~{DEBORAH'S POV}~
*
My eyes were as wide as saucers as I watched history unfold itself again.
The maiden had an innocent look and behaved meekly when in truth she was the devil incarnate. And truly, she was still as breathtaking as ever with a look of an angel.
For a moment I couldn't react or move as everything came crashing down on my shoulders.
This was the very woman he brought into our home who ruined everything. She was the cause of it all.
As if sensing my gaze on her, she looked at my direction with that fake innocence like she didn't know what she was doing. My blood boiled and I was tempted to lunge at her with a knife in hand, with the aim of slicing her throat open.
"Deborah!"
At the harsh call of my name which lacked warmth, I shifted my eyes to the king as my expression hardened in an instant. I refused to be belittled by him anymore and today I was going to show him what a true queen was like.
"Don't you have manners? Is this the way to welcome your king?" He asked in disdain and the room went quiet as all his men present refused to speak.
I lifted my head in defiance and scoffed before saying, "When did you concern yourself with such things? You've never answered my greetings so what changed?"
At my bold confrontation, his eyes flared at me but I didn't cower, rather I took a bold step into the throne room as my interest moved to the little witch beside him.
"Is this the thing that kept you from returning to me soon?"
There was a loud inhalation of breaths from some men and my ladies in waiting at my heavy confrontation.
"DEBORAH! MIND YOUR WORDS!" He snapped at me but I surprised him by returning the same fervor.
"WHO ARE YOU TO RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME, LAUREN?!"
A heavy silence settled after that and all eyes shifted to me in disbelief.
I'm pretty sure they couldn't believe I would say such a thing to the king.
Well, what they didn't know was that this new me wasn't going to back down, not after how he had treated me over the years.
"How dare you raise your voice at me and call me by my name?" He daringly asked as he rose from his throne.
"I just came back from a brutal war and the least you could do is welcome me and my guest warmly but you do this?" He asked in disbelief and I could see the anger in his face because a vein had popped on his forehead.
"Guest? Who? You mean the lady beside you? Oh give me a break."
Saying that, I turned around while burning in anger as I prepared to leave the room because I knew this wouldn't end well.
"DEBORAH!"
"LAUREN!"
I shouted back and faced him again in annoyance just to find his eyes wide at my sudden stubbornness.
The air was thick with tension as we locked eyes with each other until he made an order.
"Take her to her chamber and lock her up."
At his verdict, I scoffed again but didn't say anything more. I simply stormed out of the throne room before his guards could get me.
Once I was out, I headed the other way and ran only for the guards to pursue me along with my ladies in waiting but I didn't stop. This was how the king always treated me. It was either I got locked up or the other way around.
Funny enough, in the past before I died, when he declared that the maiden beside him would be his wife, I had gone out of control as I demanded why he would do something so cruel to me but all he did was order his guards to lock me up as usual.
But this time, I won't let that happen.
I took a turn and nearly fell due to the heaviness of my dress but didn't. I was surprisingly fast and used that to my advantage by heading to the kitchen where they wouldn't dare look because I rarely go there.
On entering the kitchen while panting with difficulty, everyone stopped in alarm and hurriedly bowed in respect but I paid them no mind as I hurried to the door I felt would lead outside.
"My queen, where are you going?" The head cook alarmingly asked but I didn't respond.
I hurried across the room and through the opened door when I heard metal boots coming my way.
On running through the back door, I looked around in wonder because it felt like I was in another dimension as I had never walked this area before.
Where I come from, we had something similar due to our vast vegetation and endless forests and because of that, it was called 'Prasporia'.
But here in 'Noblemirth', they had few forests with not much rain since it was in the north, unlike the south where I came from which had constant rainfall.
Now back to what I was witnessing. Maids were happily washing sheets afar on the vast evergreen field and male servants were tending to the animals.
When I tried to process everything, I heard a loud cry of alarm as to where I was and I immediately took off as I ran with all my might along the green field, forgetting that I was a queen with standards.
