Tamina was seated on a wooden armchair in her chamber. Her red hair cascaded beside her face as the ink pen in her hand moved smoothly from the beginning of the scroll to the end. Her grey eyes were fixed on what she was writing when a maid entered her room with a tray of food in her hand.
"My lady, your breakfast is ready." Celin announced dropping the foot on a small stool beside the bed.
Tamina had finished what she was writing; she rolled the scroll up, then tied a red rope around it. "Have this delivered to a raven; I want my mother to get this letter as soon as possible."
Hahn took the letter from her and nodded in obligation. Tamina rises to her feet and then makes her way to where the food is set. She sat down to have her meal, but just then she paused.
"You…come here." She said to a maid arranging her bed. The mailman walked up to her.
"Taste the food." Tamina said, crossing her legs elegantly. The maid feared for her life, but she had no choice; she crouched down, taking a spoon. She scooped from the pork soup and then brought the spoon to her mouth.
The soup was delicious!
There was nothing wrong with the soup; after taking a few more spoons, Tamina asked the maid to leave.
The door to Tamina's chamber opened, and Queen Mother Selena stepped in. She looked graceful in the yellow gown she was wearing, and her dark hair was packed in a low bun.
"Queen Mother..." Tamina whispered softly, dropping the spoon she was using to eat; she wanted to rise to her feet.
"Oh no, no, don't get up, sit, dear." Selena quickly said.
Tamina obeyed and reclined on the bench chair she was seated on; Selena walked over and sat beside her.
"You are putting on weight." Selena smiled, her eyes roaming all over Tamina's body. Tamina smiled faintly.
"The baby has been making sleeping difficult for me lately. I have a huge appetite too." Tamina complained bluntly.
"It is always like that sometimes; I cried when I had Ragaleon in me. He was a handful, always kicking and moving; during labor he literally popped out, ten minutes into the labor." Selena smiled as her eyes became a little distant.
"What was he like? The king? Tamina questioned bringing a spoonful of soup to her mouth.
"He was always too hard on himself as a little boy. He would study all day and learn sword fighting with the commander of the guards. I was always afraid for him, but he showed a lot of courage." Selena said, then placing her hand on Tamina's stomach, she continued.
"What you have in you is special, Tamina, this unborn child… Be it a boy or a girl, it will be the first seed from Ragaleon. I want you to protect it at all costs."
"I will, queen mother. Although it has not been easy, I want this child to come into this world as much as you want to see him.
"And when he or she does, I will bless the child, because that will be my first grandchild." Selena smiled, then wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Years have flown so fast; I am about to be a grandmother! She said, slowly rising to her feet.
"The child will be happy to have you as his grandmother." Tamina said, smiling in satisfaction.
"I will take my leave now; rest a little. If you get bored, you can meet me at the garden; I will teach you a few tricks on how your pregnancy can be an advantage in gaining favor from the King.' Selena said and then winked.
Tamina was glad she had curry Selena's favor; she watched as the latter made her way out of the room. Then rubbed her stomach out of habit before shifting her attention to her food.
Vinson was in his chamber when a maid walked in. The maid started taking off the beddings layer by layer. When she removed the first black layer, a white layer came into view. The white layer was smeared a little with blood.
The maid blushed, then shifted her gaze to Vinson. Vinson was standing in front of the mirror brushing his hair, but when he saw the maid gazing at a bloodstain on the white bedsheet from the reflection of the mirror…he instinctively turned around.
"Have that washed up, and let me not hear a word about it." He ordered in a deadly tone. The maid nodded shyly, then focused her gaze on her job.
Just then Helena walked in; she found Vinson brushing his thick black hair, his blue eyes fixed on the mirror. She hugged him from behind, resting her head on his back.
Vinson placed his hands on hers and then spun her around; now she was standing in front of him. He placed a kiss on her forehead.
"It was the best night of my life." He whispered in her ear. Helena blushed, then locked her eyes with his.
"I am sorry I left you at the dance floor; I had to do something very important." She said, and Vinson smiled, sliding a string of hair behind her ears.
"I am not talking about that...
"Helena…your mother wants to see you." Leah was suddenly at the door, her pupils dilating.
