Chapter 52 - The Swear

Hakeemi has been missing in all these situations ever since the princess was apprehended by her father the king. He is not seen or heard of and that it has been a great concern to the princess, yet she refused to give out his name as the sole culprit that got her into the family way without following tradition and doing that not to any other but the only princess of the kingdom.

Since Akinidad, who was wrongfully accused by her own cousin is not the culprit, who will it be? This has been the question that has bothering the king and getting lost since he could not find the answers to his most anticipated question.

The Ptolemaic Kingdom has been the topic of discussion among all kingdoms. It is seen as the bacon of almost everything good amongst all the kingdoms and hearing such scandalous act happening in the kingdom is something that cannot be looked away from. 

The kingdom is beginning to lose its popularity and dignity due to the shameless act committed by the princess and the sister of the king, Amanirenas. No one wants to have anything to do with the kingdom anymore as it has loosened with undignified acts. How can a whole kingdom, supposed to be the bacon of hope and progress, and a great example to all kingdom get itself involved in a scandal of grooming a female into a male just for the mere quest of power and greed, and how can a projected future queen mother allow herself to be putting in a family way through wedlock and not following tradition.

The king has been the one most affected by this since it involves his only daughter and his only niece whose mother just died and left him with an unsolved puzzle that he did not start.

As the pronouncement was made that Akinidad should also be killed, the princess, out of guilt, felt the urge of taking a portion of the punishment by wanting to be also killed alongside her cousin. In that way she would be able to cover her shame since the whereabout of her lover is unknown, neither do anyone know he is responsible for the seed sowed her womb.

Princess Nala: I shall die with my cousin no matter what. It was my fault that she is in this situation. If only I did not allow my anger and selfishness take the best of me. It is my fault that all these are happening to us. I am truly a rebellious and ungrateful child to the most noble of all, my father the king.

Akinidad: No, my sweet and loving cousin of mine. Let me die alone. I guess this is how I am destined to be with my mother who put me through all these troubled. Do not blame yourself for anything. Let me die alone. It is my death. And it cannot be shared. But take note, dear cousin of mine, all that which has happened notwithstanding, I love you and I have always loved you. I admire your free spirit and your boldness, which in my case, was snuffled by a mother's ambition and a male mask. (She went to her cousin the princess and embraced her)

Yes, Nala, you are really the true princess of our great kingdom. As my case, it was a male mask and the desire of a mother that stood between the love we had for each other. (Princess Nala sobs more bitterly)

Just let me go and die. The death that is my mother's trophy for the game of owari she sent me to play with my life. (Akinidad sobs uncontrollably). If only I had known that a day such as this will come where my mother would forsake me, I would have been courageous and bold just like you are, and allow my spirit live freely, I would have had no regrets as of today.

I was denied the right and life of a woman, and I would have died of loneliness due to my mother's selfish ambition.

Princess Nala: I cannot let you so, for were it not for this thing in the chest of a woman, this desire to love and to possess, you will not now have been dying before your time. it was all my stupidity and selfishness. My lack of truthfulness and disobedience. For this thing in my chest refused to be ruled by my head. But I swear… (Snatches a state sword from the nearest guards) I swear by this sword that, May the gods, the spirits and people of this great kingdom grant me no respite till I die with my cousin.

Akinidad: (Immediately protesting against her swearing) Please no… Please you must not swear my dear cousin. This is the fate I was bound to meet and has absolutely nothing to do with you cousin.

Princess Nala: (Continues to swear) If she should die any day I swear by the great tripe oath of our fathers, that my sold should depart from my body after her that same day and time. Let the spirits and the elders of the kingdom grant me this wish.

It is believed that if one swears with a state word, his or her wishes must be granted regardless of the consequences ghat comes with it and nothing can be done to revoke the swear did by them and will face the implication of their actions. This does not exclude the royal family either.

After the princess made her wishes with the state sword in her hands, Akinidad starts to weep more because he knows her wishes cannot be revoked no matter what, and that means she will surely die alongside her when the day or time is due, and it will be unfair for the innocent unborn child to pay the price of her mother's reckless behaviour with her.

Akinidad: Oh, Princess… why? You should not have sworn to die with me… Oh no!

Princess Nala: Oh yes, my cousin. I have no regrets or whatsoever. (Returns the sword to whom she stole it from)

If the love in my chest is going to kill the only one, I truly love, then the chest that harbours the love must die with the loved one and the death be part of the beloved. Yes, you will forever be a part of me. And I, forever and ever be part of you. I cannot watch you die out of my recklessness and rebellion behaviour. I also want you to know that we are sewn together, and yes, the gods, the tailor did it. Though we do not see any thread or string, thus there is a cord so strong that binds your heart to mine and no one can see it. These people here cannot see it, for it is not meant for the eyes to see, nor the hand to touch it, but you and I can feel it because it's meant to be felt. (Tried getting closer to Akinidad) Feel it! Come, come and feel it! (They got closer to each other, embraced each other and weep on one another's shoulder)

As they began to cry on each other's shoulders for solace, the king could not but burst in tears, of the fear of loosing both his daughter and only niece. This brings to question the state of the throne when his time is due or when he joins the ancestors. Who will take over the throne and keep the lineage of the family afloat? This has been the question running through his mind as old age has already caught up with him and is wife and can not bear any more children. This puts the fate of the Linette lineage in serious jeopardy.

As he watches his daughter and her cousin embrace each other, while crying their hearts out, it the came to his mind to ask of the truth regarding the dead of her father and other maids who once served her mother, his sister, Amanirenas, and have lost their tongues and their voices out of the blues.

The king could not understand how or the reason behind the lose of their tongue if it could be linked to the identity of his nephew who was portrayed as a male to take over the throne after his demise.

As the king asked his niece this question, she began to weep more and more as it brings back the memories of the evil committed by her mother in Azurethra. She could not believe how evil her mother could have been to the extent of eliminating her own husband and denying her the right to a father's love. She could not believe neither could she tell her uncle of all the evils committed by her mother by cutting off the tongues of the maids associated with her birth just with the ambition of hiding her identity to fulfil her desires.

She drew closer to her uncle and begun to spill the beans.