บท 31: The Book of Healing is gone!

Maya prepares her mind to talk to the General In Charge. She clutches her dress in anxiety and frowns. She holds the thing in her clothes to guess what it was and stops realizing what exactly is that.

She holds the chain given by Xavier which she had tied in her cloth before hours. She unties the knot of the cloth and looks at the shining chain and its pendent with exclusive embellishments.

Maya lets out a relaxed breath. She likes jewels. Just looking at the embellished jewellery can make her feel good.

But this pendent represented a different feeling in her heart. She feels like it's the only thing belonged to her in this world now.

She couldn't help blush remembering the stranger's handsome face and his deep voice.

She knew that the stranger man was in disguise. He was The only person wished her to stay here. Not because of some rule or Emperor's order. She felt the genuine concern of his in his eyes.

Maya was immersed in Xavier's thoughts.

'I should meet him again... I wish I could learn to ride a horse... I like Charles too.. He remained still when I was so scared of sitting on him alone! Such a obedient horse he was!'.

Suddenly she gets dissatisfied as she didn't see the man's real face.

'He was looking so good even in the disguise! How beautiful he would be without that?!'.

"This servant begs your mercy for the interruption Mam".

Maya realizes herself holding the pendent close to her heart and looks at Sarah bowing in front of her.

Sarah continues "Mam.. You might change your clothes before The General reaches? It won't be appropriate to meet a man..in those..torn clothes".

Maya chuckles mockingly "I even won a fight in this dress in front of the whole Pavilion Sarah. Everyone saw me in this dirty dress already".

However, Maya stands tying the chain back in her cloth. She too felt like bathing as her clothes are stinking with mud, blood and everything. She doesn't mind them normally but it has been a complete day. She felt herself uncomfortable.

Suddenly Maya felt embarrassed.

'I had been with the man the whole time in this stinking clothes! Still he didn't mention anything! He must have been feeling pity as I was looking like a stinky lost pig!!'.

Sarah bows "I beg your forgiveness Mam. Your clothes are..burned in that incident. I brought you this gown-".

Maya gasps in shock "Burned?!".

Just then she remembers what she had kept in her chest of clothes. She holds her head and almost starts to cry "Take me to the chamber!".

Sarah gets startled "Mam..but everything ..is gone".

Maya whines "Everything?! Not even half burnt?!".

Sarah shakes her head worriedly.

Maya sits on the floor holding head.

'It's gone! The book! The book of healing... which helped me to know about my curse...is gone now!'.

Sarah too kneels with her and speaks worriedly "I am sorry Mam-".

Sarah gets shocked seeing Maya like this. She never thought Maya, a common girl who dared enough to go against The Royals, can cry! Like a small child!.

Maya felt herself crying.

'The only companion..the only thing which has been with me during my pain. The book which had been with me whenever I was hurting. Is gone! Even the book abandoned me alone...like my father'.

Sarah doesn't know what to do seeing Maya crying silently. She tries to console "Mam...Mam please don't cry.. This servant promises to bring you some clothes from your country!".

Maya shakes her head adamantly and turns away from Sarah to hide her crying face.

Sarah gasps stunned.

'She is behaving like a 5 years old kid! The stubborn girl who even fought bravely is now crying for burning her things?!'.

Sarah holds Maya's shoulder "Mam?".

Maya sniffles "Let me bath. I will be fine!.

Sarah blinks confused and nods. She leads Maya towards the bathing place. Maya gets into the room.

Sarah asks "Mam? May I help you now? You are injured".

Maya bites her lip helplessly and nods lightly.

Maya was thinking about the book till now. Fear sprouts in her mind gradually and it grows relishing in her fearful thoughts.

'How will I survive without the book? How can I control myself in future?'.

Sarah helps Maya to take bath and is very confused seeing Maya in deep thoughts.

'Is she thinking about speaking to the General or her burnt clothes?'.

Sarah makes Maya wear a corset and pulls the strings to tighten.

Maya is still in sorrow. She frowns as she finds difficulty to breath suddenly.

She realizes Sarah pulling something behind her and gasps in shock "Why are you too trying to kill me Sarah?!".

Sarah who was smiling in satisfaction gets scared and asks blankly "Kill you?!".

Maya holds her chest "This! What's this thing?! Why can't I breathe -".

Maya struggles to breath and sits gasping for breaths.

Sarah answers worriedly "Mam. This is the way to dress as The Royal Queen of our country".

Maya takes a deep breath to adjust her breaths but whispers holding her chest "It hurts!".

Sarah assures noticing the cold sweats on Maya's forehead "It will get used to wear Mam.. I promise.. I will make it loose few knots. You will be fine I promise!".

Maya lets out a breath after Sarah loosens some knots.

Sarah sits before Maya and pats Maya's forehead with a cloth to wipe the cold sweats.

Maya notices her exposed cleavage and gasps "Do I need to roam around like this?!".

Sarah laughs shaking her head "No mam. You will be wearing a gown on this!".

Maya too laughs in embarrassment "Good".

'Stupid me!'.

Sarah makes Maya to wear a full length long Royal blue gown with the glows.

Maya is looking Sarah's moves curiously.

For some reason Maya already felt like she is a Queen now. The way Sarah helping her with so much respect Maya couldn't help but feel herself respectable.