Helena glared at Leah for a while before turning her attention to Vinson. She placed a kiss on his mouth, then smirked before turning around and walking away. She paused at the doorstep and gazed at Leah, her eyes filled with the satisfaction of what she just did.
Helena finally walked past Leah, purposely allowing their shoulders to bump in the process.
"Leave." Leah focused her gaze on the maid. The maid quickly packed the beddings and scurried out of the room.
"Prince Vinson, we need to talk." Leah said, fondling the silver ring on her finger, which was covered with a black hand glove.
Leah was walking past Vinson's chamber when she saw Helena hugging the latter from behind. At first she was envious, but then she heard Vinson bringing up the topic of the night they spent together. She became anxious; she immediately called Helena's name and lied that her mother sent for her.
"Can it wait till noon? Vinson asked, sounding all nonchalant around Leah.
"No, it can't; it is important we discuss this." Leah said, and Vinson paused what he was doing, then turned to look at her. She was standing beside his bed, her small frame resting on the wooden pillar of one of the four corners of the bed.
Her violet hair was braided in a fishtail; she was wearing a purple hood that had a collar and a zip running from the chest up to her neck. A small portion of her back was open with just a rope tied, which was holding the gown together.
"Go on," Vinson said.
"On the night of the festival, you were drunk… I helped you to your chamber….
"Helena helped me to make a chamber." Vinson corrected.
Leah blinked her lashes, frustrated….
"I was the one you slept with that night, not Helena." She released the bombshell.
Vinson froze on the spot; she stopped brushing his thick hair. Slowly he dropped the wooden comb on the dressing table, then languidly turned to gaze at Leah.
"You slept with me?! His voice was filled with dread.
"You forced yourself on me. I was only vulnerable enough to agree to it at the end." Leah said with a remorseful tone. She could understand the latter didn't like him one bit.
"You knew I was betrothed to Helena! Vinson raked his hand through his hair, placing the other hand on his waist as he paced to and fro in his chamber.
"Who else knows about this? Vinson asked, turning to look at her.
"No one… I didn't say anything to anyone." Leah had her eyes fixed on the floor as she fondled the silver ring on her finger.
"Good…we will keep it that way." He said that and then walked past her.
"You can, at least, apologize for taking away my innocence." Tears stung Leah's dark eyeballs. What hasn't she done to impress this man? Yet he won't even look at her.
It was so painful to see him walk away like that, as if nothing happened.
"I was drunk….
"That doesn't change anything." Leah's voice was hoarse. Vinson glared at her for a while, both his hands crossed behind him, and then he slowly made his way to her.
He pressed forward, his face only an inch away from his.
"Did you or did you not enjoy that night? He asked with a serious face. He knew Leah liked him; if that was the case, she shouldn't be complaining.
Leah was quiet, her pupils dilating as her lashes became wet with tears. She refused to say a thing; of course, she enjoyed every single thing he did to her that night.
Leah was quiet; her silence did the talking. As tears streamed down her fair cheeks, she didn't break her gaze away from Vinson.
"That's what I thought." He said, leaning away.
"For the sake of your innocence, I am sorry. You are the King's stepsister; suitors will flood the castle. You don't have to worry about anyone rejecting you because you are no longer a maiden." He said that and then finally walked away.
Leah shut her eyes steadily, allowing the tears in them to roll down her cheeks. She pulled out a handkerchief from inside the dress beside her boobs, then wiped her tears.
She walked out of the room, her pace unstable. But soon she regained herself and wore her mask for negligence, he his void of emotions, and she her steps with precision.
She was walking along the long open-air hallways, the wind in her hair, but she paused. Tilting her head, she could see Helena and Vinson walking side by side, holding hands.
She looked away, shutting her eyes simultaneously, and then finally made her way to her chamber.
The first thing she did was throw a candle stand at the mirror in her chamber, and the mirror came crashing down.
Then she crumbled beside the broken pieces, and taking hold of a piece, she began to incite it into her wrist. Even as blood gushed out, she didn't feel any pain; she was lost in her track of thoughts.
This man hasn't just broken her heart; he broke her.