XXXIX

Lady Dae

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Her legs were shaking as she made her way to the king's chamber, her body still warm as the aftermath of what had just transpired inside the princess office... She just wished that memory would be enough to block out whatever it is that's going to happen to her inside the king's chamber.

"Just imagine he's your lover" She remembers lady Helena 's words, just imagine he is the princess... She thought. It would be easy she thought.... But she still had doubt, because the king will never be the princess, he's not even close to her. She stopped in front of his room and stared at the door.... She would have to see the king now,she would have to do it with him again, the very thought of him touching her made her skin crawl but she cannot refuse, so with a deep breath she knocked and waited for him to give her permission.

"Come in." She heard the king said, Dae opened the door and stepped inside, but she was startled to see the room was in chaos. Tables were upturned, book were scattered, the windows were broken,and so was the vases.  She looks around to look for the king and she found him there, sitting at the sofa at the far end corner, he was nursing a bottle of what she could only tell as wine.

"Your grace? What happened?" She asked him, as she slowly makes her way closer to him, making sure to avoid the Glasses that was scattered on the ground. She stopped midway when she saw a large portrait hanging on the wall... It was of a man, born with golden hair. And the man very much resembles the princess... The only difference between the man and the princess were their facial structure, the man has a Strong prominent feature while the princess has more rounder and slightly strong feature, the man was like a male version of the princess.

"I was young back then... I was strong." Her attention quickly weng back to the king, she had almost forgotten about him.

"I was handsome, everyone loves me, everyone adores me.... I was a god." He said, before drinking from his bottle of wine again. She now stood in front of him and looked him the eyes...to be honest he looks pathetic. How can a fragile looking man hold power over them? He was old, if she could get a hold of a knife and stab him he would be dead. So why? Why does he have so much power over them?

"You are still handsome your grace." She stated smiling at him... She reached out and caress his face....she fought back the shiver that run through her body.

"Everyone still admires you." She whispered. He looks away from her and chuckled.

"No one admires me now... No one cheered for me like they used to when I returned from my first victory in war. No one loved me the way they do when I was strong....when I was young." He looked up and extended his hand as if he was reaching for something.

" If only I could be that young again... Only when I could be like a god again." Dae swallowed, should she let him be? Wouldn't it be better if she let him dwell into his delusions...maybe she could avoid having to lay with him. Maybe she could gain more of his favor without needing to lay with him.

" You are still a god." She spoke, he blinks for a moment, and looked at her. He slowly let his hand down.

"What do you mean that I still am?" He asked her... Before slowly standing, he was looking at her as if he was ready to devour her whole, as if he was ready to crush her down.

"Can't you see me? I am old! And I am beggining to get weak! I had no golden son! I am not a god!!!" She flinched when he screams at her, but Dae held her ground... She has to learn how to get this man to favor her.

"Who told you that?" She asked him.

"Because to me... You are still one.... You are still strong... A king who fought and brought my father down to his knees, A king who united the people of east with with his people, and a king who will continue to do so. You still own the largest golden dragon... Isn't that enough to make you one? You still bleed gold... Isn't that enough? And you..." Dae paused for a moment thinking carefully of the next word that she will say...

"You will give me a son.... And in return you will have the one thing you always wanted." He looked at her longer... Dae don't know what will happen next, she couldn't read his emotions well.

"I tried and tried many times... And the gods only ever gave is the likes of Kaspian....I had one, but I lost it before I could find him.... If not a defected son they will give me a daughter.... And what good can a daughter do? So what makes you think that you will be able to provide me with what I want?" Dae's heart was racing because she knows that if she gave him the answer that he doesn't like... He will likely strike her.

"Because you are a god." She stated with determination... The king stared at her for a couple of moment without any reaction.... And she stood their with her heart racing. And then he laugh.... Dae blink a couple of times trying to make sure that he is indeed laughing, she smiled and watched him, he grab her by the hand and pulled her closer to him...

"Very well... Then I shall give you my seed tonight.... And you will bear me a son." Dae couldn't stop the feeling of disappoinment, but she was quick to hide it with a sweet smile...

