Decision

Ashanti Freeman walked gently in the town as she looked around the streets of Foden and even further as a queen or empress might be looking around her territory. The streets were very busy and if one lost contact with a friend or someone they were moving with, it would be difficult to get in contact again but she wasn't aware of why the town was even more busier than before. It's not that this town of Foden wasn't busy, this time the town was extremely busy and this made her very curious. It was a sunny day and the weather seemed not to be bothering at all.

After the walk, Ashanti was on her way home when she came to realise the reason as to why the town was busier than the usual days. The monthly train had finally come to town. It would bring visitors from different parts of the world. The visitors sometimes came to visit their relatives and friends who resided in Foden while others came as tourists as they came to tour the beautiful sceneries of Foden as some of them heard rumours that Foden was a very beautiful town with very good climatic conditions since it was situated in the Equatorial region. Ashanti passed through the busy crowd inorder to find her way back home.

At the end of the town, was the Freeman Mansion. This is where the Freeman family resided and in that this was Ashanti's home. When Ashanti reached home, she entered the chicken house, fed the roasters and the hens and later set in for the house chores. She was the one responsible for all the house work because she was the lady of the house. Her mother Sadiya had passed on when she was only three years old and she was left with her father Mr. Freeman who took care of her as a single parent till date when she was sixteen years old although he was also busy sometimes.

When Ashanti finished the house chores, she picked up her fishing gear and set out to go fishing. A few meters from the Freeman Mansion was the river where Ashanti used to go fishing.

"Fishing..... fishing... fishing, what a great adventure you are," she sang as she walked towards the river.

On this river, Ashanti had her own private fishing place which she called "Ashanti's Pond". Surprisingly on reaching the spot this time, she found some boys swimming in her pond. The boys were also surprised to see a beautiful young girl at the river.

"How are you, miss?" they all greeted.

"I am fine," she said as she smiled.

"What are you doing at the river now?" the eldest boy asked.

"This is my pond as in my private fishing place."

"If you wouldn't mind I would like to request you to leave immediately," she told the boys with dignified confidence.

"But we got here first," the eldest boy said.

"But I live here and this land belongs to my father," she told the boys.

"Ooh! this land belongs to your father?"

"And who are you anyways?" they asked in a joking and humiliating manner.

"My father is the Lalanian Ambassador to Osborne," she replied.

Ashanti then picked up her fishing gear and started fishing. She ignored the boys thinking that the boys would then leave the place.

To her surprise, she heard the boys were still murmuring behind her back.

"Ambassadors' daughters do not lead such a low life."

"She even has no helper or personal bodyguard to look after her." said the eldest boy who seemed to be very stubborn.

Ashanti was fed up of the boys' noise that she decided to pack up her fishing gear and leave the place immediately. She wasn't even supposed to be fishing alone because her dad had refused her to be coming to the river alone but she sometimes insisted and did so. As she was leaving, the eldest boy requested her to stay and continue with what she was doing but she insisted and left for home.

When she reached home, she quickly rushed into the kitchen so that she could start preparing for dinner. As she was still in the kitchen thinking of what she was to cook, one of her father's servants knocked at the entrance and she quickly rushed to answer the door.

"Good evening, miss," he greeted.

"The Ambassador has said that he is expecting some guests tonight for dinner and so prepare the house ready for them," he then delivered the message and then left.

This meant that Ashanti was to prepare enough food for dinner also. The house itself was already tidy to perfection. Ashanti then walked back to the kitchen to prepare dinner after hearing the message.

She was still in the kitchen preparing for what she was to cook when Oliver came. Oliver had worked with the Freemans for over twenty years and had almost become family with the Freemans.

"How are you doing, little one?" he asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Ooh! Mr. Oliver," she said.

They started playing in the kitchen as they were chasing one another. Oliver was there at the time Ashanti was born and till date he was there. Oliver was like a brother Ashanti never had. He knew even more than Ashanti's father because Fabio was a very busy man. Ashanti only saw him during breakfast, dinner time and rarely during weekends and public holidays. Most of the activities that Ashanti knew were learnt from Oliver. Oliver taught her fishing, reciting poems, swimming, telling riddles and stories, singing and even taking care of the home although with total madness as they sometimes just messed up everything with their plays.

"Oliver, have you been informed about the guests my dad has invited to have dinner with us tonight?" she asked.

"Well, I am also not really informed about the guests but I guess they are from Lalania," he answered.

"It's ok, can you please give me a hand as I'm going to prepare a meal for dinner, please?" she requested.

