I gathered my clothes upwards to make walking easier for me. It had been a month since I had arrived in the Elavan Kingdom, and I still had not gotten used to the rough pathways that served as hallways in the palace. It had been one month since I realized that I was going to fail and I hated it. It made me itch and it made me want to scratch my bones.The reason why I was the Elavan Kingdom in the first place drifted into my mind and I swallowed. My job was simple: make the Crown Prince, Karl Collins Edwards, marry me. A simple job that I had failed to do for the past month. As I increased my pace, I remembered standing in front of my father, my head held high, promising him the marriage scroll in two weeks.I also clearly remembered that the ministers in the throne room had clamored that my younger sister be sent instead. She was more beautiful and enchanting than I was. She would get the job easier than she would have but I was adamant on going; my motherโs pleas and reasoning had f
By the time I regained consciousness, I was in a dark room with the only light coming from a tightly closed, broken window. โWhere am I ?โ I asked none in particular as I staggered to my feet. The last thing I remembered was someone knocking me out. I quickly looked around the room, but it did not help; I tripped over something unknown and fell face down on the floor.โOh my god,โ I whispered as I pushed myself to my feet once more.I had been kidnapped. By who?I tried to find my way around the room again and found the door. I didnโt waste any more time and started banging the door heavily.โLet me out!โ I yelled. I continued banging the door heavily, โLet me go!โ I continued yelling and I hadnโt gotten the chance to continue banging when I heard the door opening from outside. I quickly shuffled some steps backwards and the door opened. The sudden burst-out light made me raise my hand to cover my face.โWhy were you yelling? Do you want to break our eardrums?โ The person who had ope
I didnโt know how long I had been in that room for. I had stopped counting and I had grown numb to everything that was happening. The room was immersed in less darkness because the broken window had gotten even broken and more cracks had appeared in it, letting in more streaks of light.I stared at the untouched plate of food a few meters away from me and hugged my legs tighter. Tears streamed down my cheeks at my situation once more. My father had died and I had killed him.I had killed him by being a useless daughter. I was so useless that I couldnโt even get him a marriage scroll that would solidify his position in the Council of Kings. I spent over one month trying to convince a bastard to marry me. I had long known that there was nothing like marrying for love as a princess, so I was barely bothered about the fact that there was no love between me and Karl. I just wanted to marry him for the benefits that it would serve my kingdom.It was the least I could have done for him but y
By the time I opened my eyes, there was a slight ache on my side and I found myself on the floor of a room I didnโt recognize. My memories came washing over me in seconds and I sat up immediately, pushing myself towards the wall. I just couldnโt fathom the fact that Jonathan had actually jumped after me and saved me.I had thought I was going to die; I did want to die. I had thrown all my hopes and dreams to the wind the moment I realized the amount of torture that was awaiting me if I tried to survive in the Berg Kingdom; it was even impossible to try to survive. I had already imagined the humiliation and the suffering awaiting me and besides, I was yet to forgive myself for allowing my father to be killed right in front of me and I couldnโt do anything. The only way to redeem myself was to die and who would have thought that Jonathan wasnโt having it? His words before I passed out rang in my ears and I shivered unconsciously. โEven if you want to die that badly, you cannot die with
My right hand held my left hand as Aurora led me through long hallways, and I was sure that if I tried to find my way myself, I was most certainly going to get lost. My left hand had been scarred, and my new bracelet made it hard to carry. My face was still tear stained as I walked behind her.The fresh scent of her shampoo waffled quietly into my nose, and jealousy seeped into my veins as I tried to keep up with her pace. I hadnโt even taken a proper bath in almost a week, and whoever had given a bath, or, in proper words, a scrub, had done a terrible job. I didnโt dare say a word. The iron sponge used to scrub my body was making my body ache terribly, but I didnโt dare voice out a word.As I walked behind Aurora, I began to think. I had learnt her name after Jonathan had said something to her. She was the head slave, and for one, I already knew that she disliked her. That was already very clear.As we kept walking, I could easily see the kind of looks other people gave me: hostile,
Reality was dawning on me after that fight. Aurora had watched me get bullied, almost beaten and did nothing but the moment I started to fight back, she was already on my neck with threats. I ignored the more hostile gazes I received as she led me through another walkway. I couldn't help but realize that the slaves here looked anything but like slaves. They werenโt well dressed but they werenโt poorly or shabbily dressed either. And despite their hostility towards me, they all slowly paid their respects by bowing their heads to her.We stopped in front of a hall and walked into a large hall and with a glance, I knew it was the kitchen. The kitchen for cooking was this huge?โYouโll be working in the kitchen during this periodโ Aurora informed me as she turned to me and I forced a smile on my face.โWhat do I do?โ I asked and Aurora turned and beckoned to a guy who looked slightly older than me and he came running towards us, bowing his head slightly in respect.โGood afternoon Head S