"Of course my king."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

PRINCESS ROSHANNE

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"She didn't left until this afternoon your highness." Roshanne heard Neviska said, as she stood behind her, Roshanne didn't speak, and just listen to what Neviska was saying, she was in the gallery facing the training yard of the squires it was their sparring day, and she wasn't alone, few of the young noble Ladies came to watch as well... This day often Means she get to see how their training is, are the squire improving or not, usually this day is when she chooses few squire to grant officiate as a knight, and each sparring day she get to knight at least three of who she thinks has the best potential, then she will send them to few Noble families to gain favor from them and of course to be her spy, but today she couldn't seem to focus.

"The lady returned the afternoon... looking rather exhausted, she just asked for a bath... We have thoroughly clean her as you ordered, I checked for any wounds... So far I have only seen bruises...from kissing and gripping too hard, but so far no wounds or sign of abuse was seen in my ladies body... She was also rather treated nicely compared to the others...." Neviska trailed as she saw how the princess brow knitted and how she was bitting her lips too hard. The princess was unaware of this, she was too focused on the ugly beast churning inside her, wanting and lusting for blood, she wanted to kill someone and she don't know why.

"Um...your highness?" Neviska asked worriedly.

"Who told you to stop reporting?!" She snaps startling Neviska and even Odette.

"I...I'm sorry your grace... We made sure that the lady would drink the tea to prevent her from getting pregnant.... But before I left the king arrived at the harem.... Bringing some gift for the princess.... My friend, who's one of the king's knights told me it was handpick by the king himself." Roshanne looked at Neviska, her eyes wide and she couldn't believe what she had heard.

" Surely that's just an exaggeration of things... The king wouldn't do such a stupid thing." She told her, Neviska seems hesitant to speak again so she looks at Odette for help. Odette nods her head and cleared her throat before speaking.

"Neviska is speaking the truth your grace, few of my robins have witnessed such unusual act from the king... This was confirmed by one of my friends who worked close to his Majesty, they said he returned to his room with dirty hands and dirty clothes." Roshanne find such thought so absurd, what did Dae do? She's curious...what made this tyrant man soften?

"Go get lady Dae for me.... Meet me at my garden." She told Neviska who bows before quickly running off to go and fetched lady Dae for her.

" My lady... While we wait for lady Dae... I believe there's another matter you should attend to." Odette slowly approached her before whispering.

" A spy from the Marchioness Eufreme had returned bringing some news. I'm sure it would be of great help to you." Roshanne smirks and nods her head, she looks back at gallery one last time before back inside the castle where she is to meet the said spy.

"Your highness." He greeted her, the man remained hiding in the shadows of her office, these spies were not ordinary beings.... They are one with the shadows.

"Speak." They are a nameless beings, as far as she knows about them, is that they don't have anything, no family, no life of their own, no past nor present...and even a future. They solely exist for the purpose of serving a master.

"The house of the Marchioness is in great trouble." The spy speak to her.

" Why?" She asked him... But he didn't speak.... She almost rolled her eyes having remembered that they won't give you the full information until you paid them. She motioned for Odette to give the spy the payment he wanted and Odette did, giving him a bag filled with golden coins.

" The nephew of the late Marquis is raising a petition.... To be the next head of the Castillon house." Everyone knew that the Marchioness and the late Marquis daughter has a good relationship, it was because of the Marchioness influence that the daughter of the late Marquis remained the heir.

" The Marchioness is capable of handling such situation.... Like she always did." She told them. But the spy shakes his head.

" The young lord is winning my lady.... Because the family don't support the young lady of the house, because of her rather weak appearance... The young heir was sickly, so the vote of the family members are easily going forth to the young lord.... To make matter worst the young lord asked for the king's support and this had turned the tide." Roshanne hummed.

" When is the hearing of the petition?" She asked him.

"I believe it would be next week." She nods her head and turned to Odette.

"Tell Neviska to go on with the plan... If the king heard of the problem then the hearing will be postponed... Until then let me think of something to help the Marchioness." She  Odette who of course nods her head, she then turned to the spy.

