The Nami Families vs the Badila Family

I sat down next to Benesha on the bench, and she gave me a once-over before speaking. "It's been a while, Adanna," she said coolly.

"Benesha..." I replied, the years since we last met hanging heavy between us.

"Now that we're both here, let's get to the point, Ame," Benesha directed to the Japanese girl seated across from us. So, her name is Ame...

Ame appeared to be around my age, perhaps a bit older, like Benesha. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with hair reaching her shoulders and bangs going over her forehead. Her silver eyes, red lips, and slightly tanned skin gave her an ethereal, almost regal quality. This must be Yusha's younger sister.

"Please, Benesha, let me have a moment," Ame said, her voice calm and composed.

Two women entered, bringing an array of traditional Japanese snacks: Mochi, chewy rice cakes filled with ice cream; Onigiri stuffed with fresh salmon; Pocky, and Konjac Jelly—low-calorie treats made from konjac yam, flavored with fruits.

"Take a bite," Ame said, offering us the snacks.

Benesha and I each took something, eating in silence for a moment.

"Are you done stalling?" Benesha's impatience was evident. She was clearly annoyed by the delay.

Ame, however, seemed unfazed. "I greet and welcome you both, and offer blessings and salutations from our God, for coming to my home in Utrecht..."

I couldn't help but interject. "Your Dutch—both yours and your brother's—is flawless."

Ame nodded. "We were both born here but homeschooled in Japan, where we were taught Dutch. For occasions such as this, we were educated to ensure we could converse properly."

I couldn't help but imagine what a conversation between Princess Ame and Princess Maeve would be like. Both possessed an air of authority, but in such different ways.

Ame's gaze shifted to Benesha and me. "Benesha Badila, you are the daughter of the Badila Patriarch Kanda. Adanna Eleanor van Nassau-Badila, you are the daughter of Prince Luzadi Badila. What do the two of you have in common?"

I sighed. "Neither of us will inherit from the Badilites..."

"And why is that?" Ame asked, her voice soft but firm.

"Daughters aren't eligible to inherit authority," Benesha answered, her tone sharp.

"Correct," Ame said with a small smile. "And that is why my ancestor, Empress Akela, along with her two nieces Diba and Baleba, chose to leave the Badilite Family and migrate to Asia in the early 1900s..."

Benesha scoffed. "They chose to leave?" Her disbelief was palpable. "I heard they were exiled."

Ame remained calm, continuing without missing a beat. "Either way, they could no longer remain with their family. Empress Akela gave birth to the Namidame Family with a Japanese man. Diba gave birth to the Namidagawa Family with a Korean man. And Baleba gave birth to the Namigaoto Family with a Chinese man. Each family expanded its influence into the Far East, and each became Matriarchal. We see ourselves as the rightful heirs to the ancient Badilite Kingdom, as the Three Matriarchs were the eldest of their siblings. We believe they should have inherited authority, not their younger brothers..."

I listened intently, as if Ame had lived through these events herself. Her recounting was so vivid, it almost felt like history unfolding in real time.

"Eventually, Akela had many sons and daughters, but her eldest daughter, Umi, became her successor. She married into the Imperial House of Japan. This is where my branch, the House of Namidai, originated. Umi had a daughter named Naomi. Naomi had a daughter named Kasumi, and her daughter, Empress Hitomi, is my mother. The Matriarchal legacy of the Namidame family continued through our line, and we still abide by the Matriarchal system of succession. This is why I am the Heiress to the throne, even though I have an older sibling. Do you know why, Adanna?"

"Because your older sibling is male," I answered, already understanding the logic.

"Precisely," Ame said with a smile. "We are firmly in favor of female successors. And I want to invite both of you—Benesha and Adanna—to join me, to carry on the legacy of our brave Matriarchs: Akela, Diba, and Baleba."

Benesha's laugh was sharp and unamused. "This story is almost comical. You probably thought I'd be moved, inspired by the bravery of your female ancestors. But I'm not. Because your reasoning, Ame, has a flaw."

Ame's brow furrowed slightly. "And what flaw is that?"

"You claim Akela believed she should have inherited the throne because she was the eldest. But by your logic, shouldn't your brother Yusha inherit the throne from your mother? After all, he's her eldest child too."

Ame's expression remained steady. "But Empress Akela didn't succeed her father because she was female. That's why we created our own succession system, one that is exclusive to daughters."

"I understand your point, but her being upset about not being chosen despite being the eldest makes no sense," Benesha said, a frown on her face.

"You don't seem to know much of our history, Benesha," Ame replied with a knowing smile.

"Huh?" Benesha blinked, caught off guard.

Ame leaned forward slightly, her tone turning more instructive. "When the Badila Kingdom still stood, succession to the throne was solely based on being the eldest child. Gender was irrelevant. It was only after the kingdom fell that the tradition shifted to male heirs. So, when we restructured our succession, we simply adopted the matrilineal system, choosing female heirs instead."

"Well, okay..." Benesha trailed off, clearly running out of rebuttals. "But I still refuse to join forces with you, Ame."

Ame raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "And why is that, Benesha?"

"Because I love my younger brother and my family more than I desire to inherit the throne," Benesha declared firmly.

Ame's gaze softened, but there was a hint of something sharper beneath it. "Hmmm... We'll see how far that love takes you and your descendants..."

Benesha's eyes narrowed. "Sounds like a threat. Enough! This is blatant disrespect to the Badila Family!" Her hands twitched, as if ready to grab Ame by her kimono, but Yusha's piercing glare stopped her in her tracks.

