately. The King has approved it! A few minutes after she left, a carriage arrived to take me to the venue and I had to leave with Nana.
"Nana, I am very nervous" I said.
"It is ok to be nervous" Nana replied.
"You look amazing today"
"Thank you, Nana" I shyly replied.
"We have arrived!" the eunuch who was riding the carriage announced.
The carriage stopped and Yhuri help Nana and me to get down. Buka approached me with the widest smile he can put on his face.
"You look perfectly flawless today" Buka remarked and I smiled shyly.
"Give me your hand and let's go"
I held Buka's hand and he walked me to my seat. Buka sat on my right and Nana on my left. Everyone was there, including the King and Queen. It was the tradition; the bride has to be the last person to arrive. Mbaku sat in between the King and the Queen. Lady Shui sat in a very far corner even though she was the mother of the groom. I didn't understand why but kept my questions to myself. The marriage rites had already begun and the bride was needed in only the last rite. Soon it was time for Buka to hand me over to Mbaku. The head of the Royal family and another member of the Royal family, whom I later heard was the King's cousin, walked Mbaku to the middle of the platform where everybody present could see him. Buka and the head of the Mwaga family, Ugo, walked me to Mbaku. I was smiling widely and reflexively because almost everybody present was smiling, but not Mbaku. He didn't smile even once and looked at with me with solemn, dark and deep eyes that made me shiver a bit. However, I wasn't afraid because Lady Shui had told me it was his nature. He was harmless! The priest guided us in swearing the marriage oath. After swearing the oath, Mbaku turned his hand, with his palm facing upward, I placed my hand in his palm with my palm touching his. Buka placed his hand under Mbaku's hand with his palm touching the back of Mbaku's hand. The King had to rise to his feet and lift his golden sceptre to signify his approval before the priest can announce us husband and wife. The King rose to his feet, turned to take his golden sceptre only to realize it was gone!
"Treason!" all the elders shouted and rose to their feet immediately.
Indeed it was treason. It was treacherous for anyone to touch the King's golden sceptre without his permission let alone take it. Mbaku suddenly raised his head to look at Buka. Buka looked stunned. He was expecting a sabotage, but not in this form! Mbaku suddenly looked at Jabari and Jabari left the premises immediately. I looked so confused, trying to bring myself together to understand what was going on. The head of the Royal family and the King's cousin left Mbaku, Buka and me on the platform.
"I saw it there when I was climbing the platform," Mbaku said looking at Buka.
"I wasn't expecting this!" Buka said and turned to climb down the platform.
"Papa, should I come with you?" I asked in dismay.
"No, stand there with Mbaku" Buka replied and left us.
People were murmuring everywhere. Lady Shui fainted and was being rushed out of the premise. Mbaku looked bitter, as his mother was being carried away. He turned to look at the Queen only to find out she was confused than anyone at the premise. Mbaku turned to look at me and said;
"This is how every day in the palace looks like. Do you still want to move in?"
"I won't if I had any choice" I replied tearfully.
"Tears don't solve any problem, here in the palace" Mbaku said and continued; "if you want to survive, you must be strong. You must hide all your tears and fears, raise your head up high and act like without your existence the palace is useless".
I nodded and wiped the tear off my face.
"But you must also learn to live like you don't exist" Mbaku continued.
"This is how you are being ushered into the Royal family. You must expect more in the future" he said and forced a smile.
"You can smile?" I asked in amazement.
Mbaku looked away and his face froze. He began to scan the premises with his eyes.
The Queen looked confusingly at Diemo. She couldn't figure out if Diemo was behind this. She didn't plan this. This was a brutal twist! It could cost the life of her whole family. She had poisoned Mbaku's wine and that was enough for her. She wasn't expecting this at all. The King could be dethroned if the golden sceptre was not found in six hours. The issue at hand was not an easy one. Diemo looked helplessly at his mother to communicate his innocence to her. Who could have done this?