The message from Kano

"My king, word has come from Kano", a messenger came in and knelt down before the king and the elders of the land.

"Why the silence, go on and pass the message" the king said with a bit of anxiety in his voice.

Why won't he be, not ever does a small kingdom like he's gets a message alongside such expensive gift from the kingdom of Goma and not be anxious of the content of the message

"The king of Kano sends he's intentions on marrying princess Arah to he's son the crown prince and he sends these gifts as a sign of he's seriousness in the matter and that if he's intentions are not agreed to by the king, he will" the messenger pause for a while.

"He will what" the king said with a raised voice and a very anxious look "by the gods why are you stopping, continue" the king beckons the messenger.

"He said he will come here and get her himself", after he finished delivering the message, the messenger went out of the court room.

"My king, what do we do. The king of Kano is threatening us and if we don't agree to marry our princess to he's son, we will be at war with Kano and you know we cannot win against Kano, they are a kingdom thrice our size, and their army is massive" an elder said to the king.

"But we cannot just agree to their demands, we are a big and stable kingdom too. We can not be bullied by Kano because they are a kingdom thrice our size", another elder said.

"What do we do now, what solution is there for us" the first elder who spoke asked again.

"We should ally with the kingdom of Tinto, they too have sent their intentions in marrying our princess, if we ally with them, we will get a fighting chance against Kano" another elder said.

The elders began murmuring among each other, evaluating their options and disusing what they should do.

"Kano does not want to war with us, they are simply asking for my daughter's hand in marriage and I think out of all her suitors this is the best so far" the king finally said.

"Forget that they threatened us, I think the king really wants my daughter to marry his son, so I will talk to my daughter and I will send word to Kano. Kano is a good ally to have and maybe finally after trying for so long, we can become the second kingdom after Kano" the king said with finality.

"You may all leave now; I will call you all tomorrow to talk on other matters".

The elders all got up, bowed to the king and walked out of the courtroom while conversing with each other.

The king, seating on his throne began wondering 'is this really my daughter's destiny. Is he the "chosen" of the Gods', the king pondered to himself.

"I should go see my Arah" the king said. He got up from throne and walked out of the courtroom.

He went to his chambers, and his servants helped him change into a casual wea

"Tell the princess I am coming to her chambers", the king sent one of his female servants to the princess to tell her of his arrival.

...…

[In the chambers of the princess]

"My princess, there were so many guests today. It's like everyone from every kingdom wants to marry you my princess", one of the princess's maid servants said with so much enthusiasm.

"Why won't they want to marry her, she is the most beautiful princess in all the kingdoms Ndongo and she is blessed by the Gods, who wouldn't want to marry her", another maid servant said.

"My princess, I heard that two of the princes of Tinto have sent messages of interest in marrying you, and both of them are contesting for the throne when their king and father pass"

"Hmm, so you want our princess to marry one of two princes who are at war with each other. Who do you think the other will target, you want our princess's life to be in danger?", Tabi, the princess's most trusted maid servant asked the second maid.

Among all the maids the princess has, she trusts only two and Tabi is one of them. Since she was given to the princess as a maid when she was only third-teen years old by the king, Arah has treated her no less than family. She grew with the princess and now she considers her as her own family. Ever since the princess reached the age for marriage, she has been offering prayers and sacrifices to the Maker for the princess to marry a good husband, one who will cherish her and treat her like a queen.

"Let them all come, I know my princess will choose only the best", Tabi said.

While the maids were bickering with each other about the princess's suitors, Arah sat on her bed, combing her hair, although she loved being cared for by her maids, she also loves doing simple things for herself specially making her hair. Since she was a child, she has always taken extra care of her hair and she has never cut it.

She has always felt that her hair was special in some way, no matter how many times or how hard she combs her hair not a single strand breaks or falls off.

"My princess" a servant ran into her chambers and knelt down, "the King is on his way, he sent me to inform you that he is coming to see you", the maid servant passed the message the went out of the princess's chambers.

The princess quickly got off her bed and the maid servants helped preparing her to receive he father.

"Oh, by the Creator, I wonder what the king wants to tell the princess that he has to come to her chambers at this time of the day", Oni, the other most trusted maid servant of the princess said.

''So the king cannot visit his own daughter?" Tabi asked Oni

"Well, whatever it maybe we should hurry and leave. You know how the king gets when he comes to see the princess and we are with her" Oni said and quickly finishing what she was doing and left the princess's chambers.

Soon after all the other maidservants left the princess's chamber.

The princess sat on a small stool by her window looking at the moon. It was a very bright night cause the moon light was very bright. She sat there for a while before the king walked in

"My Princess"