"My queen STOP!"
"PLEASE STOP!"
"YOU NEED TO STOP OR YOU WILL HURT YOURSELF!"
My husband's men shouted after me but I didn't heed their warnings and kept running.
Nevertheless, when I turned to see how far they were from me, I tripped and fell. It wasn't a smooth and graceful fall because I tumbled continuously until I heard a loud splash, making me realize that I must have fallen into a muddy water.
However, when I regained my stamina and tried to get off the muddy water, it was then I saw what I had fallen into and my eyes reacted first before my lips as I screamed in horror.
I was face to face with a huge pig and I was currently in its dirt.
When I tried to get up, I slipped and fell, causing my face to get soiled all the more and I felt extremely humiliated.
Was this my way of getting back at them?
If so then it was pitiful.
I heard snickers and giggles from maids who saw what happened but refused to look at them because of how terribly humiliated I was.
"Your highness, may I help you?" Someone asked and I squirmed as I looked up at the stranger who boldly came up to me.
It was a sturdy man who wore boots and casual clothes, making me realize he was a servant. He offered his hand to me and I didn't hesitate to take it to save the last pride I had.
He didn't laugh, rather he had genuine concern as he helped me onto my feet.
"Your highness!"
"Quick, get new clothes for her!"
"Get a towel!"
"Prepare her bath!"
I heard shouts flying everywhere all because of my silly mistake but my eyes were focused on the man who helped me until my ladies in waiting came to take me away.
"Why did you run, my queen?" Dally, my first lady in waiting asked with a look of serious concern.
"What came upon you, my lady?" Peace, the second inquired as well but I didn't respond.
"If news gets to his majesty, you will be confined for days." My third lady in waiting, Rachel, said in fear and it was then I reacted.
I looked at her with a burning gaze as I said, "Who cares what his majesty thinks? I will make sure to be a thorn in his shoe."
They all gasped and looked at me in fear before looking around to be sure no one heard it.
"I don't think you are well, my queen." Dally concluded as she placed a hand on my forehead and sighed.
When they guided me up the slope, I looked back at the man who helped me earlier and frowned when he looked familiar, especially when he smiled at me. It was a genuine smile, one with concern.
Once I was back up the slope I had fallen from, I was met with the head guard who had a look of weariness as he firmly declared, "We shall be escorting you to your wing now."
************************
Once I was in the bathtub, soaking all the nasty smell of the pigs off me, I became deep in thoughts as I began to think of my next plan since this one was futile.
It was obvious if I pulled this stunt again that he would confine me or have me starve like before so I had to be more strategic about my actions and behaviors. I shouldn't show how badly I hated him, rather I should be coy and cunning.
At that thought I smiled until I heard the hurried steps of my ladies in waiting as they rushed into my washroom.
"My queen!" Dally said in alarm as she arrived with her eyes wide in fear.
"What?" I asked and adjusted in the bathtub with wide eyes as well.
"The king. He's here!" Rachel announced and my heart fell to my stomach.
Strangely, I still feared him and I could already tell what he would say to me once I went to him. He would rebuke me for being stubborn, childish and insensitive.
But who cares?
I had two options now; To be submissive or to be dismissive.
And I choose the second.
"Tell him I don't want to see him," I said in disinterest and rested my head back while closing my eyes.
"What? You can't do that! He will be mad!" Dally said in a hushed tone but all I did was use my hand to gesture for her to leave.
"My queen, please. This won't end well," she pleaded with me but I didn't respond and I heard her leave.
But after a few seconds, I felt a domineering presence and it irritated me, causing me to open my eyes in annoyance as I got ready to give the person a piece of my mind but stopped halfway.
My mouth hung open just like my eyes as I stared at the person I least expected, standing in my washroom, staring back at me with a firm look.
"Lau-Lauren…" I stuttered foolishly but didn't make an effort to get out of the bathtub.
WHEN DID HE GET HERE?!