THE ROYAL SISTERS

Failed hand request.

EPISODE 02:

- Mother, says the princess angrily to her mother, rising from her handcrafted lion-shaped seat! I would stab that scoundrel ten times over again if I have the chance. I weep only because of the secret hurt the gods have inflicted deep in my heart.

Princess Agossi shows up in the room where her older sister and her mother are in tears:

- Mother I did not do anything!

- I am even ashamed that I gave birth to a cheap dirty p********e like you, says the queen, giving a slap to princess Agossi.

This slap had the effect of propelling her against the wall. She utters a shrill cry as she holds her cheek, her face filled with tears. Between sobs, she send this message to her mother and twist sister, princess Agôyi:

- Mother! Why do you always slander me with such derogatory insinuation? Why?

- You have the guts to still open your fouled moth in shameless self-defense, retorts princess Agôyi, she too in tears! How I regret not letting the blade slice through your throat. How I regret it, ends up regretting princess Agôyi!

- You wait until your father returns and find out how you sneaked that vagabond into this palace and consult in amorous relationship with him.

- Mother I did not do anything like that. I did not encourage prince Adeleke. I am not even in love with him.

- Your royal status is even undignified with such a lie. As a mother, I even pushed to questions that you inherited your genes from this family.

- Mother! Princess Agossi exclaims from her mother’s words.

- Who else knows about prince Adeleke’s presence in this palace? Asks the queen.

- I don’t know. He came unaccompanied, unannounced. My two maids attended to him.

- Now get ou…

- Mom I did not do anything…

- Get out, shouts the queen at princess Agossi.

Without adding anything more to defend herself, she leaves the room to leave her mother and older sister. After her departure, the queen becomes worried and asks prince Agôyi:

- We must be prepared for the worst. We cannot take chances. Ahhhh, sighs the queen! Now you go and freshen up and change this blood stained dress. Hurry up!

It is then that she disappears under the orders of her mother, to get rid of her blood stained dress. In the large living room of the palace, the queen appealed to the two young maids who are aware of the prince’s passage through the palace. She was talking with them when princess Agôyi, dressed in a high outfit on a valuable Bazin loincloth, and descending from the steps of the stairs told them:

- I would have cursed the day I foresaw that. I, Agôyi the princess royal of Agbomey kingdom could ever condescend to serving some low life palace maids, bricking back on her a briefcase of money that she places on a large table in the shape of a tiger.

- Oh shut up! How you often charm indignity upon yourself with such stupid blabs!

On the field, she gets angry. The character of a werewolf has not completely left her. So, she goes upstairs after her reproaches to her, made by her mother in front of the maids to get away from them. The queen faces the maids to continue with her sermons:

- Both of you are no longer maids in Agbomey kingdom. This will adequately settle for a life time. Prince Adeleke visit must be a secrete you take to your graves. Not even my husband your king must know that the prince set his foot in this palace today. Is that clear?

- Yes your majesty, answer in chorus the two maids, with a trembling voice.

- Good! Your silence just ought you your freedom with a generous reward. Take it and disappear, never to return.

- My… My queen…, says one of the two maids with a trembling voice once again, raising her finger to explain herself and perhaps save her head.

- Shut up! You have fifteen minutes to leave this palace. Now get out, orders the queen with fury.

One of the maids, the one who had reprimanded her colleague for allowing the prince to arrive in the palace, tried again to ask for clemency from the queen. Unfortunately, she roars at her and she grabs the briefcase. The two accused maids thus leave the great stay of the palace to make their luggage in accordance with the queen’s instructions.

At the same time as the two maids were leaving to reach the court, followed by the queen, the king’s large car entered the palace. The king had just indeed returned from his journey. One of the guards opens the door to the king who then descends. The queen welcomes her husband, the king, with smile and says:

- You are welcome my king.

- My queen, said the king, smiling.

But suddenly, the appearance of his face changes and takes on a disturbing air. It was then that he asked his wife, the queen:

- Is everything alright? You look flushed out my queen.

- Anxiety over your trip, got a little banging in my head I admit, but I am fine, said the queen, to reassure the king.

- Good. My princess would not even come to welcome their father from a very long trip?

These words of the king puts the queen in a bad state. For any answer, she observes silence, trying to give a false answer, but the king immediately adds:

- How I used to enjoy the warm welcome of my family.