They went ahead and made sure that the food was well prepared.

"Let's go and prepare the dinning as well," she suggested.

"Wow you have now started thinking like a grown up," Oliver praised her as they went to handle the dinning work as well.

At around 7:30 (Osborne time), Fabio Freeman finally arrived at home with eight guests.

"Welcome to the Freeman Mansion," Fabio officially welcomed the guests to his home.

Ashanti came running from upstairs because she had heard her father's voice.

"You are most welcome to our home," Ashanti welcomed the guests.

"Welcome back home, dad," she also welcomed her dad as she hugged him tight.

Fabio asked the servants to help the guests with their belongings they had carried with them. Fabio led the guests to his study where they were to have their meeting from. After sometime, Fabio led them to the living room where they were to continue with their conversation. As they were still conversing, Ashanti also entered the living room.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," she greeted.

"Good evening too, young girl."

"How are you doing?" one of the guests asked.

"I am fine madam," she replied.

"That's great."

"May I know your name, please if you wouldn't mind?" she again asked.

"May name is Ashanti Sadiya Freeman," Ashanti replied.

"Wow."

"What a beautiful name," they all complimented after hearing her answer.

They then continued with their conversation as she also went back to her room.

After sometime, she then came back all refreshed as she had bathed and changed clothes.

"Can we go and have dinner, please?" she asked.

They all stood up and following her lead to the dinning table. She showed each to their seats and then started serving them the food. She then went and sat next to her father, said the prayer and they started eating the food. Fabio himself was worried that his daughter might have prepared a horrible meal which would leave the guests complaining but that didn't not happen because the food was very delicious to the extent that even the guests were enjoying the meal as they were praising her for being such a great cook.

After the meal, they were then served with a dessert full of fruits. They continued conversing as they were praising and telling Ashanti about how good their home country was. This made Ashanti curious and fell in love with visiting the beautiful Lalania the guests were talking about.

"Hope that one day we go and visit Lalania," she told her father.

Her father assured her that they surely would one day visit their home country Lalania. Ashanti also told the guests about the beautiful scenery of Osborne most especially Foden where she lived and knew most because it's where she had lived since her childhood. After the dinner and the short conversation, each guest was to their respective rooms where they were to sleep since they were to spend a night with the Freeman family.

Fabio woke up at around 8:00am (Osborne time), he found that everything had already been done. The house was clean, compound swept and everything was already in it's order. He walked to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. He found Ashanti already in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

"My daughter has grown up into a responsible and a hospitable young girl," he said to himself.

" Good morning my daughter," he greeted.

"Ooh! dad you are already up," she was surprised.

" Good morning too you dad," she replied.

Ashanti then continued with what she was doing. She went ahead and even prepared the dinning table ready for breakfast.

Ashanti went knocking on each of the guests doors in the rooms they had slept as she was inviting them to join the family at the dinning for breakfast. All the guests turned up at the dinning for breakfast because they couldn't miss a meal prepared by Ashanti due to their experience the previous night.

"Good morning Mr. Freeman," they all greeted as they sat in their chairs.

" Good morning my guests, how did you find the night at my residence?" he asked.

" It was such a great opportunity spending a night in your Mansion especially under the care of your beautiful daughter," they replied with a compliment.

Ashanti was silent listening to their conversation because she had not been involved and therefore had nothing to contribute to the conversation. She went ahead and served each of the guests with their breakfast and then sat down to have her breakfast. Fabio and the guests continued with their conversation as they were having breakfast.

"It's two hours from now that we shall be boarding the train back to Lalania," one of the guests said as they were still in the conversation.

"We thought it was supposed to be in the evening," the others reacted.

"It was supposed to be in the evening but it has been rescheduled for midday," Fabio finally told the other guests who were not aware of the changes.

Most of the guests still wanted to spend more time with the Freeman family but the time was limited. They quickly went back to their rooms where they had slept and started preparing for the journey as soon as they were done with breakfast. Fabio as rushed to his room so that he would prepare to send off his guests and later head for work. Ashanti was left alone at the dinning table because she had nothing she was going to do so she was still eating her breakfast meal gently.

It was now time for the guests' departure as they had all assembled in the living room just to say a farewell before they left.

"Thanks for your hospitality young girl in this short time we have got to spend with your family."

" We wish to spend more time with you next time," they said.

" I am also humbled to have spent some time with you although it was very little," Ashanti finally broke her silence.