"You know what I'm really curious about, Ame?" Benesha asked, her voice laced with defiance.

"Tell me, Benesha," Ame responded, calm and composed.

"You and your family see yourselves as Badilites," Benesha continued. "But do the Japanese see you as Badilites, too?"

"They see us as Japanese," Ame replied without hesitation. "Because, like you, they are patrilineal. But as I've already explained, we are matrilineal. We don't define ourselves by their standards. We see ourselves as Badilites."

Benesha chuckled, shaking her head. "Isn't that funny? The Japanese don't see you as Badilites, and the Badilites don't see you as Badilites. You live in a bubble. You even changed your names to Japanese ones. There's nothing Badilite about you anymore. You've fully assimilated into Far Eastern culture and become something entirely different. Don't ever call me your niece again."

Ame smiled gently, unbothered by the criticism. "Do you know what 'Nami' means?" she asked, her tone almost playful. "It means 'tears.' And what does 'Badila' mean?"

"The ones who cry," I answered, recalling the word's meaning.

Ame's smile widened. "Exactly. We named ourselves after tears to show our origins, from those who cry. We didn't change our names—we simply translated them. It's unfair to call us illegitimate Badilites."

Benesha folded her arms, her voice sharp. "My father recognized the North African Badilites as legitimate, even when their status was in question. Despite their patrilineal descent, their legitimacy was scrutinized. And yet, you and your family, with your paternal Japanese blood, will never be recognized as Badilites by my father. He never will, because you don't share the same ancestral roots."

Ame's laughter was sudden and carefree—almost unladylike, but it didn't detract from her grace. In fact, it made her more approachable, more likable.

"What's so funny?" Benesha demanded, irritated.

Ame wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as her laughter subsided. "Do you honestly think my family needs the approval of your family?" She shook her head, still smiling. "My family leads an empire. Your family clings to a kingdom that no longer exists. Who do you think our ancestors would be most proud of? Who do you think they would recognize as the rightful heir to their ancient kingdom?"

Benesha's face hardened, her defiance faltering in the face of Ame's unyielding confidence. Ame had deftly dismantled her argument against female succession, and now, she was subtly asserting her own family's superiority over Benesha's.

In the world of the Badilites, there was a saying: only a Badilite could be superior to another Badilite. And in that moment, Ame's presence, her manner, the way she carried herself, made it clear to me that she was a true Badilitess—despite her distant lineage. The silver eyes alone told me she was of Badilite blood, even if she had been raised in a different culture.

Not even I have silver eyes, and my father is a Badilite. Ame was several generations removed from King Benda, Akela's father, yet she carried the mark of the Badilite heritage—proof that the Nami Families still held on to something ancient and powerful.

I began to understand why Ame believed the maternal descendants of the Badilites, raised with the culture, should be considered part of the Badilite nation. Yes, they spoke a different language, adapted different customs, and blended with Far Eastern culture—but that didn't mean they weren't Badilites. They were simply a different branch, a new type of Badilite.

For example, the Central African Badilites, the original line from which Patriarch Kanda came, differ from the East African Badilites, who differ from the South African Badilites. And they in turn differ from the West African Badilites, who also differ from the North African Badilites. Each group has its own unique identity, but they all share a common origin.

So why couldn't there be an Asian Badilite, or a European one? It seemed unfair, even racist, to deny their heritage simply because they had mixed with other cultures or had a different appearance.

But as much as I wanted to align myself with Ame, I knew I couldn't. Not in the presence of Benesha, the main princess of the Badilites. My own status was already fragile enough; if the Badilites learned that I had allied myself with the Nami Families, it would only damage my father's standing further.

"Adanna, you've been very quiet this entire time..." Ame's gaze shifted toward me, piercing and thoughtful. "Benesha has already declined my offer. What about you, Adanna? You've been exiled by the Badilites because you won't inherit the Dutch throne. You must understand where my ancestor, Mother Akela, is coming from. Both of you are exiled Badilitesses."

I took a deep breath, considering her words carefully. "I appreciate your offer, Ame," I began slowly, choosing my words with care. "The idea that you would want to take me into your household, which you believe to be the rightful heir to the Badila Kingdom of old, means more to me than I can say. My paternal family disowned me, and my maternal family... well, they feel ashamed of me. This is the first time I've ever felt wanted by a family. But I must respectfully decline."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, and even Yusha seemed taken aback. "Why would you?" Ame asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

"Because..." I hesitated, my gaze drifting toward the ground for a moment before I met her eyes again. "I don't need recognition from any family. What I need... is my father back."

Ame's expression softened, her tone gentle as she asked, "Can I help you with that?"

I forced a sad smile, trying to keep the mood light despite the weight in my chest. "That's very kind of you, Ame," I said, my voice tinged with a faint chuckle, though it didn't quite reach my eyes. "Can you make me inherit the Dutch throne?" I shook my head. "I suppose not."

Ame smiled graciously, her poise unwavering. "Well then," she said with an elegant nod, "I wish both of you the best of luck in your efforts to impress your fathers. Once again, thank you for visiting my residence in Utrecht. I do hope to welcome you to my palace in Japan someday."

And just like that, our meeting came to an end. Standing there with Benesha, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and disquiet at what I had just experienced. Meeting Princess Ame and hearing her speak so openly about the past, about family, about identity—had been eye-opening. It had also confirmed something I had been reluctant to admit: I didn't want to follow in the footsteps of Princess Ame's ancestor, Akela, by severing ties with my father. Despite everything, I wanted him in my life.

So, as I walked away from this conversation, one thing was clear: I had to do whatever it took to get my father back. No matter the cost.