- Your queen welcomes you for all of us my king.

- Thank you my queen.

- How did it go? Asks the queen about the king’s trip.

- We will keep our fingers crossed. I have done my best.

After these words, the royal couple heads inside the palace, arm in arm.

At nightfall, Dossou, one of the guards infiltrates the large living room of the palace while everyone was already asleep. On tiptoe, he takes by the stairs that leads upstairs looking from left to right. He wanted to make sure that no one has seen him, but it was without counting on this silhouette who saw him from a corner of the small living room that faces the large living room. Unfortunately for him, it is the silhouette of one of the palace’s maids. She in turn begins to pursue him to find what he is about to do.

Unfortunately, she was not able to complete her search, because she eventually lost sight of her custody. She then turns in the courtyard to contemplate the stars in the sky. A few minutes later, the main door that gives access to the entrance of the royal building opens. When she notices it, she takes her feet to her neck to flee. The guard who has seen this human presence goes after him without catching up with him.

SOUL TRAVEL

In the morning as usual, when the sun came out of bed and the daylight took the place of the night, each employee of the palace carried out the activities that is his. They then all put themselves on the courtyard of the palace while waiting for the exit of the king and the queen to greet them, but also to welcome with them, in triumph, visitors on the way to reach the kingdom of Agbomey that morning.

At the same time as they reach the courtyard, the large gate opens to let in two Range Rover cars in convoy, both black with tinted windows. The gate is closed by one of the guards assigned for this post. The occupants of the two cars finally descend under the curious gaze of all the employees of the royal court.

From above, an unknown silhouette, leaning on the railing, observed the scene from the balcony installed in front of the building and which offers a magnificent and complete view of the courtyard and the front of the royal palace. No one has seen her. When visitors get off the vehicles and she finds out who it is, she immediately leaves the balcony.

On the royal court, visitors, who come from a neighboring kingdom receive greetings, words of welcome and praises due to their rank from the king, the queen and all the employees of the royal court. It is indeed, the arrival of prince Adeleke, accompanied by his parents and his sister. They are invited to join the interior of the palace after their reception. Once the two royal families were inside the palace, the maids took care of offering drinks to the visitors and then withdrew from the living room. The two families engage in indistinct discussions, in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

According to tradition in Africa, it is the man, the head of the family who has the right to speak first. Then the woman. It is in this logic that the king of Hôgbonou takes the floor to explain the reason for their presence at the home of king Agboliagbo:

- There, my good friend Agboliagbo! I know Agbomey kingdom in no way measure up in wealth and splendor to Hôgbonou kingdom, but I hope my little gift will be appreciated as a bond of friendship that will open the door to what we have come here to request, declares the king of Hôgbonou.

- Agbomey kingdom values friendship far beyond wealth, my good friend. Once again, you are welcome.

- Thank you. You already know what charms our presence, explains le king of Hôgbonou. We have come to make our formal intention known. Where is our inestimable jewel?

- Oh patience, my son to be in-law. Your precious jewel will soon be here, retorts the king of Agbomey, smiling.

After these words of each of the kings, each of the two kings exchange a few words on the situation that has just been mentioned.

- Okay. As was planned then, the queen replies, in a low voice.

- The gods know that I will strange her with my bare hands should shed are to bring shame upon this kingdom, today of all days. Send words to fetch her now, the king retorts, also in a low voice to the queen.

- I already did it my king.

- So, she will be here soon, the king says to visitors, smiling. Soon!

A short moment later, the queen retires from the living room to go to the courtyard. She is very concerned. It was possible to see that she was panicked by a situation.

This morning, she is dressed in a long dress made of imported fabric. On her neck, her wrists, she wears royal pearls matching the red color of the dress. Her majestically made bread is decorated by beads that better reflect her royal beauty.

Inside the palace, the king is also all worried. This is easily reflected in the decomposed expression of his face and the fact that he stands in his own palace, all thoughtful, while the visitors are seated. Anxiety eventually won the hearts of visitors as well. They look at each other without uttering a single word to understand what is going on.

