บท 20: Chapter twenty: So that is the new Queen
Onyx gave the duffle bag a curious look and waved the guard to approach.
Her mother kept her eyes on her wondering why the Queen was handling this. This was beneath her status, she thought snorting in her mind.
The King and the Queen's father could care less. The King has all but forgotten all about the servant that raised hell in the wedding hall, but the Queen's mother hasn't.
She had not liked the look on her daughter's face when it came to the servant.
Onyx took the bag from the guard and looked into it. She smiled faintly when she saw the menial clothing inside. Calling them clothes was more like bestowing an honor to them. They were rags.
She dismissed the guard and stood to her feet. She turned to the King.
" Excuse me, your highness, " she bowed politely and turned to leave but her mother spoke before she could take a step.
" Why are you taking care of this, she is a servant why not have your servants deliver that to her, " her mother muttered in a haughty tone giving her daughter a pointed look.
Onyx looked around to feel everyone's eyes on her. She had no answer to give her bother except she wanted to see the blonde again but saying that will be outrageous so she didn't answer immediately seeking the best response to give.
The King too was wondering now.
Her father looked a little clueless wondering which servant was being talked about. During the wedding, he had been more concentrated on the shift of power that will come his way now that he is the King's father-in-law. He had not been able to wipe the gloating look off his face, especially in the face of the chicken look on Minister Wang's face. He had wanted to laugh seeing that dark look on his smug face.
" She is my servant, " was the only words of explanation, Onyx offered before she swept out of the room leaving a wave of confusion behind.
Her mother wouldn't stop staring at her with an annoyed look hoping that her ornery daughter will not do something irresponsible to embarrass the family.
Salsa was bouncing off the wall with boredom. She has never been the kind of girl to dwindle on her thumbs and no matter how lavish the Queen's room is, it soon lost its allure to her and she wanted to leave, but she dare not disobey the Queen.
The thought of the Queen made her flush all over when she recalled her slender palm on her skin. Her body still tingles from the touch and she hasn't been able to stop thinking about it.
Her naughty little mind couldn't help but take things further.
What will happen should the Queen touch her somewhere else?
Her whole body turned red, her body filled with unexpected warmth that made her feel as if she was coming down with something.
She fanned herself with her fingers to cool her body that was burning up.
" Are you alright? "
Salsa flew off the bed at the sudden sound of the Queen's voice.
Onyx stood a few feet away with an amused expression on her face as she watched her servant crash to the floor. She wondered what thought had her face screaming red.
" My Queen, " Salsa stumbled trying to curtsey and kneel at the same time, leaving her in an awkward position.
Onyx hid her amusement behind her slender long fingers.
" Rise, " she went to the blonde to help her up but resisted the urge to touch the blonde.
Salsa couldn't blush hard enough from embarrassment. On her feet, she wouldn't lift her face to the Queen and kept staring at her feet.
" I have got something for you, " Onyx whispered in a low tone, staring down at the blonde with a fond look in her eyes which she was unaware of.
Salsa immediately looked up, and her heart flew into her stomach when her eyes met that of the Queen.
" W...what? " she stammered and then quickly looked away when staring into the Queen's eyes became more than her poor heart could handle.
" This, " Onyx lifted the duffle bag for her to see.
Salsa's face broke into a pleased smile. It might not be much, and the clothes inside might be so worn out that they looked like rags but it was her things and she is glad to be reunited with them.
Onyx smiled seeing the happy look on the blonde's face. She was amazed that such a small thing could make her happy. If that is the case she doesn't mind putting that look more often on her face.
" Thanks, " she said shyly taking the bag from the Queen. She blushed furiously seeing the way the Queen was looking at her.
It made her heart pound.
Onyx nodded and then stood waiting for the blonde to change. When she noticed the awkward glance the blonde kept sending her way instead changing into her clothes she realized that she wanted privacy.
Onyx did her best to fight the redness that crept up towards her face as she turned away from the servant.
Salsa kept a shy glance at the Queen's back as she devasted herself off the Queen's clothing.
She felt a twinge of disappointment as she pulled the cloth off her body. She had loved wearing the Queen's clothes and loved the smell on her, but it feels good to have her things back.
When she tried slipping the gown through her head she felt some pain in her chest and gasped.
Onyx immediately turned at the hurtful sound from the blonde.
" Are you okay? "
Salsa couldn't respond cause she had the gown midway down her head making it a little difficult to speak. Once she was free and could see and breathe she responded.
" I am fine, " she murmured softly.
Staring at her Onyx remembered what transpired yesterday and veiled her anger behind a cold look.
Salsa grew a little wry at the change that came over the Queen's face.
Has she done something wrong?
It was inevitable, she thought with a resigned look as she waited for the scolding that is sure to follow.
Her father has always told her that she was always causing trouble.
Onyx was unaware of the turmoil going on in her blonde servant's head and was more occupied thinking about how she was going to deal with the bastard that dared touch her.
" Come! " she shot the command at the blonde and turned without waiting for acknowledgment heading back towards her parents.
Salsa's heart began pounding in dread as she followed the Queen meekly.
When they both entered they caught everyone's attention.
The other servants were staring inquisitively at the blonde wondering who she is and why the Queen cares for her so.
