CHAPTER NINETEEN
1501 Words
Juan sat on a recliner reading a scroll while Peka paced back and forth in his room biting her nails. He looked up at her an spoke in an irritated tone, ' Stop doing that.'
She turned to look at him and said, 'I can't help it, I'm nervous. Why aren't they back yet? Razan never stays out for long, he should be back.'
'If you cannot control your emotions, I'm afraid our plan will fail before it even begins', Jaun replies.
'Without Razan there is no plan you i***t!!' Peka barked which made Jaun stand up and hit her in the face, making her fall on his bed.
'How dare you? Razan will have your head', Peka hissed holding her stinging cheek. Jaun looks at her arrogantly unaffected by her threat.
'I presumed you were smart upon sighting you and hoped we would be of use to each other. However, it seems I have over estimated your intelligence as much as you have over estimated your importance. Do you really think your Razan would risk war over a w***e?'
Peka tried to protest but was slapped again.
'You will not speak unless I tell you, do you understand?' Jaun asked. Peka looked at him with pure hatred in her eyes but remained silent.
'Good girl', he whispered touching her reddened cheek
'Your outburst just now has made me realise that you that you do not understand your position in our coalition, so let me explain your reality to you', Jaun said returning to the recliner.
He sat down and said, 'In a matter of hours, your prince will return to the palace and his engagement to Birons daughter will be announced. Of course the only virgin daughter of the ravian commander of armed forces would be a far more valued addition to the cudanian courts than a used up royal c*m toilet such as yourself. And to put his new bride at ease, the prince will of course chase you far from his side and leave you alone and abandoned. What will you do then? Nothing. You will do nothing because you can do nothing, because you are...nothing. That is your reality, my beautiful accomplice.'
Pekas tears flowed as Jauns words continued to stab into her soul. She sobbed as he continued to deliver his harsh truths until she couldn't bear to hear more and covered her ears. She felt a soft hand touch her head before two soft but strong hands pulled her hands away from her ears.
'Do you not see that what I offer you is salvation Peka? I want to help you, because I know what is like, I truly understand how it feels to be in the shadows, standing so close to power yet never knowing if you will one day wield it. I want what you want Peka, the positions we both truly deserve which our familes wish to give to people who are less deserving? I can make you the queen of Cudan, but only is you trust me and do exactly what I tell you. Do you trust me?'
Peka nodded and he cleaned her tears with the hem of his sleeve smiling sweetly.
'Now stop crying and let's go over our plan again so I'm sure you understand it. After your prince returns what must you do?' Jaun asked
'I must tell him that I wish stay in Ravia to marry you', Peka whimpered.
'Good, and then?' Jaun asked
'Then I will ask him to be with me one last time', Peka responded again
'Good girl, and where will you ask him to meet you?' Jaun asked again and Peka again answered correctly.
Jaun paced back and forth as he continued to interrogate Peka, listening to her answers and correcting her where necessary.
After a few hours, a light tap was made on one of the double door entrances to the princes room.
'Enter, said the prince.
A female servant comes in and bows saying, 'I bid you good morning your highness, the queen invites you with the crown prince to have breakfast with her in her private chambers.'
Jaun sighs in frustration and says to the maid, 'Tell the queen that I will join her shortly.'
'Yes my prince', the maid responds and leaves.
Jaun looks at Peka who wears a defeated expression and is pleased with himself. He knew that destroying Peka's self esteem will be important for his entire plan to succeed but he had other plans to do that, who knew she would play into his palm so easily by herself.
He sat beside her, nudging her shoulder playfully but she didn't respond to him. He nudged her again and she looked at him angrily but started to laugh when she saw the goofy expression on his face. Hearing her laugh reminded him of a different time in a distant past when he was once truly happy and content.
'You have a beautiful laugh Peka and Razan is a fool to not see the gem that you are. I would truly marry you myself but I know you only have feelings for him', Jaun said softly to her making her blush.
'Stay here as long as you need too, the more servants see you here the better. I will go to my mother now but will meet you in the huge dining room on the east wing. You will wear the blue dress I had sent you last night and come directly to me when you arrive. Do you understand?'
Peka nodded saying nothing.He smiles and pecks her cheek before standing up and walking out of the room. His countenance immediately changes into the unreadable poker face expression he normally carries as he walks towards the direction of his mother's chambers. He is announced and walks in to meet his mother and brother already eating.
'Good morning mother, greetings Arin', he says bowing down.
'Good morning my son, come and sit with me here his mother said patting a chair beside her, while Arin ignores him and drinks from a gold cup. Arin strides towards his mother and sits as instructed.
'Did you sleep well darling?', his mother asked as she handed him a cup of milk boiled with honey and spices, one of his favorite morning drinks.
He shows proper etiquette receiving the cup from her as he responds to her question before drinking the contents of the cup.
'I saw you with the cudanian noble lady last night', his mother stated and he looked at her from the rim of his cup before setting it down saying nothing but continues to maintain eye contact with his mother.
'Is that why you called me here?', Jaun asked
'I simply wish to know your intentions concerning her', his mother responded
'Why?'
'Just answer the damn question', Arin said in an irritated tone.
'And if I don't?', Jaun responded defiantly without looking at his brother.
'Jaun we are worried about how your association with her will affect your reputation, if you are interested in settling down I can make arrangements to find you a decent wife', her mother said gaining her sons attention.
'I will pick my own wife mother', Jaun responded
'You've said that for years and yet brought no one', his mother responded
'That's because he keeps marrying them all', Jaun responded pointing to Arin, surprising his mother and angering his brother who slammed his hand on the table upon hearing Jauns words.
'Leave us', the queen said to the servants in the room who cleaned the mess made by Arin and all stepped out. She ordered Arin to sit down.
She turned to Jaun and asked in an authoritative tone, 'Is that why you chose to be with a cudanian w***e instead?'
'Mother, she was bored in the absence of her prince and I chose to be her companion. To be honest, I truly like her company', Jaun responded.
'And what have you learned by keeping her company?', his mother asked
'I truly desire her', Arin responded
'As a person or as a meal?' Arin asked
'Woudn't you like to know?' Arin to responded
'Stop it both of you, we are so close to getting what we want, we cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves', the queen scolded.
'I know you are up to something Jaun and I swear if I find out you are plotting against me, I will forget we are brothers.'
Suddenly there was a loud insistent banging on the queens door with lots of commotion going on outside, making the sons jump up ready to protect their mother
'Who's there?', the queen asked with authority
'CALAMITY YOUR MAJESTY! CALAMITY!', screamed a servant outside. Jaun ran to the door and opened it to find many servants kneeling in tears on the floor.
'What is it? WHAT'S WRONG?' Jaun asked.
'The...queen...the...queen', a male servant tried to say while sobbing
'JUST SPEAK!', the queen screamed
'The...queen of Cudan, she is dead', the servant said.
- Writer
