(So many market days after at the palace of Masinissa Linette Duah II. It is early morning. A man with a drum in hand appears in the palace group and begins to call out for attention. He has a message from the great King of the kingdom and must convey it to its dwellers)
Town Crier: (Beats the drum for attention)
People of Ptolemaic Kingdom! Male and female citizens of its dwelling. The town crier greats you all good morning. (He then starts with the message from the King)The king wants me to remind you that today is a communal labour day. All able-bodied men and women must assemble themselves under the onyina tree cited that the centre of the market square. The men must bring with them hoes, cutlasses and axes. The women must bring with them brooms. Nobody is to come there empty-handed.
(He adds) And anybody who fails to turn up shall be dealt with according to custom and tradition. I have conveyed the message of the great King of our Kingdom.
(Beats the drum and goes off repeating the same announcement. Amari comes in from the palace holding a big broom and heeds hurriedly to the direction of the town crier, and then she heard a voice calling out her name from her behind)
Voice: Amari!...Amari!
Amari: (Stops suddenly) I think I heard someone called by name. (There comes Zibo on the run from the opposite direction holding a very small broom)
Amari: (On seeing Zibo with her tiny broom) Aaah, so it's you. I have been looking for you since our last meeting eight market days ago and that has gotten me a bit worried. I really miss you…and what is that you are carrying? (They both break into laughter)
Zibo: It's better than going empty handed. So, Amari, were it not for this communal labour that brings the community out, I wouldn't have met you. (She says with a sense of emotion and hugs Amari so tight)
Amari: Zibo, you know it isn't my fault. When you are a slave in a king's palace you are used like a donkey without an owner. It has been nothing but troubles with the princess since the arrival of the young prince to this palace. She gets on everybody's nerves when she comes head to head with the prince and the King does supports her even without knowing the roots of her behavior.
Zibo: It is so. Like what she does to me as well. She will ask me to do something, and the next minutes, she will tell me to stop and jump to another. A few minutes later, she will turn around to ask if I had finished what she asked me not to do. Can you imagine that. Forgetting we are way older that her in terms of age. (She says with a worried and disappointed look) If not for royalty...
Amari: She must be creeping out of her senses. She has no respect and shame for old age. Don't mind her. All of these shall never remain so forever. that time will come when we will all have to leave and leave her to her own fate.
Zibo: I have no time for her. By the way, is it true that Hakeemi,,- the Gyasehene's son is back? That is the rumours I have been hearing.
Amari: Yes, Zibo, Hakeemi is back… (Looks around to make sure no one is coming and speaks in an undertone) and our little princess has started going to him secretly. Things are really turning up to be interesting.
Zibo: (Excitedly) Tell me more. You mean the princess has been meeting up with him?
Amari: Zibo, that is exactly what I mean. And he is looking all grown and nice.
Zibo: I thought she was beginning to forget about him since the arrival of the baby leopard, the prince.
Amari: Yes, that was what I thought from the onset of the Princes's arrival to the palace but...
Zibo: What has happened between her and the baby leopard, the prince. They were getting on fine, and we all prayed to our ancestors to make it end up in marriage.
Amari: That's what we all prayed, and thought was going to happen. Instead, their royal romance ended up on broken calabashes in their last meeting after evening meal.
Zibo: How Amari? Tell me more.
Amari: Don't tell me you are a stranger in Carthage. (She says with an awkward loo at Zibo) You mean you haven't been hearing all the rumours traveling the length and breadth of this Kingdom?
Zibo: Honestly speaking, I don't.
Amari: Hmmm…I see. Our princess and the baby leopard are no longer on talking terms since their last encounter with each other. The prince seems not to be enticed with her company. He has been acting off the hook and has been keeping to himself almost all the time.
Zibo: (Shocked) What...Since when did that happen?
Amari: Let me see… (Begins to make some inaudible counting) about eight markets days ago. Haven't you noticed that for some time now they haven't been sitting together during Anansesem sessions? They barely come to Anansesem together talk less of them sitting side by side to each other. This has begun to get the palace on it toes and everything seemed to have come to a standstill in the palace.
Zibo: That is true…perhaps that is why the great king is so angry. Of course that should be worrisome.
Amari: Oh yes. According to sources, he sees no reason why two cousins of royal descents should quarrel. If this should continue in this way, the outcome wouldn't be so pleasing.
Zibo: Of course, Amari. Such things easily lead to the unmaking of a nation. It turns to create a divided loyalty in a kingdom if not promptly attended to. Hopefully this end soon before it gets out of hand. After all, the prince is due to take the place of the King and it will very much be sensible if the princess becomes his queen.
Amari: Well, the king has decided to call them both this evening to talk sense into their stubborn heads. Hopefully they will adhere to the great King's advice and reconcile with each other. What else can we do. Let's ne hopeful the gods will help get them together
Zibo: That is not what I am so worried about
Amari : (Anxiously stared at Zibo) Is there anything new in the bag?
Zibo: Oh, its just another insignificant piece of rumour.
Amari: (Excitedly) Insignificant or not, just bring it out and let's share. (Pause)Wont you speak? Hey, you woman with the short broom, I am talking to you. (Both burst in laughter)
Zibo: (Thoughtfully) I will tell you, but you must first promise to let no other piece of ear hear of it. You will tell nobody, and I really mean it. For this is a very sensitive matter and can easily get our heads in the hands of the executioner.
Amari: What do you take me for? Am I not a slave like you? (Amari says with disappointment)...and don't I remember what our forefathers said…that…under no circumstance must a slave betray his or her fellow slave? Well, if you doubt my loyalty then…
Zibo: Enough, I'll tell you. I need not extract any promise from you. First, see if there is anybody coming this way, so we don't land ourselves in trouble.
(They both check and having satisfied themselves that all is safe, they both come back to their previous positions)
Amari: Nobody is coming. We are safe.
Zibo: Come closer and let me whisper it int your ears, for only your ears alone. (They get closer and Zibo whispers into Amari's ears)
Amazi: (Screams out of shock) What! May the gods forbid. (Says immediately)
Zibo: That's exactly what I said when I was first told. But as I said, its all rumours and hoping it remains one.
Amari: Rumours, yes, but Ptolemaic is a Kingdom where, watered by time, rumours grow into giant trees with their rooks buried deep in the fertile soil of truth.
Zibo: I won't deny that. That is so factual about our kingdom and that's scary enough.
Amari: Anyways, we shall keep our eyes wide open. As soon as we see the symptoms, we report to the King. But come to thin of it, where did you get that information from? Who told you I mean?
Zibo: Bring your ears. (She whispers into her ears)
Amari: If it was, she who told you, then there must be more to it than what has entered the ears.
Zibo: That much I can't say, but what I know is that she was told by somebody who has also heard another person who had also been told by the…
Amari: Sh…Sh…Sh…lets go, I can see people coming this way. Let's hurry. This is serious.
(They walked hurriedly so no one would notice their presence)