THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

Tinle (Empress) Ashanti’s present: A young boy not more than thirteen years old was ushered in by two muscular guards. Each guard was holding an arm of the boy. They held him such that his feet did not touch the ground. He looked thin and wore tattered clothes. He had blood stains around his lips, eyes and nose. They dropped him at a safe distance from the Majestic Empress, Ashanti. The guards immediately knelt on one knee. Bowing their heads before their ruler, they said “your majesty this is the boy.” “Which boy…? Surely this can’t be the person responsible for all our troubles,” thought the Tinle.

Back to her past: The jaws of the priests whom escorted the Emperor dropped. “What a ridiculous question?” they thought. But what they feared the most was how Ashanti was going to react to his request. Ashanti was completely livid. She was boiling over within. She imagined giving him a slap, a kick in the gut and a serious telling off but the gods be praised because she did none of those things.

Instead, Ashanti knelt before him. She ensured that her eyes were stationed on the beautifully trimmed toes of the Emperor. Then she spoke softly and with great humility the following words; “Oh great Emperor! Everything in this land belongs to you but please spare me. My body is the temple of the gods. Without marriage, my gods forbid sexual activities.” The Emperor could not believe it; no girl turns him down, not even princesses. He stood silent for a while and then without saying another word he just turned his back to her and exited the shrine and the temple altogether.

The riveting love story unraveling between Ashanti and Emperor Sasu was the juiciest gossip in town. Not only in Nitsuman (Imperial City) but it got everyone in Jumapafie (Southern Empire) talking. Some say it traversed the shores of the Southern Empire. Wherever two or more people were gathered, they will be found discussing this latest turn of events. Sworn enemies, rivals in marriage and men after the same woman, left behind their differences to talk about Ashanti and the Jaazi (Emperor). They talked about it in market places, homes, drinking spots and women saloons.

The love story of the man whom had slept with a hundred women and the wonder girl, “priestess-wanna-be” whom had never been touched by any man. It was like the most popular TV series in town or perhaps a telenovela. Anyway ten days passed and the Emperor had not made a move, which was odd, because he was known never to give up when it comes to women. Not that he has faced any challenge like this before. He was simply a predator when it comes to women.

The elders even called for a meeting, during which Jaazi Sasu was questioned. The elders wanted to know if he had heard the rumors. “Everyone was talking about him and this lady Ashanti,” remarked one elder. “What is he going to do about this situation?” inquired another elder. “I have heard the rumors and I am working on a plan,” answered Jaazi Sasu. “What plan?!” demanded a third elder. “A great plan!” answered Emperor Sasu. “But a plan I cannot share with you all,” added the Jaazi (Emperor).

The eleventh day after the incident between the Emperor and Ashanti was a market day. People from every corner of Jumapafie (Southern Empire) and beyond will come to trade. The city on such days was packed and the Emperor was always advised to stay indoors on such market days for fear of what happened the last time with his parents.

But on this particular day, Emperor Sasu was poised to spend his day outside. He rounded up ten of his elders and a dozen of his very best men and marched straight to the market. The Jaazi rode majestically in his palanquin. He was dressed in his best garment and wore a golden necklace, golden bracelet and many golden rings. Six strong men carried the palanquin on their shoulders. The palanquin was like a rectangular box fitted with a very comfortable seat for the Emperor. An umbrella was attached to one end to shield the Emperor from the sun.

His elders journeyed on horseback whilst his guards travelled on foot. One elder remarked that it was crazy but it only fell on deaf ears. Another elder begged with great humility that the emperor disclose his intensions and still he remained silent about his plans. Finally they arrived at the market and his dozen guards handled the arduous task of making sure that not even a shadow came close to the Emperor excellently.

If ever the competency of his twelve guards was in any doubt, they proved their critics wrong. They used their huge bodies, scary faces and loud voices to keep people at bay. They created a pathway that led straight to the temple. By now you should be guessing what the Emperor’s plans were.

Emperor Sasu was greeted at the entrance of the temple by the chief priest, Odomfo, himself. The Emperor did not waste time and demanded to speak to Ashanti. Ashanti had to leave in the middle of her prayers to meet Jaazi Sasu Basabasa – talk about bad timing. Immediately the Emperor communicated his request, people abandoned whatever transaction they were involved in. They came close but not too close to meet an early death. The market place suddenly became silent. The best play would commence very soon and no one wanted to miss even a single scene or dialogue.

Ashanti; humble Ashanti was seen charging out of the temple. She quickly descended the stairs and knelt before the palanquin. The Emperor instantly commanded her to be upstanding and look at him straight in the eyes and Ashanti obeyed. While looking at her in the eyes he said “in front of this temple and all these people in the market, I, Jaazi Sasu Basabasa II grandson of Jaazi Sasu Basabasa I, ask you to marry me.”

What a shock! Nobody expected this. Did Emperor Sasu just ask someone to marry him? At long last he had decided to make an honest woman out of someone. The elders thought “if only they had privy to this little detail, they would have taught one of the girls to turn him down.” “Anyway what is her answer going to be?” everyone wondered. 

Emperor Sasu was not the man many thought he was. As a young boy he was so gentle and kind-hearted that his father considered training one of his nephews to rule Jumapafie (Southern Empire). His own son could not kill even a fly and that type of Kindness was a sign of weakness – weakness that could lead to the early death of his son if he were to ascend the throne.

But his gentle and soft heart died with his parents. He became “Sasu Basabasa (the wicked).” He showed no mercy and insisted all his people follow the rules of the land to the letter. At the end of every day and whenever he remembers the loss of his parents, he sheds a few tears. One thing his mother taught him was to respect women and he was not going to go against the instructions of his beloved mother, maybe not completely. That is why he never used force to get any woman to sleep with him. Perhaps his power and money was intimidating enough, but, if any woman had the guts to turn him down, he would never force himself on her. He may have her abducted and taught to respect the Emperor but never force himself on her. And after her training, she would surrender to him but never will he use force.

Now the woman he desired more than anything was Ashanti. He desired her from the very instant he heard her voice and when he saw her, his desire rose to an abnormal high. But she embarrassed him when she turned him down. She made him the laughing stock of his own Empire. She had forced him to do the one thing he promised to never do… get married! If she thinks he is marrying her for love, then she is completely mistaken. He will satisfy his lustful desires and treat her like the trash she really is.

So with a very suspicious smile, Emperor Sasu waited for Ashanti’s answer. Ashanti, may the gods bless her soul being a wise woman considered everything. She understood now how clever the Emperor was and what a formidable foe he can be but she was more than ready to play his game. If he thinks he was going to use her like some toy to satisfy his sexual urges then he was completely wrong.

With a gracious smile Ashanti delivered her answer; bowing her head before the Emperor she said “My lord! Who will be stupid enough to reject a marriage proposal from your majesty? Ashanti, your servant, will be happy to serve you for the rest of your life as your wife.”

The naïve little girl has finally grown up.

I can hear church bells ringing. I guess we are going to have a wedding.