Ashanti and the Ing

All characters are 18 and above in this story. Positive criticisms are always welcome and taken into consideration. I hope you all enjoy the story and I look forward to continue writing it. If you all like this story I will try to update every Friday so you can continue to enjoy!

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Ashanti sighed as she picked up the dead rose flower petals from the ground and placed them into her basket. This was the third garden she had visited in the palace that day with similar problems, and according to what she heard in the markets it was also occurring in other parts of the kingdom. She was a servant of the king, and formerly worked in the washing area of the palace but because she was better at tending to gardens than washing royal attire, she had been reassigned to the gardens. Many asked her where she got her gift from, and didn't believe when she said she had no idea. All she knew was that she had always loved the earth and everything that grew from it; most especially the forest, where things grew with abandon. Whenever she felt lonely or scared, she always went to the gardens or the forest behind the markets where she could rest and relax. When her parents died it was her place of solace for many days and nights, and the place that eventually healed her. Many thought that as she grew older her love for the earth would diminish but it looked like as she grew older her love grew deeper, her care became gentler, and her knowledge grew so much so that she could heal even dying and neglected plants and nurse them back to health.

It was no surprise to other servants when she was made head of the gardens and put in charge of overseeing the gardens and farms at the palace. It was a lot of work, because she had to visit all the farms and gardens in the huge palace, and make sure everything went well but she threw herself into her work and loved every minute of it. She was so talented that she could even make medicines from most of her plants and flowers, and a lot of people, poor and rich came to her and asked her to help make medicines for their various ailments. But these past couple of weeks she couldn't do much with her plants and flowers as the was a sickness that plagued the land came from deep within it, and nothing that grew was spared. Even with all her expertise, there wasn't much she could do but make them comfortable as they died.

Ashanti picked up her basket and looked at the sun, it was going down so perhaps it was time for her to go and get ready for the evening party at the palace with her beloved. Just as she was packing up, he came up behind her and hugged her and as she looked up he said;

"Ashanti, queen of the earth, I knew I would find you here. Aren't you going to clean up? Tonight is the night we planned to introduce you to my brother, the king at his

Gura'matib

party. Or do you not want to marry me anymore?" he asked with feigned surprise.

She laughed and playfully swatted him on the shoulder. She hugged her fiancé back and took a couple of seconds to admire him; adorned in an all-white and gold attire, with the red beads hanging from his neck and his red

arku

hat that showed his royalty on his head. He was a tall man, light in complexion to her dark with broad shoulders, defined abdomen and chest, silver coloured eyes and a strong jaw, defined nose and high cheekbones. He had very loose curly hair that he kept short but even then, it was still wild and unruly and was starting to grey at the temples because of his strenuous work. He was the king's advisor and little brother and also the man she hoped to marry soon, if all went well at the introduction.

Yaya-Adin shared her thoughts and hoped that tonight at the supper party the king would see how beautiful and royal Ashanti was, even though her blood wasn't and allow him to make this woman as his wife. "I hate to rush you, but please hurry up

masoyi,

I want everything to go perfect today so that we can move on with marriage plans." Yaya- Adin said.

Ashanti smiled at the word masoyi which meant my love in their language. She smiled at Yaya-Adin and replied "My love I am sorry I lost track of time, you know that I get carried away with my plants, I am just afraid, this plague is not going away and I fear it will kill all the plants if we don't start to try and find a solution. Anyway I will go wash up and meet you at the waiting room so we won't be late."

"Okay masoyi that sounds wonderful. I love you and I will see you soon"

She hurried to the part of the palace given to her when she became head of the gardens. It was a big apartment and for fear of loneliness she had asked her best friend Saveena, to move in with her.

After dropping her satchel and basket in the kitchen, Ashanti hurried to her bathroom and filled her metal tub with buckets of water previously fetched for her by a servant. After filling it up she added some soap rocks to it, tied her hair up and soaked herself in. Careful not to take too long, she washed the dirt and grime away until she was sparkling clean. She smiled at her reflection in the water when she got out, and started thinking of her possible future wedding to the man she loved. She couldn't wait to marry Yaya-Adin and bear his children. She prayed to the gods and goddesses that the king would accept them being together so that they could be one in marriage.

She quickly dressed up as she thought about Yaya-Adin, she said another quick prayer to the goddess as she pinned her hair to the back and puffed it. She applied the crushed up red root of one of her plants to her cheeks and lips for some colour. She then applied kohl to her eyelids and lashes and brushed some unto her brows. She put on the white dress given to her by Yaya-Adin, then she wore the gold sash across her shoulders and tied it at her knees and took the smaller sash and tied it around her waist. She adorned her neck and wrists with red beads that she had strung together and grabbed the gold sandals her best friend had given to her. She took one last look at herself in the small glass and was ready to head out when her best friend stepped in.

"Saveena what are you doing home so early? I thought you were going to see your parents after work?"

"I am, but I just wanted to see you and wish you luck before you go. I know how important this is to you, may the goddess be with you on this journey. I have been praying for you and Yaya-Adin and I am confident that the introduction will go well. I love you sister."

Ashanti was overcome with love and happiness and hugged her friend who she had come to consider a sister, as they had known each other since they were children. Both their families were very close, so naturally they were too. When her parents died in a carriage accident, Saveena's parents had taken her in and treated her like one of their own so she came to consider them her parents also.

"I love you too sister, thank you for keeping us in your prayers. I cannot wait to come back later on and tell you about it. I have to rush so I won't be late, greet your parents for me I'll see you later!"

"I will, I shall get going soon too I will see you later" Saveena replied

Ashanti gave her best friend one last hug and made her way out of their room to the waiting room to meet her man.

When Yaya-Adin saw Ashanti making her way towards him he was once again taken aback by her beauty and was completely convinced he made the right choice in a wife. "My love, you are so beautiful Ashanti. I..." Just then the dinner bell rang across the waiting room, signaling the guests to start making their way to the dining hall to be seated and interrupting Yaya-Adin.

"Right on time too, are you ready?"

Ashanti smiled, swallowed her nervousness, and looked up into Yaya-Adin's eyes "Yes Yaya. I am ready."

Yaya-Adin took Ashanti's small hand in his big one said a last prayer, and together they walked into the dining hall.