Esi was watching the practice rehearsal alongside Bello in the late afternoon. They were both standing near the entrance of the aisle as Rehema was walking down.

"She's working it, isn't she," Esi said watching her sister practice walking down the aisle with the heavy crown on her head.

"Her majesty has been working very hard, to perfect the right coronation, and have everything go smoothly."

Esi rolled her eyes; "well she is going to have a lot of eyes on her."

"Don't you need to practice as well?" Bello asked. "You will be part of her crowning ceremony and give her the exchange prayer of power."

"Yeah...I guess maybe I should practice, don't want to slip up when I recite the prayer," The exchange prayer of power was a good luck prayer of faith based on the Sect Goddesses of Pangaea. It was meant to be given to a new ruling empress from someone close to her. Esi was supposed to have rehearsed and memorized her verse by now. But of course, she still didn't have it all the way down memorized.

"You want to practice on me?" Bello asked. "I don't mind, I have plenty of time now since I'm back to serve you."

Esi groaned, "I guess I should avoid being irresponsible and practice it since the coronation is just around the corner. Thank you for your help, let me tell my sister first."

Bello nodded doing a quick bow and allowing her to walk past him. Esi walked in the direction of her sister who was talking to two of her advisors. Rehema noticed her sister coming and dismissed them.

"I'm going to head out with Bello, I need to practice my verse and the prayer," Esi announced to her older sister.

"Do you have it to memorize down yet? Rehema asked

Esi clenched her teeth, "Kinda."

"Kinda?" Rehema repeated with an eyebrow raised. "Esi..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know I have to memorize it, and practice," Esi waved her hand at her.

"A blessing from the ancient goddesses of Pangaea is important Esi," Rehema reminded her sternly.

Esi rolled her eyes, "You know I haven't always been the most religious in the past, but I'm doing this for you. Since it means a lot to you."

Rehema nodded understanding and glanced over at Bello who was across the room. He saw Rehema's eyes meet her and he did a slight bow and smiled back at her.

"Go and practice," Rehema said. She was happy to see Bello back and was definitely happy to see Esi and Bello in each other's comfort, she liked Bello miles ahead than that thug Ajani.

Esi thanked her, left, and ran back to Bello. Both of them left the courtroom to go somewhere to tend to their duties. Rehema turned around and went back to practicing her walk. She had it down packed and barely felt the weight of the crown on her head now as she walked. Her advisor smiled proudly at her seeing how well and fast she adjusted to the changes.

"What's next on the rehearsal?" Rehema asked.

One of Rehema's advisors cleared her throat, and the rest of the advisors looked nervous.

"Yes?" Rehema asked noting everyone in her council seemed edgy.

"Well, there have been some changes within some things that were recommended?" One of the eldest advisors who wore glasses spoke up.

"By whom?" Rehema asked. How come nobody told her about changes, she already confirmed everything with Chike and liked his ideas. Everything was straighten out weeks ago.

"Your father, Ekon," he answered sharply.

"Seriously?" Rehema asked in a confused tone.

The servants around her nodded.

"Well, let's see..." Rehema said as they led her to the décor of the ballroom, amd dancing area. All it took was one glance in the room, from just one step entering, and Rehema already hated it.

"Why would he recommend this? These prints, and fabrics. It's too much pattern," Rehema scanned the ballroom annoyed at the zebra print that replaced the simple tan color before it.

Rehema's advisors and committee members didn't reply, and Rehema noticed they seemed to be holding something back. "Is there something you're keeping from me?"

"Well..."

"Spit it out!" Rehema snapped. She was already annoyed that they were going to have to renovate the ballroom again because no way were they keeping this overly decorated room.

"Your father, his majesty also adjusted and brought up some more changes. Things mentioned in a document signed off by you..."

Rehema was now utterly confused, "What on Iris name on you talking about? My father never brought up any changes to the coronation to me, so what document are we discussing here?"

A female advisor handed her two parchment documents, and both indeed were stamped off by her office. Rehema read the changes Ekon was proposing, schedule changes, date changes, time changes, wardrobe changes, and even guest list changes when they had already sent out invites. He must have stamped it off himself because no way did he think she would agree to all of this.

Rehema ripped up the paper, "All of these changes are ridiculous, I decline and reject moving forward with any changes or approvals confirmed on the parchment."

"But your majesty your father insisted—"

"Drop him from the committee," Rehema snapped, she now was losing patience. "The coronation is around the corner, and all these last-minute changes will put our hard work in jeopardy. I will speak to him later to understand why he tried to make these moves without me last minute. But focus on putting things back as planned and keep my father and his advisors away from the committee planning."

All of her advisors nodded in union understanding and some even signed in relief, because everyone knew those changes were indeed dreadful. Just what was Ekon thinking.

