Fosuaa And The Thief
AARON ANSAH-AGYEMAN
PRINCESS BY HEART SERIES
FOSUAA AND THIEF
EPISODE 3
The Palace Guards dismounted and moved towards the thief, but Fosuaa moved forward.
“He’s weak,” she cried. “If you’re not careful he’ll die!”
“Out of the way, little girl!” one of the guards cried and pushed her aside.
They reached for the wounded man, and suddenly they gave cries of shock and fear, and instantly they all fell to their knees and bowed to the wounded man.
“Arrest him!” Adobea screamed. “What’s the matter with you?”
The wounded man sat up slowly, and as soon as Maame Benewaa saw him she screamed and bowed low.
“Your Majesty!” she said in a trembling voice. “Please, forgive us!”
“What’s going on?” Adobea shouted. “Somebody tell me what’s going on!”
“Get down on your knees!” Maame Benewaa said fearfully.
“This is Prince Amakye, the Crown Prince of Sika!”
On hearing this, Fosuaa and her father both fell to their knees.
Poor Adobea was so shocked that she could only stare.
“He’s the Prince?” she whispered. “Oh, no! It can’t be!”
The wounded man smiled and shook his head.
“Please, all of you get to your feet,” he said weakly. “I’m indeed Prince Amakye. I wanted to surprise my parents so I was foolishly coming back to Sika without protection and the two thieves attacked me on the road. They took my clothes, money, jewellery, Crown Ring and the Royal Staff! I’m sure they’re the ones in town pretending to be me and taking money from the people. Guards, quick, go and arrest them!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” the Royal Guards shouted.
Quickly they stood up, mounted their horses and rode away.
Adobea suddenly fell to her knees, and tears fell down her face in torrents.
“My dear Prince!” she wailed in an agitated voice. “Please forgive me! I didn’t know!”
The Prince shook his head sadly. “Yes, of course you didn’t know! If this kind girl had not helped me, I would have died, no doubt, because of your wickedness and selfishness!”
“My Prince, Your Majesty, I was only afraid!” Adobea wailed.
The Prince held out his hand to Fosuaa.
“Please help me up, my dear.”
Fosuaa, still trembling with shock, helped the Prince into the chariot. Maame Benewaa sat beside him, but there was no room for Adobea.
The chariot moved away towards the palace.
Adobea turned her weeping eyes to Fosuaa.
“Fosuaa, I’m ready to make you my slave again on one condition,” she said in a devious voice.
“And what condition might that be?” Fosuaa asked.
“I want you to tell the Prince and the Royal Family that you recognized the Prince when you saw him, and that’s why you helped him!”
“I’ll do no such thing!” Fosuaa replied. “I’m no liar!”
“Yes, you will!” Adobea screamed. “If you don’t do it you wouldn’t be my slave, and your father will not get his new house, and he will remain a poor man till he dies!”
“Get out of here!” Father said angrily. “My daughter is not a liar!”
Adobea burst into tears, and then she ran from the house.
The imposter was arrested, together with the other thief. The story of how Fosuaa had helped the real prince quickly spread all over Sika, and many came to shower praises on her.
Two days later, Fosuaa and her family were drawn outside by a great noise when they were having lunch.
The Royal Carriage had stopped outside their house.
A lot of people had come around and were crowding the way. The golden door of the carriage opened, and the King, the Queen and Prince Amakye stepped out.
Fosuaa could barely recognize the Prince. He looked so handsome in his royal attire.
Fosuaa and her family fell to their knees immediately.
“No, all of you get to your feet!” the kind Queen said.
She embraced Fosuaa warmly.
“You’re all Royal Family now!” said the King, “You’re going with us to the Palace!”
“The Palace?” Fosuaa asked in a shocked voice. “What’s going on?”
“Our son, the Prince, has fallen in love with you, and wants to marry you, my dear,” said the Queen with a broad, gentle smile.
“Oh, no!” Fosuaa cried with distress. “I’m not fit to be his bride! I’m not a princess from the Adom clan! Oh, I’m just a poor slave from the Ohia clan!”
“That can’t be,” said Fosuaa’s father in a shocked voice. “No slave girl has ever been made a princess or a queen! That’s against our tradition!”
“I know, dear Akoto,” the King said gently. “But traditions can be broken so that better ones could be made.”
