Be My Princess

Kat put down her pencil and held up her sketchbook to examine her work. The "Mangeurs de Cuivre"[1] monument was looking just as impressive in drawing as it was in reality, she observed with a smile. She stretched herself in satisfaction of a job well done, then packed up all her drawing materials and took the path down the hill.

The dry season had now fully kicked in; so the air, at the end of the afternoon, was already cold. Kat passed the handle of her drawing case on her shoulder and tucked her hands in the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie. Since the hill was situated in an inhabited area of the town, the path to and fro it connected straight to the Boulevard starting downtown and going through the entire Panda area.

From that point of exit, it was a mere ten minutes' walk to her home. As Kat walked along the Boulevard, greeting a few acquaintances in the process, her thoughts wandered towards a certain palace in a sister nation. Although she was happy to be back home after three months of absence, Ruund – more precisely the Royal Estate in Ruund – had imprinted on her during that short amount of time in such a way that even the hometown she had lived in her whole life had now been relegated to the second rank in her likes.

But was it really the royal palace that she was missing, or a specific inhabitant of that majestic abode?

The moment Kat engaged on her street, she spotted a man standing in front of the gate of their compound. A nostalgic smile traced on her lips as her mind travelled back to a certain first encounter.

The man seemed to have immediately recognised her because his eyes stayed on her from the moment he spotted her walking down the street until she reached their gate.

"Wajinganyi, Sir. May I help you?"

He was still as handsome and imposing in presence and stature. A noble aura was still emanating from him. But this time around, his eyes had traded their haughtiness for an endeared sparkle that made her heart skip a beat.

Angel smiled.

"Why are you standing at the gate? Is no one there?"

"No, no; I was already inside," he explained. "I came out here to wait for you."

Kat smiled bashfully and diverted her gaze. For having dealt with the arrogant and cold side of the crown prince for the major part of the Courtship Program, she still had a hard time getting used to the affectionate Angel.

"How long have you been standing here?" Kat asked while looking around.

"Not very long. Why?" Angel replied, looking around in his turn to try and figure out what she was looking at.

"What if someone recognises you?" Kat asked as she quickly opened the gate.

Although Kat had accepted Angel's proposal that day on the balcony and announced her decision to the royal family on the morrow, their engagement was scheduled to be heralded to the public not sooner than at the crown prince's 25th Birthday Celebration Ball that was coming up in about a month.

Because of the reporters' curiosity on the matter, the royal family had gone to great length in order to stop any information regarding the maiden's decision from being leaked to the public. Therefore, the decision to send her home until the Celebration Ball was not only in order to follow the tradition that the maiden was to leave her family home only after the betrothal ceremony where the royal family would bring a dowry to her family and officially take her away[2] - ceremony that would take place in the intimacy of the two families on the eve of the crown prince's 25th birthday but also in a way to confuse the reporters on Kat's final answer.

In the two first weeks since her return to Likasi, reporters from everywhere had tried to extort information from her and her family, but to no avail. Now the Samas could go about their daily routines without being harassed by journalists in search of a scoop; but she still feared that the most relentless of them could be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the moment they would let their guard down.

"Don't worry, I've been careful," Angel reassured with a smile. "It's quite unlikely that anyone knows that I'm out of Ruund at the moment."

"Alright; but someone can still recognise you here and inform the press." Kat insisted as she grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside the compound.

"Really?"

Kat noticed that Angel was looking at himself to see what could possibly give him away. Dressed in a turtleneck sweater under an insulated vest, jeans and chukkas; all topped with a baseball cap, the crown prince was no different from any young man one could encounter in the neighbourhood.

"Granted that your outfit does the trick, but you standing there for a long time can definitely attract the attention. You know how much effort your family is putting into not letting the public know that I have chosen you. Just because reporters have stopped following my family around doesn't mean that you can let your guard down. They can still be spying on us." Kat argued.

"Standing in front of the gate in the afternoon is a rather common habit in this town." Angel calmly replied. "What is most likely to give me away is you checking the surroundings then quickly pulling me inside like someone with something to hide."

And just like that, Kat was left short of any argument. Arms akimbo, she let out a frustrated sigh.

"I've never met someone who likes to argue this much…" She then muttered.

Angel smiled and leaned until his face was placed closely in front of hers. "Neither have I…" He whispered.

A blank line drew in Kat's mind as she could not detach her gaze from his laughing eyes. She kept staring speechlessly until Angel took the drawing case from her shoulder and headed towards the house. Kat looked at his back profile for a moment before following suit.

Yes… she was constantly taken aback by the new Angel.

…

"Ah! You're finally back." Charlotte exclaimed when Kat entered the house. "This new son of mine was so impatient to see you that he couldn't even bear to wait for you inside the house."

Charlotte had added that tease in a tone that was meant to remind Kat of how right she had been in her onlooker view that the crown prince was in love with her.