I hug my legs tighter to myself and my head feels dizzy. I had gotten too much stimulation for one day, for two weeks. For some reason, I was yet to process my change in status. I had gone from a not so loved Princess, but nevertheless a princess to a slave who was slapped and bullied at every chance they got. It made me livid, made me angry and pissed but there was nothing I could do. This was my life now, a life I didnโt want, a life I would rather die than take, it was a life I didnโt wish on anyone.Auroraโs words came rushing to me in an instant, Here, you are a slave, we do not do the serving, you do the serving. It was getting glaring and glaring that the former life was becoming a thing of the past. It was becoming even harder for me to reconcile my actual life with my present situation. And asides that, Juniperโs words had not left me yet, I was alive and that was the most important thing. That I was alive. Being alive means that I can get my revenge on Jonathan, being alive
I trudged after Aurora slowly. I couldnโt believe my ears. I had been locked up in a cell for almost a day without food and yet I was expected to go and serve the king? I knew it was Jonathan that had requested it, I knew he just wanted to humiliate me and embarrass me, I knew he was just being his hateful and disgusting self.Venom spread from my thoughts to my chest and by the time I was in the kitchen, I had a newfound hatred for him. Juniper and some other slaves were already working around the kitchen and he immediately gave me a small smile as soon as he saw him but I couldn't return his smile.โWhy are you walking so sluggish?โ Aurora snapped at me. I raised my eyes to meet her fierce ones and the reply at the edge of my mouth was swallowed back. I wanted to tell her that the only reason I was taking one step at one time was just because of the fact that I had not eaten anything all day yet I was expected to go and serve the king with little to no stamina. I also couldnโt even
THIRD POVKareemโs hand slowly slid away from the door and he turned to see that the Queen was right, Serena was standing right behind her, based on how she was looking, she had obviously been tricked there as well.โKareemโ she whispered and ehr voice carried so much pain and hurt that it almost made Kareem crumble.Amiraโs words echoed in his head and he didnโt know what to do. What happened between the two of them was something that no one had seen coming, it was something that neither of them could control. It had been over four months since he found out Serena's true identity and he still couldnโt wrap his head around it. Not that she deceived him, contrary to what everyone and including her believed he was way past that.He could see clearly that she didnโt look good, her voice was so small, so quiet that he could barely hear it. He knew that his actions had also hurt her and on the spot he regretted it. He had been avoiding her, refused to speak to her or even do anything with
AMIRAโS POVโIs it ready?โ I asked and Elora nodded her head.โReady my queenโ she replied and I smiled mischievously.โThey have to settle whatever is wrong todayโ I said and Elora shook her head.โHopefully it doesnโt backfireโ she commented and I snorted.โMore than anything what they both need is this. He needs to listen to her, thatโs how they get past what happenedโ I responded.Holding a crying Serena in my arms two days ago that totally broke my heart. I knew she was hurt and I also knew that Kareem was hurt and I also knew that they loved each other. I had caught Kareem throwing a few glances at Serena in the throne room during meetings each time she wasnโt looking so I knew that he didnโt hate or despise her, he was just angry and maybe there was some other emotions for him but that exactly wasnโt my business, the both of them could sort it out themselves.Serena had been a support and pillar for me, while I was a slave, in my earliest days here as a girl who loved and as Jo
THIRD POVSerena closed her eyes as Julianna kept fanning her. She was tired, metally, physically and emotionally. There were a lot of things happening with her but the most important was Kareemโs obstinate decision not to speak to her unless he had no other choice and all of her efforts had proved abortive.She didnโt think that hiding her identity from him would cause something like this and would make him so angry. It wasnโt her choice to keep or hid her identity is secret, It was something that was very important to her, it was for her safety, for the safety of Jonathan so that no one would think she was trying to usurp the throne, she was also trying to protect herself, she just didnโt know that this was what was going to happen. She had thought several times about how she was going to tell him but the time was never right and besuche f what happened to Amira, she had to come out and show her true identity and surprisingly, Amira hadnโt even bothered to hold it against her, it h
