Jumuat Mubarak.

Let me not lie, I was not looking forward to today's update in the slightest.

Comment section wetin I do you? Una killed my motivation tbh.

"The Sultan has three wives," Sakina started, explaining the situation to Asma as they made their way out of the mansion, and strode in the direction leading to the chambers of the three Queens. "The first wife, Giwa, has three children—Yerima Amir Qasim, the now Dan Iya, being the eldest." She started, her voice low but loud enough for the Princess to hear and understand. Then, she carried on. "The second child, is Sarkin Dawaki, Architecture Sadiq, who is currently at Zamfara for work. And the last child she has, is Hafsa, otherwise known as Aidah. You might run into her at Giwa's chambers, though she is rarely at home."

Asma could only hum, already aware of the information but letting Sakina do the honors regardless. The woman seems to derive some sort of joy out of lecturing Asma on the stuff going on in the palace, and the Princess allowed her to.

"The second wife, originally, is late," She continued, her voice softening as she spoke of the deceased Queen. "She passed away during childbirth, and thus has only one child. Major Tariq, who is in the army and thus holds no royal title aside from being a Prince. He recently returned from Katsina after taking care of the insurgency there. In the hierarchy of the family, he is the second child, just three months younger than Yerima and he was raised by Giwa as well, so he is counted as one of her children."

The two, Asma with Sakina in tow, stepped out of the Prince's mansion through the back door, and then started to make their way towards Giwa's chamber, the scenery changing, a contrast between the Prince's modern mansion, to the Queen's chambers with more hint of traditional royal elegance on the outside.

As Sakina concluded her brief overview of the Queen, something Asma is already familiar with, her mind only went to the real facts which the lady has omitted—the important parts that she might not dare utter but Asma surely can if she sees the need to do. So, she rephrased Sakina's words in her mind, omitting the parts she does not care much for.

Giwa, the first wife; the real one that calls the shot in the palace. She holds the power not just over the women in the palace, but also in the royal court to a certain extent. She is unpredictable, but it is best not to make an enemy out of her—something Asma intends to avoid no matter what.

Making an enemy out of Giwa will not do her any good. And if she wants an ally, then she is the one that she should think of first, and hope to depend on. If they get along, she will be her strongest ally. Who else is a better ally than the real power figure in the palace entirely?

So, in an attempt to start off on a good ground—excluding their first meeting when she was first conveyed, Asma plastered the widest, fake smile she could muster as they arrived at the entrance of Giwa's chamber, with Sakina in tow.

However, just as they were about to step in, someone suddenly stepped out, making them halt in their steps. The woman that stepped out initially did not realize there was someone there, but upon realizing, she looked up, her gaze falling on the Princess, before her lips curled into a smile that Asma could tell is fake almost immediately.

"Ranki ya dade," Jakadiya acknowledged. "Barka da rana."

Asma's smile was graceful as ever, "Barka dai, Jakadiya." Of course, she recognizes the lady, she saw her on her first day of being conveyed there. And she has visited her the next day to introduce the maids to her which were appointed to her faction by Giwa—all of which Asma realized were replaced the very next day. "Giwa is inside, right?" She then asked, her gaze flicking behind her briefly to the now closed door leading to the chamber.

Jakadiya looked over her shoulder for a split second, as if glancing at Giwa and seeking the right response, before she met the Princess's gaze again. "She is..."

"Then I will head in and greet her now," Asma attempted to side step her and walk further in, but before she could take a step further, Jakadiya was quick to step in front of her. Asma stopped, her eyes momentarily narrowing at the Queen's right hand woman, before forcing it softened up as the woman found her gaze again with her apologetic ones.

"Ranki ya dade..." She started, "...I am afraid you will not be able to see Giwa today."

"And why not?" Asma found herself asking, her voice holding a certain edge, before she forced herself to hid it. Turning around to face the woman completely, she then asked, "Does she not want to see me?" She could have beaten around the bush, but she did not feel the need to.

