'Your highness, you're welcome to my humble abode.' Oma greeted the princess cautiously wondering what mysterious wind suddenly blew the princess to her house.
The princess nodded, looking around the simple mud houses that were built haphazardly all over the already cramped compound. Her eyes flashed with a little pity finally understanding why Oma might want to seduce her father.
Sure her father was handsome and she had actually inherited much of his attributes, but that couldn't actually explain why a young beautiful girl like Oma would be interested in a man more than thrice her age who currently had five wives, her late mother was once known as the first. Sure her father was also the king of one of the most powerful kingdoms, but Oma was beautiful and young and she had so much potential, she didn't have to become one of her father's women, but now she understood, if was also raised in such wretched conditions, she might be desperate enough to seduce an old affluent man like her father.
But she was really surprised at Oma and her mother's living conditions, Her late father, Ola was a stranger who settled in the kingdom of Enale, he was known for his business acumen and aquired a considerable amount of wealth and businesses during his lifetime, even her father spoke fondly of him once or twice on occasions, and though he was dead, it was really surprising for his wife and daughter's living conditions to be reduced to this in the span of two years.
She felt a twinge of pity for Oma, they may call themselves friends but she knew nothing of her, Oma might have told her different stories about the people in her kingdom but she never told her anything about herself, and she herself honestly didn't care enough to ask.
Oma watched the Princess's eyes alternate between disgust and pity and almost lost her mind, but reminded herself that she was his royal majesty's beloved daughter. She couldn't touch her unless she wanted to commit suicide. She calmed herself down and motioned for the princess to take her seat on the mud stool in front of her house, 'my princess, please take a seat, make yourself comfortable.' She said as she also took her seat on a stone besides her house, for they had no other chair except the one the princess now sat on, she wondered how the princess even found her house, for she did not remember telling the princess anything regarding herself talk less of her house. ' my princess, I hope you had no trouble finding my house, I know it's a bit remote.' She said trying to clear the awkwardness that thickened the air.
'No issues, my maid knew the way, it was just a bit too far.' The princess said her annoyance palpable in her tone, the aforementioned maid on hearing the princess's comment and taking it as a compliment broke out in a smile as if all the tiredness that came from holding the sunshade immediately faded away.
Meanwhile at the princess's comment and the obvious annoyance that could be heard as clear as day in the princess's voice Oma wanted to scream: did I tell you to come to my house!
'That's by the way. Anyways I'm not here for that, I came here for something else.' The princess said immediately, not really interested in beating around the bush.
'I'm all ears.' Oma said, curious at what was important enough for the high and mighty princess to walk all the way from the palace to come look for her in her decrepit house.
'You guys are dismissed, give me the fan before you go.' The maids though surprised, obeyed the princess. Oma looked at what was happening in shock, whatever the princess wants to talk to her about must be very secretive for her to even dismiss her maids, she was shocked that the princess would one day tell her something in confidence.
After confirming the maids where no longer in hearing distance, Princess Emajiri started. 'What do you think of my father, be honest with me, I don't want any lies. You of all people should know my methods.'
Oma's blood went cold, her face pale with fear. It's over, the princess will definitely have her beheaded.
'I already know the truth, but I want to hear it straight from your mouth, but don't worry, I won't hurt you in anyway, just tell me what I want to know. Don't make me ask again, or else.' She didn't even need to finish her sentence, Oma knew what she meant.
Oma immediately threw herself on her knees before the princess. 'My princess, I'm so sorry, I don't even know what brought about that idea, you can see my living situation.' She cried out in despair, 'and you might be wondering how it came to this, but you need to know that when my father died, it was not even up to a month, when we were suddenly visited by various troves of people, claiming to be relatives of my father from the neighboring village, I don't even know how they found out about my father's death, it was like they planned it, they ambushed us and took everything we had like jackals, they even occupied the house my father built with his sweat, and my being a girl and not a son made their takeover all the more easier. We were only able to survive through that trying time after my mother went to her home and begged for help. It was her brothers who helped her build this house you now see, and they were only able give us a little amount of money, after which they left us to fend for ourselves. But I can't really blame them, it's not like they had much to begin with. The fact that they did that much is already commendable.' Her eyes glazed over as she got lost in the maze known as her memories, she remembered that year like it was yesterday.
The hideous greedy faces of her father's so called relatives, the disgusting man that called himself her eldest uncle, who wanted to claim her mother as his, it was only by luck she and her mother were able to excape intact. And only through grit were they able to build their self back up and survive, by relying on one another.
'Boo hoo, cry me a river, do you really think I care?' The princess asked with indifference, her eyes cold as she accessed Oma, 'tell me when you started plotting against me.'
Oma collapsed on the floor, her face knwhitewashed in fear, but she didn't dare delay, she told the princess everything. 'From the beginning.' She closed her eyes in fear. 'I approached you on purpose, sticking to you and flattering you on purpose, just in the hopes of getting close to your father, when I knew those tactics weren't working, I discovered that you seemed to like stories.' She spoke hurriedly, afraid the princess would think she was too slow. 'That's when I started my rumor mongering career and it turned out I was right, because then you started paying attention to me.' She smiled bitterly, knowing it was the end of the road for her, she hoped her mother would find a way in her heart to forgive her and to keep on living.
'Do you know why despite knowing you approached me with impure intentions I still kept you close?' The Princess asked.
'No I don't.' Oma replied, genuinely curious.
'Because you were useful, and I'm going to let you live still simply because you are still useful.' The Princess said calmly. 'Just like I found use for you as an entertainer, I've found another use for you, do you want to know?' She asked.
'Yes my princess.' Oma replied with genuine confusion, not for the life of her understanding what was going on.
The princess smiled in satisfaction, things were going according to plan. 'I will help you with your seduction plan, but on one condition.' She let her words hang in the air, waiting for Oma's reply.
Oma doubted her ears. Cleaning them with her finger to make sure she heard correctly. 'Come again my princess, I'm not sure I heard you correctly.' She said cautiously.
The princess glared at her coldly. 'I won't repeat myself, do you want to or not.'she said annoyed.
'My princess are you sure.' Oma asked tentatively.
The princess said nothing, just quietly watched her with cold eyes.
Oma shivered in fear. 'Yes my princess, I want to, but may I know why?' Oma bravely still not for the life of her understanding why the princess would want to help her seduce her very own father.
'You don't need to know why, but I have my own condition, which is for you to absolutely obey me once you're in. just know this, I can drag you down as easily as I lift you up.' She said calmly.
'Do- don't worry my princess, I won't dare.' Oma stuttered in fear, it seems she never really knew the princess. Like most of the villagers, she thought she was just an arrogant spoilt brat. But it seems she was wrong, she was oh so wrong.
'I don't believe in promises, but you can try me and see for yourself what I am capable of.' She said icily. Her smile chilled Oma to the bone.
'I won't dare.' She said hurriedly.
'For your sake, I hope you don't. You can stand up, I don't want people to think I'm bullying you, after all, you are my best friend.' The princess said smiling as she helped Oma up, but that just sent chills down Oma's spine, she shivered, as her fear of the princess grew within her. What had she just gotten herself into.