The walk back to the palace was enveloped in a tense silence.
Moremi and Akan moved quickly through the forest, but the weight of what they had witnessed hung heavily in the air. Neither dared to speak, both lost in their thoughts but still aware of their surroundings.
The sound of their footsteps crunching against the leaves beneath them was the only thing that broke the stillness.
Akan's mind reeled in his predicaments; if the king discovered that his only daughter had encountered the white slave traders, the repercussions would be severe.
Moremi, however, was yet to recover from the confrontation with the slave traders.
Her mind raced with images of the black slave trader, the Azuran man she had never met, selling his people to the white devils.
It left a bitter taste in her mouth and her fists clenched, her pace quickening as more images surfaced.
Who else might be profiting from the betrayal of their people? She thought.
How could this be real? Had she been so blind all along?
The stories of far-off lands and distant horrors seemed like tales from another world. But here it was, in her forest, her people, reduced to nothing more than animals.
The blood, the chains, the sound of the whip cracking through the air… She shuddered at the memory, her mind unable to settle.
She had hunted before, but the look of raw despair in the eyes of those slaves—her people—was a sight that would haunt her for a long time.
___
The both of them exchanged no words with each other as they neared the palace walls, a kingdom that felt like a safe place. Today, however, it felt more like a cage.
"Please wait here, Princess," Akan suddenly instructed when they were close enough, tapping her arm to stop her movements. "We'll go through the back gate, as usual," he told her in a low voice, glancing around cautiously.
He pushed the gate slowly and entered, scanning the area for any signs of danger. It would be disastrous if, after such a terrible morning, they still got caught.
Once satisfied that the coast was clear, he signaled for the princess to follow.
Moremi stepped forward, her mind still fuzzy but she put herself together and briefly, her eyes held Akan's gaze, observing his countenance.
Akan, despite being aware of her gaze stared straight ahead, his jaws clenched, but his demeanour contained.
This princess had no idea what it took to keep up with her flaws.
He did not only have to tolerate her misbehaviour but also had to answer to her father now and then while making sure he shielded her from the consequences of her actions.
That was toughest part of being a servant to a disobedient royal like Moremi.
One had to be very discreet when answering to the king on her behalf in other to not put their loyalty to the princess as well as the king in jeopardy.
It was a draining process, and it felt like he was walking on water; his possibility of drowning was very high.
Meanwhile, Moremi felt a sting when Akan intentionally ignored her, letting her pass before gently closing the gates.
They slipped through the gates into the palace grounds, avoiding the palace guards. But neither of them noticed the figure watching from the shadows of the upper balcony.
The woman's sharp eyes trained on them and her lips curled into a smile while she rocked the wooden chair she sat on, making creaking noises.
She looked beside at another woman and they gave each other knowing glances.
Moremi thought she could do as she pleased. She would learn soon enough.
___
When they reached the main entrance where Moremi's quarter was located, Akan dismissed himself with a deep bow, but just as he turned to leave, the princess grasped his arm, stopping him.
He paused to stare at her with a raised brow.
For a moment, Moremi's mouth went dry, trying to find the right words to say under his piercing gaze before she recovered her voice.
"Thank you, Akan," she cleared her throat when their gaze met, her eyes softening.
Though he remained silent, she could sense his anger; today, she had indeed placed him in a precarious position.
"You don't need to thank me, Princess. It's my duty to protect you," he replied, his voice unsettled as he turned away to take another path.
His stoic face, devoid of emotions pierced through Moremi like an arrow.
She was never comfortable with Akan's silence.
Opening her mouth, she attempted to apologize but hesitated as she noticed two figures watching them from a distance. Abruptly, she withdrew her hand to her side.
Akan didn't look back at her and continued to walk away. When his figure vanished into the shadows, Moremi shifted her focus to the two of her maids stationed at the main palace entrance.
Nyala and Ayanna, who had been awaiting her arrival, exchanged glances when they saw her approaching before rushing to her to help her take out her hunting gear.
"My Princess," they chimed with a smile. Moremi returned the smile but it didn't reach her eyes.
Nyala, the talkative one began, "Welcome back. You caught something nice, I see!" She said excitedly. "Thank Goodness you arrived on time. Your father, the king just returned, did you know? He'd been asking of you. He isn't happy you weren't around to greet him but thankfully, he was tired from the journey and needed to rest. It would have been a disaster if he hadn't been so drained." She spoke with enthusiasm, her body ever active.
Moremi forced a smile, handing over the bird and her bow. Nyala eagerly took them, her hands fumbling as she gushed.
Ayanna, as usual, stayed quiet, her delicate fingers deftly removing the rest of Moremi's hunting gear without a word. She glanced at Moremi occasionally, her brow furrowing slightly.
With curiosity, she gauged the princess' composure, noticing how she seemed distracted, her gaze distant, and her movements stiff.
