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Part 1 & 2
The moment I stepped into the royal court, my heart leaped into my throat at the sight of the sheer multitude of slaves under the kingdom's domain. Quiet and orderly, they spanned across the east, west, south, and north, all standing in perfectly straight lines. Men, women, and their children were all clad in uniforms bearing the royal crest on both the front and back. Every single head was bowed; not a soul dared to make the slightest movement.
Further away, beneath a grand canopy, I spotted the royals seated on luxurious, exquisite chairs, lined up in a row of three. The one sitting in the center, I presumed, was the leader of the empire—the King, His Royal Highness. My reason for thinking he was the King was the sight of two men dressed in vibrant red attire standing on either side of him, fanning him with large, beautifully crafted traditional fans that breezed with captivating elegance. The palace was enveloped in a profound silence, devoid of any human chatter; only the soulful, echoing melodies of the algaita (traditional oboe) and flutes pierced the air.
With calm dignity, a procession of sleek, magnificent luxury cars began driving into the royal courtyard. Seeing this, His Royal Highness made a move to stand, his face lighting up with a splendid, welcoming smile. Witnessing his attempt to rise, the courtiers who were previously kneeling before him scrambled to their feet, hastily spreading their massive, flowing robes in reverence. The Waziri, Galadima, and Ciroma rose to their feet as well out of respect for His Highness. And because the core elders of the palace had stood, every other seated attendee followed suit as a mark of utmost honor.
The flute players suddenly went into a frenzy, changing their musical rhythm entirely. They all marched toward the spot where the vehicles had parked, blowing their algaitas and flutes with renewed vigor. A palace guard rushed forward, quickly opened the car door, stepped aside with his fist tightly clenched, and raised it high in a formal royal salute to the passenger inside.
"Welcome back to the ancestral palace, Aliyu Haidar! The male lion, the heir to the throne! The pure soul with noble intentions! Ali, you do not appear unless you are fully prepared! Truly, the kingdom and everyone beneath it rejoices at your safe return!" This grand praise echoed from the guard's mouth.
A heavy, five-minute silence blanketed the arena before he finally extended one leg out of the vehicle. My eyes locked onto that royal shoe. Within a single second, I realized that the owner of that foot possessed an immense, unyielding arrogance. It took him a solid five minutes just to put one leg out, failing to bring out the other. What on earth he was doing inside that car, only God knew! Every single eye in the vicinity was glued to the vehicle. Many commoners—especially those of lower status who did not know him personally but only through stories—were burning with anticipation to catch a glimpse of him.
Among them was Sumayya, a daughter of the palace slaves. Her eyes were fiercely locked onto the spot, waiting for him to step out so she could see him. Even before his full appearance, she had already validated everything the palace subjects whispered about him: that he was a man of fierce pride, severe haughtiness, immense vanity, and deep mystery. He was an aloof enigma whose true direction no one could ever fathom—save for one person, his mother. For even his father, His Royal Highness, could never quite tell where he stood.
Part 3 & 4
Prince Aliyu composedly made his way to the canopy where his elders were seated. He smoothly slipped off his covered shoes, approached them with deep humility, and bowed low.
"May God protect you. I hope I find you all in good health?" he greeted.
His Royal Highness placed his hand upon Aliyu's head, beaming with joy. "Very well, Alhamdulillah, Aliyu. I hope you have returned home fully laden with the successes we anticipated."
Ali smiled, lowering his head even closer to the ground. The Waziri then stepped forward, gently placing his hands on Aliyu to lift him to his feet. The prince flashed a striking, captivating smile that suited him beautifully—honestly, if he knew how much a smile enhanced his looks, he would make an effort to do it more often.
He wrapped his arms around his paternal uncle, whispering into his ear, "Baba Waziri, I hope I find you all in good health."
Filled with warmth and joy, Waziri replied, "Very well, Aliyu. Truly, we are overjoyed by your safe return to the kingdom."
The prince opened his heavy, half-lidded eyes, the remnants of his smile still lingering on his face. As he went to speak, his eyes locked with those of the Galadima and the Ciroma. They stood nearby, their expressions completely devoid of any genuine warmth or joy.
Aliyu quickly straightened his posture and adjusted his expression, knowing all too well their petty and spiteful nature; they were entirely capable of humiliating him in front of the crowd. Since his childhood, they had openly harbored a bitter resentment toward him, treating him like a sworn enemy.
