The Legend of Tafari

Chapter 3 Turmoil

"Wake up you foolish girl, it's time to cleanse yourself," Yohance said as she shook me awake. I rose up wrapping myself in a sheet as I followed her out Queen Tafari's room.

"Deola, I have known our queen before she was the queen of our great country. And though I serve in her house, she is not just supposed to be served, but cherished," she continued as we came towards the cleansing pool. She pulled off the sheet as she helped me into the pool. She took off her lower garment getting into the pool as she scrubbed my skin with the sponges.

"Tafari is an individual that is irresistible when it comes to loving her Deola. Take my advice and think of loving her as a duty and not a job. Detach your love from your heart," She said as she lathered my hair in perfumed oils. I fought off her preconceived notions of what she believed the queen and I to have.

"You are not the first to be smitten with her beauty and feist," Yohance said her voice changing as I saw her become sad.

"She can be your morning and evening star, but she will always belong to a man who is easily jealous for her attention," Yohance said out loud almost caught up in a trance.

"Yohance," I said as she as she quickly snapped her head towards me going back to preparing me. She walked up out of the pool drying herself as I followed. She wrapped me in a towel taking me to the room full of fabric once again. She wrapped my undergarments tightly. I quietly thought about all she said. Yohance had been in love with Tafari for such a long time and instead of receiving that love back she became content with being a loyal friend. It made me feel wrong for showing up and taking the attention of the queen. She clothed me in a tinted orange as she braided my hair and she crowned my brow with head jewelry. She looked at me as she smiled, the smile quickly turning into a look of sadness.

"Deola my child take heed to my warning, if you care for Tafari, the way I know you do; throw your heart away from the love that will be present. Continuing down this path may not be what you thought it was in the end." She smiled softly.

"Come, they are still in morning meal, hurry along." She said as we walked past the second courtyard and into a building that towered over every other part of the palace. We walked up three flights of stairs and entered into a massive dining room. Where Queen Tafari sat on the right hand of King Haben. On his other side was Dumi, who had a banana in his mouth making a funny face. I smiled at him as I made my way past Yohance who stood at the entrance. I walked towards Tafari who hadn't looked my way not once. I grabbed a stool besides her my plate having already been made.

"Good morning my King and Queen," I said as I greeted Dumi with a silly face. He chuckled at me his smile so much like his mothers in every way.

"Deola," the King and Queen said in unison as an awkward air came into the room. I ate the plate of fruit in front of me as the King spoke to Tafari in hushed tones. From my peripheral I observed her body language as it was prevalent that she needed to be touched, her body was tense. I inched my stool closer making sure I was not seen as my hand rubbed up and down her thigh. She gripped my hand hard as she continued talking to King Haben. A smile spread across my face as I gently pulled my hand away so I could eat a pastry.

"Prewty look!" Dumian said as he placed grapes within his ears and nose. I chuckled as I softly chided him to remove the fruit. He did as he got out his stool and walked over to his mother.

"Mama, look I am a wild pig," he said as he grabbed two bananas holding them up like they were tusk. She chuckled. "I did not birth any sangliers Dumian," she said as the French language rolled off her tongue. I resisted gazing at her. King Haben rang a bell and seven servants came out clearing the table. Dumian's nanny also came out clearing the table. Dumian's nanny also came in waiting for him to say goodbye.