Awo, which is a common name given to the elderly women in African homes out of respect, was made to finish with her questioning with the princess while everyone awaits in suspense to hear whose name will be mentioned as the culprit.
As the 1st elder tries to interrupts the conversation between the old woman and the princess by calling out to the executioner to come take them away and to execute them in the evil forest, the rouse a strong protest from the people at the palace ground against all that he said while they demand the princess be made to answer the questions and to save an innocent soul regardless of it coming out of wedlock from unjustly paying the price of a crime committed by the princess.
King: Emissary! (The emissary bends down his head while the king beckons some whispers into his ears)
Emissary: Silence everyone...this is what his highness says that the objection is overruled, and that the princess shall answer to all questions asked by Awo. (Turns to the princess) We demand you answer the questions asked by Awo and we expect you to do as soon as possible without any delays.
Princess Nala: (Starts to stammer) He hasn't done it! (There came a swift heave of scream from the crowd)
Emissary: Kooom ye! … Kooom ye! Awo, you heard her answer. Now, your second request. The king and the kingdom are all ears.
Old Woman: My final request, which I make in the name of all the women at this very gathering today and beyond, is a plea. A plea to you to name the father of that which you harbour in you. Whoever the man is must not allowed to enjoy his life whilst you and your unborn child and your innocent cousin go to meet sunset on your lives at sunrise. You will not be fair to yourself. You will not be fair to your cousin. You will not be fair to the unborn baby that you harbour in your womb. You will not be fair to the stool and the people of this great Kingdom, particularly the women, your fellow sisters of the kingdom.
Please, I am on my knees pleading (Tries to get down to her knees). Will you do us all this favour. Who is the father of the unborn child that you harbour?
(Pause) Emissary,
Emissary: Awo!
Old Woman: Tell the princess we are all awaiting. (The old woman crosses to take her seat offered by the emissary by the permission of the king)
Emissary: Princess, you have another fine opportunity to travel narrow path to death with the true companion of your crime. He must also be apprehended and not be made to stay alive to enjoy his life when yours is abruptly done with. Name him, and we shall ensure he follows you to the end of time. This is the word of the people and shall be done accordingly. So, princess, we ask again, are you ready to name names?
Princess Nala: (Without any hesitations this time around) Yes, I am.
Emissary: Who then, if I may ask, is this fine sack water that did such an abominable act?
Princess Nala: Hakeemi,
Old Woman: Which Hakeemi?
1st Elder: Princess, there are as many Hakeemi as there are leaves on the nim tree. Which Hakeemi are you talking about?
Princess Nala: Hakeemi Amoako, the 1st Elder's son.
Old Woman: (Shouts as soon as the princess indicated who she was talking about) Guards!
(Points in the direction of the 1st elder) Go get him right this minute.
The guards dash out with a rush, as they approached the first elder. The news had struck him that his son, Hakeemi, is responsible for sowing the unwanted seed in the princess and knowing so well that he will be apprehended and arrested, he tries to escape but was finally apprehended and brought to his knees by the guards and brought forth before the king. He then gives a nod of the head while the 1st Elder is being asked some questions as of the whereabout of his son.
King: Nana Oppong, my elder!
1st Elder: Yes, your Highness,
King: I assume you are aware of the reason why you are being brought forth before me and the whole Kingdom. Your son has committed an abominable deed which is dimly punishable and not just any sort of a punishment, but a punishment that is dire. I will not want you to waste our time nor yours because it will do us all good if you simply tell us the whereabout of your son.
As the king asked him this question, he kept denying the fact that had not seen his son for some couple of days now and thus does not know the whereabout of his son. That answer provoked the king more as it turns to feel that he is making a mockery of the throne and will attract a severe and an unrevoked not only against him but even against his innocent wife and the generation to come under him.
1st Elder: My King, I am saying nothing but the truth. I really do not know the whereabout of my son, and you know if I should know of his whereabout regardless of him being my son, I would gladly hand him over to you without any plea.
The King is still trying to find out of the whereabout of the 1st Elder's son, but he still kept denying the fact of him knowing the whereabout of his son.
King: (Shouts out to the guards) Guards!
They rushed in as the king gives a nod of the head and the 1st Elder is blind folded. His pleas for leniency are ignored now.
King: Executioner! You can now take them all away from my sight.
As the king has given his final verdict to the executioner to do his diligent work, the people start to scream in pain and the whole place is thrown into mourning. The executioner takes away the Nana Oppong, who has been the 1st elder and has always objected the plea of the people towards the princess and her cousin walking arm-in-arm.
The 1st elder cries out to the other elders and the rest of the people of the kingdom for the king to show mercy upon him and seemed like no body really cared that much about him but were rather crying out for the princess together with her cousin be forgiven and given a much lenient punishment other than death.
As the 1st elder cries as he plea for mercy, the rest of the elder stats to talk amongst themselves and even directing some of their thoughts to the 1st elder.
2nd Elder: So, all these whiles, your son is the culprit and the criminal that has committed this abominable deed against our tradition and custom, and yet when we all tried to plea for a much more lenient punishment other than death against the princess and the King's niece, you strongly opposed all our pleas and now you want to be shown leniency and mercy? Such arrogance and wicked heart, all because you wanted to take the seat of the throne.
3rd Elder: We never said they should be forgiven but rather be given a lesson that will serve as a deterrent to the rest of the dwellers of our Kingdom. All you did was strongly oppose and not did only oppose to our plea, was you were harsh and rude to Awo, who has been the eldest still living amongst us.
1st Elder: I had no idea my son could commit such abominable deed against the throne. If only I had known I would have been the first to call for leniency, but please my elders, have mercy upon me for I am old and….
King: Take them all away.
After a long pause while the people cry out to the king for his mercy, he starts to talk to himself while the queen also sobs standing right beside him.
This news is one that has never been heard in the history of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Even though they have been instances where the first King, the grandfather to Masinissa Linette Duah II and Amanirenas Linette Duah was found of some fault of having some multiple mistresses, no one has ever been that bold enough to get any royal blood in the family way, and thus makes the people wonder of the courage that Hakeemi had to committing such unforgivable abominable deed against the throne. Not even people from the royal blood will dare have such courage to commit such deed.
As of now, the Ptolemaic Kingdom has gone into its time of doom and the loving people of the great Kingdom awaits the verdict of the king if only he will hear to their cry and probably change custom.
The scream of pain keeps taking over the palace while they all look over as the princess together with her cousin and Nana Oppong are taken away by the executioner into the wild evil forest.