THE ROYAL SISTERS

Early departure!

EPISODE 03

Only lying in bed in the evening, after returning from her hiding for home, she plunges back into the past time. She remembers one of her conversations with prince Adeleke one night.

IN THE SKIN OF PRINCESS AGÔYI: TIME TRAVEL

- What you see whenever you look at me?

- I see a lovely self-assured woman, the prince replies.

- Is it all?

- In addition, you possess the aura to compliment a strong king.

- You are not as handsome as I expected.

- (Smiling) Then I apologize that my looks have failed your expectations. Unfortunately, I do not possess the magic wand to reshape myself princess Agôyi.

- You insult me with such sarcasm.

- And you excite me with such sense of humor.

- Do not patronize me, prince Adeleke. I thought you came to woo me.

- You make wooing you a huge challenge.

- Then you are not worthy. And I hate weaklings for men. You are beneath me.

- Now, do you insult me? Do you dare insult me? I am the prince. Heir apparent to the great throne of Hôgbonou kingdom!

- (Sarcasm) You of the miserable, poverty, stricken wasteland of Hôgbonou, dare talk to me your greatness? Now let me remind you that you are standing before Agôyi, princess royal of the great Agbomey kingdom. The richest and most powerful kingdom in the four ends of this region. You be my man servant if I chose to.

- You irritate me with such arrogance.

END OF IN THE SKIN OF PRINCESS AGÔYI: TIME TRAVEL

Through these memories that she rehashes, she thus makes a journey back in the time, more precisely in the past to think back to her love life with the prince of the Kingdome of Hôgbonou. It reminds her of the beginnings when she met prince Adeleke and each of the words that each of them had said that night.

She was returning from her journey back in time when her mother appeared in her room and told her:

- Your attitude today was utterly despicable. You embarrassed not only your father and I, but the entire Agbomey kingdom.

- If the prince of Hôgbonou is a man enough, he would know how to properly woo a lady. Not to just walk up here his entire family and summon me as if I were another of their slaves back home.

- If you were not my daughter and the princess, I would say you were out of your mind.

- Exactly mother! I am a princess. Deserving respect even from the prince of Hôgbonou.

- Royal engagements have no place for special wooing of the bride. The prince has accorded you the much respect deserving of a princess as much I know. Don’t you see it? But you will rather soil your chance with indignity unworthy of a princess.

- (Serene) I have not given him my consent mother, so he has no right to come initiating on my head. No man can have me so cheaply whether he is a prince or not.

- Your ego and arrogance are proving to be your Hercules heel, Agôyi. How many more suitors, will you allow this stupid pride deny you of?

- Mother do not go there. My pride had nothing to do with me losing any of those other suitors. Go ask your, your flirtatious daughter.

- Prince Adeleke is a perfect dream prince for any princess.

- Euh… Mother, says the princess as she gets up from her bed to stand in front of her mother, arranging her long flowery dress with a short sleeve, made from the loincloth and silk that highlights her dazzling crown. Take a good look at me. What do you see when you look at me? Is Agossi in any way more beautiful than I am? Why is she the one getting all the attention when I was the one that came out first?

- You are equally an elegant gazelle of a beauty. With eyes that reach deep to charm the best of nature’s sparkles. And that is why the prince is dying for you.

- I can never be carried away again, mother. I want to see him truly long for me. That is what makes a woman feel wanted. That is what I demand from the prince of Hôgbonou, says princess Agôyi then sits elegantly on the edge of her bed, under the very amazing gaze of her mother who has trouble opening her mouth to pronounce herself.

She could not add anything before leaving her daughter’s room to leave her alone.

The decoration and painting of the walls of her room of princess Agôyi are brand new and very flirtatious. A large bed made of solid wood offers her exceptional and indescribable comfort every time she rests in it.

Princess Agossi on her side is all alone in her room. She sits in her bed all stressed when one of the maids brings her, her evening meal:

- Greetings my princess. Her majesty asked me to serve your food her.

- As a common prisoner. A common prisoner locked up in her whenever a new suitor comes for my sister’s hand in marriage?

- You are not a slave my princess. You are not a slave my princess. Your beauty is nature’s pride that you should have no regrets of whatsoever. But you have to eat my princess. You did not ate anything since yesterday.

- Tell me Ayaba! Is it fair? Is it fair for one to be a slave to one’s looks? Is it fair? Asks the princess, with tears in her eyes.

- You are not a slave my princess. Your beauty is nature’s pride that you should have no regrets of whatsoever, picks up the maid.

- Do not say it.

- Do not worry. Once the prince of Hôgbonou fulfils the marital tradition with your sister, everything will be alright.

