“Do you think that mastiff, Cone, rolled over in his grave?” King Philip’s voice.
Another round of laughter and cheers. “He must have, I’ll bet. He really favored that girl of his, and then he treats other people’s girls to hell on goddamn earth.”
“I bet he thought he’d live forever.”
“Yeah. Didn’t know that Conald’s son was one bad son-of-an-elf who’d have his head someday.”
More laughter. More cheers.
“Lucien really dealt him a big number. And now we get to deal with him in a much better way.”
“His daughter. Damn, the girl was fun. Too bad she’s so weak.”
“Nah, I’d say she’s strong. But Pesih is one angry son-of-an-elf. He carved her up like a chicken.”
More laughter. More music. More cheers.
“Where’s King Lucien? His messenger said something about a petition. Now that one order of business is done, let’s go over to another,” King Zeba said.
King Lucien finally pulled a crying, shocked Danika away from his body. “Baski, take her away. Call Chad to go in there.” He left it unsaid, but he didn’t have to say it. They all knew what he was going to say. Call Chad to take her corpse away.
Even as tears ran freely down Danika’s cheeks, she’d gone into shock. As Baski held her, Danika walked mindlessly away with her.
King Lucien returned to the courtroom and shut the door. It was supposed to be an introduction, not a slaughter. But then again, they were kings. There had been no rules in court. It was just like every other day in any royal court. A slave was dead, and it was as normal as a change in weather.
The slave being Cone’s daughter made it all seem like the best change in weather.
“Snap out of it, Danika! Sally would never want you this way! You must be strong for her!” Baski said as they walked out of the passage that divided the palace from the royal court.
As she talked, they saw Chad. Baski left Danika and ran towards him, relaying the king’s message.
Chad’s eyes darkened, and his hand fisted tightly at his side as Baski quickly talked him through everything that had happened. He walked past them and started towards the royal court. That snapped Danika out of her trance.
She turned and started running after him, determined to go along. She had to see Sally; she just had to! Baski didn’t waste time trying to stop her. Instead, they all followed Chad.
There was another way that led to the inner room without having to go through court. Chad led them through that way, withdrawing a key from the keychain at his side. He sorted through the keys and singled out one tiny key, then used it to open the door.
They rushed inside, and Sally laid there on the table. She was naked and spread out at the table in the pool of her own blood. There were cuts and bruises on her body, and her face was wet, her eyes closed.
Danika stuck her hand into her mouth and let out a muffled scream at the horrible sight.
Chad walked closer and gently lifted her into his arms. He turned towards the door and stopped short when her weak arms suddenly tightened around his neck.
Sally’s eyes opened ever so slightly and found her princess. And then they closed again.
.
.
“She opened her eyes!” Danika gasped, a rare hint of hope rearing its head in her hurting heart. She turned teary eyes at Baski, whose wide eyes showed she saw it too.
Baski rushed towards Chad and gently took Sally’s hand into hers, pressing her finger on her wrist. “She’s alive… barely, but she’s alive!” she gasped.
Chad started carrying her away in hurried steps, but he was careful not to jar her. Baski grabbed Danika’s hand, and they followed him. Danika swiped the tears from her eyes with her free hand even as more fell. She willed herself to be strong. Sally needed her to be strong. She had to!
Why would Sally do something like this? Why did she have to do this!? She hurt immensely.
Chad held Sally with such care, even while he was almost running. Her blood coated his body, and she was floating on that little bridge that separated life and death.
“Take her to the underground room. I’ll get three trusted maids to run some errands to start treatments on her. I’ll rush to Danika’s room; there might be a little piece of Orchiz seed there. We need to stop the bleeding first and hope to the heavens that she hasn’t lost too much,” Baski said, already walking away.
Danika followed Chad to the underground room, one of the secret places in the palace only a few people knew about, and fewer were allowed to go. Danika took the keys from him and, following his instructions, she singled out a key and opened the door.
Chad carried Sally to the bed, which wasn’t dusty from being unused. The room, though almost barren, looked clean and well kept.
Danika rushed to the table and took a cloth she saw, then tore it into several pieces and rushed back to Sally. She used each piece to tie the deeper cuts to stop the bleeding first.
“S-Sally… you can’t l-leave me, do you hear me?” she cried as she worked. Her hands trembled badly, but she managed to get things done.
Chad walked to the wardrobe and sorted through it. He dragged out a big bedsheet he used to cover Sally’s naked body.
Baski came back with two maids behind her. They turned pale when they saw Sally, and one of them teared up immediately.
Baski had some stems in her hands, which she started grinding instantly after she entered. “I already sent out Uyah to the house of the royal medicine man. He’ll be here in a little while.”
Danika raised teary eyes to her face. “Will the king mind? We do all th-this without his permission or orders.” She sniffled.
“Let’s hope to heavens he doesn’t mind, and if he does, we will get punished, but it doesn’t matter.” Her eyes went to Sally. “We would have saved her already… if we’re able to.”
Danika nodded, staring at her Sally who’s eyes were closed, her face pale and swollen. She leaned closer and kissed Sally’s forehead, her tears splashing on her.
“You have to stay alive, Sally. You have to tell me why you did this. Just why did you decide like this without telling your princess about it? Why? Why would you do this to me?” Danika wept.
The maids watched her with surprise in their eyes, but she was oblivious of the world around her. Just her and Sally.
Danika sniffled softly and kissed her forehead again. “I couldn’t bear it if you leave. Sally, please d-don’t leave.” She wondered how she’d bear it if anything happened to the only bright thing in this world she found herself in.
She placed her forehead to Sally’s and her shoulders shook with the force of her weeping.
Vetta stayed in her bedroom, boiling over in anger. It was hell staying there for three noon days. She counted the time until she could get out. It was like being in jail. The only things she learned were from the maids that brought food to her. Her anger calmed a bit and a smile spread over her face.
Today was the Mask Festival, and according to the maid, there was another introduction for Danika.
How she wished she had her freedom; she didn’t want to miss all the excitement of watching Danika’s humiliation and degradation. It pained her on a different level that she wasn’t able to witness it at all. Instead, she was confined in her room like some dog!
Calm down, Vetta. You’ll be out tomorrow.
The reminder made her feel a little better. She needed to know all the gory details of everything that had happened today.
Vetta stared out of her window, unable to sleep. She wished the king would visit her, even if it was for sexual pleasure. Hell, especially for sexual pleasure.
She missed it. She missed him. She missed everything.
He didn’t visit, not once. And she wondered who had been warming his bed.
She gritted her teeth at the thought of Danika in his bed—or on his table. Just the thought of that slave anywhere around him was enough to make her anger boil over.
Aaargh! She hated being in the dark! Hated it badly!