SOMETHING IS WRONGD
anika was so stressed; she knew she’d urinate on herself if she were there any longer.
She knelt in front of King Lucien. “I w-want to use the bathroom, M-Master.” Her voice trembled.
“Five minutes,” was all he said.
“Th-thank you, Master.” She got up and walked towards the door. The guards opened the door for her, and she walked out.
Outside the courtroom door, Danika had the insane urge to run away—to run as fast as her legs could carry her. She couldonly run to the bathroom. There was no escape from this place—from Salem or the palace—from the introduction.
In the bathroom, Danika was hyperventilating, and tears ran down her cheeks. She closed the door, leaned against the wall, and started sobbing. Her world was crashing down around her. She was breaking down before anything even started. But she couldn’t help herself.
Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are.
As she used the bathroom, Danika cried as much as her heavy heart could allow. Her heart filled with fear.
“You can do this, Danika. You can do it,” she whispered to herself hoarsely.
Afterwards, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom’s mirror. She wiped her tears, grateful that her eyes weren’t swollen—just a little red behind the mask.
Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are, Danika. Keep your head high. You can do this.
Danika opened the door and left. As she walked towards the throne room door, she was surprised to see Baski coming towards her.
There was visible relief in the older woman’s eyes. “Danika, there you are. I was looking for you.”
“I took permission from the king to use the bathr—” she tried to explain.
But Baski hurried towards her and took her hand. “There’s some work I need you to do.”
“But the king—”
“I already told the king about it, and he gave his consent. Now quit being a troublemaker and follow me,” she commanded.
Danika snapped her mouth shut. Baski was already walking in those hurried steps of hers, and Danika followed her. She didn’t understand why the woman was calling her away.
What could Baski possibly need from her that couldn’t wait until after the introduction?
From his throne, King Lucien stared at all the kings. He tried not to think of what was going to happen here.
He tried not to, but it went into his icy heart and stamped itself there. He closed his heart to it and swore again that he would fight for a greater future.
He would never give up. If he had to, he would die trying. For his people. For the lowborn. For him. For his father. He wanted this introduction to be the last of his reign. This introduction would happen because his kingdom couldn’t afford to go to war now for many reasons; it was not even an option.
But before the day was over, he was hoping to get King Noir and King Zeba to be on his side in the fight to abolish some traditions. He knew for sure that Moreh and Philip were lost causes; they would never agree to it. He didn’t know where Pesih stood yet, but he intended to find out.
But as for Noir and Zeba, Lucien heard both kings had never attended introductions in any kingdom before, and according to his findings, the slaves of these two kingdoms were being treated as well as humans should be.
These kings were here now not because they found fun from the Introduction of King’s Slaves but because it was the late King Cone’s daughter.
It was about anger, hate, and revenge. It was not about the introduction; it was about the introduced.
He knew he could persuade them to join his side in the fight to abolish some inhumane laws.
When the door opened and a woman entered the courtroom, King Lucien knew almost immediately that something was off. The woman behind the mask was not Danika.
He sat up on his throne and surveyed her carefully. Same clothes. Same hair. Same mask. She wasn’t Danika.
How did he know this? The woman behind the mask walked towards him and lowered herself to the ground beside him.
Maybe it was because his slave was a little taller than the person behind the mask. Or because of the difference in regality. Danika’s poise always emphasized her previous status, and even though this person almost had the poise, it wasn’t the same.
Then he saw the way the girl’s hands trembled at her sides, even as she curled them into fists to stop the shaking.
Sally. The girl behind the mask was Danika’s former personal maid, Sally.
How did this happen? And where was Danika?
Before he could say something about it, King Philip stood and commanded “Danika” to go to the inner room.
The girl didn’t hesitate; she stood. And that was when King Lucien looked into her eyes. He saw fear and sadness. Above all, he saw determination.
She practically wore her intentions in her eyes. They said, “I wasn’t forced to be here. I want to protect my princess. I will do anything to protect her.”
Danika followed Baski to the backyard, where the woman ordered her to carry some wood to the storage shed and arrange it properly.
She’d wanted to question Baski, but the older woman dismissed her by turning and setting off to another thing altogether.
How could Baski bring her out from something as important as ‘introduction’, just for her to carry logs from one place to another?
Something was definitely off.
Time dragged by. The more Danika carried the wood, the more her back prickled. Her chest became heavy. She felt uncomfortable.
Something was off. Something was wrong. Whatever it was, it must be terrible to affect her this way.
Danika forgot all about being a slave that never questioned orders and dropped the next log she carried.
“B-Baski?” she called. It surprised her that her voice was trembling.
“What is the matter?” Baski dropped the broom and stared at her.
But Danika found Baski couldn’t look her in the eyes—or at her face. “What’s g-going on, Baski? Why am I here instead of the royal court?” she asked hoarsely.
Baski’s eyes still couldn’t meet Danika’s when she said, “Do you have to question orders? You do what you’re asked to and leave the rest until then.”
But her words didn’t come out as harsh as she wanted them to because her voice trembled in the end.
Danika’s heart suddenly caught in her throat. Something has gone so wrong, her mind whispered dreadfully.
Danika whimpered and shook her head repeatedly. She took two steps back, turned, and started running toward the royal court.
“Danika! You can’t go in there!” Baski’s shout followed behind her.
What was happening!? Danika’s mind was in turmoil. This wasn’t just Baski saving her; something was terribly wrong.
King Cone’s daughter couldn’t just disappear from the royal court and everything continue being peaceful. What was going on!?
No one could be a fast runner in an extravagant corset gown, and so she could only run at a minimal pace, which made it easy for Baski to catch up with her several feet before the door.
Baski grabbed her by the arm and whirled her around. “What’s wrong with you!?” she demanded, but there were tears in her eyes.
Danika’s heart flew out of her chest at the sight of those tears. “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
“She wouldn’t want you here, Danika. Come on, let’s go. Now!” Baski dragged her away from the throne room.
Danika dug her feet to the floor, not moving an inch. “She? Who’s she?”
Music started playing inside the courtroom. They heard laughter and shouts and cheerful words. The celebration was going well.
“Who is she, Baski?” Danika asked again, her throat suddenly dry.
“If you go in there, you’ll ruin everything, and all her efforts will be in vain, do you hear me!? You wouldn’t achieve anything going in there except getting you and Sally into more trouble! They will execute her! All her efforts will be in vain!” Baski whispered heatedly.
Danika froze. Her throat suddenly went so dry, like sandpaper, and she gulped. “S-Sally?”
“Oh, Creator,” Baski moaned when she realised what she said. She’d been so agitated she’d made a mistake.
But it was already done. She told her the truth.
Baski held her hand tight even as she raised her chin. “Sally is in there. She took your place.”
All the blood drained from Danika’s face. She suddenly felt faint. She would have fallen if Baski hadn’t caught her.
She went into a trance right in front of Baski’s eyes.
“No, no, no, no,” she could only whisper as tears filled her eyes. “No, it can’t be”
“Danik—”
“No. Oh, Creator, no.” She raised eyes filled with unshed tears to Baski’s face and whispered pleadingly, “Please, tell me… it’s not true. No, no… oh, please.”
Then she heard scream so loud from a voice so familiar, something died inside Danika at the very sound of it.
.
.
.