It is night already in Azurethra. Akinidad had finished having his dinner and decided to go have some time with his ambitious mother Amanirenas. The maids and the guards have been dismissed of their duties for the day and it is time for mother and son to catch about some lost moments when they were apart.
Amanirenas: My son, welcome again to the palace of your mother, the place of your birth.
Akinidad: Mother, my heart is finally at ease seeing you in good health. But I am concerned about your lost of weight. You seem not to be having enough rest and seem not to be eating properly.
Amanirenas: My son, how on earth do you expect me to eat or sleep well when the last moment I sighted you was the day your uncle sent for you. I never knew that time would have come so soon.
Akinidad: Mother, we have already talked about that and I think it is high time we try to forget about that.
Amanirenas: But my son, it is not as easy as it seems…
Akinidad: As you can see, mother, I have been doing well. My uncle always made sure I lacked nothing. The only issue here is my studies. It's getting tougher by the day but I am determined to get through it no matter what.
As a matter of facts, the Emissary and others at the palace are really impress with my progress by the day.
Amanirenas: That is good to hear. I believe you will keep our honour and make us proud at last.
And that brings this to mind. How is your cousin, the princess, Nala?
Akinidad: (Took a long pause to respond) About her?
Amanirenas: Yes, about her. I hope you two haven't had any fight since your presence at the palace.
Akinidad: Not really mother. Just that… (Took in a deep breath to continue) she has been a little bit of a problem for me at the palace.
Amanirenas: (Quickly asked) What has she been doing? Has she been spying on you? Or has she been bothering you in an uncultured manner?
Akinidad: (Looks around to make sure all was clear) She has been coming to me wanting…
Amanirenas: May the gods forbid. (Shouts in disbelief) I hope you haven't…
Akinidad: What are you talking about mother. Of course I haven't had anything with her. And she seems to wonder why a prince like me wouldn't make a move on her.
Amanirenas: What has she been doing. Tell me more son.
Akinidad: We had a little sort of an argument about two market days ago and since then she has been giving me cold shoulder.
Amanirenas: What do you mean by cold shoulder.
Akinidad: I mean, she barely comes close to wherever that I may be. She no longer goes with me to Anansesem not to talk of her sitting close to me as we always do. They king even got alarmed about it and tried to call us to order.
Amanirenas: Has he suspected anything yet?
Akinidad: Not yet mother. He was just concerned about our behaviour towards each other and tried settling us. He was worried our behaviour would make him a failed king who couldn't get his household together.
Amanirenas: Yes son, he is true about that. Such behaviour may lead to the unmaking of a nation, and I believe you know what that implies right?
Akinidad: Yes, I do mother. The kingdom might fall to its knees and might also end up in a different lineage. That's what it implies right?
Amanirenas: My son has really grown smart and intelligent. You start to have the wisdom of kings. That's exactly what it implies. So, tell me what happened.
Akinidad: We had dinner, and I requested the king to dismiss me since I wasn't feeling too well and needed some rest. She came to my chamber and tried seducing me in ways I did not understand. I got a little upset and hit her hand so hard as she kept touching me in an uncomfortable way.
Amanirenas: You did what? Why would you hit her that hard. I know it hasn't been easy for you, living the life of a gender that you are not but it was totally wrong to have hit her that way.
Akinidad: She crossed her boundaries and I had to react before she gets suspicious of me. Already she has been questioning my masculinity and the reasons why I am not tempted or attracted to the opposite sex. I mean to girls.
Amanirenas: And how have you been coping with that?
Akinidad: Mother, you asking me how I have been coping with that? (He says with a little bit of anger) This has always been your plan not mine. I never wanted to live this kind of life! I never said I wanted to be king! All I have always wanted was live just like the girl that I am. I have to go through hell when its that time of the month for me, mother. Do you understand how I have been dealing with all that?
Amanirenas: My child, I do understand your frustrations but…
Akinidad: But what mother? But what? I am stuck with a lifestyle of a man just to fulfil your ambition of becoming King. King to a throne that isn't rightfully mine.
(Starts to get really upset at this mother)
I see men and I feel the sense of being touch. I see men and I feel the desire of getting intimate. I am scared of being alone all my life, without a partner nor a child.
Amanirenas: (Calmly) I do understand how you feel. I know I have gotten you in a situation that has no way out. All I wanted was a good life for you. All I wanted to do was prove…was to prove that…(Pauses)
Akinidad: That is exactly what am talking about. To prove what, mother? And to who? Did you ever think of the consequences it might have on me before embarking on such selfish and ambitious mission of yours? Did you ever think of what I might go through if am being caught or something.
Amanirenas: But I promised to be there for you till the very end. The gods bear me witness on this. I vowed and am going to keep that vow to the very end
Akinidad: (Sharply chipped in) You think that is enough, mother? You think that promise of yours is enough to get me through? Okay then mother, let me ask you these simple questions.
(Takes in a deep breath then starts to ask his question)
Mother, have you ever thought if I would ever get married? Has there ever been a king without a wife to call his queen? Has there ever been king without an heir to take over his reign when the time is due? Has there ever been king with no morals or respect for traditions? Have you asked yourself these simply questions before making me the bait for your selfish ambitions, mother? (Starts to sob) This is pure wickedness, mother. Total wickedness. And its really not fair.
(Amanirenas has been nothing but quite throughout this moment, sobbing softly and listening to her son).
(Akinidad continues)
The king has made it an aim to get the princess win my heart, so she be crowned as my queen when I ascend on that throne.
Amanirenas: That cannot be. That was not the reason you were taken to his palace. You are supposed to be trained in the line of kingship to ascend the throne of the Ptolemaic Kingdom when the time is due…
Akinidad: (Still raging with anger and frustration) What King wouldn't want his daughter be queen. Do you even listen to me mother?
Just as you are so ambitious of me ascending to a throne we both know isn't rightfully mine, that is the same way he wants his daughter to get to my heart and be my queen so the lineage still continues in his line. Do you get it now mother.
Amanirenas: But you will be King my son.
Akinidad: A king who cannot get himself a queen talk less of children? Is that the type of king you wish me to become?
Amanirenas: Son! (With a tone of anger) You dare not speak to your mother in such manner. What has become of you? (She asks with anger) Yes, I am an ambitious mother that wants nothing but good for her child. I am an ambitious woman who would like to change history from its ways of bias practice. I was the one supposed to ascend the throne and be Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom just like your grandmother. I was supposed to lead the kingdom, but tradition was bias by taking it away from me to someone who was not the rightful heir. What did you expect me to have done? Be quite and allow that to transcend down to the rest of generations to come? So do not judge me and do not call me selfish.
Akinidad: (Gets more upset) Really mother? And so that makes me the price for that? What was my fault to be seen as the price to pay for the so-called traditional bias, mother?
Amanirenas: (Shouts at him) Because you came as a girl instead of a boy. That was the crime.
Akinidad: (In shock and disbelief) Mother, What? It is my fault I came as a girl instead of a boy? So, all these while you've been having regrets of having me as your child? Is that what you saying mother?
Amanirenas: (With no remorse of regret) Yes, that was your fault. If only you had come as a boy that the gods had predicted and made me believe, all these wouldn't have been happening and none of us would be made to live a life of lies. Soo do not question me son, question the gods.
(Amanirenas ended her statements and Akinidad starts to weep so hard. He left the chamber of his mother and run into the dark woods. Amanirenas begins to talk hard on herself and tries to run after her child)