Why bother when she will eventually lead to asking this?

Jakadiya lifted her head up to meet the Princess's gaze, and almost cowered back almost immediately. Despite holding up a soft smile and a calm expression, there was an intimidating aura surrounding Asma that nearly made her loose guard. She is not supposed to be intimidated by the Princess, it is supposed to be the other way round.

They are supposed to be the ones that will intimidate the girl and put her place before she begins to act out—that was the plan initially and Jakadiya has never been intimidated by another woman in the palace before other than Giwa, so why is this Princess that just arrived making her act so?

Still, she managed to get her foothold, forcing a smile on her face as well as she found her voice. "It is not like that, ranki ya dade," She started, "Giwa is just not in good health."

Asma hummed, not buying the words in the slightest, but not calling the woman outright. "Then that is all the more reason why I check up on her," She said instead. "What type of daughter in law would I be if my mother-in-law is sick and I do not visit her? At least I should be the one to take care her, right? Or do you want me to become a bad daughter in law in the eyes of everyone?" She arched a brow, "Is that your plan, Jakadiya? So kikeyi ace banida kirki?" Asma knew what she was doing by subtly calling out her enemy like that, she did it intentionally though was not taking it that seriously.

It was more of a warning, a subtle one that showed she knew Jakdiya's stance towards her.

Jakadiya's eyes dilated slightly, realizing in the course of lying she might cause something that would be far worse, giving the Princess a reason to visit Giwa more than she should. So, in a desperate attempt to fix her slip up, she then added. "Of course not, Your Highness. Kawai dai, it is not that serious, ranki ya dade. She just needs a bit of space and has requested that no one should be allowed in."

Asma once again hummed, as if understanding the woman's plight. "Well, in that case, I supposed I should let her rest then,"

"That is what is best, ranki ya dade, thank you for understanding." Jakadiya released a relieved smile. "I will be sure to let her know that you have dropped by."

"I will appreciate that," Asma offered her a smile, "I will be back later with some food to help her get better."

"Do not bother, Princess. The maids already tend to her."

"I insist," It was clear from Asma's tone that she was not going to take no for an answer. She had given them what they wanted, she would not back down on this. "I will cook for her myself and bring it later. Till then," Her smile widened slightly. "Have a good day." Without another glance at the woman, she turned around, and walked away, her smile disappearing as annoyance settled within her, but she did not dwell on it.

It seems getting on Giwa's side will not be easy. She is already aware the woman does not like her, and it seems she has started to draw a line between them. Asma will think about how to handle that later on.

Instead of dwelling on that, she decided to visit the next week in the list, the second wife.

"The second wife now, is Gimbiya Umma, and she has five kids, all of whom are girls—something she does not seem to appreciate much as people claim. They are Rukayya, Siddiqa, Aisha, and the twins, Mariya and Maryam. Siddiqa is married and now resides in Bauchi, while the twins are studying abroad. Only Rukayya is around, having just graduated and is doing her NYSC. Aisha is currently in Abuja where she is working. Gimbiya Umma had a son, her youngest child, but he passed away when he was six." Sakina explained, on their way to Gimbiya Umma's chambers, which is only a court yard away from Giwa's. "Gimbiya Umma though is the wife after Giwa, seems to have more beef with the third wife."

The buildings are basically the same for all the Queen's, Asma noted. But Gimbiya Umma's seemed to have more extravagance than the others, even from the exterior—not to mention the fadawa she has littered around the place. Asma noted Giwa's chamber only has a few around, but Gimbiya Umma has at least ten surveying the place.

Their presence spoke of Gimbiya Umma's character evidently, even without Sakina sharing much about her.

"Gimbiya Umma is the most social of the three Queens, and is most known to everyone. Despite not having a male child, she takes pride in her daughters quite a lot. She is the most approachable of the three Queens. I am sure she will welcome you with open hands."

