Asha

He couldn't forget his last encounter with Asha. She had called him a toothless dog and he had let her walk away without teaching her a lesson. He! The son of the king! He grunted, rising up quickly from the stone where he sat with friends roasting meat. No one respected him because he was the king's second son. It hurt so bad; he squeezed his face and kicked a stone that hit his friend's leg.

"Prince Denna, what's bothering you so much?" asked a friend.

"Hhhhuuuh!" grunted Prince Denna. "That useless girl!"

"What girl? Did you try to get a palace maid in your bed, and they said no?"

"Shut up! Mbira, which maid has the guts to do that! The only girl keeping me up is that rude Asha, Chief Japthan Dramidi's daughter. She insulted me last time, and I did nothing. Like a toothless dog, I barked and did nothing !" He grunted, wanting to break something.

"If you're hurting so much over someone so insignificant, you should teach her a lesson! Show her who's more powerful between the two of you!" suggested Mbira.

"How? I've wracked my brain, and I haven't come up with a single thought on how to deal with that girl. If she were a servant, I would have taught her a lesson, but she's the daughter of a chief! Always indoors and always in a group! I need to get her alone if I am to deal with her!"

"But what would you do to her? What lesson would make her respect you?" another friend asked.

Prince Denna took a bite of the roasted meat brought by one of his guards, washing it down with a cup of water. Deep in thought about how to retaliate against Asha for insulting him, he couldn't figure out how to execute his plan. He knew he wanted her in his bed, to assert dominance and make the kingdom believe she willingly offered herself to him. There were already rumors about their secret relationship, so it wouldn't be surprising if it became known that she had willingly shared her body with him.

He shared this desire with his friends, and together they brainstormed the best way to get Asha alone with Denna and possibly into his bed.

"You're the prince, remember? Just tell your father the truth about your confrontation with her. He'll be mad at her too. Then, tell your father you need Asha specifically to bring a peace offering for the way she spoke to you the last time you met. Keep your true intentions a secret. When she comes to apologize as her father would instruct her to do, strike! Have your way with her before anyone knows what's happening, but ensure a maid sees and spreads the message that she's been soiled."

"You have the evilest mind I've ever seen, Mbira. Thank you! Seeing that little rat cower in fear while I have my way with her will make me the happiest! Now, I must go and make this work!" He smiled to himself, hurrying home to discuss Asha with his father.

—-

"You can't mean the daughter of Japthan had the audacity to call my own son a toothless dog in public, in front of your people? Doesn't she know an insult to you is an insult to the entire royal house! " The king sounded upset. "I guess I've made Japthan feel he's bigger than the king that even his daughters insult my sons. I should have her flogged in public for daring to speak that way!"

"But Japthan is your closest man, you can't flog her in public over a small quarrel" his wife said calmly in her usual manner. The king turned towards her and grunted in frustration even though he knew she was right. 

She sat so quietly that no one would know she was there. Even though Denna knew his mother didn't like the way they were, he was glad she was helping him steer the conversation in the direction he wanted.

"Father, punishing her isn't the best way to handle this. All I want is a personal apology, and I'll be fine! Besides, her sister is about to become my brother's wife. We're family now. She should make a nice meal for me on the celebration day and bring it to the palace. After I've accepted her apology, I'll enjoy her meal. As a prince, I deserve this!"

An ominous glint filled his eyes as he awaited his father's approval of his plan. His mother noticed but chose to remain silent. Most times, she treated Denna and Mayo as if they weren't her true children. When he was little and she would cry all day without acknowledging him, it used to hurt, but now, he was thankful she hadn't interfered with their father's training, leaving him to shape them into real men.

"Fine, I'll inform Japthan about this as soon as possible. Trust me, she must learn never to speak to you or any royal blood that way again!" With that, his father dismissed him, and Denna left, delighted that his plan was unfolding precisely as intended.

——

Their father returned home upset, yelling Asha's name, and her heart pounded with anxiety.

"What have you done again, Asha? I'm supposed to go see the prince this evening. How can I do that if Father is already home and furious with you?" Zeep hurled painful words at her as Asha hurriedly walked out of the room to answer her father's call.

"But Father, he's lying against me! I only spoke to him that way because he was bullying me…"

"Enough, Asha! There's no getting out of this with tears. On the royalty celebration day, you will make a special meal for Denna as a sign of your apology for any wrong you've done to him, and that's final! You embarrassed me again today! The king spoke to me like I was a little child because of you! Do you know how much it hurt my ego, especially after he announced that I was going to be his onlaw! I would have been very furious if other chiefs had been present when he insulted me because of you little stubborn goat! What is wrong with you?" He continued to berate her for hours even after Asha had knelt on the floor for her punishment for embarrassing him.

"But Father, isn't there another way for me to make amends without going into the palace to meet him face to face? I must avoid him…" Asha pleaded.

"Asha Dramidi! You must behave yourself! I should have used my whip on you, but you remind me so much of your mother that I can't bear raising my hands on you. Now, you can ask Mezin to prepare a nice soup which you would take to Denna tomorrow during the celebration. Then we will wait for the announcement about your sister's marriage to his brother. Now, I have to get back to organizing the events of tomorrow. I must speak to the heads of servants to make sure everything works perfectly," he said, pausing to take a good look at Asha, his last daughter. He wanted to run his hands on her face and remind her that she cared about them, but he didn't. He must remain stern if he wants them to respect him completely.

As soon as he left the house, Asha broke down in tears.

"I am so sorry, Asha. Did Father use his cane on you?" A concerned Nena asked, but Asha shook her head.

"Then he must have hurt you with his words. He's so different now that Mother is dead. Tell me, what was the whole conversation with him about?"

When Asha shared the details with her sister, Nena was deeply moved.

"No! You can't be in the same place with that evil son of the king! Did you make Father understand that he manhandled you?"

"He didn't even let me finish... the king commanded that I appease Prince Denna, and Father is making sure that I do..."

As they unhappily discussed the issue, Zeep emerged from the room adorned in beads, oil, and black eyeliner.

"Where are you off to, Zeep? Didn't you see Father was just upset just now?"

"Oh! When did you begin to question? I can leave the house if I wish. Father was upset at Asha, not me! I am his favorite daughter now. Have you forgotten that I'm getting married to the prince whom I am going to see now!"

"I don't know about that family..."

"Please, Nena, keep your reservations about the royal family to yourself. You advised me to keep him close, and that's what I plan on doing!"

As Asha watched her sister leave the house, she had a feeling something bad was about to happen. There was no way Prince Mayo was different from his wicked brother. Her heart broke into a million pieces when she remembered that she was to meet the devil face to face and even apologize. But Nena was there to console her, even though it didn't help. Come the celebration day, she must visit Prince Denna and apologize to him!