When Kat pulled her tongue at her brother, Angel simply smiled and sat in one of the chairs. Since Kat had returned home, he had arranged to come to visit her every time his schedule made room for it; even at the risk of being spotted by reporters. It was only his fourth visit, but it already felt like he had been adopted into the Sama family. Never in his life would he have thought that there could be so much treasure in a family simply sitting around beverages and snacks and exchange on the simplest things in life as there had been at each of his visits.

"But your dear new son seems to not understand how risky it is for him to stay at the gate when there can be reporters spying on us."

Charlotte looked at her future son-in-law with a slight frown. "I thought you said that your guards were securing the area, Crown Prince."

"They are," Angel replied with a smile. "They are dressed as civilians, so you must have not noticed them making sure that you were not followed from the moment you came down the hill." He added at Kat's address. "There is also some of them securing the street and making sure that no reporter can come close to your property while I'm here."

"And you couldn't explain that to me earlier?" Kat complained.

"I could. But, as you've pointed it out before, arguing is the best way for us to have a conversation."

Once again, Kat stood there, frustrated to have no retort while her mother and brother chuckled in amusement at their lovers' squabble. She then smiled in capitulation and took her case from Angel's hand.

Her mother immediately stretched out her hand towards it. "Can I see?"

"Sure," Kat replied as she opened the case and retrieved her sketchbook.

Charlotte quickly leafed to the last drawing and nodded in appreciation. "Now I wish I had inherited Taatuku's drawing skill like you."

Michael left the sofa and stood next to his mother to take a look. He too nodded in appreciation. "Frankly, if I could choose an artistic skill, it'd totally be this one."

"May I?" Angel requested once Charlotte handed the sketchbook back to her daughter for his curiosity had been piqued by their comments.

Kat took the book to Angel and he went through all her drawings from the beginning. The sketchbook was filled with images of big places and monuments, and illustrations of common aspects of daily life in Likasi. On one sketch depicting the bustling downtown market, it was as if he could hear the voices of buyers and sellers bargaining on the prices.

"Wow! It's as if I'm taking a tour of Likasi through your sketchbook." He commented once he reached the last sketch.

Kat smiled. "Well, it's kind of the purpose of this sketch album. I'm going back to Ruund soon, so this will help me revisit my beloved hometown whenever I miss it."

"And what do you think about taking other people along with you on that visit?" Angel asked.

Kat raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever thought of having your drawings exhibited?"

Kat let out a sound that mixed amazement, hope and joy altogether before exclaiming: "That's my dream!"

"You can make that happen?" Michael asked with excitement.

"There is not one art gallery in Ruund that will ever refuse to exhibit the work of the crown princess. And I don't think anyone at the palace will object to that."

Kat couldn't help but smile as she looked at her fiancé. Just the fact that Angel had referred to her as the crown princess…

"It's practically unnerving how cute you guys look right now." Michael let out, cutting their special moment short. "But since my sister is home now, Beauf[3], can you finally tell us what's in the box you brought with you?"

With raised eyebrows, Kat followed her brother's gaze and finally spotted a white rectangular box with a teal ribbon barely supported by the side table next to the chair the crown prince was sitting in. Angel carefully picked up the rather big package and placed it before her, on the coffee table.

"This was delivered to the palace for you…" He explained.

"For me?" Kat asked with a mix of intrigue and excitement as she undid the ribbon knot then removed the box lid.

But, once she saw the content, she hesitated a moment. Charlotte and Michael stretched their necks to examine the gift and were just as surprised as the young woman.

"As you can see Prince Francis ordered it for your birthday," Angel explained again.

"Prince Francis?!" Michael let out in disbelief.

To her family at least, Kat had been allowed to tell the truth about what Francis had almost done to her. Hence, Charlotte and Michael were just as shocked as she was that a man who was capable of such despicableness could have ever been able to get her such a thoughtful gift.

Kat reached inside the box and took out the leather case to which was attached a card on which was simply written 'Happy Birthday Fair Maiden!', and signed F. She opened the case and discovered a violin that, just from the look, showed of the finest fabrication.

"Oh! He had it engraved." Charlotte exclaimed when she read her daughter's name on the instrument.

"Actually… he had it made."

Kat looked at Angel in disbelief. She was disconcerted. After everything that had transpired during the royal hearing, she had come to think that what Francis had professed to her as love was, in reality, something stirring from a capricious desire to get the first woman to have ever resisted his charms by any means possible. But could it be…?

"Is it possible that he truly loved you…? Or was it just another tactic in his attempt to sway you?" Michael let out, practically talking to himself.

Kat looked at her brother. It was as if he had read her mind.

"Will you keep it?" He asked her.

Kat looked back at Angel. Could she even think of keeping it?

"I will respect any decision you make, Kat. It was made exclusively for you after all." The crown prince simply said.

Kat finally turned to the wise side and questioned her mother with her eyes.