I left the Zadok kingdom with the greatest fanfare anyone could leave with. Everyone was both excited and elated to see me go, it was such a beautiful sight and by the time the carriages were rolling out from the gates of the Zadok, I had tears in my eyes and Jonathan merely held my hand tightly and tighter.โYou can always come back whenever you wantโ he said softly and I nodded my head softly. It is very comforting to hear people tell me that I could always come back. It had been a long time since I left home but luckily for me I experienced how it felt for home to be called home. It was a sweet feeling and I loved it but luckily for me, I have more than one place to call home.I used to think that whenever I got married, I wouldnโt cry when leaving Zadok, that my parents wouldnโt cry or even be bothered but I saw my motherโs red eyes as I left, I knew her status was the only reason why she was trying her best to hold her composure and I didnโt blame her, deep down we both knew the
I was now a married woman.The feeling was too much and I just couldnโt help but keep smiling, my smile was about to tear my mouth to the back. The wedding lasted till late in the night where I and Jonathan danced so hard and we retired to our beds in the early hours of the morning. I snuggled into Jonathanโs arms as we slept as husband and wife. It was beyond my imagination, the excitement I was feeling as Jonathanโs wife.By the next morning, we were done packaging and we were about to leave. I walked back to my room to stare at the place I had lived for so many years. I didnโt know how hot it would feel to leave. Of course I knew that Zadok would always be home but leaving in this way made it look as though I wouldnโt be coming back anytime soon and it made me laugh. The Zadok kingdom held a lot of memories for me and I was going to leave those memories behind. Luckily for me, the last few months I had lived in Zadok were full of happy memories and my terrible and worse memories w
I was now a married woman.The feeling was too much and I just couldnโt help but keep smiling, my smile was about to tear my mouth to the back. The wedding lasted till late in the night where I and Jonathan danced so hard and we retired to our beds in the early hours of the morning. I snuggled into Jonathanโs arms as we slept as husband and wife. It was beyond my imagination, the excitement I was feeling as Jonathanโs wife.By the next morning, we were done packaging and we were about to leave. I walked back to my room to stare at the place I had lived for so many years. I didnโt know how hot it would feel to leave. Of course I knew that Zadok would always be home but leaving in this way made it look as though I wouldnโt be coming back anytime soon and it made me laugh. The Zadok kingdom held a lot of memories for me and I was going to leave those memories behind. Luckily for me, the last few months I had lived in Zadok were full of happy memories and my terrible and worse memories w
Weddings.I had always watched weddings take place inside of Zadok, my older cousins and some other family members and it always left a particular type of feeling on me. Back then, I never thought I would find someone of my own, felt foreign, felt like why would I even imagine that I would fall in love but years later, I was covered in the royal wedding regalia, the red veil covering my face as well. My chest was thumping harder than anyone, than everyone but it was from excitement, from happiness that the day has finally come, the day that I and Jonathan become husband and wife.My mother held my hand as we slowly walked the long terrain as my little cousins threw flowers at me and even though a veil was covering my face, I could make out people's expression, the excitement on their faces, they looked as excited as I did, they were happy for me. I could feel my momโs palm getting sweaty, I didn't know whether she was nervous or too excited.โMother are you alright?โ I asked and my mo
The wedding.It was finally in full swing, the entire palace was busy with my wedding preparations and a huge quarter of the palace had been cleared out for the people of the Berg kingdom who came to the wedding, every other day were for new fittings and for slowly packing me things, after my wedding, I was going to the Berg kingdom to be the new Luna, I was going to be their new queen, a queen they loved, a queen they adored and praised, that was what I was going to be. Because of the wedding preparations, even though Joathan and Serena were present in the palace, I barely saw them, I was shipped off from one room to another, one lesson to another but in truth there was nothing much to learn, I had learnt everything on my own before now, in a baid to prove that I was the better sister, I had done everything within my capability and now it all paid off.I could easily see the look of surprise on my teachers faces each time they spoke about a topic and I answered flawlessly. I could s
It was two weeks after Jonathan proposed to marry me and my mother confirmed if I wanted to marry him and with all of the culture and traditions that she sent her answer to Jonathan that the Zadok kingdom was excited to have them as their in laws. Jonathan had immediately sent over carriages of gifts and bethroral presents that made it the talk of the town, even Imyself was stunned but I knew that was just Jonathanโs way of telling me and everyone just how important I was to him. Our relationship was growing and growing and I couldnโt but bless the moon goddess some times.โYour highness, are you ready?โ Elora asked and I stared at my reflection in the mirror again.โYou canโt keep his highness waiting, you already look very beautifulโ Elora added and I laughed standing up from my vanity table. Jonathan had come visiting, we needed to go through some customs together before marriage and I was so excited to have him at the Zadok kingdom, I couldn't wait to show him everywhere, my garde