Fabio and the guests finally left as the servants helped them carry the laggage to the train station. Ashanti also wanted to also wanted to accompany them to the train station but it was impossible because she had to take care of the house since she was to be left home alone for sometime. Ashanti was given some gifts by the guests because of being a hospitable young girl with a very good character which pleased the guests. She took the gifts to her room and kept them as she went back to her routine. Ashanti then had to take a rest because she was very tired after taking care of the guests. She had never prepared dinner or even made breakfast for such a large number of people.

In the evening, Fabio came back from work and found the house very tidy and quiet than usual. He called Oliver for inquiry.

"Where is my daughter?" he asked.

"Young miss is in her room," Oliver replied.

When Fabio heard that Ashanti was in her room, he then headed upstairs so that he could check on his only daughter. He was curious about the condition she was in after the hectic day she had gone through taking care of the guests. Ashanti was on her bed still starring at the gifts she had been given when she heard a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me your dad," Fabio replied.

"Ok! come in dad," she replied.

" Welcome back dad," she added on.

" Thank you dear for being very friendly and hospitable to my guests," Fabio praised Ashanti as soon as he got into the room.

" All the guests were talking about you all the way as I was accompanying them to the train station," he added on.

" It's Mr. Oliver who deserves these compliments because he was the one assisting me throughout the the work and the cooking," she said.

"Yes of course I knew the truth that he was the one helping you but you also perfected everything," her father said.

"That's alright dad," she replied back.

"Anyway, I came to ask you about what I should award you for your good behaviour and service to the guests," Fabio told his daughter.

"Will I be given anything I ask for?" she asked.

"Yes it will surely be as you wish except for traveling," Fabio replied.

"Dad can you please get me a horse if you wouldn't mind?" she requested.

"Your request is heard dear."

"Have a good night my daughter because I am pretty sure that you are extremely tired," Ashanti's father said.

"Likewise, dad."

"I hope you don't let me down about my request," she told her dad.

"I will surely work on it," he replied as he got out of the room.

Ashanti woke up at 7:00am, she went out to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. But before she went to the kitchen, She found the house help cleaning the house already. The house help told her that her dad wouldn't be around for breakfast because he had left very earlier that morning. Ashanti was to only prepare breakfast for her only. She was still having breakfast when she heard chariots in the compound of their home. She was still thinking about who had come to their home when Oliver came in.

"Good morning Ashanti, How are you?" he asked.

"I am fine Mr. Oliver, Good morning," she replied.

"I'm also alright my dear," he said.

"Your father is calling you outside and if you don't mind, I would request you to follow my lead," Mr. Oliver requested her.

"A minute please, let me go upstairs and dress up before we can go," she replied.

Ashanti rushed upstairs so that she could get dressed. She then came back dress up this time not in a night wear but in decent clothes.

"I think we are good to go," she told Mr. Oliver as they moved to go meet Ashanti's father.

When Ashanti came out of the house and stood at the front door, she was surprised to see a white horse standing in the compound.

Surprise!!!!" Ashanti's father shouted as he emerged from the gardens in the compound.

Ashanti was very surprised and very speechless on knowing that her dad had finally fulfilled his promise.

"Thank you dad," she said as she smiled full of joy.

"I should be the one thanking you you for what you did last time because it's it that I'm being praised all over Lalania," Fabio replied to Ashanti.

Ashanti ran and hugged her father tightly because she couldn't still believe that her dad had got her a horse for a ride.

"I will spend this week at home teaching you how to ride the horse," he assured Ashanti.

They then went to the house as her father headed to his room to get changed so that he would commence the work of teaching his daughter how to ride a horse. Ashanti also want to her room so that she could get changed from a dress she was putting on to putting on pants ready for riding. Ashanti couldn't believe that her dad had accepted and got her a horse and on top of that also accepted to teach her how to ride it. Ashanti had wanted to learn how to ride a horse since her childhood but her father insisted that she was still young to ride a horse.

After a moment, she was ready to go and learn riding a horse. When she reached the field, she found her father ready in the field with the horse.

"What name are you giving to your horse?" he asked Ashanti.

"Is that necessary dad?" she also asked her father.

"Yes that's very necessary because it proves a bond you have with the horse since you are going to be it's new boss," he replied to Ashanti's question.

"And for today's case, I am going to leave you with the horse so that you can get used to each other since you are it's new master and also find it a name." he said.

"I request you not mount on the horse that you want to ride it. Just feel it for today," he added on.

"Alright dad, I will do as you wish dad," she replied to her father.

