The Queen Has Lost Her Crown

THE QUEEN HAS LOST HER CROWN
(Esther Chapters 1-2)
 
It is the International Women’s Day.
The Queen is to give a speech by 
8am that morning.
The entire Nation is eagerly waiting 
to hear her.
She was just crowned Queen 3 months 
ago, so this would be her 1st public outing.
Her face has been splashed on all 
newspapers, magazines and online blogs. 
She is not loved by all, but everybody 
agree on one thing: She IS beautiful!
The King really took time to pick her 
as Queen.
He had several options, but she won 
his heart above them all.
She was not only the most beautiful, 
she was also the smartest.
And that combination (beauty and brains) 
was very rare in his Kingdom.
Having both made it quite easy for him to 
settle for her.
At 8am, the television and radio stations 
start the broadcast live.
All 127 states in his vast kingdom are 
tuned in. As she speaks, her speech is 
translated to over 60 languages.
Her voice is sonorous and soothing. 
Those who did not like her before 
then fall in love with her.
She speaks for 30 minutes about her 
plans for the women in the country.
She speaks about unity in diversity. 
She speaks about patriotism as a bond 
to hold all women together.
Everybody nods in agreement as 
she speaks.
The King is watching in the Palace,  
his heart filled with pride.
Her 1st public outing is a success!
 
In that same moment, the former 
Queen is watching from her friend’s 
house.
She had been depressed for the past 
6 months when she was deposed as 
Queen.
She had been squatting with her friends 
who took turns at housing her: she 
spends 2 weeks with each of them.
As the new queen speaks, her heart is 
filled with anger and regret.
This time last year, she was the one 
giving the International Women’s Day 
Speech.
She was the cynosure of all eyes, the 
center of attraction.
She had been Queen for 3 years before 
then.
She would have still been Queen if only 
she had not listened to her friends!
How could she have been so stupid! 
She had it all, but she lost it. 
Because she listened to the wrong 
counsel.
Her mind drifts back to the day she 
lost her crown…
 
Her husband was the King.
He had married her a few years before 
he became King.
And he was a good man, a great King!
She lacked nothing, he never refused 
her anything she asked for.
She was fulfilled and happy. 
She was the envy of her friends and 
all women. 
They all considered her very lucky 
to be the First Lady.
Three years into his reign, the King 
decided to throw a Party.
It lasted for 6 whole months!
When this was over, he threw another 
party in the palace for his noblemen, 
close associates, family, friends and 
workers.
And as Queen, she also had her own 
party for her friends and family.
 
On the 7th day, he sent for her to show 
come display her beauty for his friends 
and associates.
As the men the king sent gave her the 
message to come over to see the King, 
one of her friends said, “Seriously? 
Your husband wants to display you 
like a trophy? Rubbish!”
Another friend said, “I don’t get it: are 
you a prize or something? 
What is wrong with your husband- is 
he drunk?”
The Queen looked around the women 
with her: they were all resolute in their 
stance. 
Do not go!
 Women are NOT to be objectified! 
Women are not trophies to be displayed! 
What arrant nonsense!
She turned to the messengers: 
“Tell him I am NOT coming!”
The messengers were shocked!
The Queen is refusing the King’s 
command!
Woah!
Feminism has entered the Palace!
They hurried out of the Queen’s 
chambers to report to the King.
He could not believe his ears. 
He was angry and embarrassed!
She defied him before his close 
associated and noblemen!
He removed her as Queen the 
next day.
She had nowhere to go, she had 
to go squat with her friends who 
took turns to accommodate her.
The King stripped her of everything: 
her crown, her dignity, her all.
She became a recluse.
She lost a lot of weight.
She became a shadow of herself.
She entered depression.
And to make things worse, the King 
got himself another Queen a few '
months later.
The new Queen is the one giving 
the speech to mark the 
International Women’s Day now...
As the former Queen watches with 
her friends, one of them says, This 
Queen is definitely not as beautiful 
as you, Babe. 
You are much more beautiful than her! 
She was just an impostor…”
The former Queen turns to look at her: 
“Seriously? What did you just say?”
“Sorry, I was just trying to make you 
feel better…”
“I would have been much better if I 
didn’t listen to your damn advice! 
You made me lose my crown with your 
stupid advice and now you say this?”
“Hey, don’t try pin your misfortune on 
me! Nobody forced you to do anything, 
you were not under any obligation to 
take anybody’s advice! 
And besides, who would have thought
 your husband would have kicked 
you out for that? Whoever knew he
 was that crazy?”
The former Queen shakes her head 
and hissed. “If only I had not listened 
to you. If only I hadn’t…”

Haruna Daniels