" Thank you, you may now go." She told him and just like that he disappeared, Odette then proceed to open up the curtains of the room to give way to the light.

"We cannot allow to loose another potential ally, make sure the Neviska will succeed." She told Odette before leaving the room.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

LADY DAE

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"What did you do?" Dae turned to look at Lady Eleanor who's now standing by her side and looking at the vase filled with flowers that was handpicked by the king himself.

" I really don't know." She told her.

"Well whatever you did, you ought to share it to us. You're the talk of the harem today, everyone was whispering how the great old dragon had been finally tamed. He had lavished you with so much gift today. Everyone's jealous." She told her while looking at the different gift inside Dae's room.

" Are you too?" She asked her worried, because she doesn't want to make her mad at her. Lady Eleanor's eyes soften when she saw the worry in Dae's face.

" Of course I am... But it doesn't mean I'll hate you.... It's just... I wish i was treated better at least." Lady Eleanor touched the flower petals gently.

" I was young when I married him... I had no idea of what it would be like... I was tossed into my duty like how you would toss a shark without a fin into the ocean." Lady Eleanor sadly stated. Dae swallowed and nods her head.

" And he didn't treat me like he do you. I mean, he only cared for me for short couple of week until I got pregnant, he would just buy me gift and didn't do much effort." Lady Eleanor then faced her and smiled at her.

" So maybe he truly is moved by you, and your kindness." She told her before tucking a few loose strads of hair."

"We're so happy for you." Lady Eleanor told her with a wide smileon. Her lips that she couldn't help but return that smile.

"Maybe you'll change the harem too... Who knows. But I have great hopes in you." Dae chuckle at her words, she shakes her head and looked back at the flowers.

"Don't put too much trust on me please." She told her making lady Eleanor laugh too. She took step back and sat on the sofa inside Dae's room.

"Just so you know lady Giovanette isn't so pleased with what had just happened. The old goose was fuming at having been bested." Lady Eleanor stated with a laugh.

"Should I be worried?" She asked her, so far she hadn't had a chance to get to know Lady Giovanette, who's the eldest concubine. But from what she heard the lady was a known cruel tyrant. Who bullied others just for the fun of it.

"Very much." Lady Eleanor told her with a sigh.

"Trust me, even I can't protect you against her wrath. I tried doing that to the other girls but to no avail. So just.... Avoid being seen by her." Lady Eleanor warned her, and Dae take a mental note of it and add it to the list of many many things she should avoid. Their conversation was cut short when Neviska entered the room.

"My lady, her highness is looking for you." Lady Neviska said, looking like she's in a hurry. Dae smiled at her and nod's her head, but before she could say something, another familiar looking  servant had entered, this one made her freeze, her smile drops and was replaced by utter shock.

"My lady... Your father is looking for you." The woman spoke while still looking down, Dae was quick to ignore Neviska and she quickly approached the young woman who spoke with the same color hair as her, only more darker in shade.

"Bree? Bree is that you?" She asked the woman, she couldn't be mistaken! She can't remember the face, but once she saw it she knew it was Bree! She gently cups her face and tilt it up. Then finally two pairs of emerald eyes met.

"Oh Bree! It is you!" She exclaimed before hugging the other woman.

"I missed you too Dae." The woman spoke hugging her back. Dae couldn't believe it! Bree had returned.

"Where have you been? Why are you here?" She asked, still couldn't contain her excitement over Bree.

"I thug along with the soldiers, I was a volunteer to your father's army, I am an assistant of a chef that is assigned to prepare the soldiers food during the war. Your father saw me again and remembered me.... He offered me a good job." She explained to her.

"Uh? Who is she? May I ask?" Dae turned to look at lady Eleanor, she stepped aside so they could see each other.

"Lady Eleanor, this is Bree, my friend and Bree this is lady Eleanor." Lady Eleanor stood up and approach them.

"Nice to meet you my lady." Lady Eleanor's brow raised when Bree didn't curtsy.

"What exactly is your job here?" Lady Bree looked back at Dae for a moment before answering lady Eleanor's question.

"I am a servant." She answered, as soon as Bree answered lady Eleanor grab her by the jaw startling them all.

