The day I became the princess of Danhomè Kingdom began like any other day. I tried to
dodge my task of sweeping the compound. “Mama, I’m tired of sweeping! I swept just a day
ago!” I shouted.
Mama wagged her finger. “Amelia, what if I also told you that since I made you breakfast
yesterday, then I don’t have to make it today?” She shouted back.
“Mama! I am a growing child of thirteen, I need to be fed!”
“Well then, the compound needs to be swept. You have very little to do as it is. You’ll
probably disappear for the rest of the day once you’re done,” she said curtly and walked away.
I hurried off to get my broom behind our hut. Akaba waved to me from the next hut.
“Come here,” I whispered, pointing behind my mother’s hut. In no time he was standing
beside me, watching as I dug up from the soil our agenda for the day.
“What is it?” he asked, bending down beside me.
“Help me dig first and I’ll tell you,” I said in a subdued tone.
Akaba dug fast, shoving the dirt out like a dog burrowing in the ground. Soon, the object
was in his hands.
“What are you doing with this?” Akaba asked, his voice trembling with anger, holding up
the object.
“I found it. I need to know what it is,” I said, tongue in cheek.
The object was a brown rectangular box spanning about the length of my hand. He
looked at me in disbelief. “Amelia, you’re lying. Tell me where you got this from,” he said
through clenched teeth.
“Amelia!” Mama sounded very impatient.
I turned to go, but Akaba pulled me back. “Amelia, tell me now!” he demanded, his voice
getting louder.
I placed my hand over his mouth.
“Yes, Mama! I am coming!” I shouted, picking up my broom. “Let us meet at our usual
place!” I whispered to Akaba. He rolled his eyes.