"It might be impossible for you to ever know the true intention Prince Francis had behind this gift. Whether it was sincere or interested, only he can say. So keeping it truly depends on how you feel about it." Charlotte advised.

⁂

The chapel had been beautifully decorated for the big occasion. Turquoise and cream coloured ribbons were dangling from small bouquets of white lilies at the end of every row and on columns. Two weeks after the betrothal ceremony and the official presentation of the crown prince's future bride at his 25th Birthday Celebration Ball, the D-day had finally come.

The rows in the chapel were filled with dignitaries from in and out of Ruund and members of the high class of the uRuund society, flashing the trendiest and most expensive brands in black-tie attires for men and cocktail attires sophisticatedly tailored in Dutchman Wax fabrics of the most beautiful patterns[4] for women. And at the back of the rows, reporters from the very few channels that had been granted live coverage of the entire ceremony were standing alongside the royal photographer's team.

The sounds of chatter subsided when Pastor Elisha made his entry and walked up to the pulpit, and completely stopped when George Chang came to stand down the stage. At the royal secretary's signal, the entire assembly stood up and turn towards the entrance from where the Chimangat started to announce the members of the royal family as they walked in.

"Mwant Yav Angel the Second and his consort Mwad Sophie…

N'a Rwej Isabella…

Crown Prince Angel…"

While the rest of the royal family took the first row at the right side of the aisle, Angel went to stand next to the royal secretary. His black tuxedo jacket was bearing royal embroideries and around his neck was dangling the pendant symbol of the late king's oath.

Right after that, the Chimangat made new announcements.

"Mwant Charlotte Sama…

Mwant Joseph Sama and his spouse, Mwant Rose Sama…

Mwant Michael Sama…"

Angel held back a burst of laughter when he saw the young man strutting towards the first row on the left side of the aisle with a comical dignified expression.

Then, the last announcement was made. "Changadim Kat Sama!"

Lucas Sama, James Sama's younger brother, had been the one to receive the dowry in the stead of his brother, so he had also flown to Musumb with his family in order to walk his niece down the aisle. Hence, it was at her uncle's arm that Kat made her big entrance in the chapel. Dressed in an off-shoulder princess wedding dress, her own pendant showing through the veil that was covering her front down to her waist and dropping in a long train at the back, she slowly proceeded down the aisle accompanied by the chant of the choir.

Despite the fact that the peak of the dry season had passed, a bit of cold could still be felt on that morning; so it was good that the chapel was heated. When they reached the end of the aisle, Lucas Sama shook Angel's hand then took Kat's hand and presented it to the crown prince with a reverential bow. Angel took the hand offered and led the young woman closer before the pulpit.

After the opening prayer, Pastor Elisha made a short exhortation on marriage before proceeding with the usual steps of a wedding ceremony. At the time of the exchange of rings, Angel and Kat turned to look at each other while George Chang presented them with the wedding rings laid on a small silk cushion.

Angel took the beautiful platinum ring inlaid with turquoise and solemnly proclaimed as he passed it on Kat's finger: "I, Crown Prince Angel, before God, my king, my queen and the uRuund people, take you, Kat Sama, as my lawful wedded wife. And I promise to cherish and serve you in the happiest and direst moments; until death do us part."

Kat took up the other ring – similar but slightly larger than hers – and proclaimed in a rather trembling tone as she passed it on his finger: "I, Kat Sama, before God, my king, my queen and the uRuund people, take you, Crown Prince Angel, as my lawful wedded husband. And I promise to strengthen and serve you in the happiest and direst moments; until death do us part."

"By the power invested in me by God, and the Throne of Ruund, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" Pastor Elisha declared solemnly. "You may now kiss the bride."

Angel slowly passed the veil over Kat's head then placed a gentle peck on her lips under the applause and cheers of the audience that accentuated when they parted as everyone noticed with delight that the medallions of their pendants had clasped together in the process.

_____

[1] Literally means "Copper Eaters" and refers to a monument erect on a hill in the town of Likasi (DRC) in memory of the refiners who worked copper, making bars, wires, hoes, bracelets and the famous little X crosses that were used as currency around Central Africa in the 16th Century. Those refiners used to refer to their work in foundry as 'eating copper'.

[2] The dowry ceremony or traditional wedding. Before colonisation, it was the actual wedding in Africa. Nowadays, I'll take DRC in example, it has become the official betrothal ceremony preceding the official wedding (at City Hall and/or in Church). And the wedding cannot take place if the dowry was not given as it is a sign that the families have met and both agree to the union.

[3] Short for 'Beau-frère' which means brother-in-law

[4] Given that ancient wears were rather too revealing in most countries of Africa, modern attires tailored in fabrics primarily used for loincloths are used in form of traditional wear in various ceremonies. In DRC, the fabric displays different colourful patterns, and the most sought after is called 'Wax Hollandais' (Dutchman Wax) – best of its genre.