Audience Before the King

(Nala and Akinidad have not been seeing eye to eye since the incident. This made Akinidad very worried and disturbed about his cousin, the princess, who isn't ready to have any amendment made towards their misunderstanding. The King, Masinissa Linette Duah II, calls both his daughter and nephew Akinidad, to talk some sense in their head before things get out of hand)

King: Emissary Boateng

Emissary Boateng: Yes, my King. I believe you summon my presence before you and your servant is here, my Lord.

King: Have you not noticed the behaviour my children have been putting up towards each other lately?

Emissary Boateng: Yes, my King. Do you mean the prince and the princess?

King: Emissary Boateng, you are from the noble and intelligent ones, and that was why I made you my personal Emissary. You do not tell me you know not of what and who am talking about. Of course, am talking about the prince Akinidad and the Princess of the land, Nala.

Emissary Boateng: Forgive my ignorance my Lord, for you are wiser than all.

King: Now back to my question. What have you noticed between them.

Emissary Boateng: (Pause for a while) Yes, my Lord. I have truly observed some changes in their behaviour towards each other and I do not want to come to the conclusion of them not being in good terms with each other. I fear it should not be a loggerhead.

King: That is exactly what am trying to say, and this has gotten me worried. You know the primary aim of having the son of my sister in my palace.

Emissary Boateng: That is very true. To fulfil the pronouncement made by your mother the queen mother during her departure to the village of the ancestors. We all do recall her pronouncement and as noble as you are, stood to fulfil it as such.

King: Yes, that is very true. And I am going to fulfil that as such. But the behaviour of this children is getting me worried by the day and I am afraid I might fail as a King if I don't get things back to order.

Emissary Boateng: Yes, my King

King: (Pause for a while) Emissary Boateng, what do you think might be the root of this problem?

Emissary Boateng: I think we will have to hear from the horses mouth if we want to get to the bottom of the issue at hand. I will suggest, as your humble servant, that you request their audience to know what the problem really is and get it resolved, my King.

King: That is right Emissary Boateng. You may summon them before me right this minute.

Emissary Boateng: As you please, my Lord.

(Exit Emissary Boateng).

King: (Talking to himself) Why on earth will children of royal blood fight each other. This is what our elders say, that, the fight of two siblings of royal blood will lead to division, disloyalty and mistrust, and if not attended to as soon as possible, might lead to the unmaking of nations. And I am afraid to fail as a King that I am, allow such abomination to happen under my watch.

(Enters Emissary Boateng, followed by Akinidad and the Princess, Nala)

Akinidad and Princess Nala: Father, I believe you requested our audience.

King: Yes, my children. I did request your audience.

Akinidad: My King, I trust everything is fine, because you sound a little upset and you look unrest too.

King: Yes, my nephew. I am worried and disturbed about something that has been bothering me for some time now.

Princess Nala: Father, may the gods forbid, and may they bless you with long life to serve the people of our land. What might be troubling the fearless lion of the Kingdom. The guardian to which the people have bestow their outmost trust in.

Emissary Boateng: My Lord, your children have summoned before you. They request to know what is troubling the most noble in the great Kingdom of Ptolemaic.

King: My children, I know there is something that isn't right going on between the two of you. You two barely see eye to eye and barely come to Anansesem together like you do all the time. Nether do you sit side by side to each other.

Akinidad: May you live long, my Lord. I beg to differ that I may be lost to what the great King is addressing. I believe the relation between myself and my cousin, the princess, is intact. To be factual, my Lord, I believe we get even closer by the day.

King: (Stares at Akinidad as he made his statement) My son, old age might have been catching up with me but I am wise and very observant. I know what I'm talking about and you need not lie to me about it. I know you and your cousin have…

Princess Nala: (Sharply interrupts) Father, I believe you are right, but I am afraid it might be the same as your observation, father. You are wise, noble and intelligent, and that's the reason the people of our great Kingdom have absolute trust and confidence in your governance and judgment.

You are wise, for the gods have blessed you with the intelligence of our ancestors and you are right with your observations, my father.

Akinidad: My King, forgive me but…

King: (Sharply interrupts) Why on earth will children of royal blood, be fighting each other. You two are of the most precious ones the kingdom has, and is willing to protect with everything it has in it, but fighting?

Emissary Boateng: May you live long, my King. Please do forgive my interruption. (Stares at Akinidad and Nala as he addresses them) O, ye blessed children of Ptolemaic Kingdom, how unfair it will be, to make the Great King worry. As our elders used to say, many are called but few chosen. You are lucky to be the chosen ones amongst the few called, to be prince and princess of this Kingdom.

King: (Nods in agreement to Emissary Boateng) Please do speak some sense into their heads.

Emissary Boateng: (Continues to speak) Ye should value the blessings bestowed upon you, so you get the blessings of our fathers.

King: (Interrupts with a little bit of rage) Can any of you tell me what the problem is. Can any one of you speak up.

Princess Nala: Father, I…I…I actually…

Akinidad: (Immediately interrupts) We had a slight misunderstanding and I hit my cousin's hands so hard that it pained her.

King: You what? (Says with a bit of curiosity)

Akinidad: I did not mean to hurt my cousin, and I wouldn't hurt her in anyways but rather put my life on the line to protect her. The gods will bear me witness on this, my Lord.

King: Regardless, was it enough reason to hit your cousin that hard? What actually made you hit her.

Princess Nala: Father, the fault isn't his. I actually crossed my boundaries and he accidentally hit hand out of anger. The blame isn't solemnly his, father.

King: But still, he shouldn't have…

Princess Nala: Yes, my King. I am to be blamed and not him.

Akinidad: I am sorry, my Lord, such mistake wouldn't repeat itself again.

Emissary Boateng: May you live long m King. I am sure they will reconcile after this. This thus happen between siblings. What is more important is protecting each other regardless.

King: Emissary Boateng, but you know this might lead to the unmaking of a nation, and that will pronounce me as a failed King. I have faced this with my sister, Amanirenas, and wouldn't want that to happen between our children.

Emissary Boateng: I understand your fears my King, and such thing will not happen, as far as you reign as King of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.

King: (Turns to Akinidad and Nala) Such thing should not repeat itself again. Whatever that you may find displeasing of each other let me know.

Akinidad and Nala: Yes, my Lord. It won't happen again.

Akinidad: (Looks at Nala and apologies) Am sorry for how I hit your hand. I shouldn't have treated you that way.

Princess Nala: I should be the one to apologies. You actually requested to be left alone which I did not heed to, and that I think pushed you to the wall. I am sorry too.

King: That is what am talking about. We agree to disagree. We will step on each other's toes, but violence never solves a thing.

Emissary Boateng: You are right my King. Violence never resolves a thing. Children, try to be a bit tolerant towards each other so you can preserve the sanity of the Kingdom.

Akinidad and Nala: We promise to be more tolerant with each other and always work together as the team we have always been. We will do our best.

King: I hope you will come hand in hand at today's Anansesem this evening.

Princess Nala: Sure, father.

Akinidad: Yes, Your Highness. I will personally fetch the princess and bring her to Anansesem.

(Both laughs)

King: Alright my children (With a happy face) I will see you both at Anansesem. I will have my rest now.

Akinidad and Princess Nala: Yes, my Lord.

(Exit the King and Emissary Boateng leaving the two siblings to catch up on their lost moments)