Chapter 7: Having no choice.
I was whipped to death in front of many people in the broad daylight , blood sipping from my back and my forearms . My sight was blurred , I couldn't see clearly in front of me . I don't remember what I have done to deserve this kind of punishment and humiliation.
Another whip landed on my shoulder I flinched in pain , fear of death ringing inside my head . I closed my eyes , trying to remember the one who brought me into this . It's him but I failed to recall his face , who is he and why is he doing this to me . I can't see him but he is here . I can feel his presence.
He is watching me tortured , waiting for my last breath.
I heard a voice of a man urging me to open my eyes , water splashes over my face , I woke up . It was a dream , I was glad that it was a dream.
I widely open my eyes to see a man beside me . I felt a cold touch on my face . It was him whom I assumed he must be a prince . He was rubbing my forehead with a wet towel. Where am I and why is he doing this to me . I looked around , gasped when I found out I was laying on prince's bed and more to my surprise I felt other people's presence in the room . I turned around to see many people observing me , they were looking at me distastefully except for the few of them who were looking at me with concern . I remember them , they were the ones that I met with the prince at the market , so he was the prince !
I felt his gaze on me , I turned to him . His black eyes met mine , I was too afraid to keep looking at him to the fact that I was laying on his bed and he was sitting beside me . I shook my head to keep away those thoughts that were running inside my head .
I looked away before I managed to say . " I don't....I don't remember what happened ,I felt dizzy and then... I'm here".
"Tell her to rest for a few days as doctor explained" . Prince asa said before he walked out of the room.
Most of the people inside the room were the maids and few palace guards , they nodded to prince's command before they returned their gazes on me .
I didn't know what to say , after that I climbed down the bed before I weakly stepped from it suddenly I felt a bit dizzy again.
Some maids came and help me out of the room . We reached at the maiden's room before they left me on my bed .
I recalled what happened inside the prince's room back then since they explained to me on the way .
I rolled on the bed that I called mine the time since I moved here to the prince's quarter.
The reason why I fell down that morning was because I was too stressful and drained up with energy , this likely happened because I forgot to eat well and taking care of myself . Since I have met that soldier and he strangely asked me to help him in something that I don't know and I don't want to be involved in it , I felt like my life revolves around him , these things are facing me and yet they add to my miserable life .
I fetched the handkerchief that he gave me and I finally decided to abide to his plans because there is a witness to my sneak out and he was the prince of this country and that is the thing that got me more scared . If he came forward and confirm my crime , I will be probably as good as dead since no one was capable of denying the prince's words , and here I'm left with no choice . I have to do whatever that soldier guy would want me to do to save my life.
Prince Asa entered the court room and went directly towards his father who was now sitting on his throne chair discussing something with his right hand man who is actually a country prime minister .
Asa doesn't like this man since he was young , he used to scare him with his strictly way of speaking .
Prime minister Xavier turned to the prince's direction when he heard his footsteps approaching.
" It seems that your son is also here , I think we could hear his thoughts too . Isn't it , your highness ?!" He asked Asa immediately after he arrived close to them . His face painted a wide smile but he seemed a little bit disturbed by his presence .
" I'm not interested in your conversation instead I do have a matter to discuss with the king which might be very interested to both of you "
" I'm all ears , your highness . But before you speak it , won't it be an honor if I could remind you to greet your father before all " . He inspected Asa's face before he turned to the king and said " Am I not right your majesty ?!". The king nodded to his implied question .
"I see...you were already informed of what I have discovered right after I return to the palace " he stopped looking at the prime minister and he turned his face to the king before he continued.
"And more to the information , I have come to tell you that I will start the reformation of the royal army because since I came here I have witnessed many changes inside the palace" Asa said under his gaze ignoring the prime minister's abstract question.
"That's a good idea but I think that's a thing that his majesty himself should decide with the court" Prime minister fastly commented on his sentence.
His face still looking at his father , he said " I'm talking to His majesty and not you prime minister . I think you should know the time when to interrupt and I have to remind you that as a prince I'm also part of making decisions regarding national matters and as you said I will let you discuss it. I only let you know my decisions on this "
The prime minister glared angrily to the prince who stood beside him unfortunately asa didn't pay attention to him instead he smiled to his gesture.
"Forgive me , I have to go now . I will visit by the next time ". Asa turned his back to them before he strolled out of the room.
" He is still young and like to play with everyone " the king said after noticing the prime minister's face flared with anger. He embarrassedly bowed his head to the king before he walked out of the room.
Asa returned back to his quarter , he ate lunch and later he had dinner at night.
He was standing at the balcony of his bedroom looking down to the image of the city since the prince's bedchamber was at the top of the building , he was capable of watching the view of the whole city from afar . He sighed heavily before he walked back to his bed .
