After a thorough argument between the king and his wife, she agreed to the request of the king and took her seat. As she got seated up leaning on the wall behind her, the king then reemphasised on the previous question he asked her about the changes in their daughter the princess. She then looked at the king in awe of surprise as it was the first time she is hearing something of such about the princess. The king continued to elaborate more on the changes he has seen in the princess but is yet to tell her that he was first prompted to it by Amari and Zibo.
King: For quite some time now, the behaviour of our daughter is beginning to deteriorate in different way. She seems to be hungry and angry almost most of the time, even at the least of provocation, and she seem not to be showing up at any event that requires her presence, and these have been worrying to me.
Queen: But my king, she is your daughter, our daughter. You could have just requested her presence and ask her all these. She will have no option than to tell you what is actually happening to her. (She replied to the king)
King: It seems you are missing out on the point I am trying to make here. Let me further explain to you. (He took a proper seat facing her and starts to talk again) Have you not seen how she is gradually adding on weight by the day? She seems to be growing bigger and bigger. Her face seems to be swelling up and her appetite for food has taken a grave turn.
Queen: So, what are you insinuating? (She asks)
King: Do not tell me that I need to tell you everything. You should be able to get where am actually heading to with the conversation. Look at how pale she often looks. So angry without smiling anymore. The princess is someone that smiles a lot, but it has been different lately.
The queen tries to act in a surprise manner pretending not to know of what the king is saying. She continued to look at the king in awe and been trying to avoid the continuation of the matter with him. She is now eager to know how the king got to know about all these stuffs even though Amari and Zibo have already informed her that they have already spoken to the king about the situation. She is a little bit of surprise as to why the king has not said anything to her until this time.
Queen: So, are you trying to say that you suspect the princess, our only daughter might be pregnant? Is that what you are coming up to? (She asks with a bit of frustration and amusement)
King: That is exactly what I am trying to say. And in fact, I don't assume she is pregnant, but I know she is pregnant.
As the king said that the queen immediately intersected and began to raise her voice but not in the manner that it could be heard by the slaves in the palace.
Queen: May the gods forbid. Why would you say something like this about your own daughter, our daughter. What kind of father do you think that will make you? (She says with outmost anger this time)
King: Who would want to think or say something like this about his child. Do you think I find it fanciful to say something like this about our daughter?
Queen: Then why are you drawing to such an absurd conclusion when you have not made your necessary enquires with her. Have you even bothered to talk to her personally about this?
King: Of course I tried to, but she wouldn't let me. She tries to avoid the conversation whenever I try bringing it up with her, and that is making it extremely difficult to get to know of her situation.
Queen: But this is actually your daughter. You are her father and should be able to question her about this matter before drawing to any conclusion. I would say I am a bit disappointed in you my husband, for not even talking to your daughter about this but yet drew your judgement on it. (She further asks the king) And coming to this, how did you even find out about this? What made you to think that she is pregnant or might be pregnant?
The king is also a bit surprise as to why his wife, the mother to his daughter will think he is lying on a matter like this as she is supposed to have noticed it in the first place. He believed that since she is woman, she should be able to identify when the princess is going through any changes being it physical or emotional.
King: Are you really serious right now? You mean to tell me that you know nothing about this, or you have not noticed anything like this about the princess? Are you not a woman just like her? She has crossed the age of puberty and is almost due for marriage, and that is why I have always had it in mind to make her queen when her cousin assumes the throne when my tenure is done.
Queen: My king, I am not trying to insult your intelligence, but I am only trying to ask and see of how you got to such a news. I am a woman just as you said, but I am of more maturity than our daughter. She is still young despite reaching or crossing the age of puberty, and all she needs right now is sort of a guidance other than accusations.
King: So, you think I am wrongly accusing my own daughter, the only princess of the land of pregnancy? Is that what you think I am doing right now?
This time, the king is beginning to get really angered by the reactions and accusations laid on him by his wife. All she is trying to do is play as if she knows nothing about what the king is taking about yet she has made her own observations and have also concluded on a possibility that the princess might be pregnant. Not only that, she was also alerted by the personal slaves of the princess who are as wise as she is, and know that what they must have said to the king or to her is nothing but the truth, but she is only trying t refuse the fact that the princess could do something like this, not only jeopardizing with her life and probably ruining the future ahead of her, but also jeopardizing the throne and breaking custom and tradition.
As she is beginning to observe that the king is getting more and more offended by her words, she then begins to talk.
Queen: My king, you have gotten it all wrong. Which parent would think bad of their children. I am only saying that you should get your daughter talking to find out the truth about it all by yourself. In that way, we will not be making just assumptions about her situation. Remember she is our only child, and we must protect her dignity at all cost.
King: Of course I know that. I nothing has ever been precious tome than our daughter. Ever since she came forth to this world, I felt the edge of never disappointing her and make her queen no matter what. If not for the promise and pronouncement made by her grandmother, my mother, she would have been the next ruler of the kingdom just like her grandmother ruled. But to think that my opinions about the princess's situation as absurd is kind of offensive.
Queen: (She tries to comfort him) You know what we are going to do, why don't we summon her ones again and try applying some little force to get to the bottom of this matter. If what you are assuming at this moment turns to be right, then we find possible means t protect her, but if they turn out to be negative then you must apologize to her then we all move on with our lives. (She pauses) I know this is a bit overwhelming for you at this moment. You just got out of an attempted coupe and instead of celebrating and rejoicing over that, we are here on some rumour which we do not even know of its stand. This should not be what we should be talking about at this moment my king. I think we should be focusing on how to make the lives of our people better and get back their trust. The war has also taken away our trust from their hearts and I doubt if they are happy inside them that you are still reigning as king over them. I think this should be a priority at this moment and we deal with our daughter maybe later.