Asma nearly chuckled at the description of the woman by Sakina.

Most approachable? Perhaps. But only because that is the only way Gimbiya Umma could outshine Giwa and the third wife. Unlike the other wives, she does not have any male child whose presence would give her some sense of security and a foothold in the palace, securing her future. All she has is five daughters, whom in a royal household does not account for much since they cannot hold any royal power in court.

Since she cannot outshine any of her co wives in that aspect, she chose the one way they both sucked at—being liked by people. Giwa though powerful and the uwar gida, is an intimidating woman that not everyone dares to approach. Besides, no one wants to risk getting on her bad side. When one needs a Queen that will listen to them real quick, and welcome them with open hands, it is always Gimbiya Umma that comes to mind.

Safe to say, she is everyone's favorite.

But underneath that nice woman façade, Asma does not buy it in the slightest. The ones that seem the easiest are always the scariest ones.

And as she found herself seated in the living room of the Queen's lavish chambers, having being welcomed in by the Queen's maids outside, she could not help but already predict what sort of woman Gimbiya Umma truly is. The loved by all, yet extremely lavish and flashy Queen.

Underneath that exterior, what sort of woman is Gimbiya Umma? Is she worthy of being a valued ally?

Before Gimbiya Umma made an appearance, a row of maids stepped out to serve the Princess. They brought out something akin to a small feast, from the food warmers, to the deserts and the drinks. Everything was brought in excess, you would think she is hosting a group of people and not someone she lives in the same house with, just different sides.

Sakina stood by the Princess's side, refusing to sit down despite Asma asking her to do so, she refused to do so. Asma did not bother pressuring her knowing the woman would not, and she does not have the time to worry about her really when she has a bigger target in mind.

A few minutes passed after the maids had served the Princess whom has not spared the food a glance, before the sound of footsteps approaching reached Asma's ears. She glanced at the direction just in time her eyes settled on the woman of the house, whom made her way into the living room carrying herself with an aura of grace and sophistication—her lips curled into a wide, warm smile.

Gimbiya Umma in person did not disappoint in the slightest. She was dressed every bit to fit in the role of a Queen. Not to mention the lavish lace she had on and the veil she had wrapped around herself, it did nothing t0 conceal the golden accessories that threatened to blind Asma. The whole aura she carries herself with entirely was a bit too much, but Asma did not show it.

Instead, she plastered a smile on her face as she got on her feet just as the woman walked towards her.

"Ashe da gaske ne, it truly is the Princess that came to visit me," Gimbiya Umma mused, a smile dancing on her lips though there was a certain edge to her tone. Once she came to stand in front of the younger lady, she then added. "I did not think you would come to visit me, since you only visited Giwa since you arrived."

Asma's smile did not falter, despite knowing the woman's words were intentional and meant to jab at her. She wanted a reaction out of her, and Asma was not going to give it to her then. So, she crouched in front of her, greeting her. "Gimbiya Umma barka da rana."

Gimbiya Umma's eyes narrowed at the Princess, before she side stepped her and then settled on the couch Asma was occupying, leaving the girl crouching on the carpet. Once seated on the couch, she leaned back and then crossed her legs, her gold anklet clinking due to the action. Then, she finally parted her lips to answer. "Lafiya," She breathed out, her voice low. "Have you finally remembered of my existence?"

Asma's smile did not falter as she turned around to face Gimbiya Umma, but instead of continuing to crouch, she settled down comfortably on the carpet, her head lifted as she met the woman's gaze. "I do not understand what you mean by that, Gimbiya Umma."

Gimbiya Umma's eyes narrowed slightly, her chin jutted. "I mean, do you not acknowledge Giwa as your mother-in-law?" She arched a brow. "Of course, you do not need to worry about me."