The Queen's mother was staring at the blonde with veiled anger and hostility. The blonde was trouble, she could feel it in her bones and she was going to make sure she takes her away from her daughter. She can't afford to have one miserly village slum mess up what she has longed for so long.
The Queen's father barely looked in their direction but was more focused on the discussion he was having with the King about making some changes in his cabinet.
There are some offices he was interested in having his own man be in. Like the minister of the purse. He was in charge of the kingdom's treasury and right now the man there was Minister Wang's man. He was trying to intimate the king that the man was embezzling the kingdom's funds and so should be removed.
The King countered his words by asking him to provide evidence, stating that he couldn't remove one of his ministers based on his words alone.
The King was not blind to his father's in laws ambitions and was determined to checkmate it with Wang and his people. His father in laws was the second most powerful man after him with thousands of soldiers under his command, should he try to revolt the King will need the support of the Wang's side, likewise his minister Wang, who is the richest man in the Kingdom, should he decide to go against the throne, the King will need the help of his father in law.
Marrying his daughter wasn't only because he was besotted with her beauty but also to keep her father in check from having any wayward ideas.
The appearance of his Queen took his mind away from his father-in-law and his outrageous demands. All he could see was his Queen which brought a pleased smile to his face but all that disappeared when he noticed the bad look on her face.
What had his Queen angry?
" My Queen, what is it? " he jumped in as soon as the Queen sat down beside him.
" I have a man in the dungeon that I want punished severely, " Onyx growled, a dark look overcoming her pleasant expression.
This came as a shock to the King.
The savage look on his Queen's face made him a little wry and excited all at once. He had assumed the young woman he married to be a delicate flower, maybe he was wrong. The thought merely excited him and he felt his lower region twitch.
" Who is this man and what did he do to anger my Queen? " the King indulges her with a serious look on his face. He was ready to fulfill all her desires that is how much he cares for his young wife. Among all his wives and concubines, the young woman beside him is the only one that has touched his heart and he is ready to give her the whole world if only she asks.
Onyx took a deep breath before recounting the event of last night to the King.
Her mother sitting beside her could only gape at her in disbelief and great annoyance. Once again her daughter is tangled about the damn servant. She couldn't believe she was making a mount hill about something as frivolous as some drunk having a good time with a servant.
" Surely you do realize she is a bloody servant, and the man in question is a free-born, " she snapped unable to hold her peace anymore. Her irritation at her daughter could be heard miles away in her voice.
Onyx turned to fix her mother a cold rigid look.
" My servant mother. What will people think of me should I allow anyone to get away with harming my servants? " Onyx worded her words slowly through pursed lips. She was furious with her mother for trying to make light of what happened. She is a woman for god's sake.
Salsa trembled where she stood at the corner when she realized that the heated discussion going on a few feet away from her was because of her. She swallowed hard with fear wishing that the Queen will forget about the whole incident. She didn't want to cause trouble.
The King nodded his head as both women talked. His in-law was right the girl was only a servant, but his Queen was also right. The girl wasn't just any servant, she was the Queen's servant.
" I will decide on his punishment at the revealing ceremony, " the King told her with a promise in his eyes.
Onyx has all but forgotten about the ceremony. Today the King will be presenting his new queen to the people. She attended the ceremony once with her father when the King got his second wife.
She had been enamored by all the lavished expenses that day being a young girl but right now she wasn't looking forward to the ceremony.
" Shall we? " the King got to his feet and extended his hand to his young Queen to help her to her feet. It was time for the ceremony and they needed to be on their way.
Onyx took his hand and allowed him to help her up and together they headed towards the door.
Everyone else fell in line behind them.
Last in the entourage was Salsa who was doing her best to appear invisible.
Walking together the King and the Queen barely said a word to each other. Their huge age gap wasn't the only thing that created a barrier between them. The Queen didn't love the King and so could barely hide her feeling of revulsion, while the King on his part married her for his own selfish reasons.
Heading towards them from a far distance was the first concubine, Lady Su, she is the first daughter of Minister Wang. Her father had wanted her to be the next Queen but then the King was still married to his second wife and there could only be one queen so he made her his concubine.
Su being her father's weapon to achieve greater power for himself has been used severally by her father to try to get the King's favor.
She was a beautiful woman, elegant soft-spoken, and well-mannered but has never been able to capture the King's heart not the way the new Queen has done.
The woman stopped and watched from afar a weird look on her face as the King and the new Queen passed a few miles away from them.
She is certainly beautiful she thought to herself, a dark feeling piercing her heart.
Outwardly she hid her vicious nature behind the mask of a kind and well-mannered lady. She was jealous of the new Queen's beauty but you could never tell from the serene pleasant look on her face.
A look she has perfected so well that people in the palace consider her to be the kindest lady among all the King's concubines.
" So that is the new Queen? " she commented rhetorically in a weird tone still watching the King and the Queen.
Her head servant not knowing it was a rhetorical question answered.
" Yes, my lady, " she had her hands folded in front of her, head tilted down.
Concubine Su did not acknowledge her servant's words still watching the passing entourage.
Just as they were disappearing from eyesight something else caught her attention.
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