- What do you know? I should not be…

- My princess you have to eat. You know your condition. Please.

- Take your food away.

- Just try and eat a little.

- Leave me alone, shouts the princess at the maid, who trembles on the stroke of panic. Get out!

- Okay.

On the visitors’ side, the stress situation is the same. The prince’s parents are disappointed by this situation, which still cannot be resolved. They all meet in the same guest room to discuss about this humiliation that they are suffering:

- How much more humiliation will you subject us to in the hands of this your so called choice? Asks the queen of Hôgbonou to her king.

- Princess Agôyi is an enigma. I am sure she will make a good queen.

- I have met her and there is nothing that qualifies that saucy and arrogant girl for a good choice. It is for her same insolence that my sister refused to come with us, says prince Adeleke’s sister. If not for courtesy, i would have sorted her out for a piece of my mind.

- You assess her periphery, my dear daughter.

- Any princess who so disrespects her kingdom’s royal guests can never make a good queen.

- I did not journey all the way here i have found a potentially good future queen for my kingdom. We all must keep our eyes on the prize.

- How can I be surprised at you? You would lick a mere girl’s spittle just because she bears a high prize.

- A king must do what a king needs to do, to expand the flourish of his kingdom.

- I will not bear anymore insults from this land beyond daybreak.

- Same here, father.

- Enough of this insolence, enough of this insult. Look! I give the orders here and you all must play alongside with me. Q E D.

The anger becomes more and greater as the speeches follow one another. But the prince chose to remain calm without taking part in the conversation. The queen finally realizes this and asks him:

- My prince! You have been quiet all evening. Are you alright?

- My head is so beclouded right now mother. I need some rest, and he gets up to get out of the room of his father, the king.

- Princess, princess, princess, mocks the queen and princess before getting up to their room.

That night, no one was able to get a restful sleep. The night seemed so long throughout the palace. The sun finally rises. The two royal families meet at the table, always without the two princess, to share lunch. Flat silence! Two maids stayed around the table to clear the plates at the same time as lunch will be over. The atmosphere is excellently icy until the moment when the king of Hôgbonou chooses to break the ice:

- We shall be returning to Hôgbonou kingdom, king Agboliagbo.

- I can understand your disappointed, my good friend. But I implore you to stay a little longer, wishes the king.

- Perhaps you did not wish to give your daughter’s hand in marriage to the prince of Hôgbonou in this first place.

- No! You melt my reputation with such insinuation, ah ah, king Adetutu. I thought you knew me better than this!

- I am no longer sure of what I know in this regards.

As soon as his sentence is finished to string together a new one, princess Agôyi appears by surprise around the dining table. She is dressed as usual, in a long pink dress. From her neck, white necklaces are hung that fit the color of the tips of her braid. On each of her wrists, she wears bracelets of values. The period of the full moon has passed. She is no longer animated by werewolf spirits. She is more calm and thoughtful. With a calm of sage, she lets her very beautiful and suave voice say to her royal guests:

- Greetings, your highnesses.

- Princess Agôyi, says the king of Hôgbonou very surprised by her appearance and elegance. You look stunning, smiling…

- Thank you your highness.

- Please accept my humble apology for my insolence. I should have come to welcome you yesterday, but for a little fever and was too ashamed to have you see me in such sorry state. I am sorry.

- Okay! It is alright. Seeing you make up for the wait. Come! Sit with me.

At these words, she executes. One of the two maids, standing next to the dining table, helps her pull the chair and then she takes her place next to the queen of the kingdom of Hôgbonou. Princess Agôyi’s parents are surprised to see her and the wisdom and humility she has shown. They were worried that she would be doing a stupid thing. She sits in the middle of the prince and the prince’s mother. He did not say a single word, but simply made gestures with her head. King Agboliagbo’s tense and questioning gaze gradually softened.

- I am sure you slept well my prince, asks the princess.

- I am sure you know the answer to that question, answers the prince.

The prince’s father shocked and surprised by his child’s response, replies without hesitation:

- Come on prince! The princess is apologetic.

- In fact, I am not sure that his apology is sincere.

The prince’s replica plunges everyone into great unease and shock, even the maids. But he is quite right to think that knowing who princess Agôyi is. The queen of Agbomey inspires deeply while prince Adeleke’s sister reveals a slight smile on her face. A huge silence wins the room.

In princess Agossi’s room, she finished showering. She is busy dressing when someone comes knocking on the door. She raises her voice and asks:

- Who is it?

- It is Adjoa my princess.

- Come in.

- Good morning my princess. My princess is dressed to come out?