Asma nearly laughed as she remembered Sakina's words. It appears when the woman was describing Gimbiya Umma, she forgot to mention that the woman is petty as well. Asma then noticed another thing about the woman, she has inferiority complex when it comes to Giwa, she naturally displays it without realizing it. If Asma wants to get close to her, then she needs to eliminate that inferiority complex, at least in front of her.

So, her smile remained firm as she found the woman's slight glare with her cool eyes, then she parted her lips to speak.

"I apologize if I made you feel that way, Gimbiya Umma," She apologized, her words soft. "I had no control over what happened when I was conveyed, and since then I have not been able to step out of the house as my husband was not around." Asma nearly barfed at the how she had to address that man as her 'husband', but she swallowed it down. The most important thing to do now is pacify Gimbiya Umma, and thankfully she came prepared.

Gimbiya Umma looked away, a dismissive act that showed she was not going to be swayed by the girl's words.

Asma continued regardless. "I truly apologize for making you that way. However, I happen to bring along something for you," Asma's head turned in the direction of Sakina, a silent gesture for her to present the gift which Asma had brought along for the woman.

Sakina stepped forward, holding the exquisite box in her hand.

Gimbiya Umma spared her a quick glance, before she flicked her gaze to Asma, her gaze unimpressed, "There is no need for any gifts. I do not need anything from you."

Asma did not her words get to her, instead, she gave Sakina the go ahead to open the box. The woman did so just as she was asked, and once again, Gimbiya Umma threw it a dismissing glance, or so she intended it to be until her mind registered what the gift is, and her resolve faltered for a split second.

But that split second was more than enough for Asma, who took that as her chance to carry on with her speech from earlier. "I came across this beautiful set a while ago, and I was instantly remembered of your grace. I thought no one else could wear it better than you. So, please accept this small gift of mine as my sigh of apology."

Gimbiya Umma's lips curled upwards slowly as her eyes took in the gold set of jewelry, she has had her eye on for the longest time. It is so exclusive that only a handful of influential women in the country own it—and it was not them all in particular that spiked her want for it. Rather, it was someone else in the palace who owns the exact set that scratches a part of her in an uncomfortable way.

She has been trying to get it nonstop, but she could not get it anywhere because it has been sold out, it being limited.

And yet, here it is, Asma presenting it to her so casually like that—without her having to spends her millions. It made it even better that it was Asma Maccido of the Kubi Caliphate that brought it to her.

Oh, how she will rub it in the face of her co wife.

Asma could tell the minute the smile appeared on the woman's face that she has won her over. And she was right, because Gimbiya Umma finally tore her gaze from the gold jewelry set, setting it on Asma before a grin took over her features.

"Do not mention any of that, it is all in the past now," She was quick to brush it off, almost as if it had never happened and she was not just making a fuss of it a few minutes ago. Uncrossing her legs, she then leaned a bit towards the edge of the couch, her grin reaching her ears.

Asma shook her head, "No. Gimbiya Umma, I am at fault--"

"Nonsense," Gimbiya Umma waved off. Reaching her hands out, she took Asma's hand in hers, her smile unwavering. "Call me Umma, you are my daughter after all. Ai mun zama daya."

And that was how Asma managed to get Gimbiya Umma on her side, at least for that moment. By the time she walked out of the woman's chambers, she was accompanied by the Queen herself who saw her off, not before letting her know that should she need anything, whatsoever at all, she should not hesitate to reach out to her in the slightest. Asma thanked her, before she set off with Sakina to their last destination for the day, knowing she had already gotten the Queen on her side.

On Gimbiya Umma's side, she thought she had succeeded over her third wife by having Asma aid her in such way, but in actuality, the win was Asma. If she could play the strings well, and she would, she would get exactly what she want from them all. And she intends to do just that.

Even if Giwa and the third wife might be the hardest to deal with, each for their own reasons.

"Up next," Sakina breathed out. "Gimbiya Amarya..." She trailed off, her eyes moving to settle on Asma's calm ones as she trudged in the direction of the third Queen's chamber ever so calmly. "...your aunt."