Prince Asa before leaving the palace , he promised his father the time that he will come back , he will be stronger to protect the people that he loved including his sister who was married off to another kingdom . He doesn't hate his father but he hate the fact that his father let the people close to him especially the queen manipulates him to the point that he can't fully control his country , he even failed to understand what's going on in his own kingdom , and that was the reason he decided to come back to reveal the dark secrets of the queen along with the officials inside the palace .
In the morning , Prince Asa ate his breakfast before he went to meet the general commander of the army whom he required to be questioned before him .
He was brought to his quarter , to a small meeting room only for a prince if he got the guests to talk with that was the place where also sometimes he discussed his urgent matters with the guests.
The door to the meeting room was opened and General Albert Muzier strolled inside , he met prince Asa already taken his seat across the table . He was waiting for his arrival . Asa stood up and gestured for the commander to sit down .
He didn't want to exchange the formal greetings , he thought he needs to ask his questions right away.
"I need an explanation , General . Why the palace is left unguarded while you are the one assigned for it's safety ?"
"Forgive me , your highness . It was the king who ordered the best soldiers to be removed from the palace ". General Albert replied directly to the prince's question.
"And you allowed ?!" prince asked surprisedly.
"I had no choice " he replied feeling guilty.
Asa knew this man was innocent , he doesn't involve in dirty tricks played by the officials within the palace , he wanted to know who pursued the king to make that kind of an order.
"I know it wasn't the king's idea to remove the soldiers , tell me who was it ?" he solely asked him.
"I don't know anything more than that , ask his majesty himself . I think he knows better than me " . General was left with no more words to say to the prince .
Asa knows that even if he asked his father , he won't get the answer he was looking for . He needs to convince this man right now to tell him the name of the one who was behind it .
"I know you are the most closest man to the king . You grew up together with him . You know his friends as well as his enemies , you are even his king's guard , you protect him with your life and you never left his side even once and now you are telling me that you don't know the one who threatened my father to make that kind of decision and putting everyone's life inside the palace at the stake" . He felt his throat drying from anger , he stood up from his chair and walked behind the general who was sitting calmly listening to him. He patted his shoulders and then he said .
" I know my father than anyone else , he is weak and blinded with power . He lets others controlling him because he still wants to sit on the throne "
"I'm afraid of what you said , your highness . Those are treacherous words in front of the king . " He stopped for a bit before he continued
" I know the one among the many who are trying to drag this country down to the bottom. But I refuse to tell you until the right time comes" .
"If you don't have anything else to say your highness I think I should dismiss myself " . The general stood up from his chair and solely bowed to the prince before he walked out of the room . The prince's bodyguards rushed inside after the general left. Their faces painted their curiosity , they wanted to know what happened , he explained to them before he walked out of the room . He went directly to the garden to take a breath and relax . He was a little bit flustered by the general's words and it seems that he can't figure out the way to find the truth.
It was already noon when I was woken up by the splash of water on my face . I jumped in coldness , I turned to the one who throw water on me . I found out it was the court lady who was appointed by the queen that day to choose the maids who will serve the prince.
" How can you comfortably sleep while others are outside hurting their backs doing the job that you were supposed to do ?! hurry up to the kitchen , it's time to prepare his highness's food ". She said angrily and I did sense something from her , like she was doing all of this to me because she didn't like me since the beginning.
I was soaked as my dress was drenched in water I trembled feeling the coldness from it. As I was used to it , I had no choice to stand up even if I still felt unwell.
The table for prince's lunch was prepared but the prince said he won't eat because he was busy with important matters . The maids ate the small portion of the food and the rest was discarded . It really hurts me to see the food was thrown away instead of giving other people to eat.
The day went by , I and other maids strolled inside the prince's room to prepare the bed for the night. We entered the room and found out the prince was not inside . He and his guards didn't seen since morning , I wonder he might be so busy to the point he forgot to eat his lunch .
Ooh my goodness , what do I care . It's not like I have to know everything about him. I'm a maid and my job is to serve him nothing more than that.
We finished to prepare the bed and we were about to leave but the doors to the prince's bedroom were opened and the prince walked inside . We bowed our heads down after seeing him. He stopped in his tracks before I could hear him said.
"Didn't you hear me when I gave you a permission to rest for the few days ?" . I knew that question was intended to me but I failed to answer him right away because I felt it was not normal for a prince to talk directly and so casual with the maid . I sensed he also felt the same . He collected himself before he spoke.
"You are dismissed" . I was about to leave with the other maids when I felt his grip on my hand stopping me from moving forward.
"When did I allow you to go , you will remain here ". He said likely whispering to me . I felt my heart jumped for a bit before I turned facing him now he released my hand and was looking deeply in my eyes. I didn't know the reason why he looked at me like that but I assumed he already recognized my face , maybe that was the reason for him to act this way .
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Mayatella_
Mayatella_ I wrote a long chapter today because I wanna make up for the days I didn't able to write for you guys . I hope you enjoy it .
Love y'all. follow my account author_mayatella_ for the book trailer
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