Chương 3: Tempted by the allure of power

The Queen Mother clutched the baby tightly in her arms and turned around to face her handmaiden, who was holding a knife, and her hands stained with blood. "Morina...you...you.." Her voice broke. For years she had trusted Morina, but now it lay shattered in her blood.

"Your highness, forgive me. In the world of betrayal, even the most loyal are tempted by the sweet allure of power. The Queen promised to elevate my daughter's status by marrying her to the commander-in-cheif, in exchange for your life. The power and wealth such a position would bring were too tempting to refuse."

"Your life is the only insurance for Lady Arathea and her daughter's safety here. So, the Queen and I plotted and brought you here unarmed and unguarded. Now, I am left with one last task - to end your life and present this baby to the Queen for execution," Morina coldly declared, her eyes flashing with malice. With a desperate attempt to take the wailing baby, Morina lunged forward with the knife, but Rohana, with her lightning-fast reflexes, evaded the attack and swiftly turned the tables. The blade Morina held moments ago was now embedded in her own stomach, thanks to Rohana's quick thinking.

"Your hunger for power has brought your end."

Rohana clutched the baby tightly to her chest, the sound of approaching footsteps echoing in her ears. She knew she wouldn't get far with the knife wound in her back. She scanned her surroundings and spotted a thicket of trees and bushes to her left. As she took cover behind the shrubs, she noticed a small reed basket lying nearby.

The guards who arrived on Queen's orders to capture the Queen Mother, widened their eyes as they beheld the lifeless form of Morina lying on the ground and parted the river before them. "It can only be the work of the Queen Mother. Only she possesses the power." One of the guards whispered.

"You...go inside.."

"No..you first."

As the two guards bickered over who should enter first, suddenly, one of the guards made a hasty move, shoving the other into the parted river. The water immediately merged back together, swallowing the guard whole. The other guard took a step back in fear, but before he could escape, Rohana sliced the blade deep into the guard's back, sending his body to the ground.

With the baby bundled tightly in the basket, Rohana cautiously made her way down to the riverbank. As she dipped her fingers into the water and whispered a spell, a shimmering figure arose from the water - a mermaid with long flowing hair and scales that glinted like precious stones in the moonlight.

"Riverena, I don't have time to explain. I entrust my granddaughter into your care." Rohana kissed the baby's forehead, and as she handed the baby to the mermaid, the infant gripped her finger tightly, reluctant to let go. A tear rolled down Rohana's cheek. She removed a ring from her finger and placed it in the infant's tiny hand, which she clutched tightly. Turning to Riverena, she said, "Take this child to Vagarintha Kingdom to my daughter. She will be safe there. I assure you that no harm will come to you until you cross the borders."

Riverina swam for the entire night, and when she thought she had reached the Kingdom borders, two fishermen captured her for her tears to squeeze the pearls and took the baby to sell her to a brothel.

The fisherman went to a brothel establishment in the city where the large living room was packed with women, some eagerly waiting to get their holes filled while some others escorting their chosen men to private chambers.

A voluptuous woman resembling the size of a drum sat upon the wooden swing suspended from the ceiling, clearly the owner of the brothel. Her face was punctured with gaping pores as if someone had stabbed it with a needle.

"Madam Minera, this fatty fisherman brought a new girl." A eunuch standing next to the fat woman spoke up. His hand held a small, gleaming silver box. Opening it, he smeared the paste of lime onto a beetle leaf, placing an areca nut within before deftly rolling it. He then presented the concoction to the woman. "Here it is, madam."

"Bring it here."

The eunuch took the baby into her arms from the fisherman and delivered it to Minera. As her eyes locked with the baby, who stared back at her without blinking, she traced her face with her calloused fingers.

"Eyes like celestials." She whispered, unable to take her eyes away from the infant. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the infant's gaze. She could already foresee she would turn into a beauty. Retrieving a pouch from her waist, she flung it toward the woodcutter. "A hundred copper coins," She declared.

The fisherman greedily counted the coins, satisfied with the money.

"Such a waste of beauty for a brothel trade." The woman said, shifting her attention to the eunuch. "Send her to the Tawaif establishment, and assign Hartha as her wet nurse. She will be trained as a courtesan to please the high and elites."

.....

Scents of exotic jasmine perfumes lingered in the air, intertwining with the soft music floated by the musicians inside the courtesan establishment. Clad in delicate silken garments, they exuded an air of elegance, their attires accentuated by the sparkle of jewellery. A mark adorned the courtesan's foreheads.

A wide corridor from the entrance stretched inside, lined with elegantly draped curtains that concealed private chambers for intimacy with high-class men.

"I heard the royal court Minister is visiting our establishment. Will he be heading straight to Andra's chamber once again?" One of the courtesans enquired, reclining inside the pool, taking a long drag of smoke from the long water pipe, swirled with intoxicating scents of rich spices and exotic herbs.