- Yes of course! This lonesomeness is choking me. I need some fresh air.

- My princess would not wish draw her parents wrath by defying their orders.

- Do not worry. I will be careful. They will not notice I have left the palace. Okay?

- Well! I hope this time you will have your breakfast you have not had anything since yesterday.

- Euh… I am no hungry, said the princess as she gets up from her bed.

As soon as she gets up and takes a step of walking, she had a discomfort and catches her belly while moaning.

- My princess! Are you ok?

She tries to sit down for a while and then tries to get up again. But the evil still persists. She weighs in pain, but always chooses to go out. The maid insistently prevents her:

- No, no no you are not fine, my princess.

Panicked, the maid serves her water mixed with liquid milk, telling her:

- Sorry my princess! It is the ulcer. Oh my God! Please take this. It will make you fill better.

She struggles to agree to swallow the mixture but ends up drinking it. But she does not always seem to have satisfaction. The maid tells her again:

- Okay take some more.

She ends up finding herself a little bit.

- Are you feeling better now? Asks the maid. Some more.

King Adetutu withdrew from the table with the prince to chat with him in the guest room:

- I have had enough father. I mean that lady is not only haughty and arrogant. But she is also some cheap, loose pretentious w***e…

- Enough! You do not embellish a princess that is soon to be your wife with such derogatory terms.

- I will not marry her father. I mean she is giving me every reason to prove the fact that she is not a virgin.

- How would you know?

- Her tales are like scattered petals across the region. Just last night, she threw herself at me like some cheap w***e.

- You pretend that this thing you told me never happened.

- Father…?

- Yes… Come on. It could be that the princess was only trying you. And if you had blown it, she would not have shown at the dining table you think about that.

- Dad! I have been doing a whole lot of thinking all through last night. I mean I saw her yesterday shamelessly frolicking with a local boy at the stream.

- What?

- And she claims he is her cousin, but I know Ninsou and his family very well. The same boy that supplies us palm fruit from this kingdom.

- My goodness! You are bent on tarnishing the reputation of the princess. Aren’t you?

- Father? Is that the reputation you want for your son? Ah! I will not dishonor the Hôgbonou throne by presenting it with a future queen that has turned herself into a public toy. You think about that father?

- I agree. That changes all the question, but we must not raise any alarm in Agbomey kingdom.

- Okay dad.

- We must leave as we have already informed the king. Let them handle their own rod their own way. Okay?

- Thank you father.

- It is alright.

After their discussion, they go directly to the large salon of the palace. While the prince is sitting, his father is standing, going around in circles. The guards take their luggages down from the floor to drop them off in the living room. The queen of Hôgbonou then descends to join her husband, followed by king Agboliagbo and his wife. Having seen her alone, the king asked her:

- Where is Djêhami?

- She is on her way.

- Okay.

- This is a surprise my good friend. I thought we sorted things out having met with the princess!

- Our leaving has nothing to do with the princess. I assure you. No doubt! Your hospitality of yesterday was great, despite the minor hiches.

- Then, why the hurry?

- We were already set to return, my good friend, but do not worry. I will let you know as soon as the wedding date is set.

Footsteps coming from the stairs announce the descent of princess Agôyi to join her parents and visitors.

- There is no problem. I assure you everything is fine. Everything is fine.

- Okay.

Arriving at the prince’s parents, she greets them with reverence and then heads towards the prince while both parents begin an indistinctive bavardage. Standing behind the prince’s back, she hesitantly told him:

- Euh… My prince! Can I discuss, please, with you away?

- I apologize, the prince tells their parents, then gets up to follow the princess on the courtyard.

- Euhhh… Let me start by thanking you for not exposing to my parents what you saw of me yesterday.

- Whatever happened yesterday is absolutely none of my business.

- Please do not go. I am sorry for everything. Honestly, I am at lost. I do not know what came over me. I am sorry.

- There is nothing to be sorry about princess. Remember you told me in clear terms that I was beneath you. You have also gone ahead to prove that in very clear terms.

- I love you my prince, openly said the princess, staring at the prince in his eyes. As soon as tears begin to flow from here yes.

- The future queen of Hôgbonou kingdom’s virginity shall be deflowered by the groom prince. I have absolute doubt that you qualify.

The princess, taken with shame, loses her tongue and lowers her head. Behind her back was her sister, princess Agossi. When here yes go in the direction in which her older sister stands, they cross those of the prince. The prince tries to look carefully towards the direction from which he has just seen the princess for whom his heart beats. When she notices him, she hurries to hide to prevent the prince or her older sister from seeing her.

- Who is that? The prince asks…