But far in the corner standing behind two other committee advisors was Chike's main advisor of the Graceview House, holding a slight grin on his face, eager to report back to the emperor's house.

Keyon Haysleet was packing up his belongings in the late afternoon. Tonight, with his two children Jatau and Monfia they were going to be traveling to The Royal Palace of Sekhe. Weeks ago, they had a sit down with his former stepchildren Empress Rehema and Princess Esi.

It's been almost over a decade since he had been in that palace since he was banished. Jatau and Monifa were only children when he was banished and forced to leave. When they were children, they had split time between staying in the palace and visiting their father, and once they were older, they moved to their father's home at the Ivory Coasts, the village their father had grown up in. Their mother had given Keyon enough money for a comfortable style of living while living away from the palace, but it was nothing compared to his salary and conditions back in the palace.

His low status and banishment from the palace had him facing humiliation for years. The other villagers at his home, taunt and mock him. Even nicknaming him the banished concubine. "Only a fool can manage to screw up so bad that his wife sends him back to where he started!" Was something he often heard.

Jatau saw how much it bothered his father as a young man and blamed his two older sisters for it. He always had a small hatred for his mother for not loving his father enough and for banishing him, while also being jealous of how much his mother loved Rehema and Esi. It wasn't hard to hold a grudge against his mother when as the late empress's youngest child and only boy out of three sisters, he had only a few memories of his mother. Being the youngest boy in the imperial African royal family felt like a curse. The sideline child, with the least potential and not much to look forward to, and now here he was packing up his belongs to go back.

As much as he didn't want a relationship with his two older sisters, he knew to fully avenge his pureblood sister Monifa, and his father, for the troubles they faced, they needed to go along with this plan, and moving back to the palace was the first step.

Things were going to be different this time. If Rehema thought this was all going to be a peace settlement after years of neglect, abandonment, and rivalry, then she had one thing coming. It annoyed him enough to see her empress, and the idea of having to attend the coronation baffled him.

Jatau packed up the last of his stylish robes before sitting on his bed to read his book. He had just finished packing and was going to read until he heard his father and Monifa was done as well. One thing he was going to look forward to again was having a servant, and a bigger room.

The small hut-styled home they had lived in for the last couple of years, made it impossible to have personal space.

Monifa then walked into her younger brother's room when he had already finished packing and was reading his books quietly.

"You're done already?" she asked, eyeing the space.

Jatau nodded closing his book. "How about you."

Monifa shrugged, "I might leave some stuff, too many accessories, but I'm ready to go and so is father. The carriage is arriving soon. Don't you want to talk more about this? You've been quieter than usual."

Jatau shrugged, "just anxious about being back, I guess. It's been a while since I have been acknowledged as a prince."

"I guess your right, well that is if, Rehema decides to give us back our royal titles," Monifa reminded him.

"She might," Jatau replied.

"What makes you think that?" Monifa asked with a grin.

"Rehema or as you would say, Empress Rehema, seems to be wanting us to get along with her. Trying to mend and fix the broken bond we have had as four siblings growing up against each other."

"And what would you say that? Is that what you want?" Monifa asked. "Our dear eldest sister looking after us."

Jatau looked at Monifa who smirked back at him. She dropped the subject moving along to move their packed items and packages outside of the house. Their father was already outside with everything that he needed, looking around the area to see if he could spot the carriage.

Keyon turned around when he noticed he heard some rustling behind him and relaxed seeing it was his children, coming outside with their belongings.

"Are you two ready?" He asked. It almost didn't feel real that he was going back to the palace he was banished to almost over a decade ago.

Monifa said yes, while Jatau nodded awkwardly.

"Don't let Rehema and Esi fool you into thinking you are true blood with them. They still see you as tainted because of the blood you share with me as your father. They will make you believe that they see you as family, but in the back of their heads, were mere pawns," Keyon grumbled. "Never forget how we got here in the first place."

That was when a carriage started to appear in the distance. Jatau could see their neighbors have come out to witness them leaving. Some with eyes of envy, some with eyes of coldness, and some eyes of relief. Many villagers had disliked having Keyon around due to his impudent and brazen behavior.

"Good Riddance!" The small family heard someone yell, as the carriage came to a stop, and they climbed on and start to board their stuff to it. They noticed the carriage was an official royal palace with a lion design on its doors. The coachman was a short and older, north African man, who was ready to leave as soon as he arrived.

"They'll be back," Jatau heard someone whisper as he placed his final bag in the carriage and boarded on. Monifa rolled her eyes not caring about what the others had thought. Jatau wanted to tell his neighbors and villagers that hate and annoyance were mutual but, in seconds the coachmen whipped the horses and they settled in their seats preparing for a long journey till they reach the Palace of Sekhe.