The Liar

"He is not the Father of the unborn child Madam" said Wura as Elihu nodded as he agreed with her, he was so relieved that she believed him, because yes, he was sure that he was not the Father, it would be impossible for him to be the Father.

"My Queen, I respect you very much, which Is why I dare not raise my voice at you" said the woman.

"And I appreciate you for being calm" said Wura as she was even relieved that this woman was even listening to her.

"But my Queen, it is impossible, this man is the Father, my daughter told me herself, this was the man she slept with, and now she has brought shame to my entire family, she will be the first to do such a great wickedness, and bring forth a child out of wedlock" said the woman as she turned to her daughter and her daughter looked away in shame.

Wura looked at Elihu as he looked at her and he pleaded with her with his eyes as he shook his head slightly, he was not the Father.

Sure it was true that he had indeed slept with the girl, yes he did, he remembered her face, they had been together, but that was only once, and that was more than three month ago, over the past few months, Elihu had not been with any woman at all, he had not been able to perform, which ended up ruining all his endeavours, so he had not been a womanizer as of late.

The reason Elihu was so sure that the child was not his, was because he had only slept with the girl once, and that was more than three month ago, if he truly was the Father, the girl's belly would have started to show, but it did not show at all, most probably, the baby was not yet three months old, which meant that it would be impossible for him to be the Father of the child.

He had tried explaining this to the woman, but she would not listen, she would not let him speak, she just began to throw insults at him, insisting that he marry her daughter by fire and by force, Elihu was stuck in a pickle, he did not know what he should have done at all.

"How far long is she?" asked Wura as she turned to look at the woman, something told her that Elihu was telling the truth, she was trying to find a way to solve this matter, in the best way she knew how to, because if not Elihu would be in hot burning soup.

"The Physician said that she is three months long" said the woman and Wura looked at the daughter as she thought that her belly was not showing at all.

"Sir Elihu, do you know this girl?" asked Wura as she looked at Elihu.

"Yes my Queen… I do know her" said Elihu.

"You see my Queen, that is all we need to hear, he is responsible" said the woman.

"Please calm down Madam" said Wura as she turned to look at the woman as the woman went quiet.

"Have you been with the girl?" asked Wura as this was a very serious matter and accusation.

"Yes my Queen… I have… but only once" said Elihu as he replied honestly, there was no point in lying right now, it would only get him into deeper trouble, so he was going to say the whole truth.

"And when was that?" asked Wura as she needed to be sure.

"Over three months ago my Queen, I remember vividly because I was posted to the market where I met her" said Elihu.

"You are lying, my daughter said that you two have been together more than once" said the woman.

"Madam, your daughter is not telling the truth" said Elihu as he pleaded desperately.

"You cannot call me daughter liar, because you are the liar" said the woman.

"Madam, please do not raise your voice" said Wura as she did not know what else to do.

"Please forgive me my Queen, but understand my frustration, I am a mother whose daughter is being disgraced, even though she was part of her own disgrace, but I cannot throw my own daughter out, which is why she will get married to whoever is responsible for the baby" said the woman.

Wura could tell that the woman was adamant that Elihu would take responsibility for the baby and marry her daughter, the only problem with that was Wura believed Elihu, she believed him, he truly was not the father.

Wura looked at the daughter who had been quiet all this while, she had refused to say a single word, and all this time, it had been her mother who was speaking for her, which either meant two things, the first being that she was so ashamed of herself, or the latter being that she was lying, and she felt guilty.

"Miss, what is your name?" asked Wura as she smiled and she looked at the daughter as she looked up and she looked at Wura.

"Pre…Precious, my Queen" said the daughter as she replied.

"Precious, what a beautiful name" said Wura as she smiled.

"Thank… Thank you my Queen" said Precious as she bowed her head.

"Precious, I would like to speak to you, there are some questions I need you to answer for me" said Wura as she smiled.

Precious looked at her mother, as if seeking for approval.

"Madam, I would like to speak to your daughter, would that be alright?" asked Wura as she smiled.

"As you wish my Queen" said the woman as she agreed.

"Thank you" said Wura as she smiled, she needed to speak to Precious alone, she would have preferred it if she and Precious could go somewhere else to speak in private, but Wura looked around and there was nowhere else in sight for them to go.

