THE MAID THE KING WANTED

EPISODE 2
Written by: © Henry Ombati

I had promised the prince that I would never allow anyone to take away my pride except him. I gave him my word with a pure heart, never knowing that it would be his own father, the king, who would one day fix his eyes on me. Fate has a strange way of mocking human promises.

That evening, as I stood in the royal chamber, my hands trembled while I slowly loosened the buttons of the king’s royal garment, as was required of a palace maid. The king drew closer than necessary, and his hands began to wander to places that made my heart race with fear. Then he spoke in a low, commanding voice,

“You are the one who will attend to me tonight, the way other maids do.”

At that moment, everything became clear to me. I finally understood why many maidens avoided the king’s chambers whenever the queen was away. The palace, which once felt like a place of honor, suddenly felt like a trap.

That night, by the grace of the ancestors, I managed to escape from the king’s chamber. When he sent for me again, I ran to his son, the prince, and begged to stay close to him. The prince, unaware of the danger I had just escaped, instructed the errand maid that I was busy assisting him.

That single act saved me, but it also marked the beginning of my troubles.
Wantoh, the queen’s most trusted maiden, the head of all the palace maids, began to plot against me. She had always watched me with eyes full of envy, like a restless spirit that never slept. I did not know she had seen me running out of the king’s chamber that night. I often wondered why she pried so much into my life.

When the queen returned, Wantoh wasted no time. She whispered poison into her ears, telling her lies mixed with half-truths. She claimed that I had spent the night in the king’s room while the queen was away. The queen’s heart burned with jealousy and pain, especially when she noticed the royal necklace on my neck—the same necklace she had once given to her son. In the palace, that necklace symbolized a secret royal choice, a woman marked for honor.

I never knew that the queen and Wantoh had planned a trap for me until the day I was caught in the king’s chamber while attending to him. In that palace, everyone understood what it meant to be seen serving the king alone at such an hour. I had no voice, no choice, and no defense.

I was ignorant of the danger surrounding me until I became its victim.

The queen announced that she was traveling to visit her mother for three days. She packed her belongings and left with some servants. What I did not know was that Wantoh was watching my every move as usual. That same night, the king sent for me again.

Fear gripped my heart. I was reluctant to go, but who was I to refuse the command of the Fon of such a great and feared kingdom—the lion of the Nso people, the sun of the Nso tribe? His word was law.

The king could have many wives, as tradition allowed, but he was not meant to cross boundaries with palace maids. Still, power often blinds those who hold it. He enjoyed the company of young maids he found attractive, and for reasons I could not explain, I had become his favorite.
Inside his chamber, he spoke words that made my skin crawl. He asked me to do things that were forbidden, things that dishonored both me and the prince I loved.

“My king,” I said with a shaking voice, “you have a wife.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replied without shame.

He promised to make me his second wife, showering me with words of power and riches. I refused him again and again, but he kept insisting. His persistence turned into force, and that was when disaster struck.

The door opened suddenly.
The queen stood there.
She had not traveled anywhere. She had been hiding in Wantoh’s room, waiting, watching, planning. Queen Yehntoh caught the king in a moment that spoke louder than any words. He was stronger than me and had overpowered me, and from what she saw, everything Wantoh had told her became truth in her eyes.

“So it is true,” the queen said bitterly. “I thought they were only trying to ruin your name, but it is true. I never imagined my husband would fall this low. I will expose both of you—especially you, my husband.”

“Do not act foolishly, my wife,” the king pleaded.
“I will do worse than foolish,” she threatened. “I will call everyone to witness this disgrace.”

I stood there with my garment torn, shaking, ashamed, and helpless. My whole body trembled.

The king begged her softly, “You know I am the king. My name is respected far and wide. You cannot bring down the throne. I promise—”

“I will not stop,” she interrupted. “I will call everyone.”

The king signaled me with his eyes to leave, but the queen shouted, “If you move an inch, I will make sure you do not see another sunrise.”

I understood the meaning of those words.

As she turned toward the door to alert the palace, the king grabbed her from behind in desperation. In the struggle that followed, her voice faded, and the room fell silent. Queen Yehntoh lay still on the floor.

I screamed silently as tears streamed down my face. Before I could run, the king ordered me to remain where I was. He stepped out and summoned one of his wise men, a powerful magician who was also his accomplice.

When the magician arrived, the king explained everything. The wise man thought deeply and said, “To keep this secret, we will tell the people that the queen traveled and never returned. We will blame our enemies.”

Wantoh was the only other person who knew the queen had entered that room. She must have seen something, but she kept quiet.

Still, there was a problem.
The king looked at me and asked the magician, “What about her?”
“She cannot be trusted with such a secret,” the magician replied.

“What do we do?” the king asked.
“Silence her,” the magician said calmly.

I fell to my knees immediately. “Please, don’t silence me! I beg you!”
The king sighed heavily. “I have no choice.”

Then the magician added, “Perhaps we can transform her into something precious—something that will still serve our culture and keep the secret forever.”
My heart sank as I realized my fate was about to be sealed.
What do you think will happen to her.
TBC…
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