KING CONE’S CHILDREN NON-BIOLOGICALLYK
ing Lucien walked into the dungeon. The two new prisoners knelt before him in greeting.
“Your h-Highness,” they said in unison, their voices showing their nervousness.
King Lucien stood at the entrance of their cell and looked at both women, Coria and Zenia. He had a fleeting memory of Coria back in Mombana. He had never known her to be wicked. Her actions were unexpected. He closed his eyes, and his mind was filled with the image of Danika lying in bed, all bandaged and in pain.
The actions of his people. It was savage.
He stood watching the two women, his expression as hard—as cold—as ever. It made both more nervous. His silence wasn’t making it any easier for them. They waited for him to talk, but he didn’t say a word.
“We’re so sorry! Oh, please! We’re so sorry!” Zenia began crying.
Tears filled Coria’s eyes, and she sniffled silently, looking as remorseful as Zenia. The two older women were still kneeling with their heads bowed.
“I am so disappointed in both of you.” His voice was so calm, but they heard the intensity as if the words were shouted.
They cried harder, sobbing because they were more disappointed in themselves. To think that they spent a great deal of time hating King Cone’s daughter when she kept them alive in the only way she could have. When she did the things she could do to help them.
They should never have agreed with the former slave trainer. They should never have taken his money—or even taken an oath of secrecy. They never expected Cone’s daughter to be innocent, and they never expected to be in this dungeon.
Coria and Zenia were heartbroken. They were no better than King Cone. They should be punished accordingly.
“I’m r-ready to take any judgment you give out, Your Highness,” Zenia whispered in resignation.
“Me too.” Coria knew that even if the king gave them the death sentence they deserved, their children would be taken care of.
With their heads lowered, the women waited for the king’s judgment. It was a long wait.
The silence was deafening.
When he spoke again, it wasn’t his judgment he was passing. “Did you two act alone?”
They stared at each other in fear, glanced at the king, and lowered their heads to the ground. They were afraid of the former slave trainer. He made them take an oath of secrecy. Apart from that, it was rumored that he was a very dangerous man. They weren’t terrified for themselves, but for their children.
“We acted al-alone,” they lied nervously. Coria squeezed her hands together against her plain dress.
People close to the king hadn’t gotten used to his silence. They hadn’t gotten used to the way he had to think his words through and say sentences one after another. Let alone two women in the wrong and awaiting a judgment that might mean their deaths.
The women almost peed their pants as they waited for him to say something. His silence was that unnerving.
Then he turned, giving them his back. “It is only fair that the woman you almost killed becomes the one to pass your judgment. Danika will decide your fate. If she demands your deaths, your heads will hang by the poles before sundown tomorrow.”
He turned and walked out of the dungeon. He took three steps and stopped. “Before that happens, I will return and ask who the mastermind was. Again. You can also decide to tell me the truth, then.”
There was no sound as he walked away with his guards.
Coria and Zenia looked at each other. Silently, they began weeping again sorrowfully. Not only about their children’s lives being in danger, but the late King Cone’s daughter would definitely sentence both of them to death.
Danika drifted in and out of consciousness. Sally waited by her side through it all.
When she needed to relieve her bladder, Sally helped her to the bathroom, and when she needed to take her bath, she was also the one to help her with it. Danika complained about her back aching and relieved her bladder a lot. Sally helped her patiently, with no complaints. Instead, she just wanted her princess to be well again.
As the day progressed, Baski came in and gave her herbs. She changed Danika’s bandages and gave her more sleeping pills. Baski desperately wanted to talk to Danika, but she hadn’t been able to do so. She hadn’t gotten the opportunity because Sally was right there with her, and the anesthetics she gave Danika wouldn’t let her stay awake long enough for that conversation.
Baski also hesitated because she knew it was not a good idea to put pressure on Danika, considering what she had been through. And her condition too.
That was if she was still pregnant. And it was looking like she was no longer.
So she waited. She came in every hour to give Danika medicinal potions, pills, and healing herbs. But when evening came, she returned to the bedroom and gave Sally an errand.
“But who will stay with my princess?” Sally asked, staring worriedly at Danika.
“I will,” Baski assured the girl to soothe her worries.
Sally bit her lips. “She hasn’t eaten lunch. She said she’s not hungry.”
“I’ll make sure she eats something. Call Uyah on your way out and tell her to get some food from the kitchen.”
“Thank you, Madam Baski,” Sally whispered gratefully.
Baski only nodded, her sadness hidden well inside her. She’d seen the king going back to his chambers in the wee hours of the morning. No one knew he stayed with Danika last night, nor the way she saw the king the night before, holding Danika’s hand and kissing it so tenderly.
Baski would have sworn that the king would not care less if Princess Kamara herself saw him in Danika’s bedroom.
Then how on earth could Danika do that to him? Cheat on him with another man to the extent of carrying the man’s child?
“Oh, Danika. What did you do?” she muttered miserably as she stared at the bruised figure sleeping on the bed.
She strode to the table and began grinding new herbs. A while later, Uyah brought in a tray of food.
Baski took the food from Uyah and walked towards Danika, and she sat down beside her bed.
“You have to eat, Danika.” She woke her gently and carefully.