The Big News!

At the Palace.

"I call this meeting firstly to discuss with you chiefs before I take it to the populace."

She started, picking each of the five chiefs in her curious gaze. Especially that one chief who wouldn't help but rant if he had the knowledge of what she was about to say.

"We're at your service, my princess."

That same man she feared said, his bulky eyes lapping on her guts. She wished he could just stop looking at her. Even though she hadn't said a thing, it felt to her like that chief already knew what she was about to say.

"Thank you."

She hesitated, thinking of the appropriate way to start the conversation. Or say, the intended.

"The king as we all know is worthy of our references and reverence. Knowing fully well what he had done both for us and this great land."

She paused again, as that chief snapped,

"We do not need to be reminded of that, my princess."

Obviously, some of the chiefs were not supportive of the advances of that wierd chief. The exchange of the expressions and glares said it all. But even at that, the chief wasn't moved.

"If that be so, then I'd implore you all to take this as you would if he were alive."

She paused and continued immediately,

"Or to say, he was the one who needed you all to know about this."

She added. One of the other chiefs took a stance,

"Playing around the words all day would do us no good, my princess. I'm certain that we are all mature here and would take whatever you have to say with great honour."

Another added,

"And seriously, what is there to be said that has never been heard. Whether or not by the lot of us."

The Princess sighed at that. But 'twas quite a wonder that the wierd chief didn't add anything to the complements of the rest. To some extent, twas a thing to think that the wierd chief was on her side.

"Thank you, dear chiefs."

She said and put her right palm on her stomach. She began to rub it gently as the chiefs only but watched. Then she started,

"This throne on which I'm seated does not belong to me, but the child in me. The forming foetus is the rightful heir to the throne."

One of the chiefs at that stood up and stepped forward. He bowed to the floor and stood up again.

"What a great news of joy is this. I always knew that the gods would never turn their backs on us. They would always fancy our choices and give us that which is rightfully ours."

He stopped and turned his back again. He walked back to where he had stand up from. Other chiefs wondered how dramatic a fellow could be. Especially the wierd chief, he couldn't hide his odds,

"Quite a show."

The chief who had observed the formality snapped at that wierd chief,

"Taila, you think I do not know your plots? You think I do not know your wiles? How you think you would befriend the princess and make her give you a son. That you might forcefully be supplanted on the royal track? But see how the gods work! See their handwriting scribbled on the wall of your plans, falling right in front of your face."

"Mait!"

Another of the chiefs, who seemed to be the elder cautioned the chief who had just spoken. Taila, the wierd chief on the other hand stood up instead, his face washed in a perky smile.

"My princess. I didn't know that my intentions would be brought into limelight in this manner."

He started as the other chiefs exclaimed in shock, probably because he had admitted to the stance. But he took a glance at them and continued indifferently, making the princess his subject of interest,

" I didn't know that I wouldn't get to confess my feelings to you directly, that a fellow chief would be my mouth."

He turned to Mait and bowed slightly,

"Many gratitude, my chief."

He looked back at the princess and continued

"But he didn't hold the stance in the proper direction. Though Mait had made known my love for you, but his hatred had blinded him and made him speak his own intention in the light of my genuine intentions. And how tactical he is! Knowing fully well that everyone would buy his stance, because everyone hates me."

Mait snapped again,

"Cunny fox!!! You think you can play around the words and fool people, painting yourself a saint, clothing yourself in borrowed cloak? You know you won't fool me! You've always tried to, but the harder you do, the weaker you seem."

"My chiefs."

The princess interfered. She sincerely didn't have the strength to hold an argument with the chiefs.

"That isn't all."

She added as she watched the rage in Mait's face melt into curiosity. Not only him, but all others, including Taila, was interested in what she was about to say.

As soon as she noticed that she had gotten hold of their attention again, she regretted it. She wished she had stopped at there but sooner or later questions would be asked who the father was.

She owned up the attention she had created and reeled on the point,

"The father of the child is the King."

The chiefs looked at themselves, wondering if a mountain had just crashed on them.

Then suddenly, three of the chiefs stood up at once chanting,

"Abomination!!!!"

"Listen to the story first."

She stood up. But the chiefs would not give spare her the audience.

They all started walking towards the throne, making attempts to leave the palace.

The eldest of the leaders stood tall before the throne, filling the space, his voice thick and porous,

"We shall hear nothing from you. Now we know why people have been dying in the land. The gods are vexed and wouldn't stop the death spree unless judgement is served. Even the king paid with his life."

Three other chiefs were behind him as he spoke on, Taila remained in his seat, watching the scene. The eldest chief continued,

"You have two weeks from now. Either leave this land with your abominable pregnancy or be killed at the very day the time elapse."

The chief said and stomped off, the princess called at them in vain,

"My Chiefs, My Chiefs."

She hurried down the throne as none of the chiefs heeded. Then she noticed Taila seated as though he wasn't interested. She rushed to him and pleaded,

"Please before you leave, Plead with the other chiefs to hear the tale of the pregnancy. It's not that I am the --"

Taila interrupted,

"Save the story, my princess. I'm on your side."

She sighed at that as he stood up and held her up. His hands on her shoulders as he said,

"We shall walk through this together. I shall have them under your feet and your child shall rule."

His hands now sliding off her shoulders, down her back, towards her butt. She pushed him away as he fell into the chair,

"I shall not be your sex slave, neither would I be your wife!"

She spat in his face. He stood up and straightened his robe. A rich smile seated in his well-cared-for face. Though a heap of beard handing down his jaw.

He didn't say a thing. He just walked out of her presence with that smile on his face.

She was clueless. She wished she knew what to do.