It is at this moment that in the courtyard of the palace, one of the maids make her entrance into the palace dragging the shares. The queen sees her earlier. When the maid’s eyes land on the queen, she starts running towards her, but she is unfortunately not lucky, because she has not succeeded in the mission for which she was sent. The queen who is already worried and nervous becomes angrier facing this scene. Once she arrives near the queen, the maids greets her with reverence. The queen’s first words are systematically accompanied by a violent sound slap that makes the maid scream:

- Where is the princess? Interrogates the queen by slapping the maid who immediately held the cheek slapped. This is the wrong time to test my patience, silly worm, the queen continues. Where is the princess? Shouts the queen strongly, questioning the maid.

- The princess will not come, your majesty! She says the prince should come seek her at the stream, said the maid, with a whining voice.

- My daughter would not say such abominable words. The princess will not refuse to honor her betrothed. Go back now and fetch her at once. Get out! Hurry! Get out! Orders the queen.

The maid then returns to the princess to carry the queen’s message to her. The queen then joins the king and visitors in the living room. At the same time as the door opens to the queen and the king sees her, he asks her furiously:

- Where is her?

- I am sure she will soon be here, my lord.

- Do not give me those vague words. The earth is soon complete its round still your daughter has not shown up to welcome her prince and royal highnesses, says the king angry.

To prevent visitors from suspecting anything, the queen made visual signs to the king so that he would calm down, but the latter only expressed the substance of his thoughts with rage in front of the prince and his parents.

- What nonsense, says the king.

To change the subject and relax the atmosphere, the queen, with an anguished face, puts forward this proposal:

- Please the table is set. She will join us there.

- Yes… Dinner… Dinner, says the king with a forced smile.

On the spot, visitors are suddenly tense and stunned by this scene worthy of a theater. They still get up to the dining table. The king did everything to show an enthusiastic and cheerful face but it was unfortunately too late and none of his gestures were not coordinated. We could feel that he was making efforts and that none of actions he posed was not natural.

At the same time at the bottom of the forest are two maids of the palace. On their way, the two meet the maid sent by the queen to bring the princess back of the streams to the palace. Her face is decomposed and sad. She holds her head with both hands as a sign of despair and fear. When she met the other two women, she told them in tear:

- Please! Where is the princess?

- Fools never stop asking stupid questions. Do they? Says one of the two maids.

- What did they say about the stubborn fly that refuses to obey instructions? Asks the second maid.

- I dare the princess to drawn her in the stream this time.

- Fifamè! You are too quick to sound the alarm. You could have allowed her to go meet her fate. Nonsense! Let’s go.

This is how the two maids mock their colleagues sent by the queen. They therefore abandon her alone in the face of her dilemma and they continue their journey through the high forest that leads to the kingdom. The woman sent also turns around to follow the other two women.

Ah the same time in the palace, prince Adeleke withdrew from the dining table to eventually reach the outside of the palace to enjoy the natural fresh air, but especially to watch for arrival of the princess for whom they moved from the kingdom of Hôgbonou. It should also be emphasized that the anxiety eventually erected abode in him with everything he sees and hears since their arrival inside the palace. He was still there in the courtyard, standing, and his gaze fixed in the void in front of him, his hands in the pockets of his trouser, when the door opens and the queen comes out of the interior of the palace. She gets closer to him gently and then she tells him what will follow:

- My prince! Your guest room is ready.

- Some things does not just add up. My queen, my family feels insulted by this undignified treatment from a princess that is expected to become the future queen of Hôgbonou kingdom.

- Believe me my prince. This is quite unusual of my daughter.

- I am terribly ashamed by this embarrassment my queen.

- The feeling of embarrassment is mutual my prince. Please! Plead with your parents for a little more patience. You will certainly meet with your princess in the morning. It is been a long day. I suggest you retire with your parents for a well-deserved rest.

- I think I will rather soak in a little more of the evening breeze, I will take a stroll.

He is about to leave as soon as his sentence is finished, but the queen’s response holds him back. So he waits a minute to listen to her before leaving:

- Ok. Then I will instruct one of my guards to accompany you.

- No, refuses the prince. I have heard of Agbomey’s peaceful and secured environment. I have no doubt that I will be fine.

Following these remarks to put the queen in confidence and to refuse her offer, the prince leaves the queen standing in the courtyard. And he takes the way out of the palace without guard…

END OF TIME TRAVEL