"That temptress knows how to captivate the elite men of our kingdom with her seductive dance moves." Remarked another courtesan with a hint of scorn, her nimble fingers weaving threads through the fabric under the flickering torchlight. "The king is even smitten by her. He promised her a pearl necklace, the very one that adorns the Queen."

The rest of them joined to contribute to continuing the gossip.

Just then, the eunuch stepped into the establishment, cradling the infant in his arms. "Ladies, you have a new sister here."

The courtesans hurriedly gathered around him.

"She is beautiful."

"Look at her eyes. So captivating."

They cooed and fawned over the infant, pinching her rosy cheeks playfully, eliciting tears. However, the eunuch swiftly snatched the baby from their grasp. "You are scaring the baby."

Ascending the staircase to the second floor, he carried the child away to the chambers where young girls and babies were nurtured.

The eunuch saw a wet nurse feeding a baby.

"I brought a new baby, Hartha." The eunuch said.

"Another baby?" She sighed. "Such a tiny one! I feel pity for her."

"She doesn't know her life will never be the same from today. The heavens have decided her fate. Ensure she is fed well. Tonight, she will be taken to the first God temple for the ceremony that marks her as a courtesan." The eunuch said and left. The courtesans of their kingdom had to undergo a ceremony where a mark would be inscribed on their foreheads with a needle, branding them as the kingdom's property. From that day forward, their sole purpose was serving and pleasing the royals and nobles. They were forbidden from marrying or escaping the establishment. Even if they managed to escape, the rules of the kingdom made it impossible for them to find refuge elsewhere.

No one had succeeded in escaping the clutches of this establishment until now. Little did the eunuch know tonight would mark a turning point where the tides of fate would shift.

Meanwhile, inside the living space, a sudden commotion pierced the air, capturing the attention of the assembled courtesans. "The Minister is here!" The words spread like wildfire, igniting excitement among the women. They hurriedly gathered at the balcony, eager to glimpse the alluring man.

A tall man stepped out of the carriage, casting his gaze upon the balcony where the courtesans stood. "My enchanting beauties," He uttered with a mischievous wink, evoking a vibrant blush that danced upon their cheeks.

The Minister instructed the coachman to wait and enter the establishment, completely unaware of the secret passengers who were hiding inside the secret compartment of the carriage.

Seconds passed in silence.

A boy, no older than five, tugged the door and slipped out, hiding behind the carriage to evade the coachman's watchful gaze. Realizing that there was a certain dimwit fool still stuck inside the carriage, he cursed under his breath. He hastened over and forcefully dragged a boy with him.

"Why in the world did you drag me here, prince? If my uncle sees me here, he will make me dance on hot coals for an entire day." The boy murmured in hushed tones, his lean frame trembling.

"That's precisely why I insisted you transform into a fruit vendor attire. You would have definitely rocked in those rags like a peacock strutting its feathers. Now don't give me that scowl. Your comical appearance brings smiles to the dullest of faces." He whispered, his fingers gently caressing the intricate sun-shaped ring adorning his hand. His striking features spoke volumes of his captivating charm, a magnetic allure that captivated all. A regal aura emanated from him as if he were born to command attention.

The prince surveyed the establishment, his gaze tracing the alert guards stationed throughout. He swiftly snatched two stones from the ground, and, with the practised aim, he hurled the stones towards the fencing with his two hands precisely.

"Look! Something is there." The guards screamed, and sensing danger, they swiftly rushed towards the fencing. Seizing the moment, the prince dragged his dimwit friend into the establishment.

He ducked behind the pillars whenever a courtesan or servant came into view. Drawn by an inexplicable pull, he ascended the stairs to the second floor as if guided by an unseen soul.

"Why are we here?"

He didnot reply.

Is he here to kidnap a baby? The lanky boy pondered in his mind. Given his weird behaviour and bizarre actions, it wouldn't be a surprise to him if he had developed a fondness for abducting babies as a pastime.

Oblivious to his friend's thoughts, the prince hid behind the pillar, seeing a woman within the chambers, talking with a servant.

"Let the eunuch know she has been fed and is ready for the ceremony tonight." Hartha, the wet nurse instructed the servant before departing.

Once the chamber was empty, he immediately stepped inside. He meticulously inspected each baby. Then, in a sudden moment, he became frozen in place, unable to will his legs to move an inch. Holding his breath, he gazed at the baby nestled in a cradle, his eyes locked onto her sleeping eyes. As if his gaze penetrated the depths of the tiny baby's soul, in a surreal twist, the infant stirred from slumber.

"Is it you who called me here?"

How dares this little one command me here?

.....

Who do you think the boy is? Our ML? or not?

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