He walked over to where they stood, bowing slightly with calm respect. "I hope I find you in good health?"
The Galadima shifted uncomfortably, trying his best to suppress the irritation burning within him. "Very well, Alhamdulillah. I hope you have returned home with victory."
"Alhamdulillah," Aliyu replied simply, lowering his gaze and folding his hands respectfully behind his back.
Meanwhile, just as I was about to slip through our doorway, one of the palace gatekeepers abruptly stopped me. I froze, watching him as he marched up to me.
"Who gave you permission to leave the gathering before it has concluded?" he demanded.
I looked him dead in the eye and said, "My head is throbbing, and the blistering sun is unbearable. That is why I came back home."
He instantly lashed his thick, heavy whip across my legs. "You speak with such audacity for a lowly, miserable slave! Do you not realize that what you have just done is a direct violation of palace laws? Let me tell you right now, even your parents will be severely punished for the trouble you have brought upon them!"
Sweat broke out across my skin. I stared at him, my lips trembling violently as a burning agony flared up through my legs.
He raised the whip again, preparing to strike me a second time. I quickly lunged forward and grabbed his hand, tears bursting from my eyes. "I am truly unwell! I told you my head is splitting, and the sun out there is brutal! Is it a crime for me to return home to rest?!"
He violently wrenched the whip from my grip, raised it with immense force, and brought it slamming down hard across my back. I couldn't help but let out a piercing, agonizing shriek. Sumayya’s scream was so loud that it echoed all the way to the gathering ground; there wasn't a single soul who didn't hear it.
His Royal Highness immediately turned to his guards. "Go at once and check what is happening inside the estate!"
"Move! We are going right back to the gathering so you can face your judgment! You have brought the wrath of the monarchy down upon your parents, whoever they may be in this house!" the guard barked, shoving me forward, insisting we return to the crowd. But out of sheer stubbornness, I dug my heels in and resisted, tears streaming down my face.
The guards sent by the King arrived, demanding to know what the commotion was about. The gatekeeper immediately explained the situation. I watched as the head guard glared at me, letting out a terrifying, thunderous shout as he ordered me to move. When I stubbornly refused, his face contorted with rage. He threw back his grand robe, hoisted me up, and flipped me over his shoulder.
He marched straight back to the gathering with me. I was crying, thrashing, and kicking against him, but he carried me right through the crowd without pausing until he dumped me directly in front of His Royal Highness. I collapsed to my knees, burying my face as heavy tears raced down my cheeks.
Lawi and his wife, Tambaya, felt their hearts drop to their stomachs when they saw their daughter hauled before the King. Realizing she had undoubtedly brought the royal wrath down upon their heads, their entire bodies went numb. In absolute submission, they lowered their heads, their hearts pounding frantically against their ribs.
The entire arena fell into a deathly silence, everyone waiting for the King to speak. Prince Ali remained standing throughout it all, his arms folded behind his back like a rigid soldier. His Royal Highness looked at the guard, demanding an explanation.
The guard quickly bowed his head low. "May you live long, Your Highness. We found this girl deep inside the estate, locked in a bitter dispute with one of the slave-quarter gatekeepers over the royal orders you issued."
The gatekeeper stepped forward. "May God protect you. I spotted her trying to sneak back into the quarters. When I stopped her and asked who permitted her to leave the gathering before its conclusion, she began spouting words completely unbecoming of her tongue. As a lowly slave, it was highly inappropriate for her to complain about standing in the sun to welcome Prince Ali. The girl explicitly stated to me that she simply could not handle standing out in the heat."
The entire courtyard grew intensely quiet. Everyone was stunned by the sheer arrogance of Lawi the slave's daughter. What on earth did she think she possessed, or what made her superior to the rest of the slaves in this palace that she would dare utter such words?
Prince Ali kept his head down, appearing to stare at the ground, but beneath the dark tint of his sunglasses, his eyes were locked entirely on the girl. No one could tell he was watching her. The prince was genuinely astonished by her audacity—that she deemed him so insignificant to the palace that she couldn't tolerate standing in the sun for him. His face hardened into a cold scowl, and he averted his gaze from where she knelt. A deep, instant stroke of loathing for the girl took root in his heart.
His Highness cleared his throat and asked in a measured tone, "Young girl, what is your name?"
