DisGraced

Queen Cassandra looked at the clock in the throne room wishing the time would pass a little faster. Technically as Queen she could just get up and leave but there were niceties even she had to adhere to. Soon the gong sounded announcing that the afternoon audiences were finished and she left the room and headed back to her chambers. As she climbed the grand staircase she was thinking about how much she detested these mundane duties. As she entered her chambers she saw Nnewa putting away freshly laundered clothes. When she saw the Queen she curtsied and greeted Cassandra with a smile."Your Majesty," Nnewa said, "How was your day?" She asked this question not because she didn't know already, but because it was protocol for any member of the court to address the Queen first thing upon entering her chambers. "Oh, Nnewa." Cassandra sighed, "It was just another day filled with tedious meetings and endless petitions. I find myself growing more and more weary with every passing moment."

The Queen's voice was heavy with exhaustion and frustration. "It feels like my soul is slowly being drained by these tedious tasks." The African maid, Nnewa, listened carefully to the Queen's words. She knew that there must be more to life than what Cassandra was experiencing, a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfilment that she sought. Nnewa then asked what else troubled her.With a sigh, Cassandra admitted that aside from the boring routine, she felt as if there was something missing in her life, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. The maid, who understood all too well the monotony of life as a servant in the palace, knew that the queen needed excitement and adventure to rejuvenate her spirit. Sensing an opportunity, Nnewa spoke softly, her tone both compassionate and confidential. She said that she wanted to relate a cautionary tale of a queen who got bored from her homeland. Cassandra sat down on her bed and allowed Nnewa to relate her tale.