Decrease Imperial Palace
Linn placed the tray of food she had just brought in on a table in the room. She gazed ahead and saw that Jazell was seated on a swing bench located in the chamber.
In her hands was a smoking hemp; she tilted it, allowing her gaze to scan through it with scrutiny as if contemplating whether or not to use it.
"My lady, smoking is not good for the baby."
Linn says inching closer.
Jazell rolls her eyes, then drops the smoking pipe on a table with a thud.
"I know that, Linn; you have told me a thousand times."
She said with displeasure laced in her voice.
Lately she had given up some of her bad habits just to make sure the baby in her womb comes out without a flaw.
"It is as though my life has come to a standstill. I cannot have wine or smoke; I am losing my mind!
Jazell said, rising from the bench. The sole of her foot found a foothold on the floor, and she made her way to her bed and settled onto it while rubbing her stomach gently.
"Have you written any letters to your mother, my lady?"
Linn asked, and Jazell remained silent for a split second.
"I have not."
She said dryly, before sighing.
"That woman has not written to me ever since I was catered away like some sacrificial lamb from my own kingdom.
What better way can she show that she doesn't care whether I am alive or not?"
"Do not speak such words…"
"I would rather you didn't try to defend her, Linn, lest I transfer my aggression to you." Jazell interrupted roughly.
"She is my mother; eventually she will come to know of my pregnancy, after all… Words spread faster than you think; information doesn't slip from the cold hands of the queen of ice."
Jazell's words were rash, filled with contempt. As she talked, the countenance of her face didn't change; it remained still, cold.
"Should I serve your food? My lady, it is getting cold."
Linn asked, gliding to where the table was; she took the smoking pipe in her hand, then made her way back to the counter where she had placed the food.
Jazell simply waved her hand, giving her a go-ahead.
"Has Micah arisen from her slumber?"
Jazell's voice reached Linn's ears from where she stood serving her a portion of food on a silver plate.
"Yes…words are going round that she has finally regained consciousness."
Linn answered, her gaze still fixed on the food she was serving.
"What a fortunate thing; I am sure Drigo would have loved to write about her death in one of his books, should she have died from drowning in the sea."
She snorted, then crossed her arms on her chest.
"The king, has he been to Racheal's chamber ever since his return?"
She questioned further.
"No…he has been occupied with work lately."
"But she did go to see him, right? Racheal won't give up an opportunity to have him in her hands again."
Jazell said with a snarl.
"He turned her away; he needed to rest…that was what I was told by his personal handmaid, Shalin."
Linn said, placing the food she had served in front of Jazell; the steam emitting from the food curled as it rose up, fading into the wind coming from the open windows.
Jazell was satisfied by her answer; she picked up the spoon and took a scoop from the soup and was about to bring it to her lips but paused.
Her hand hung in the air for a while, then she slowly settled the spoon back into the plate, her eyes darkening as she fixed her gaze on Linn.
"The food…was it tasted?"
She asked, setting the food aside. Linn was busy folding up some of her dress when she paused.
"Of course, my lady, it has the right amount of spices and herbs beneficial for the…."
"To hell with what you are saying. I mean, did you taste the food to check if it is poisoned?!
Jazell shrilled, and Linn suddenly became silent. She dropped the dress she was about to fold, then turned to look at her mistress.
"It slipped my mind; I ask for forgiveness for my lack of competence."
Linn said before bowing slightly, she remained in that position for a while; it was a way of seeking Jazell's forgiveness, and she planned on remaining in that position until she was asked to rise.
But Jazell clearly had another thing in mind.
"When I made you my handmaid…personal handmaid…"
Jazell started off, rising to her feet, her dress dropping to her feet, grazing the floor as she walked.
"It was with careful precision."
Came her voice; Linn could hear the sound of her footsteps approaching, but she remained still, her head bowed, her eyes fixed on the floor.
"Lately you have begun to slack in your duties. I am with a baby, already fed up with life as it is, and you have chosen to add to my burden by having me point out your mistakes every now and then."
The pitch of her voice slowly began to rise, and Linn began to tremble, her breath became hitched, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
Suddenly the room became too hot for her to bear, but it was just Jazell's presence suppressing the oxygen she struggled to inhale.
"What if the food was poisoned and I ate it?"
Jazell questioned, halting before Linn, her crystal blue eyes peering at her.
"It…it wasn't."
Linn stuttered.
Jazell smiled, placing a finger on her chin; she slowly lifted her face, allowing their gaze to meet. She gazed at Linn for a while…then…
Slam!
Jazell struck her across the face ferociously.
Linn felt her head spin.
She saw twinkles and sparks in the air, or was it just her eyes playing tricks on her? The impact of Jazell's hand on her face made her cheeks throb with raw pain.
"You fool!
Jazell cursed before pointing her index finger at her stomach.
"Do you see this?"
She asked with gritted teeth, her finger still pointed at her tummy.
"This is the product of the hard work I have sweated for. You have no idea how this baby in my womb will change my life forever when it is born.