Ashanti had already started cooking up her mind for the right name she was to give to her horse.

"I think I have gotten a name for you dude," she said to the horse.

"I will call you 'ALIYAH'," she told the horse.

The first day went so smooth that even the horse had already started getting used to Ashanti.

The following day, Ashanti was up very early so that she would proceed with the the training. Luckily enough, Ashanti was t quick learner who learnt almost everything in just a single day. Within a week, Ashanti was now in full control of Aliyah her new horse and with time, they both became good friends.

"Wow! you managed to convince the horse in just a week and became it's great friend and master, you are such a great learner my daughter," her father complimented her.

"It's because I have a great dad who has taught me everything from the start," she replied.

They went on with the conversation full of father daughter arguments as they headed to the house. Fabio had to go and rest because he was to wake up very early in the morning and go for work while Ashanti was to go back to her routines of taking care of the home and so on.

Very early as Ashanti's father woke up to prepare for work, Ashanti was already up and had already prepared breakfast at the dinning table ready for for her father. She was now cleaning then went on and fed the roasters and the hens. Her father left her still doing the house work when he went for work.

"I think everything is done and it has been long since I last went fishing," she said to herself.

She then picked up her fishing gear and went on and prepared Aliyah her new horse for the first ride outside the Freeman Mansion.

"I gotta show you something," she said to her horse.

"It's one of my favourite places and adventures in Foden," she added on.

She then mounted on the horse and left for fishing after she had finished preparing Aliyah for the journey.

She was surprised to find the boys she found at her secret fish pond again swimming in her pond. This meant that her pond was no longer secret but had been disclosed to the world.

"It's you again," the boys said surprisingly after seeing her.

"Yes, it me again."

" As I told you last time that this land belongs to my father and so I am free to come here when ever I want," she replied to them.

She then mounted off the horse and picked up her fishing gear so that she could commence the fishing.

"Miss I am really sorry on behalf of my other brothers about how we acted last time," the eldest boy apologized.

"That's alright, apology accepted," Ashanti replied.

"Thank you miss," the boy said with a smile on his face.

"Otis, Otis Redding is my name, if you wouldn't mind can I please know your name?" Otis requested.

Otis Redding was a handsome young man with black hair and very dark blue eyes. He was around seventeen years old.

"My name is Ashanti Freeman but you can just call me Ashanti," she replied.

"Wow that's a beautiful name," Otis complimented.

"Please don't exaggerate this," she replied as she laughed.

"Can you please join us and we have fun please?" Otis requested.

"It's okay," she replied as she followed Otis join the others.

They all introduced themselves to each other and the fan kicked off. They started with swimming and then went ahead and had some plays. Ashanti even made some lunch for her and the boys. It was now getting dark that Ashanti decided that she to set off for home.

"Guys I think I have to go back home," she said.

She packed up her fishing gear and walked to where she had left her horse.

"My horse is missing," she told the boys.

"I think she might have gotten afraid and ran away," she added on.

Ashanti feared walking through the bushes since the way back home was through the bushes.

"No worries, we can accompany you back home, if you don't mind," the boys assured Ashanti.

"Let's get going then because I don't want to reach home when it's dark because my dad will scold me," she said.

They set off for the journey through the bushy road for home.

Finally, Ashanti was home. She waved a goodbye to the boys and then entered the Freeman Mansion.

"Ashanti!" Her father's voice thundered.

Her foot slipped but good enough strong hands caught her. Looking around, Ashanti gazed upwards into the face of the person who had caught her and learnt that it was Mr. Oliver who had saved her from falling. She then released herself looking around widely for her father.

Mr. Freeman was standing on the balcony upstairs with his hands folded and never had she seen him so red faced or thunderous before. She took a deep breath and moved further into the house.

"Where are you coming from this late?" Mr. Freeman asked Ashanti.

"I was at the river fishing when my horse left without my knowledge," she replied.

" My daughter, do you know that I refused you to be going at the river alone?" he asked.

"Yes you did but I had taken Aliyah for a walk to she it my favorite places only," she replied.

" The good news is that you are back safe and sound."

"I am really worried when ever you go out without my consent," he said.

"I would like to inform you that Mrs. Tisha Rodman will be coming back to Osborne," Fabio told Ashanti.

" This time she isn't just coming as a visitor but as an envoy from Lalania."

" She is coming to witness the discussion between me and the Osborne government," he added on.

"She is expected to be with us for around two weeks, so please treat her with the same hospitality you did the last time," he told Ashanti.

