The only child

CHAPTER 3

The next morning, she got ready and went to the Investigation Department's office. On getting there, she was ushered into an office. She met two men, who asked her to sit down.

"Madam, you are welcome. Do you recognize the person in this picture?" asked the first man while showing her a photograph.

"Yes I do, he is my husband," Mrs Helen replied.

"Okay," continued the man, "do you know this house?" he asked, showing her the

picture of a house.

"Yes, I do. This is the house my husband built in the village before he died," said Mrs Helen.

" Okay. I believe that you are aware of the Government's decision that all buildings gotten illegally will be claimed by the Government," asked the second man.

Mrs Helen nodded in Affirmation.

The first man continued," The house you claimed is owned by your husband was gotten out of fraud. He was found guilty of illegally earning money from illegal refining of crude oil. Therefore, the house has been sanctioned by the Government".

" You have to abandon the house as it now belongs to the Government," he added.

Mrs Helen exclaimed. She burst into tears rolling on the floor.

" Look madam, there is no time for that now. You should even be grateful that your husband is late. Had it not been so , he would have been imprisoned," the second man said.

Mrs Helen could not believe her ears. The house they lived in, in the city was not theirs. She thought that they had a house in the village to call their own not knowing that it would be taken from them soon. How would she break this news to her children that their father was a fraud? She had many questions running through her mind.

"Hmmm…..so, that was how the house became just a fine building no one lives in," the Chief.

He added,"The Government took over the house but you know how our Government is, they never took it seriously. They left the house to rot away. No one dares go there. Not even the King".

"(sighs)....This is serious. Anyways, thank you for this interesting story. This is a lesson to all those who are too evil to desist from it," the Prince said.

While getting up, the Prince added,"We will now leave for our home".

"Alright, see you some other time. Have a good day," the Chief said. The Prince and the guards all leave for the palace.

Kune and her mother were seated outside their house. Kune's mother, who is sick, is resting her head on the wall while sitting.

"Mummy, tell me a story about the tortoise and the lion," said Kune.

" Okay, my daughter. A long time ago, in the animal kingdom, the tortoise…………".

"Kune, how are you? Mama Kune, how are you too? I hope you are well. I actually came here to congratulate you on your inauguration as the newest maid in the palace now,"said Jukio, a friend to Mama Kune, who interrupted them.

"We are fine. Thank you. I can't wait to resume work at the palace," replied Kune.

" Okay, see you some other time. I still have other places to go," Jukio said while leaving.

Kune and her mother sa there for some time before going inside to retire for bed.

The following week, Kune resumed work in the palace. She was sweeping the compound when the Princess walked into her.

"Good morning, my Princess. I hope you slept well," Kune greeted.

"Oh yes, I did. And I hope you slept well also," replied the Princess.

" I did. Thank you, my Princess," replied Kune. The Princess walked away with a smile. Kune starts soliloquizing.

" Haa, so the Princess is this nice, I never knew. So, that means that I am in the right place, yes!!!". Kune danced for a few seconds before continuing her work.

Homa, one of the maids there, hated Kune so much because she wanted her friend, Koge, to become the new maid in the palace, not Kune. Every time she sees Kune, her heart boils with annoyance. She just could not stand to see her. She tried to turn everyone against Kune in the palace. She went to meet another maid to poison her mind against Kune.

"Wonders shall never end. Could you believe that Kune is now everyone's favorite, including the King's?" Homa said.

"And how is that your business? Look, let me warn you. Do not repeat what you did that made Foges, one of the maids here ran away. Learn to mind your business," the maid said walking away annoyed.

Homa just stood staring at her disgustingly. She also walked into the palace.

Kune went home to see her sick mother. On her way home, she carried some provisions which she got as a gift from the palace. These are some of the benefits of being a maid in the Akumi palace. This is what makes the Akumi palace quite different from other palaces because maids are well taken care of in as much as they are children of the soil. The reason for this practice can be traced back to when the first king of Akumi was still alive. The king had two wives. The first wife was very, very mean and rude, however, the second wife was nice, reasonable and gentle. The first wife was mean to everyone. She was a respecter of no person. There was a certain maid in the palace then, who was so much hated by the first wife. The first wife did everything possible just to make sure life was unbearable for her. On the other hand, the second wife was so nice to her. Because she was the second wife, she had lesser power than the first wife. She did everything within her power to make the palace a conducive place for the poor maid but the first wife frustrated her efforts.

On a fateful day, the maid was sent by the second wife to get foodstuffs at the market. On her way, she passed through a bushy pathway which she saw as a shortcut to the market. On her way there, she overheard some men discussing in the bush, so she eavesdropped. She immediately heard them planning on how to invade the palace in order for them to kill the King. She also found out that the men were sent by the King from the neighboring village who the King of Akumi was at rivalry with. The maid could not just let anything bad happen to the King. He was so nice. She immediately ran back to the Palace to inform the second Queen about what she heard.

Immediately the information got to the King, the right measures were taken and the men were apprehended. The maid was also compensated. Hence, the reason why Ak

umi has the practice of treating maids right.