"A servant? Your rather... Brawny for one.... Your color are a bit darker than Dae considering you both are from the same kingdom.... You look like someone who bathes under the sun.... You're more fitted to be a warrior rather than a servant." Lady Eleanor stated before she gently let go of Bree's face. She then turn towards to Dae.

"So who would you go to first?"

"Huh?" She asked confused, making lady Eleanor shakes her head.

"Both the princess and your father wants to see you. Who would you rather go to first?" Only then did Dae realized that her father and the princess are asking for her presence at the same time, she thought for a while, if she doesn't meet her father she knows he'll be mad at her... And maybe put Bree in trouble.... As for the princess...she knew she'll understand her, so she turns towards Neviska and smiled at her, she grabs her hand before speaking.

" Can you tell the princess that i'll be late for a couple of minutes? Tell her I just have something important to deal with." Neviska looked hesitant for a moment, she looks between her and Bree.

" Please." She pleaded, finally with a sigh Neviska had agreed.

" I will tell the princess." Neviska curtsy before leaving first, Dae looked at lady Eleanor and waved at her before going out of her room.

"I have missed you." She told Bree who smiled at her before intertwining their arms together.

"And I you... I have so much to tell you... Of my adventures." Bree told her and she couldn't help but feel all to excited at the notion of hearing new stories from her.

"Tell me,did you went to a beach? Is the water their really like blue as the sapphire gems in our mines?" Bree grinned at her.

"Oh I have went not just to a beach but to many islands! And there are some seas the color of jade! And as clear as glass, I have went on a voyage meeting new people.... And I also went to meet different Sakran tribes!" Bree began telling her of her different Adventures, she was so enamoured by her stories that she hadn't even noticed that they had arrived at her father's room.

"I will tell you more, after your talk with your father." Lady Bree told her, opening the door for her... She entered the room of her father, feeling excited that she will have more time to talk to Bree after her meeting with him.

"I see that you are pleased with my gift." Her father told her once she entered his room, as usual he is with Marcus, and the two of them seems talking about something. She didn't speak, looking confused of what gift he meant.

"Did Bree makes you happy?" He asked again as he approached her, Dae realized that the gift her father meant was Bree...so she nods her head smiling at him.

"Yes Father, thank you." She stated before looking behind him, just in time to see Marcus staring at them... He was holding what seems to be a map.

"Bree told me you wanted to talk about something...did I... Perhaps do something wrong?" She asked him, her father laughs and shakes his head.

"No... You didn't do anything wrong... If anything I am proud of you... For gaining his Majesty's favor... You did well at seducing him." He told her before turning around and returning to his desk.

"Perhaps you could share to me how you did that sister, the same might be applied to the princess." Marcus told him with a wink, before putting away the scroll.

"What did you do? To make him act like sick love pup?" Her father turns to her... She looks back at him and Marcus before speaking.

"I told him that he is a god." Was her short reply, the father son and exchange a look before throwing their heads up and laughing.

" God? He really sees himself like that? Stupid bastard, all of them! They thought they are a god just because they bleed gold...." Her father shakes his head.

" That's good daughter, keep on feeding his delusions... Keep on doing that and he will make you his new queen." Dae looked at him for a moment, the king's queen? Does that mean she'll have to sleep with him more?

"How about the harem? I was expecting to hear some terrible news inside but it seems... You aren't doing anything." Her father suddenly said, the smile on his lips were gone, and was once again replaced by a serious look.

"I... I am already working on it Father, it's hard to look for a good opportunity, I am short with staff. And trustworthy people." She told him,  making his father nod.

"Good thing you had Bree with you.... She is a trusted servant. You could count on her." He told her.

" Would you want me to do something else father?" She asked him. Her father smirks.

" I just wanted to remind you of that I wanted someone dead by the end of the week. If you fail... I take her away again. You wouldn't want that? Would you my dear daughter?" She swallowed before nodding her head... Of course theirs a catch, her father wouldn't just want to meet her without wanting anything.

" You may go." Dae felt more relieved that she didn't have to listen to him more, she gladly left the room and run straight into Bree's arms.