Don't Let the Family Down

"Have you noticed how much time they spend together? Can't you see she's captured his heart just by being her innocent self?" Ada remarked to her mother as she entered the room, having observed Asha and Nse together while cooking meat.

"Have you genuinely attempted to win him over, and it didn't work?" her mother inquired.

"He won't even look at me. I may filth where she is and he won't even speak to me while he spends time telling her stories and Falling in love with her. ButI won't let her have him. She can't have him and Elim as well. Mother, I need to speak to you about something urgent!" Ada exclaimed.

"What is it?" her mother asked, pausing her task of serving the cooked meat onto plates.

"I overheard some men discussing Odomodu and his search for a young girl, and I believe Asha is the one he's seeking!" Ada explained.

"Odomodu's return is troubling news," her mother shook with fear. 

"Are you listening to me, Mother? She's the one he's after. Remember her conversation with Elim before he left? Someone powerful is coming for her, and we can't keep her safe. To avoid trouble, we must hand her over to him," Ada insisted.

"Hand who over to whom?" Ada's father asked as he walked in on their conversation. Ada remained silent, turning to her mother for support in explaining.

"Odomodu is headed to Akwara village, and we believe he wants Asha," her mother informed him.

"But he won't find her because we promised to keep her safe!" Ada exclaimed.

"We can't and we won't!" Ada's mother persisted. "Think about it, my husband. A powerful man is after her. If we hand her over, we might receive rewards, but if we don't and they discover she's here, we'll make a formidable enemy."

Ada's father pondered the situation, his greedy thoughts focused on the potential profit he could make from Asha. But then he remembered Elim...

"You seem to overlook that Elim is just as ruthless as Odmudo. What do we do when he returns looking for her and she's not here?" he questioned.

"We'll simply claim she ran away on her own!" Ada suggested, while her father scratched his head.

"It's necessary! We can't keep shouldering the burden of her presence here when there's a chance to profit from it!" her mother insisted.

Asha entered the room, her smile beaming as she admired the beautiful gift Nse had bestowed upon her, only to find the three of them behaving oddly.

"I've finished washing the clothes and I'd like to take a rest," she announced. Ada's father smiled and encouraged her to do so, while Ada and her mother avoided meeting her eyes.

Asha sensed something was amiss, but she chose not to dwell on it. She was experiencing happiness for the first time because of her genuine friendship with Nse. For days, he had been eager to befriend her, and she was slowly warming up to him. He shared captivating stories about his homeland, and she intended to confide in him about her need to leave Akwara village, but only when she felt she truly knew him. So far, he was the kindest soul she had encountered since her existence, aside from Nena and Nemere.

——

The following morning, Soma arrived home unusually early after sneaking out of the palace, her expression clearly displaying her irritation. Their servant wisely opted to keep a distance when she opened the door, sensing her intense anger.

"Where is my father?" she demanded, her face devoid of any hint of a smile.

"He's not here at the moment, but your mother is in her chambers. Shall I inform her of your presence?" the servant offered.

"Are you foolish? I asked for my father, not my mother. I have nothing to discuss with her. I urgently need to speak to my father. Do you have any idea where he might be or how to locate him?" Soma inquired, growing increasingly frustrated as the maid shook her head in response.

She required her father's immediate counsel on how to address the threat in their home. Soma was determined to find a solution to remove Zeep from their household and ensure he ended up in prison before becoming the prince's second wife. Pacing with agitation, she reflected on how the prince had treated her before their marriage and how he spoke to her now. He had changed and it was all because of that foolish Zeep.

Her face lit up with delight as her father's enormous figure entered their home.

"Why have you come, my daughter? Is there trouble at the palace?" he inquired urgently, but Soma simply slumped onto a stool.

"Father, I've come to seek your advice on how to handle Japthan's daughter," she explained.

"Japthan's daughter? How can she still be a concern when she's merely a slave?"

Soma proceeded to explain to her father the prince's desire to take Zeep as his second wife.

"It's not uncommon for a prince to desire multiple wives. But if you're unwilling to share him with Zeep, you know what needs to be done,"

"What, father? I'm at a loss for what to do with her!" Soma exclaimed.

"You're speaking as if you're no longer my daughter, as if we didn't have our own servants whom we could dismiss at will. All you need to do, Soma, is set her up! Yes! Let everyone believe she stole something precious from you, and the king will take care of the rest!" Chief Nnutu exclaimed, while Soma beamed with a smile. Why hadn't she thought of this herself, she wondered.

"You know how much the king despises that family now. Just tell one lie about them, and the king will have them punished. Their sister is still on the run, and it pains the king. Set Zeep up now, and you won't have to deal with her in the future!"

