I Am... Ashanti

Filling In The Pieces

Year 1891

"Mother." I began tentatively as she applied some lavender oil to my hair and began to comb it out with a gusto that I believed wasn't necessary. I winced as she yanked some up and mumbled sorry.

"Yes?" she asked as she managed to wrestle it to look seemingly orderly with the aid of a mass of bobby pins and clips.

"Why is it that we get such special attention cared to us? As opposed to everyone else like us.." I asked as she pulled me into the corset and skillfully laced it up.

"Special attention?" she echoed as she pushed into my back with her knee, I in-took a sharp and deep breath as she finally completed the strenuous task.

"Yes, you don't see many others of our kind here, and nobody else just leaves and goes off to France to grace the kings presence."

"France has no king Ashanti dear. Your going to see his excellency President Burgeout." I simply nodded as she tugged the dress onto me and began to pull and tug into place.

I sighed as she motioned for me to put my hands up so she could make a few last minute alterations.

It really made no sense to me at all why France's President was requesting me in his court. It was intended as a large formal event of a dinner and apparently, I was to be very honored by it.

I sighed as I waited for her to finish dressing herself, she looked radiant when she was done. Almost as though she herself needed to be seated upon a throne instead of with the rest of us.

She was a beautiful woman, her hair was long, but now it was piled up upon her head and many small braids, her eyes were a delicate almond shape a deep brown shade, and seemed to just pull you in. Her face was long, slim, with high cheekbones and a broad nose that seems like it should've been out of place, but it wasn't.

I'd often been told that I looked like her, and in fact felt honored for such. My mother was my mentor and bestfriend.

At this moment, she was teaching me "how to carry myself in front of important people" it was a rather impromptu lesson, but she was making the best of it.

She pulled up her skirts and motioned with her head for me to do the same and follow.

The corridors was a long, long way and I felt myself tiring from the dress and high shoes but my mother was doing her walk with so much grace and resiliance, I would persevere I thought to myself.

Finally after what felt like eons we made our way to the hall and a hush seemed to fall over the room. I felt my cheeks heat up and was thankful that my skin tone wouldn't make it possible to tell.

There were murmurs all around many in highly accented English.

"Is that 'er?" one woman said with a mixture of disdain and see in her tone.

"Amazing, she manages to make being black look wonderful."

"Elle est magnifique."

Their eyes were all trained on my mother, very few daring to look at me. Almost as though they couldn't bare the thought of her visage leaving their peripheral vision.

We finally reached where the president was seated and my mum gave a long curtesy a languid smile on her face.

"Bonjour Your Grace."

"Bonjour ma cherie. I welcome you to my humble country" he said pulling her towards him to kiss both cheeks, his eyes dancing up and down on her figure before landing on me. I scurried to give a curtesy of my own and he have me the same treatment of a kiss on each cheek.

My mother smiled looking at me from the corner of her eye before turning back to him. Most assuredly ready to enthrall him with her charm.

"I do apologize for causing you to speak out of your own tongue." My mother quipped watching for his reaction, it was a smile, a charming devious smile.

"No worries my dear Anima. For a beautiful woman like you. Exceptions must be made. This must be your daughter Ashanti non? Elle est très belle. Just like her mother. Come, I must show you around." he stood up and held out his arm. "Et toi ma chérie," he turned to me. "Jacques!" he yelled and a devilishly handsome boy ran up.

"Oui papa?" He asked as he brushed a strand of golden brown from his head. His father gestured to me with his head.

"Aller." he said simply before leaving with my mother in tow.

Jacques led us into a garden before he finally said anything.

"My name is Jacques. Eh, et, pardon. I mean yours?" Jacques asked me a faint tinge of red coming over his cheeks.

"Ashanti. Nice to meet you." I said smiling at him before dropping my eyes to the ground.

"Why do you, look at the, ah..."

"Ground?" I offered a smile playing u on my face.

"Oui, ground. I very rarely speak anglais. C'est difficile pour moi" I laughed as he lapsed back into his rapid French and he looked at me before realizing what he'd done. "Oh, pardon me."

"It's quite alright." I offered a tentative smile and he smiled back.

"So, the question of why you prefer looking at the ground. My face, n'est-il pas assez belle?"

"I got isn't my face beautiful?" I looked at him, a befuddled expression most probably coloring my face.

"Close. But you keep changing the subject."

"I don't like to look other people in the face because well, the treatment I get for being different. I don't need to go through that just for looking somebody in the face. There are no actual slaves in Britain but the way they look at me, for being of a darker complexion?" I said all this looking towards the sky.

"They really shouldn't treat you that way. Your skin," he began reaching out for my hand and stroking it. "It's beautiful." I felt a shiver go up my spine.

No guy had done this to me, only Jojo had ever paid this much attention to me, and he'd been nervous while doing it. Jacques on the other hand was comfortable. Confident.

"Come, I doubt you've had breakfast. You should try le crêpe. C'est magnifique."

It was in that moment that I began to trust him and we spent most of the day talking, I appreciated his company, and the people here were all lovely. Kind, perhaps it was only in the face of having the Presidents son around but it was nice. Even in London even while with the doctor there was always that one person that looked upon you with disdain and loathing.

"I assure you Ami, you have my backing as a friend and ally. If anything at all is to happen." I heard President Burgeout say.

"Thank you. Your help, it could mean the world." My mother replied as the came into view. "I see you've become quite acquainted with Jacques." my mother said shooting as both a bright smile. "However we must be going. Our ship, it leaves soon."

"That's a shame. J'adore Ashanti." Jacques said turning to me. I smiled back at him in order to show that I returned the sentiment.

We all walked to our horse carriage and exchanged our goodbyes with President Burgeout and his son.

"What is he meant to be helping you with?" I asked my mother, she simply looked outside and shook her head.

"It's nothing that you need to worry over. At least not right now."

"But-"

"No Ashanti. Just know, that those two, you can trust them with your life. Ok?"

"Yes mother."

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