"Precious do you know this man?" asked Wura as she smiled and Precious nodded her head.

"Yes I do my Queen" said replied.

"Alright, and you have been with him?" asked Wura.

"My Queen, all these questions have already been asked" said the woman.

"Madam, I would really appreciate it if you allow your daughter to speak for herself, I want to hear her voice, and not yours" said Wura as she smiled politely.

"As you wish my Queen" said the woman although she sounded reluctant.

"Precious, you have been with this man?" asked Wura.

"Yes my Queen" replied Precious.

"How long ago was that?" asked Wura.

"Three months my Queen…" said Precious as Elihu sighed, she was still lying.

"Are you sure?" asked Wura.

"Ye… yes my Queen" said Precious as she stuttered and she looked down at the ground.

"Precious look at me" said Wura as she smiled and Precious hesitated.

"Please look at me" said Wura as Precious reluctantly did so.

"Precious, you know I believe you" said Wura as Elihu was sure that he was done for.

"I do believe you" said Wura.

"But you have to realize that if you are lying, you will be ruining the life of an innocent man" said Wura as she smiled.

"My Queen…" said the woman as Wura looked at her and she went quiet as Wura turned to look at Precious, who had a guilty look on her face.

"My Queen… I am not lying" said Precious.

"If you are not lying, then that is acceptable, Sir Elihu will take full responsibility for the child" said Wura.

"But if you are lying, I am not sure that you are prepared to not also lie to everyone, but to your child as well" said Wura as Precious' heart was pricked.

"My Queen I… I…" said Precious as she hesitated.

"You cannot force a man to love you, not even if there is a child involved, and I am sure that Sir Elihu has no intention of marrying you" said Wura as she was being honest, Precious looked about her age, and she was treating her like she would treat her own sister.

"And a child needs a good home to grow well in" said Wura.

"My Queen, please… please forgive me" said Precious as tears dropped from her eyes.

"Forgive you for what??" asked the woman as she looked at her daughter as she did not say anything.

"He is not the Father is he?" asked Wura with a gentle smile as Precious shook her head as she did not say anything as Elihu was relieved and the woman was left with confusion.

"Who is the father then?" asked Wura as Precious did not say anything at all.

"Precious, who Is the father??? Tell me now!!" said the woman as now her anger was directed towards her daughter.

"Mother I…" said Precious.

"Don't Mother me, who is the real father of the child you are carrying?" asked the woman in anger.

"The husbandman" said Precious as she spat it out, she felt so relieved now.

"Oh good Lord of the heavens" said the woman as she felt like fainting.

"You got involved with the husbandman?" asked the woman.

"Mother, we… we love each other, I love him and he loves me, I would have told you from the start, but I knew that you would never accept him" said Precious as she looked at her mother.

"Oh shut up you insolent and foolish girl, do you know what you have just done?" asked the woman as this was more than shame, it was utter disgrace.

"Mother, I want to marry him" said Precious.

"Oh my, God give me strength" said the woman as she sighed.

"Oh my Queen, please forgive me for coming here and causing such a nuisance" said the woman as she turned to look at Wura as Elihu looked relieved he had been vindicated.

"I will deal with this matter accordingly" said the woman as she bowed.

"Let us go you foolish girl, you made me embarrass myself in front of the Queen, just wait till your father hears of it" said the woman as without warning she pulled her daughter by they hand as they walked out of the hall through the other entrance.

Wura and Elihu could hear the faint voice of the woman as she scolded her daughter, until they could hear their voices no more.

"Thank you for believing me" said Elihu as he bowed down o the ground.

"You do not need to thank me at all" said Wura.

"You just need to be more careful" said Wura.

"You are one of the most trusted men of his Majesty, and if this had gotten to the ears of the people, what sort of shame would it have brought upon his Majesty?" asked Wura as Elihu looked at her and he felt ashamed of himself, she was speaking the truth.

"His Majesty already has more than enough to deal with, so there is no need to add this sort of problem to it as well" said Wura as her most concern was Liam, not only would he have to deal with all his other problems but this as well.

"You are right, and please forgive me, I will be more careful" said Elihu as he sighed, he was done with women, they just brought so many problems, if not for Wura, that was how he would have been forced to father a bastard.

"I really hope that you will be" said Wura as the only reason she had defended him was because she knew Liam trusted him very much, and if he trusted him, then it meant that he was a good man.