Those words reverberated in Soma's mind as she walked back home, ready to set the plan in motion. The next morning, she observed Zeep sweeping their home, pleased that the slave remained unaware of what awaited her. When she was certain Zeep was alone, Soma entered and instructed her to leave, claiming she needed to attend to something alone. Zeep complied, and Soma handed one of the precious gifts the prince had given her to a servant, instructing them to plant it among Zeep's belongings. Once this was done, Soma began to scream, claiming her precious jewel was missing

"What is all this about?" Zeep wondered as Soma lined up all the servants who had entered her room the previous evening, interrogating them about her missing jewelry.

"I have no idea where your precious jewel might be," Zeep responded when Soma repeatedly questioned her about it.

"Are you certain? Then I'll search through each of your belongings, and anyone found with it will be taken to the king!" Soma warned.

Zeep's heart raced as Soma resumed her search. She felt deep inside that Soma had plotted something bad against her, but as a servant, her hands were tied. Her shock was intense when Soma discovered the missing jewel among her belongings.

"I thought you claimed to know nothing about it? You're a thief and a liar, just like the rest of your family, and you deserve to be in prison with your father!" Soma threatened as she summoned the guards to escort Zeep to the palace

"But I know nothing about this. Someone framed me!" Zeep cried, dreading facing the king again, whom she was certain harbored great hatred toward her family.

"Good riddance to you. I don't want you in my home anymore. Don't you dare cross someone with greater power than you!" Soma breathed heavily, her face contorted with disdain, as they escorted Zeep away. Zeep was certain Soma had orchestrated the setup, especially when she knew Mayo wouldn't be around to intervene.

They dragged her into the palace just as Nena was washing and oiling the Queen's legs while she had some quiet time with the king. Nena's eyes widened in distress as she witnessed her sister being treated like a common criminal.

"What's going on? Why am I being disturbed?" the king inquired calmly.

"My king" Soma bowed, her eyes burning with intensity at Zeep. "She stole from me! She stole my wedding gift from me and I know it is because her heart is filled with jealousy that the prince chose me while her family was disgraced!"

"What do you have to say for yourself?" The king asked Zeep but tears wouldn't let her speak. The king would never believe she was innocent because he hated their family. 

It was at this troubling moment that Mayo entered and was shocked to find Zeep and his wife in the king's palace. 

"Mayo, I thought you had your household under control? Why am I the one to settle the quarrel between your two women!"

"It's no quarrel my king. She stole from me out of jealousy and…"

"Silence Soma. Do not disgrace anymore than you have done. I am sorry father. I will handle this in the privacy of my chambers. And one more thing father, I need your permission to take Zeep as my second wife!"

His request shocked not only Zeep and Nena but especially Soma, who had orchestrated Zeep's downfall just to ensure she ended up in prison.

"Is that your desire? Then your wish is granted. She is now officially your wife, and you may treat her as you please," the king declared dismissively.

"Rise, Zeep, and accompany me to change into proper attire," Mayo instructed Zeep without acknowledging Soma. The three of them proceeded to a chamber where Zeep shed her old servant garments and adorned herself in new attire befitting her elevated status.

"You must be pleased now. You have everything you've ever wanted – to be the prince's wife! I wonder how long you begged him to make it so," Nena remarked bitterly the next day as they met outside the queen's chambers.

"never wanted this!".

"You're lying! You've always desired this. Have you forgotten he's the reason Asha is on the run?" Nena retorted.

"I swear on mother's grave, I speak the truth. I know the Prince's true character, and I genuinely want nothing to do with him. He's the cause of our family's suffering, and I despise him!" Zeep insisted 

"But somehow, you're to be married to him. The same man whose father imprisoned ours and drove her younger sister away," Nena replied, still skeptical of Zeep's sudden change of heart.

"I understand how it may seem to you, Nena, but I am truly unhappy about this situation while my family remains divided and in pain. However, I believe we can use my new position to our advantage," .

"How so? If I may ask?"

"I don't know, but I'll come up with something. I won't let my family down again!" Zeep declared confidently. "I am truly sorry for the times I acted selfishly, and I want nothing more than for our family to be reunited and freed from this disgrace. The king may think he's clever by keeping us close, but he doesn't realize he's given us the power to seek justice for our family."

"Don't speak such thoughts aloud! We can't conspire against the king and his family. Please, just let it go for now. I would be devastated if anything happened to you too," Nena pleaded.

"I understand your fear, but we must take action to change our fate. I don't want to be his slave forever and I don't want father to spend his entire life in prison. We must do something" Zeep responded, sounding unlike her usual self.

Nena observed her sister, at a loss for words. Perhaps there truly was some change in Zeep after all.