Chapter 67

67 Five times a gold bar

Axel leaned closer to her, and he paused, as though waiting to see if she would pull away but Neera did not move. She just stayed still, her eyes lingered on his lips.

Axel moved closer again, and this time Neera leaned towards him, her heart banging against her chest, but just when their lips were about to touch, there was a loud knock on the door, which sent Neera jolting out of his arms.

Their eyes turned to the door and they took a moment to catch their breaths before Axel walked to it. He waited some seconds and then opened the door, a smile stretched his lips;

“Kitana? ”

Axel called, surprised to see her. He looked behind her and saw a maid looking distraught and he figured out why Neera was trying to hide.

“What do I owe this visit?”

He asked with a smirk on his chin. Kitana blinked; he had saved Neera from Duke Fredrick that night at the hall; and the other day when she saw a girl running down the stairs, she had met him there.

Now she thought about it, it seemed the girl was Neera and he had been protecting her. Kitana narrowed her eyes and she watched Axel for a second;

“Can I come inside?”

.....

She asked, and when Neera heard her, all color drained from her face. She looked around the room for a possible place to hide if Axel let her in.

“Sure, but I must ask, have you given up on your quest for the throne? Do you know what rumors would spread if you’re found in a room alone with a man, let alone a handsome prince like me?”

At his words, Kitana knew he was hiding her. There was no reason to go to that extent just to not let her come in except he was hiding something. She heaved a sigh, and smiled;

“Don’t worry. I did not want to come in anyway. I was just looking for someone.”

“Oh, who is that?” Axel asked and Kitana paused; “Neera, the slave girl who looks like Lilah.”

She spoke and she read his countenance immediately, and as she had suspected, his eyes gave him away.

Axel glanced into the room pithily and looked back at Kitana and shook his head;

“I have not seen her, I thought she was no longer in the Castle? But why are you looking for her?”

“Nothing, I just want to see her. I thought the both of you are close, seeing that you saved her from Lord Fredrick that night.”

“Oh, no we aren’t. I did not want a fight to ensue, that was why I took her away. Anyways, if you see her, do let me know.”

“Sure, I will.” Kitana smiled as she watched Axel shut the door, then the smile disappeared from her chin and was replaced with a deep frown.

Rue stepped away from her as she trembled, afraid of what Kitana would do to her.

Kitana turned to her and breathed;

“Let’s go.” She said and walked forward, her hands holding the sides of her gown. As she went back to her room, her head flooded with thoughts.

She was sure Neera was in the room Axel, and he was trying to protect her. Does that mean there was something between the two?

She thought quietly. No, it didn’t matter. If she was staying in the King’s chambers, it meant that she was important, and the king valued her.

If so, why was she with Axel? Kitana thought and then her eyes dilated. It only meant that Neera was keeping it from the King. The king did not know about her and Axel. Kitana scoffed. To think she had the effrontery to play the king!

A small chuckle left her lips as she thought of the best and most painful way to relay the news to the king. She would let them be for now, and let the king catch them red-handed.

When she got to her chambers, she turned to Rue;

“Do you know any maid in charge of cleaning the King’s chambers?” She asked and Rue nodded.

“Good, call one for me, and call me a servant.”

She ordered and Rue nodded and walked out of the room. As she left the room, she breathed out in relief. She had imagined the punishment Princess Kitana would have unleashed on her for not doing what she asked. She was lucky to come out unscathed.

Rue quicky called the two workers Princess Kitana had asked for, and when they stood in front of her, Princess Kitana waved her to leave.

After she had left, Kitana stood up and opened her drawer. Inside of it were gold bars aranged neatly, one on top of another. Taking out two gold bars, she tossed them in front of them.

The maid and the servant’s eyes widened as they quickly picked up the bars;

“I have a job for you, and if you do it well, you’ll get five times of that.”

Their eyes widened as they looked at each other and then back at Princess Kitana.

“You, you clean the King’s chambers, right?”

She asked and the girl nodded.

“From today, I want you to closely watch that girl, Neera and report to me if there’s an unusual closeness between her and the king. Do you understand?”

She asked and the girl nodded;

“For each report, you bring to me, I’ll give you five times of that.”

The girl gasped and fell to the ground thanking Kitana.

Kitana smiled and turned to the servant.

“I want you to watch where the girl goes to after she leaves the king’s chambers, and any day you see her with Prince Axel, let me know.” She said and the servant nodded.

Kitana smiled and waved them off and they left. After they had gone, she turned to the mirror, a wicked smile stretching her chin.

She would make the King see the girl for what she really is. A piece of trash, that should be tossed away without blinking an eye.

...

Afrer Axel closed the door, Neera sighed a breath she had been holding.

“Thank you...” She said to Axel as she patted her heart, coughing lightly.

“Why are you so wanted? Everyone is just out to get you. What have you done?”

Axel asked as he walked toward her. Neera smiled;

“Isn’t it obvious? I have committed a henious crime by looking like a dead queen. What more reason do they need?

Neera sighed as she walked to a chair and sat down. Axel sat on the table and crossed his arms, after a few seconds, he asked;

“Is the king among those who want to get you?” At his question, Neera looked up at him. He always knew how to pull the king into every discussion, like he was trying to find out something.

A smile stretched her lips and she stood up;

“I do not have the answer to that question, your majesty, and I have to return to my room. Thank you for saving me again. ”

She bowed briefly and turned to the door, but before she could take a step; Axel asked;

“Is the king interested in you?” Neera stopped in her tracks and she turned to look at him.

“You’ve asked me this question before, why are you asking this again?” She asked and Axel thought for a moment before he spoke;

“I know you stay in the King’s chambers. Neera. Rumors spread quite fast in the castle, and I wonder how long you were willing to hide it from me.”

Neera heaved a low sigh;

“it’s not important, is it? There’s nothing you can do. I am only alive because...”

Neera immediately caught herself before the words slipped out of her mouth.

“I’m... sorry.” She stuttered and without waiting for his reply, she ran out the door.

As she walked back to the king’s chambers, Neera scolded herself for almost slipping and telling Axel why she was staying with the king.

She could not trust him with such information, and although she did not want to die and wanted someone to save her, letting him know was going to make matters worse.

He might tell his father the news and they would demand her head, either way she was going to die, so why would she choose to die early?

If she kept quiet, she had a chance of surviving or dying at a later date, but the day she told him why she was with the king, was the day she would die.

Neera was lost in thought as she walked up the stairs and she bumped into someone.

“Sorry...” The person said and Neera looked at him. He was wearing a black cloak, that covered his face, she frowned when she saw his strange clothes, but waved it aside, and continued forward.

But as she took a few steps, her eyes twirled and she nearly fell down. Neera held onto the rails for support as she shook her head, wondering what was happening to her.

She paused for a while to get herself, then continued upstairs, but the more she walked, the heavier she became.

What is happening to me? Neera wondered as it was getting incredibly hard to breathe now. She dragged her feet past the guards, who looked at her strangely but did not ask her a thing.

In less than five minutes, she was incredibly hot and sweating profusely. What was happening to her? Neera could not understand how she was fine a few minutes ago, and all of a sudden, she felt like she was about to die.

She managed to drag herself into the king’s chambers, but just when she was about to enter her room, she fell to the ground and passed out.