But just like that, your carelessness can ruin things for me!"
Tears gathered in Linn's eyes as she palmed her face, her fingers quivering, her teeth gnashing.
"I am sorry; forgive me, my lady, please."
She said, crumbling to her knees, placing her head on the floor before her mistress' feet, but there was nothing but resentment flaming in Jazell's eyes.
"Guards!
Jazell called out calmly, but loud enough for the guards standing in front of her chamber to hear. Immediately the door nudged open, and two guards stepped in.
"Take her away, and have her flogged… twenty strokes."
Linn thought she heard wrong. She slowly raised her gaze, lifting her face from the floor beneath Jazell's feet. Her eyes glistened with tears as she focused her eyes on Jazell but saw no glint of mercy.
"You shall be forgiven, but there is always a price to pay."
Jazell said before turning away.
Linn gulped down saliva, her throat bubbling in the process; her eyes swelled with uncontrollable tears that she could no longer hold back; she allowed them to flow freely down her cheeks.
The guards moved with action, grabbing Linn aggressively; they picked her up and led her out of the chamber, closing the door behind them.
Jazell's gaze inadvertently landed on the bowl of soup; her throat went dry just by the thought of it being poisoned.
Lately she has become overprotective of the child in her womb, not because she cared or was attached to it, but because she saw the baby as an open door to the end of all her problems.
A few minutes later, she stepped out of her chamber with a cup of wine in her hand, sipping from the wine to her heart's content.
"I see that you have become like a stray dog when your servant Linn is not keeping an eye on you."
Suddenly Micah was standing in front of her, her hazel brown eyes filled with nothing but relish and scorn.
Jazell furrowed her brows, then scoffed.
"Well, well, look who we have here."
She cooed.
"If Linn had her eyes on you, there wouldn't be a cup of wine in your hands, because she knows how dangerous it is for your baby."
Micah pointed out.
Jazell allowed her eyes to scan the latter from head to toe. She looked rather different, empty…but yet full of vigor.
Her dark wavy hair was let down; she was wearing a green dress. The crochet was tight, exposing her cleavage a bit, but it still gave her an elegant look.
In other words, Micah looked nothing like the way she had expected.
"I do not have time for cowards; move!
She said, brushing past Micah while taking a sip from her wine.
"You can testify to my words, Jazell; she is one of a kind, but you do not see it; instead, you exploit her loyalty. Linn is your personal handmaid for goodness sake; what hasn't that girl done for you?"
"Nothing!
Jazell screamed while coming to a halt; she turned to look at Micah.
"You can't begin to think of what I have done for her; her loyalty is nothing compared to what I have given her."
Jazell hissed, irritatedly, before inching closer.
"I know exactly how to treat my servants; you do not have a say in my business."
"Then it is surely a shame that she became your servant. She must curse the day she laid eyes on you, Jazell."
Micah shot back.
"I don't care what you think of me. Call me a coward if you must, just because I tried to flee from a cage in the form of a castle you take pleasure in, but deep down you know I am right.
"You are not."
"I am!
Micah screamed, breathing heavily.
"The last thing I wanted to see was your face. I wanted to be alone in my room, but all of a sudden I heard the screams of a woman, crying desperately.
I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. I rose from my bed and made my way to my window, only to see a maid I recognized, flogged mercilessly, being treated like some kind of animal!
"As it should be."
Jazell answered coldly, her lips barely moving.
"When an animal goes stray, it needs to be tamed, Micah, because if you let the animal go stray for too long, it becomes wild; it goes against its master."
She says, then clicks her tongue, before inhaling sharply.
"How do you treat a dog that has gone wild, huh?
"You train it! Break it, slowly, little by little, until it yields to your command!
Micah shook her head from side to side, eyes wide in disbelief.
"She is not an animal, but you are a beast!
"And I accept it!
Jazell said with a cunning smile.
Micah remained silent; she took some steps backward without breaking her gaze.
"A dog's loyalty is born out of consistency, not violence and fear; you are making a mistake."
She whispers, and Jazell smiles, a leer spreading across her face.
She twirls the liquid in the cup in her hand.
"Tell me something… Have you ever considered your maid, Tamar?"
She asks, and Micah's face changes to that of surprise.
"What about her?"
She asks confidently.
"When you disappeared for days, no alarm was raised until the third day. When indeed the alarm was raised, it was not by your maid, Micah."
"That doesn't prove anything."
She says boldly.
Jazell's smile became even more creepy; it started to bother Micah inwardly.
"Did she not come to draw you a bath or give you something to eat? Somehow she must have known you disappeared but chose not to say anything."
Jazell's words hit Micah with the most unbelievable realization, and for a moment, she was unable to place her words.
When Jazell saw that she was silent, she knew she had won this round of the fight; she smiled.
"This is what happens when a master fails to tame a dog; it loses control and goes against your orders, and it becomes your enemy."
Jazell added, her voice dangerously low, leaning over, she brought her mouth to Micah's ears, then said,
"I will tell you this, Micah: there is nothing more dangerous than an enemy you do not know."