With a trembling voice, she replied, "May you live long, Your Highness. My name is Sumayya Lawi. My father is the one in charge of tending to the royal horses."
The King remained silent for a full two minutes before speaking. "Sumayya, why did you violate the palace decree when you know full well it is an absolute rule that when I call a gathering, everyone must attend? The palace grants no one permission to leave until I dismiss the court. Do you not comprehend the profound importance of this day to me and to the entire kingdom?"
With her head still bowed low, she shook it. "Forgive me, Your Highness. It was truly not out of willful defiance, I swear to God. My head was splitting with a terrible ache."
Hearing her excuse, Prince Ali shot a scathing, sideways glare in her direction. He let out a low, quiet scoff, turning his head away as his expression darkened even further with irritation.
The King spoke again. "I hear your excuse, Sumayya. But if you had to leave, why did you not seek permission from the overseers?"
She remained silent, burying her head further down.
His Royal Highness addressed the crowd. "This day is of monumental importance to me and to our entire kingdom. It is a day that deserves to be written in gold in the history books of this palace. For fifteen long years, this kingdom has lived without its own flesh and blood—Prince Aliyu, the heir to the throne. At the tender age of twelve, he had already memorized the Holy Qur'an alongside other foundational religious texts. I then sent him to America to acquire modern knowledge. Aliyu chose the path of medicine, assuring me it was his true passion, and I supported him fully so he could gain pristine expertise in every facet.
Alhamdulillah, he achieved everything we hoped for. We expected his immediate return home, but that country requested he stay back to assist them with the profound knowledge God blessed him with. As I sat in this palace, a formal message reached me regarding this matter. It was against my personal wishes, but seeing his own desire to stay and help them, I granted my permission. It was then that he promised me he would spend exactly seven years with them, resign from his duties, and return to his homeland so his own people could benefit from his expertise.
And today, God in His infinite wisdom has brought him back home permanently, precisely as he promised me. It is for this very reason that I commanded every single soul under this palace domain to come out and show their profound joy for his safe return. Yet here you are—someone who doesn't even know him personally—unable to endure standing to acknowledge him, choosing instead to just walk away. However, since you have brought forward your medical excuse, and illness supersedes all rules, you are hereby pardoned by the palace. But never dare to replicate what you have done today. For now, the palace forgives your offense."
With my head still glued to the ground, I gasped, "I am deeply grateful, Your Highness. May the Almighty grant you continued health and long life. Insha Allah, I will never do it again."
Lawi and Tambaya, my parents, rushed forward at once, throwing themselves to the ground before His Highness, pouring out endless gratitude and begging for absolute pardon.
The King nodded gently. "There is no issue. You may rise."
We hastily stood up together and scrambled back to stand among our fellow slaves.
Part 5 & 6
Once we returned to our designated standing area and settled down, His Royal Highness commanded his son to step forward and display his joy to the public regarding his safe return to the kingdom. At that moment, the eyes of the entire crowd converged upon him like a swarm, everyone straining to get a clear view of his face.
As for me, I kept my head down, my heart pounding heavily against my chest. For no particular reason, I felt absolutely no desire to look at him—not for any valid cause, but simply because of his foul, arrogant nature and his complete lack of respect for ordinary people.
A courtier rushed forward to adjust the microphone, aligning it perfectly with the prince's mouth. Like someone being forced against his will, the prince cleared his throat, deliberately drawing out the pause. With a face completely devoid of warmth and a tone dripping with cold detachment, he spoke:
"Alhamdulillah. God, You alone deserve all praise. Truly, I am deeply happy to be brought back home in perfect health, alongside numerous achievements."
He went abruptly silent, lowering his head. Hearing the sudden silence, I quickly raised my head to look toward the platform. I saw him standing with his head completely bowed, staring fixedly at the ground as though he were searching for a lost object.
I let out a bitter hiss in my heart. What an arrogant piece of work, I thought. He knows perfectly well that the entire crowd is hanging on his every word, yet he starts speaking and just cuts off. I snapped my gaze away, feeling thoroughly disgusted by his behavior.
He cleared his throat once more before resuming his speech. "Furthermore, I am overjoyed to find my parents, my relatives, and everyone under the domain of this palace in good health. It truly brings me great joy to see how you, your children, and your grandchildren have come out in masses to display your happiness over my return home. I thank you all immensely, and I wish you the very best."
