Chapter 6: Chapter six: Why don't you marry the king in my stead.
When you are angry like a hungry lion, distance becomes food that you eat within a second and that is how long it took Onyx to reach her chambers that was almost a mile from her mother's.
She pushed the door to her chambers without waiting for it to be opened by her servants and drew up short at the pandemonium that was her chambers.
Servants were everywhere carrying boxes clothes water and anything their hands could lay on while chattering freely about their opinion of Onyx's upcoming nuptial. They are yet to notice her entrance. One servant thought it the worse kind of fate to be marrying the king, swearing that she will rather kill herself than marry the ugly king.
Onyx scoffed at that, folding her hands across her chest to listen to them talk. Obviously, the servant has never met their king, old he might be but he still was good-looking, not that Onyx finds him attractive, she shook her head dismissing the disgusting thought about her wedding night that sprung up suddenly in her mind. She was so not looking forward to tonight.
The servant she was talking to hit her on the shoulder nearly causing the girl to stumble a little before righting herself and then turned on the servant who had hit her with an angry look on her face.
" What did you do that for! " she cried in a whiny tone.
" Because you an idiot, " the other servant said with a superior smirk causing the girl to frown at her.
" Why do you say that? "
Onyx was also curious to hear the servant's answer. She didn't recognize this particular servant.
" Young mistress is lucky, she will soon become the queen of the whole land, she will be rich and powerful, " the servant explained with her eyes glowing with greed and excitement that reminded Onyx so much of her mother.
" Mmmhm, " she cleared her throat alerting the servants to her presence.
" Mistress! " they all yelled, bowing their heads. The servants who were just talking about her wouldn't meet her eyes, finding the fine wooden floors more captivating than their mistress, a guilty terrified look written with a bold marker on their faces.
"So you think being married to the king is lucky? " Onyx asked sarcastically walking slowly towards the servant with her face blank, and her voice low and cold.
The servant shook her head vigorously, refusing to look up, her slender frame shaking so badly. The other servants all stopped what they were doing to watch the drama as they unfold.
" What if I say there is a way to make your wish come through, " Onyx stroked her chin as she regarded the servant with an intense freezing look.
" No mistress I don't want to marry the king, " the servant cried falling with her head to the ground just close to Onyx's feet who continued speaking ignoring the servant.
" Yes, I have got the perfect idea to grant you your wish, " Onyx smirked in a way that sent chilled goosebumps over the servant's skin.
The other servants looked on with growing excitement, Sally and Mei watched with barely restrained amusement. They knew their mistress was merely playing with the servant but thought it serves the servant's right for talking too much. Since the girl came into the chamber to help set up their mistress bath and clothes she hasn't been able to shut up. Talking about the guards she likes and then talking about the mistress.
" Why... don't... you... " Onyx dragged her lips thinning out in silent amusement as she saw the servant's eyes bulge in their sockets waiting for her final words to land. " Marry the king instead of me, after all, you will be under the veil by the time he notices it will be too late, " her smile was now full-blown wickedness.
A shocked gasp fell from the servant beside the girl, while the other servants gaped at the young mistress wondering if she would dare to deceive the king. Their young mistress can be headstrong, bold, and mischievous not like the other young mistresses but can she go as far as deceiving the king.
Sally and Mei chuckled but quickly covered their mouth when their mistress shot a deadly look in their direction.
The girl looked white and faint at her mistress's words. She knew what will happen should she go in place of her mistress and was found out. She will be beheaded.
" I am sorry Mistress, " she cried falling on her face weeping. She began to hit her head on the floor when she saw her cries and pleading weren't moving her mistress who stood tall and stiff watching her coldly.
The servant deserved to be scared, Onyx thought with no pity for the weeping servant, that will teach her not to talk about things that didn't concern her.
She bent down until she was at eye level with the servant and then lifted her face from the ground to hers. The girl was pretty to look at. Rounded face with small very dark brown eyes, long lashes, lush pink cheeks, and button lips.
The brown eyes staring back at her looked so terrified. Good.
" What is your name? " she growled.
" Su....Su...Sui Yi, " the girl stammered her voice trembling.
" When did you join our house? "
" A few months ago, " she stuttered and tried to hide her gaze from her mistress, it was so intense and penetrating that she feared her secrets could be pried from her head.
" Where were you working before? " Onyx asked because this was the first time she was seeing the servant in her chambers.
Sui Yi looked down even as her chin was still held firmly by her mistress, refusing to speak.
Onyx grew suspicious when the servant kept silent and wouldn't look at her.
" Answer me or I will have you flogged by the guards! " she growled harshly. Onyx hates being lied to.