Ashanti then went upstairs to her room to take a nap after carefully listening to her father.

It didn't take long when the envoy from Lalania arrived in Osborne for the meeting. Ashanti was at home when her father Fabio Freeman arrived with Mrs. Tisha Rodman.

This time, Mrs. Rodman had come with another person with her.

"You are most welcome, Mrs. Rodman," she welcomed.

"You are also welcome to the Freeman Mansion sir," she also welcomed the young man.

"Nice to be here with the Freeman family again," Mrs. Rodman replied.

"Thank you Miss," the young man also replied.

She left them to the living room. Fabio asked Mrs. Rodman to follow him to the study where they were to discuss about the meeting which was going to happen the following day while Ashanti stayed in the living room with the new visitor.

"How are you doing?" she asked the young man.

"I am ok how about you?" he replied.

'My name is Ashanti Freeman, may I know your name please?" she asked.

"Wow! what a beautiful name," the young man complimented.

"My name is Erasmus Rodman," he said.

They then continued with the conversation till they got fed up and each went to rest.

In the morning, Mr. Freeman together with Mrs. Rodman woke up very early and headed to the city hall for the meeting leaving Ashanti with Erasmus at home. Ashanti together with Erasmus played all day as Ashanti was directing and showing Erasmus the beautiful Foden town.

Back to Fabio and Mrs. Rodman, the meeting moved on well since they had well prepared themselves for the meeting.

After sometime, Ashanti and Erasmus had started getting an attachment to each other since they had started together in the same house for quite some time.

They were at the dinning having dinner when, Mr. Freeman came up with a thought.

"I think it's the right time my daughter visited her homeland," he said.

"As a father, I haven't been able to do my job of bringing up my daughter in a parental manner."

"I have been busy serving others and forgot about my own family," he added on.

"My daughter needs to be natured in how a house wife should behave," he told Mrs. Rodman.

"Yes dad, I would love to visit Lalania and it's good that you are finally about to approve it," she joyfully said.

"Yes you will be leaving with Mrs. Rodman," Mr. Freeman assured her.

"Yes I will be going with her if you don't mind but will she be staying at my house or you have somewhere else where she will be staying?" Mrs. Rodman asked.

"Yes I already planned for where she will stay while in Lalania."

"She will be living with the Normans as in she will live with her Aunt Marinah," Mr. Freeman said.

"If possible I would like her to even get married to a Lalanian man who would teach her the values and traditions of the Lalanian people," he added on.

"That will make her grow into a very respectable woman because the Freeman family is one of the most respected families in Lalania," Mrs. Rodman said.

Ashanti and Erasmus were listening to the elders talking as they were quiet because it was bad for the kids to interrupt the elders conversation according to the Lalanian traditions.

"Things in Osborne are getting worse every now and then due to the current leadership which is leading to intertribal wars here in Osborne which I don't want my daughter to also be involved in," Mr. Freeman said.

Ashanti and Erasmus went and slept after they were done with their dinner leaving Mr. Freeman and Mrs. Rodman still having a chat at the dinning.

The following morning, Ashanti was assigned with the work of guiding Mrs. Rodman through Foden town. She showed Mrs. Rodman the main street, Market street and even took her to Osborne National Museum because it was situated in Foden. Ashanti then showed Mrs. Rodman to the river where she even showed her Ashanti's pond as she had named it before.

"Wow! this place looks amazing," Mrs. Rodman complimented the scenery at the river.

It wasn't just an exaggeration but the place really looked beautiful that it one visited the place, they would love to stay there till dusk. Finally, the tour came to an end that they decided to head back home.

They were at the dinning when Mrs. Rodman told Mr. Freeman that their two weeks stay in Foden was almost coming to an end and they were left with only three more days while in Foden.

"I would like to know if Ashanti will be leaving together with us or no?" Mrs. Rodman asked.

" Want to know so that I can book a train ticket for her also," she added on.

"That's upon my daughter to decide but let's first finish eating and then discuss about Ashanti's traveling to Lalania," Mr. Freeman said.

When the meal was done, the conversation resumed.

"Ashanti! are you real ready to go to Lalania with Mrs. Rodman?" Mr. Freeman asked his daughter.

" Ashanti, please accept to go back to Lalania with us," Erasmus requested.

" Take your time and think about it dear," her father said to her.

"Let's go and rest we shall be waiting for Ashanti's answer tomorrow," He added on then Mr. Freeman, Mrs. Rodman and Erasmus stood up to go and rest.

"I will go," Ashanti said in a loud voice.