The moment he finished speaking, he jerked his mouth away from the microphone and stepped back to stand near the Waziri. Even then, not a single trace of a smile touched his face.
An uproar of loud chatter and commotion instantly filled the courtyard. A palace guard let out a thunderous shout, commanding everyone to be silent, and within two minutes, the entire arena fell completely still.
His Royal Highness rose elegantly and walked over to the microphone. Before uttering a word, he raised both hands high into the air as a formal greeting to the massive gathering. The crowd erupted into chaos yet again, everyone shouting praises and expressing their deep admiration for the King. With great effort, the guards managed to quiet them down, allowing His Highness to deliver his address.
The King expressed his profound gratitude to Almighty God, extended his thanks to the numerous dignitaries who graced the occasion, and explicitly offered his gratitude to the slaves serving under his kingdom. He then returned to his seat. Baba Waziri stepped up to deliver his speech, followed by the Galadima and the Ciroma, each speaking briefly.
Finally, His Royal Highness closed the gathering with a prayer. He stood up with the intention of heading inside the palace chambers, instantly surrounded by guards who meticulously escorted him. The entire arena shook with the blaring of traditional instruments, the loud chanting of praise-singers, and the deafening chatter of the departing crowd. It was only after the King and his inner cabinet had fully retreated indoors that peace finally returned to the courtyard. The crowd began to disperse, everyone heading back to their respective quarters within the estate.
My parents and I, burdened by my father’s fragile state, made our way back to our quarters. We quickly helped him sit down. Tambaya held his shoulders while I, completely frantic and trembling with fear, rushed to fetch him some water. I brought it over, cradling his head as I tried to guide the water to his lips. He opened his mouth, but the water immediately spilled back out. In that instant, my mother's heart and mine shattered completely, and we burst into tears.
Summoning what little strength he had left and trying to calm us down, my father rasped, "Stop crying. This is not what I need right now."
I sat close to him, gripping his hand tightly, the tears still spilling down my cheeks. "Baba, for the love of God, what is truly wrong with you? You haven't been well for days, completely drained of energy and strength, yet you refuse to let us call a physician to examine you!"
Gently, he replied, "Sumayya, it isn't any severe underlying illness plaguing me. It is just a burning fever, intense dizziness, and an utter lack of physical strength. I honestly thought it was just a severe case of malaria, which is why I focused entirely on taking malaria medication. But now, I see you must go to the medical wing and call one of the physicians to come examine me. Only I know the sheer agony I am feeling inside my body right now."
Tambaya wiped her tears away gently, turning a somber gaze toward me. "Go to the medical department at once and find one of them to come look at him. My own heart has gone completely cold over this illness of his. He has been enduring this on his feet for four weeks now, and despite taking the malaria medication, there is no relief. His body is only deteriorating by the day."
I sprang to my feet instantly. "I am going to their wing right now to find them." I shoved my feet into my shoes and rushed out, entirely out of my mind with worry. I loved my father fiercely, and his deteriorating health had thrown me into absolute panic.
"Sumayya!" I heard my name called out sharply. I froze in my tracks, quickly spinning around to look behind me.
It was Buba. With a rigid, unsmiling face, he marched right up to me and demanded without hesitation, "Where is Lawi? He abandoned his duties! He was supposed to feed the horses and give them enough fodder to last before we left for the gathering. I just checked the stables this very minute, and there is absolutely no food in front of them! If His Royal Highness catches wind of this neglect, your father will face severe consequences."
In a desperate, pleading tone, I cried, "Buba, for the sake of God, please have mercy! Do not lodge a formal complaint against him! I swear to God, my father is terribly ill. He has been forcing himself to work on his feet for four weeks straight. Please, help him just this once and feed the horses until he recovers a little!"
"Hey! Cut that talk right now!" Buba snapped. I stared at him, tears welling up in my eyes again. He pressed on coldly, "Every single person you see in this palace has their own heavy duties to bear. My own job is far more grueling than his, considering I spend my entire night on my feet, patrolling back and forth. I see absolutely no reason why I should carry another man's burden and heap it onto my own shoulders. What exactly is your own duty that prevents you from taking over your father's responsibilities until he recovers?"
I raised my hand, wiping away the fresh tears that slipped down my face. "Fine. I will do my best to take over the responsibility of caring for the horses..."