" Your mother, " Sui Yi blurts out sounding so terrified as fresh tears ran down her cheeks.
The madame of the house had called her into her chambers one day and gave her a piece of very beautiful hand jewelry. Sui Yi had accepted it with so much excitement because she has never owned anything that beautiful in her life, but her happiness quickly diminished when the Madame told her the reason she was giving her the jewelry. She wanted her to spy on her daughter when she enters the palace and report to her. Sui Yi looked reluctant because she was scared of what will happen if she was to be found out but the Madame promised to give her one silver coin whenever she brings a report of her daughter. Driven by her greed she accepted the assignment.
Onyx shook her head. So her mother has made her move.
" Why did she send you here? " she asked not because she didn't know but because she was curious about the servant's answer.
Sui Yi knew that she couldn't say the real reason she was sent here, so she decided to go with something that is a lie but also true.
" Because I am clumsy and keep breaking her things, " she stammered staring hard at the ground.
Onyx stared at the servant in silence. She knew the servant could be lying, but her excuse is something her mother could send her away for.
" Let me see your back? "
The servant looked up in shock.
" Mistress?! " her voice sounded confused and terrified.
Onyx looked at Mei and Sally and gave them instructions without speaking.
The two immediately approached the servant and drew down the zipper of her gown. They gasped in shock when they saw the cane marks running criss-cross across her back.
Seeing this made Mei's back throb in remembrance of her flogging this morning. She had been lucky her mistress was able to arrive on time before any real damage could be done.
Sui Yi snatched her clothes from the two servants with shame on her face. Since entering the Madame's chambers she has been caned five times, for breaking something or tripping over something. Her mother used to yell at her that she was born with two left legs and hands.
Onyx stared at the servant's back with a little sympathy, even though she still thinks that she was lying her words seemed to be true.
She walked away from the servant and went to one of the big boxes in her chambers and flipped one open. It contained expensive medicine that was part of the King's gifts. Onyx wondered if the King was wishing her sickness or if it was a euphemism for something more sinister as she reached out to take one of the vials.
She walked back to the servant and tossed the medicine in her direction.
The servant reacted quickly and tried to catch it but it slipped through her fingers and crashed to the ground.
Everyone froze.
The servant's bulging eyes went from the broken pieces on the ground to her mistress, her back twitching at the thought of another flogging that would soon follow.
" Mistress I am... "
" You really are clumsy, " Onyx cut her off with light amusement before turning back to the medicine box leaving the servant in shock.
Sui Yi didn't know whether to weep in relief or laugh in tears that she wasn't going to be flogged.
Onyx came back with another medicine in hand and this time handed it to the servant without throwing it.
Sui Yi was so overwhelmed by the mistress's kindness that she began to weep, not knowing how much tears made her mistress uncomfortable.
Onyx drew back from the servant and then turned to the two servants standing close to her.
" Take her out, " she ordered softly. " All of you too. "
" But...." one servant tried to protest. The Madame had asked them to help her daughter get dressed because she had feared she will come out wearing something outrageous just to piss her off and it wouldn't be the first time.
Onyx glared at the servant on the verge of losing her patient.
The servant gulped down nervously swallowing the rest of her words and quickly rushed out with the other servants.
Once it was just her and her two personal servants Onyx turned to look at Mei.
" How is your back? "
" Hurts but not much, Sally applied numbing medicine on it, " Mei answered as they approached her.
Onyx nodded, feeling bad for not being there to stop her mother from striking her servant.
" I am sorry, " she mumbled softly raising her hand so they could undress her.
Mei looked up at her mistress with a faint smile.
" Is not your fault, " she told her gently.
" Why did she order for you to be flogged? " Onyx asked as they headed towards the bathing chambers.
" She saw me wearing your clothes. "
" Oh, " Onyx mumbled as she entered the filled bath lowering her tall frame into the hot herb-filled bath. So it was her fault. " I am sorry, " she said again.
" It alright, " Mei answered as they began to wash their mistress.
Onyx relaxed under the soothing tender touch of her servants as her mind took her far away from her room, the city, and her kingdom.
Mei and Sally worked hand in hand to get their mistress clean. How much they cared for their mistress was obvious in how they tended to her.
" We are done mistress, " they said snapping her out of her thoughts.
Onyx nodded and rose from the water and then stepped out of the tub.
Sally got a huge towel and wrapped it around her mistress while Mei handed her a smaller towel for her head.
When they walked back to the sleeping chambers Sally went to set up the wedding dress while Mei assisted her in drying up.
Onyx looked and saw the dress her servant was setting up and shook her head.
" No, I am not wearing that. "
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