Nyala, oblivious to the tension, continued, "The whole palace is talking about it. He had a long council meeting too—something about the Azurans."
Moremi's ears stood on hearing that name.
"What about them?" She asked Nyala.
"Actually..." Nyala hesitated, then added with a raised eyebrow, "Your father intends to make an alliance with them."
At the mention of that, Moremi's expression hardened. "Why would he do that?"
Her body tensed thinking of the Azuran slave trader.
Nyala blinked, sensing the shift in her princess's tone. "I think it is something about Prince Yovana. He asked for your hand in marriage." She winced, knowing that this was a sore topic for Moremi.
The princess rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Of course, he did."
She had heard a lot of about the Azuran prince.
Arrogant and narcissistic.
That was enough to disqualify him from marrying her.
He must be a fool to think she will ever agree to marry him.
"I'm in no mood to discuss this," she said with distaste.
Ayanna, ever observant, finally spoke, her voice soft and cautious. "Princess… are you alright? You've been… different since you returned."
Moremi looked at her two maids, both of whom were watching her with concern. She sighed, running a hand through her now-loosened hair. "I'm fine, Ayanna. Just… tired."
Ayanna nodded but didn't press further. Nyala, however, couldn't hold back. "You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Moremi waved them off. "I'll be fine. Just give me a moment to freshen up."
The maids curtsied and left her alone in her chambers.
Moremi quickly enter her bath, drenching herself in the bathtub when she entered the bathroom. Her afro hair was soaked in the water as she closed her eyes, wishing to forget the horrible visions that now clouded her mind.
She washed away the dirt from the forest, trying to scrub the images from her mind as well.
But they wouldn't go away. The sounds, the sights, they were all too vivid. And the thought of having to face her father now—of all times—made her skin crawl.
When he woke up, he would demand her presence and an explanation as to why she wasn't around to welcome him. She needed to think of an appropriate lie.
She slowly stood up and stepped out of the bath, the water cascading down her curves like a liquid veil.
Wrapping herself in the warm towel, she heard a knock on the door and Ayanna stepped inside with a tray of food in her hands.
"My Princess, your food," she said with a curt bow and Moremi nodded for her to put it on the table.
In all honesty, Moremi was not hungry. She had lost appetite but it was only reasonable to fill her stomach as the storm was yet to come.
Ayanna handed her a soft, linen robe, embroidered with intricate patterns. The princess slipped into it, the fabric hugging her curves.
"Thank you, Ayanna." She said, tying the robe's sash.
"It's my pleasure, princess." The maid bowed.
"Has my father awoken?" She asked as she sat in front of the table to eat her food which was a plate of beans pudding, sided with corn porridge also known as pap.
"I'm not certain. I only sighted Queen Zaria near his chambers." Ayanna replied, her voice laced with worry.
Queen Zaria was one of Moremi's stepmothers as her father had many wives and concubines. Moremi's mother had died giving birth to her.
Her Godmother and seer of Mandinga, Agatha had told her the story and circumstances that surrounded her birth.
__
Her father, King Jelani had married her mother when he was crowned king.
However, her mother couldn't get pregnant despite all their attempts to make her conceive.
Convinced that the fault was from the woman, King Jelani was advised to take another wife... and another... and another until he had bedded over fifty women, some of which he took as wives, others as concubines and the rest he discarded.
Yet, none of them could bear him a child.
Moremi's father was insulted by the people of Mandinga, with claims that he was barren. It was so disturbing that King Jelani had to seek the Moon Goddess through Agatha to give him a child.
Finally, after so long, his first wife, took in and gave birth to a daughter rumoured to look like the Moon Goddess.
The Queen didn't make it alive from this laboured birth but that didn't stop the joy that spread through.
It was a thunderous celebration throughout Mandinga as Royalty had not heard the cry of a newborn in years. No one cared about the gender.
The girl child was named after the goddess that had brought her forth; Moremi.
Rumours crossed their kingdom to other kingdoms, talking about this miracle child.
Some called her a curse as her mother had died giving birth to her while others said she was a blessing from the Moon Goddess to bring about change.
Whatever it is was about her, King Jelani could care less.
He was just overjoyed to have ended the shame of being barren and now, Moremi was his only heiress to the throne.
The Future Queen of Mandinga.
Looking at Ayanna, "I wouldn't be needing anything else. You can go." She dismissed her and the young maid curtsied before disappearing.
Now left alone, Moremi finished her food quickly with her mind still on the slaves she had seen in the forest.
If the alliance kingdoms were making with the white people was selling their fellow blacks as slaves, then it had to stop.
"My princess," Her maid, Ayanna suddenly entered the room, pulling her from her thoughts.
"What is it?"
"Your father has awoken. He sends for you." She reported.