Chương 8: TO BE QUEEN
"Don't mind him Akira." Thaggar said gently as he took her hand to lead her away.
Akira stiffly followed and let him lead her ahead. He finally stopped by the door of a room and he finally looked at her but she was looking away.
"Akira." He called out but she didn't answer,"This is your room. I'll ask someone to prepare you a bath and nice food."
She released her hand from his grip and entered the room, shutting the door behind her. Thaggar was left standing alone in the hallway, looking at the spot where Akira had been standing. He sighed in resignation and walked away.
'She just needs time.' he told himself.
Early the next morning, Thaggar woke up and cleaned himself to look good for his wife, hoping she wouldn't give him the cold shoulder.
"Good morning your Majesty." Savvy greeted as soon as she saw him come to the table.
Thaggar nodded and noted Akira and Sarika's absence from the table.
"Where's mother?" He asked looking at Taki for answers.
"She's with Akira."
"And what is wrong with Akira?"
"She has a fever." Taki answered and she noticed Thaggar was about to turn to go to Akira,"Akira doesn't want to see you."
Thaggar stopped and slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
"This is my castle!"
"Give her time." Tak said before Thaggar could make a move,"Akira is strong headed and emotional. I fear she might run away to avoid you if you continue this way."
"She wouldn't make it. The walls are so high...."
"And Akira is a skilled climber. She has climbed the Kakuro mountains her whole life."
Thaggar, helpless, settled into his chair. He let Savvy serve him and ate in silence. He couldn't let this frustrate him this much. He still had to deal with matters of the council before he could rest.
He finished his meal quickly and went to the hall where he found his council members awaiting him. He hardly paid attention to what was being said, occasionally humming and nodding.
"I have concerns about your wedding." Fanak said making Thaggar finally look interested,"Do you plan on organizing another public one here?"
"Yes, that was the initial plan and it won't change." Thaggar responded.
"That too I suppose...after she is out of mourning?" Fanak asked with narrowed eyes.
"No. Once she is settles with our traditions."
Fanak smiled and looked away at the other members of the council.
"Is that all?" Thaggar asked, his eyes sweeping over them.
"Who is to be crowned queen?"
The room fell silent as everyone awaited Thaggar's answer. He looked at Fanak who had asked the question.
"Akira." He answered and there was a hushed murmur that filled the room. None of them wanted to question Thaggar about it after hearing what had happened to Fanak but they all disagreed with the prospect of having a queen who wasn't their own.
"But Akira is foreign to the people..."
"Then you are free to migrate with all your wives and children Tumu." Thaggar answered irritably making the older man's jaw drop at the sheer disrespect.
"But my king, the people....!"
"Will live with it Mahi." Thaggar finished and he immediately stood up, not wanting to hear any more.
The men watched him leave with long faces but they couldn't do anything about it. Fanak was smiling in his seat. It was obvious that the council was slowly losing the trust they'd had in their younger leader.
After Thaggar left, finding himself heading to the kitchen. He entered and saw Akira there, a pleasant surprise. She was cooking something in a large pot and was all alone. He knew she was probably told to do it because it was a rule for a new bride to cook but she was unwell, wasn't she?
"Good afternoon, Akira." He greeted her simply as he walked towards her.
"Afternoon my king." She answered, her words sounded forced.
"Aren't you unwell?"
She was quiet for a while as Thaggar was now standing directly behind her with his hand already taking the ladle from her.
"You should rest. You can perform this duty after our marriage here."
"Another one?" She asked turning to face him him, surprised.
"Yes. The people need to know who their queen is."
Thaggar was smiling with his voice filled with pride as he looked down at her.
"Isn't Savvy meant to be queen?"
"No. Don't speak about her."
Akira noted the change in his tone and facial expression. She pressed her lips into a thin line and just looked at him as though the answer to her question would come from his eyes.
"What are you cooking?" Thaggar asked cupping her chin.
"I'm making a soup. It's recipe is special to my ancestors."
"Mhhm.....it smells lovely."
Thaggar was smiling again but Akira's mind was elsewhere.
"Why can't she be queen and why haven't you consummated....?"
"AKIRA." Thaggar growled steppingstone away from her.
He was massaging his temples while she just stared at him blankly as though she wasn't the one to bring up the topic. Seeing that he wasn't going to answer her, Akira took the ladle from his hand and stirred her soup. Thaggar looked at her, dumbstruck. What was she trying to get out of this? Making her own husband look like a fool.
"What did mother do to you?" Thaggar asked.
"She took care of me, nothing more." Akira answered nonchalantly.
"What did she tell you? You weren't speaking to me."
Akira sighed and looked at him, pausing for a moment.
"She said I should understand that rocks cannot feel anything but hardened clay can be remolded."
Thaggar nodded even though he didn't understand what she meant.
"But....I need to know you." Akira stated stirred the soup once more,"I want to start with why Savvy cannot be queen."
Thaggar grunted in frustration but he didn't try to evade her.
"Savvy is my sister."
Akira dropped the ladle in her hands, her jaw dropped in shock. She found herself at a complete loss for words.
"She is my late father's daughter by another woman. When we married, he claimed she was Fanak's daughter."
Akira remembered Fanak as the man who had welcomed them and found herself even more lost than she initially was.
"Fanaq and Savvy, mother and Taki.....they don't know about it."
Akira just stared at him wordlessly, her mouth hanging low.
"Your majesty."
Thaggar and Akira looked in the direction of the voice finding Savvy standing in the door with a tray in her hands and a wide smile. Akira turned pale wondering if Savvy had overheard them.Savvy looked at Akira and rolled her eyes at Akira then turned to Thaggar still smiling. Akira pitied her but she knew she had no right to tell Savvy the truth.
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