"Ahh my Queen, please forgive me for keeping you waiting, I was held up with something urgent" said Lady Marli as she smiled and she walked into the Great Hall.

"That is alright Lady Marli" said Wura as she smiled as she looked at Lady Marli.

"Please excuse me your Majesty" said Elihu as he stood up and he walked away as Wura looked at him.

"Nora told me that you wanted to see me" said Wura as she smiled.

"Ahh yes my Queen, that is so" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"My Queen, I hope you were comfortable here" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"Well I could not say that I was not… did you happen to hear the voice of a woman that was here earlier?" asked Wura.

"Ahh well yes, she had come with her plea, and I was going to attend to her, but some of the maids needed my instructions" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"I see" said Wura.

"Yes, I hope all is well my Queen?" asked Lady Marli as she smiled.

"All is well, I happened to arrive early, and so I settled the matter of the woman, it was just a misunderstanding between mother and daughter" said Wura.

"Oh, Thank you my Queen" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"You do not need to thank me Lady Marli" said Wura as she smiled.

"What did you want to see me for Lady Marli?" asked Wura as she smiled, she had to say that running a Kingdom was very hard, to think that, that was the same way Liam would sit and listen and solve the matter just made her feel even more for him, he had so much to do.

"Well my Queen, I wanted to ask if you have reached a decision on taking over the Queen's office?" asked Lady Marli as she smiled.

"Ahh… well that…" said Wura as she had completely forgotten about that, the truth was that she had thought about it, and her answer was no, but after what she had witnessed happening here not too long ago, she was starting to have second thoughts, maybe she was just being selfish.

"Well Lady Marli, I am still not certain, please forgive me if I have upset you with my answer" said Wura.

"No my Queen, there is no need to be sorry, not at all, you have not upset me" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"I understand your decision, and as I said earlier, no one can force you to do what you do not want to do" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"Thank you Lady Marli" said Wura as she smiled, and Lady Marli smiled at her.

"My Queen, please excuse me, there is a lot that I still have to do today" said Lady Marli as she smiled.

"Alright Lady Marli, please take care" said Wura as she smiled.

"Thank you my Queen, and the same to you" said Lady Marli as she smiled and she walked away.

Wura looked around, she had nothing else to do here, so she decided to return back to her room, she had come here in search for Lady Marli and instead, she ended up solving a matter of lies.

Wura walked out of the great hall as she traced back her steps to her room.

…

"*Sigh*" said Wura as she sighed and she opened the door to her room as she walked in and she fell on her bed.

"Welcome back my Queen" said Nora as she smiled and she placed the broom in the corner.

"Thank you Nora" said Wura as she smiled.

"My Queen, how was it?" asked Nora as she smiled.

"Exhausting" replied Wura as she sat upright on her bed.

"How so my Queen?" asked Nora as she was confused.

"Well Lady Marli was not in the great hall when I arrived, instead it was a woman and her daughter that were there, and well I ended up solving their matter" said Wura.

"Well that does sound exhausting my Queen" said Nora as she smiled.

"Yes it was" said Wura.

"Nora, do you know Sir Elihu?" asked Wura and Nora shook her head.

"Well he is a very trusted man of his Majesty, just like Sir Mero is" said Wura as she explained.

"Oh alright my Queen" said Nora as she smiled.

"So he was accused of impregnating this girl named Precious, and well her mother came here to confront him" said Wura.

"Oh my… my Queen, that is a very serious offence" said Nora.

"Oh yes I know Nora, but luckily the matter was solved, and he is not the Father" said Wura.

"Thankfully" said Nora.

"Yes Nora, you know I…" said Wura as she was cut off by a knock on the door.

"I will get the door my Queen" said Nora as she smiled and she walked to the door as she opened it, and she closed the door.

"Who was it Nora?" asked Wura as she smiled.

"My Queen, it was one of the guards" said Nora.

"Oh does he need something?" asked Wura in curiosity.

"No my Queen, he brought something for you" said Nora as she walked to Wura.

"What could that be?" asked Wura.

"It is a letter from his Majesty my Queen" said Nora as she handed Wura the letter.

"A letter… from his Majesty?" asked Wura as she was sure that she had heard wrong, but Nora nodded, which made her look at the letter in her right hand… it truly was from Liam.