"Andrew, isn't feeling too well...!" Samuel said.
"I can see that...now what is he feeling, h...how is he feeling? Is he feeling hot? Is he feeling like throwing up? Is he...did he eat anything before having dinner here?" Mariam threw questions like paper in the face of Samuel.
"No, I didn't eat anything before coming to the Palace to eat...other than the beer I took at the shop downtown, I don't think I took anything else...!" Andrew said in a weak voice.
Mariam looked at him in concern.
As she was about to approach him, Samuel said;
"Yeah and his hot is hot!"
Mariam looked at him.
Frowning, she asked;
"Hot?"
Samuel looked at her and said;
"Yeah hot? Why...?"
Mariam's hand quickly flew to her mouth as she looked at Samuel.
It took some for Samuel to guess why she had reacted that way.
But when he realized, his own eyes bulged out as he also knew too.
"Quick...!" Samuel said.
"Help me take him to his room...!" Samuel said.
It took some time for Mariam to register what Samuel had said in her brain. But once she did, she looks towards the courtroom, where the King and all the Councilmen are. With the Queen!
Oh God, the Queen!
The Queen isn't aware of anything.
If she is aware, she'll be; not only angry or disappointed in them, she might even kick them out if the Castle, without the King's awareness.
And that's her only home...the only place she has to stay, protect her, feed her...and many more!
She couldn't believe she agreed to such a costly plan.
"I can't believe I agreed to do this...!" Mariam said out-loud.
Samuel looked at her.
"You can't believe to what?" He asked frowning.
He knew what she meant.
She looked at him, anger visible in her eyes.
"Why'd you involve me in this stuff anyway...?" Mariam alas suddenly.
Looking at her, Samuel said;
"Huh?" He asked.
As they helped Andrew up, Mariam pegged her nose to rid it of the awful stench that emitted from his body.
"Jesus, what a smell...!" Mariam exclaimed, but not too loudly.
Pegging her nose, she said;
"Yureek!"
"Mariam, stop it, it'll alarm the King and everyone present in there and the lady person we want to know is the Queen...!" Samuel whisper-shouted.
"Oh so you know...!" Mariam asked.
Looking at her, Samuel frowned.
"What do you mean I know...?" Know what...?" He asked again.
Mariam looked at him.
Shaking her head in negation, she said;
"Nothing...!"
Samuel looked at her keenly.
Putting Andrew's arm around his shoulder, he asked;
"Help me take him to his room, will you?"
Looking at Samuel, she let out a deep sigh and placed Andrew's arm around her shoulder.
Taking gentle but steady steps, they both led him away from the balcony and to his room. But they had to pass through the courtroom. And that's where the King, Queen, councilmen and everyone else are.
'What a difficult task!' Mariam thought.
As they walked away from the balcony with Andrew's arms around their necks, the King sighted them and called them.
"Samuel, Mariam, my children, oh, come here...!" The King
At the mention of their names, they both stooped dead in their tracks.
"Get him out of here,l...!" Samuel said.
Mariam gave him a frown.
"What do you mean...?" She asked.
"Get him out of here!" He repeated.
"I'll cause a distraction!" Samuel added as he removed Andrew's arm for around his neck.
"B...but...!" Mariam was about to object.
"Just go...!" Samuel said as he turned round and headed for the stairs that led to the throne.
Bowing deeply in high respect, Samuel greeted;
"My King, My Queen...!"
"Samuel...!" The King said delighted as he headed down, towards Samuel, leaving the Councilmen's agape.
Once the King responded to Samuel's greeting, Samuel got on his feet.
Seeing the king approach, Samuel smiled broadly a d walked towards the King with his arms open wide, in order to hug the King.
And so did the King.
Once Samuel had gotten up from kneeling and had acknowledged the fact that he was approaching with his arms open wide for a big bear hug, Samuel did the same.
The King and Samuel both hugged each other like a father and son duo that hadn't been in touch for a long time.
The King hugged Samuel deeply, and Samuel hugged the King as if he were his own Father, cussing tears to roll done the King's cheek.
After taking in a deep breath and letting it out as a deep sigh, they both let each other go.
As they let each other go, the King placed his hand on Samuel's shoulder and looked at him with tears in his eyes and smiled pitifully.
Samuel returned the smile too as he turned and looked at the Queen, who, remained seated on her throne.
Once Samuel turned to look at her, she quickly wore a smile.
It took Samuel some seconds to smile back, because he knew that the smile was not fully genuine.
Once he smiled, her smile broadened a little as she nodded, he also nodded.
Watching everything that happened, the King knew the Queen's mind; His wife was not happy about Andrew leaving the Castle.
Though, he had made th arrangements, and everyone knew about it, there was nothing he could do about it. Besides, he was the King.
But the King has some kind weakness right...?
Yes!
And in this King's case, his wife was his weakness.
As he watched their mode if greeting roll the carpet to an end, the King looked at his wife, his wife looked at him.
They held each other's gaze for a bit before the Queen threw her face to the other side, trying to hide back her tears.
Once the Queen threw her face to the side, he also looked down slowly and then nodded his head.
He tur ed his head and was about to rest his head on Samuel's shoulder when the sight of female holding another person that looks like a male, head towards the door to the hall of rooms.
Them be remembered...
"Mariam, dear, where are you going...?" The King called.
Hearing her name, Mariam stooped as if being caught doing something bad.
Mariam slowly turned, with Andrew's arm resting in her shoulder, limp, it made it a bit difficult for Mariam to turn properly and fully.
Gulping, she bowed and greeted;
"My King, My Queen, Elders...!"
"Why don't you come over her and let's have a little talk...." The King said
"Who is that with you...?" The King asked