Hakeemi has been missing in the village for some days now and no one has actually heard of his whereabout, while the princess, who has been his lover for a quiet some time now is facing the law all by herself for the seed he Hakeemi has sowed in her.
The whereabout of Hakeemi has not been really a bother to anyone in the village since he is known to be a very courageous yet a hardworking and principled dweller in the kingdom. His family has served the kingdom so well that most of the food consumed in the kingdom came from the farm of his family. He is so good at his farming work that the kingdom did not consider it a must upon his family to go under military training until the war again the Punto Kingdom erupted. He voluntarily without the pursuit of no one, join the army to fight the punt kingdom in other to regain the glory of his kingdom. He gained has gained so much recognition after the war, which could have paved a way to the heart of the king in other to marry his long-term lover, if only he had not sowed any unwanted seed in the belly of the princess.
Him missing in the kingdom has been the main reason why the princess was finally apprehended by her father, thus revealing the true state of her condition.
At this point, still at the durbar ground, the king immediately took over and demanded some silence from all corners of the durbar ground.
King: Emissary, let everyone be silent. (He commanded authoritatively)
Emissary: The king calls for total silence. And anybody who opens his mouth wider than a yawn would allow, does so at his or her own risk. (He landed)
There was a total silence as the emissary ended his speech while the king takes over to address is daughter.
King: My daughter, the allegations you are leaving against your cousin are very grave and thus come with grave consequences if not proven to be true. You are far, under the wrath of the gods and the kingdom and would not want you to add up to your punishment.
So, I ask again, can you prove them?
Princess Nala: Father, am I not pregnant? (She asks sarcastically) And is he not a man? What other proof do you need again? Perhaps you think I may have gotten myself pregnant.
1st Elder: Know who you are talking to young lady, you spoilt cockroach. You better mind your language before the great gods of the land strike you. Can you not see we are here too, or you have suddenly forgotten your manners before your father and the elders of the land.
Princess Nala: I am sorry.
Elders: You better be.
King: (Turns to the side of his nephew) Well, my nephew, I think it is only fait and proper that we hear to what you have as custom demands…
1st Elder: I object! That is out. He has decreed an oath that the culprit shall be granted no hearing. And that the morning of the day after his arrest shall not meet his eyes. Furthermore, his male member shall be cut off and presented in a wooden bowl to all the chiefs, elders and people of Ptolemaic Kingdom at a durbar such as this. I ask that he is made to dance to the music of our custom pertaining to his crime. Or is that not the general consensus?
There was a general chant of "he must die! He must die! As soon as the elder finished his speech.
King: Wait a minute… (Tries to calm the crowd) …Please wait a minute…listen to me… (There was a total silence)
So, you won't allow him to utter at least a word or two?
All: No! He must die!... He must die…He must die!
King: Alright, Alright… if you insist, he should die according to custom, I will have nothing to say but to do as one thing… (There was a long pause) Executioner! (The king called out to him. The executioner steps forwards) Take this nephew of mine away with you to the outskirts of the durbar grounds and bring his genitals within the shortest possible time. Collect a wooden bowl from the women's quarters to carry the severed genitals. We shall all be waiting.
Go! (The executioner roughly drags away Akinidad. The crowd hoots at him as he is being taken away to the outskirt of the durbar ground as instructed by the king. but for a few murmurings here and there, the whole place is silent. Ther was a loud scream as the executioner runs in looking really terrified)
Executioner: (Prostrating himself at the feet of the Masinissa Linette Duah II)
Your highness… My king… Oh… My king
King: (Immediately asks) Where is what I asked you to bring to me before my people?
Executioner: (Panting heavily) My King…I…I…couldn't bring it…
Elder: Where is it?
King: Where is the thing, or you have forgotten your work as an executioner?
Elder: (Starts to chant) We want the thing...We want the thing! We want the thing!...
Executioner: My elders, my eyes has seen what my mouth can not say. It heavy for the tongue to let loose.
King: What are you talking about? I command you as your king to speak out immediately.
Executioner: My King, my elders, the prince has no male genitals.
Immediately the executioner made mention of that, the whole crowd was stunned and the was a total silence of shock on how something like this can be possible in the kingdom. This is one of the biggest shocking news to ever hit the land as it left the king speechless and motionless while he turned to look at the direction of his sister, Amanirenas, who all these while claimed to have given birth to a male child but rather turned out to be mystery to the kingdom.
After the short pause of silence, then breaks a total confusion of murmuring amongst the crowd and the elders in disbelief, hoping what the executioner has said to the is nothing but a fairy tale joke.
Crowd: (Stunned by the news) What! How is this possible. (They kept murmuring)
Executioner: The prince is not a prince but a princess.
1st Elder: Look here young man (Talks aggressively at the executioner) I do not know what all this story you are saying is all about, but it will do you and all the kingdom good if you cut the story and bring to us what was asked of you. Or do you wish yours to be brought to us?
Executioner: The prince, my noble elders, is a girl. I will not lie with such situation.
Crowd: Incredible.
Executioner: He is a she and the gods knows am saying nothing but the truth.
Elder: How? (There is a near confusion. Everybody talking at the same time)
Exeutioner: She…He…She…He…has breasts.
Elders: Breasts? (In total shock of hearing that)
Executioner: I saw them with my own eyes. She has no third leg in between her. She…he…she…wears beads around his waist.
Elders: Beads on his waist.
King: (Orders for a complete silence) What is it that you are saying? Do you know the gravity of that which is coming out of your mouth?
Executioner: It is true, my King. I saw everything with my own eyes and that is the only was I am able to say what I am saying at the moment. I will never want to frame the prince…the princess…no, the prince for anything.
King: This is unbelievable. Guards!
The king could not believe which that his ears just heard neither could he stop starring at the stand of his sister of whom he trusted to hand over the kingdom to her son. The princess could not believe what her ears are hearing and nearly collapsed. She was immediately attended to and was handed a seat to sit on in other to regain her strength.
Emissary: (Shouts out to the guards) Guards! Present yourselves before the king. (Four palace guards presents themselves before the king)
King: Now guards, follow him to the place of the execution and bring with him the prince. I won't believe any of the things that he is saying unless I see it with my own very eyes. How is that possible?... (Turns to his sister again) Sister, how can… (At this point the Amanirenas, sister to the king, collapses from the corner that she has seated)
The palace guards left the presence of the king together with the executioner to go bring the prince as ordered by the king as some elders' shouts for help for the sister of the king Amanirenas.
This finally bring to mind of then reason why the prince has been calling out to his mother to save him and not forsake him, yet no one knew what all that was about until now.
What to happen next is what to watch for.