Chapter 65

65 Bring the girl to me

“You can’t get the kiss, off your mind?” Pen asked with eyes wide open.

Neera’s chin blushed lightly; “no not in that way;” she frowned, “I mean, I just can’t get myself to behave like it never happened, because it did, and it’s foolish and stupid of me, but I liked it, I didn’t even struggle when he kissed me.”

Pen’s hands flew over her lips as she stared at her friend in utter shock;

“You’re falling for the king?!” She exclaimed in a whisper.

Neera shook her head abruptly; “No, I’m not. I don’t dare think of the King. It’s just that... you know... that was my first kiss and I did not know it would feel that good, so it can’t leave my mind now.”

Pen burst out laughing; “so now, you want to do it again?”

Neera’s face blushed as she slapped her friend’s arm; “don’t be silly! It’s not like that.”

“Oh, it is! It’s not a bad thing, you’re a woman and it’s natural to feel that way, but you should control yourself, especially around the king, it won’t be funny if he gets intimate with you.

We are in the middle of a bride selection and the Princesses are toiling every day to be queen, you don’t think the dukes will accept this news with open arms if they get to know about it? They would demand your head, and the king won’t risk war because of you, you should know that.

.....

So if the king is coming to you, control yourself and remind him that it shouldn’t be done, because, in the end, it’s your life that is at risk if word gets out, and you alone would die, while the demon king would get himself a bride and live happily ever after.”

Neera sighed when she heard Pen’s words, she was correct. In the end, she was the pawn in the game of chess.

There was silence between them as each buried in their thoughts before Pen spoke;

“On that note, I think I caught the attention of the commander.”

Neera looked up at Pen in surprise.

“Who? You mean General Azriel?”

Pen sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose;

“I do not know what I did to catch his attention, and now he wouldn’t leave me alone. He just wants a bedmate, for a week or two and I do not want that. Other girls would throw themselves at him for a penny, why does he derive pleasure in chasing the one that doesn’t want him?

I so much hate his guts!”

Pen cursed angrily. She wished he would just have a memory loss and forget her. She was enjoying her new job before he came into the picture. Now not only was he pestering her life, but the other maids were also talking about her.

“This is serious, when did it start?” Neera asked;

“Last week. You know; everything is easy for these demons, they treat us anyhow they like because they can get away with it. They don’t even care about how we feel or whether we get hurt in the process. They are just so selfish and heartless.”

Neera sighed; “It’s a demon’s world, and it’ll remain for the longest time, we can only pray to be on their good side. What are you going to do about the commander?”

“I do not know. He said he’s not going to give up until I give in to his demands and I would love to see how long he intends to pursue me because I’m ready to run for as long as it takes.”

Neera wanted to say something else when someone walked up to them;

“Pen, Princess Lyra calls for you, now.”

At her words, Pen stood up and waved at Neera; “I have to go now, we’ll see some other time.”

Neera smiled and waved back, a low sigh leaving her lips as she watched her friend walk away.

...

Back in Kitana’s room, the atmosphere was eerily quiet as no one spoke a word. They knew how she prepared hard to win the test only to get second place, although it was a good win, Princess Kitana did not look happy and they knew that her anger would be unleashed on the next person to annoy her.

The only way they could be free was to give her something else to put her anger on.

The four maids stood in panic as they watched Kitana shred a book into pieces. Her face was relaxed but the slow sound the book made as it was being shredded was enough to tell them that was she boiling with rage.

Suddenly, she laughed out; “A fat ugly Princess,” she said, shaking her head.

The maids looked at themselves, Princess Zelda was fat but was definitely not ugly, and if anyone was ugly, it was she. She was so ugly in her heart.

She came second place and she was this vexed, if she didn’t win at all in the other competitions, then they were all dead.

Kitana raised her eyes to her maids that were fidgeting and she called Rue forward;

“Kneel! ” she ordered and Rue knelt before her, while the others watched, thanking their stars they weren’t the one she had chosen to unleash her venom on.

Kitana stood up and paced about the room.

“I’m so angry, give me something to unleash this anger on, unless you’ll be in huge trouble.”

The girl on the ground looked up with panic as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. What would she do? She did not have anything to say?

“Quickly! I’m running out of patience!” Kitana turned to her, a frown etched on her brows.

Rue trembled as she thought hard about what to say, suddenly her eyes widened;

“The girl, the one who looks like queen Lilah, she lives with the king in his chambers, I am sure of it.”

Rue was not sure but she had heard maids talking about it, so she told Kitana. At that point, she could say anything to get herself out of this trouble, and she did not care who went down in her place.

Kitana paused for a long while, then she breathed out;

“Bring the girl to me.”