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The banquet, just like he stated kicked off after a few minutes, but Mia received information to wait longer and so she did. She could hear the celebration music coming from downstairs, melodious and happy, perhaps too happy for her taste. The Alpha king had threatened her life again tonight, and she knew she had to be on her best behaviour. She moved to her drawer and pulled it open, bringing out the paper map she had kept safe in it when she first arrived at the Palace. She spread it on top of the drawer and glanced through. It was a map that displayed all kingdoms, their boundaries, and regions around the world, Wahala included. She had spent many months on end learning map reading so that when she finally left, she wouldn't depend on anyone for help. Mia's fingertips trailed over the circled part of the map named Reading. This was where she planned to go. The books she read stated that the Reading kingdom had the largest library in the world a
Jobe looked anything but convinced. Her father had taken care of her and catered to her well-being and state of mind since she was little and would notice the littlest thing, so she didn’t fault him for being suspicious. “Father, I’m fine. Life at the Palace is challenging, especially for someone like me who never saw themselves living here. But as my husband has rightly stated, it’s really great.” Jobe nodded, believing her words more than his. He then took a bow in reverence to the king. “It’s an honour to be here, my king. I wish you a happy life ahead.” He stretched his hand out and took Mia’s hand, giving a tight, reassuring squeeze and with this simple act, he told her everything would be fine. She had to believe. He took his leave soon after, stating a slight change in his breathing and asking for pardon to depart. Mia knew his excuse was just so he could leave. He knew there was more going on in her marriage more than sh
Learning that her husband had a mistress shouldn’t have come as a surprise. It’s been a month since they got married and in those times, he had only been in her bedroom a few times. The first was on their wedding night and he didn’t share her bed and after that was today when he came in to inform her about the banquet. Yet, knowing the truth surprised her. He had a mistress, a fairer, more radiant and elegant. Mia had to admit she felt insecure standing before Zara. She had taken notice of the fair and proud lady earlier while they spoke and she was a walking perfection. Discovering she was her husband’s mistress made sense. He longed for the best, and she was his best. She remembered how Zara spoke about two people loving each other and not being seen as fit by society. At first, it was more like a parable, but after being told who she was, she knew she spoke about the alpha king. The king had a thing for fair and beautiful, and she was not that. She was not the fair bride he wante
Mia stumbled back from the hallway and took to her heels, running as fast as her legs trapped in the heavy shoes could take her. She took a different turn from the one she came through, which would lead her to another side of the Palace, but she didn't care and kept running. She couldn't believe the words she had heard and at the same time, she could. The Alpha King had never wanted her and had threatened her life more times than she could count. He wanted her gone because he had someone he hoped to make queen someday. Someone he desired, someone beautiful, someone he loved. She had told herself he was noble for keeping away and never trying to get intimate with her, but what she just heard told her he had other motives. Not consummating their union meant they hadn't completed their wedding ritual and were not unified as one. That meant they weren't husband and wife and she wasn't the queen. If he planned to get rid of her, this was one way to go.
Mia went into the adulation hall to offer incense and prayers to the moon goddess for the journey ahead of her. In the last six days, she had made preparations for her leaving and had prayed every day since then. This would be the last time she’d offer prayer at the adulation hall and her heart leapt at the thought. She made all her plans to escape in secrecy and didn’t even let Lydia, her maid, know of it. She feared that would leave Lydia vulnerable because knowledge of such could be used against her. The only two people aware of her escape were Edward and herself. “Moon Goddess, I pray for your guide, I pray for your counsel, I pray for your wisdom. And I pray for your light to shine and show me the way.” She finished and rose to her feet, heading out of the temple and back to her chambers. She passed by the King’s Court on her way back in and saw the king seated discussing with a few counsels. She
If there was anything Xavier Ainsworth looked forward to, it had to be the end of the day. This is the time he’d get to leave to be with Zara and have her put her arms around him. The affairs of the kingdom most times were enough to make one mad, and he was mad and needed the healing touch of his lover. Their meetings were no longer as often as they used to be. Once, they met every day with exception of a day or two, but now they saw each other once every three to five days. Xavier knew wasn’t enough, but duty called and he had to answer. Zara, being exceptional, had understood through it all. She told him she was happy as long as she still had him. Even if it was once a month. He couldn’t have asked for anything better. Xavier got into the white carriage, waiting for him. The rider, already knowing where the alpha king was headed, rode them off. The gates opened to them, wasting no time, and they ride out. As they leave the Palace estate, Xavi
Mia got down from the carriage and thanked the rider. He wished her safe travels and rode off. She dragged a deep breath and brushed the cold shivers she felt away. This was her first step to attaining freedom, and she was ready. Then she approached the small booth with a not so bright light at her left-hand side. This was right before the entrance of the loading dock, where payments were made. An officer in charge of payment and receipt for passage sat inside. There was a line of eight people and Mia drew closer to them and stood behind the last person. With every person attended to, she drew closer to the booth. When it got to her turn, she greeted the officer. The old man had his head buried in the record book before him and didn’t respond, and she almost wondered if he even saw her. “The lower and first-class cabin has been filled up, only the middle class cabin is left. Fee for late payment ticket; one hundred bronze coins, fifty silver coins, or ten gol
Mia didn’t struggle anymore. She stopped when she got to the Palace gate and knew she was back. She knew this was where she would die. There was no more energy to struggle and so she let them lead her inside. They brought her through the quiet hallway that led to her room and then up to her chambers. The two guards had her trapped between them, so she wouldn’t escape. They didn’t trust her and she didn’t blame them. No one could read her thoughts. She had saved her energy and meet whatever came along with her head high. She wanted to move to the life beyond with a brave face. While the guard brought her into the Palace a while ago, she had seen no servant, no maid, no one, just her and the guards. The door to her chambers opened, and the guard set her inside and shut the door. Her eyes scanned around the room carefully but stopped when they spotted the alpha king. He stood before her bookshelf with his back turned to her. She couldn’t make much
The wind blew over Mia’s face as she walked through the garden to where she was informed Xavier was waiting for her. She had paid a visit to the temple to offer prayers after Xavier stubbornly refused to come with her. In his defence, he had never been a fan of temple visits, not since he attacked the priests during his first shift. She didn’t push further. She understood him and so she went alone. She was about to leave when Valok, a seer at the temple, took hold of her hand while trapped in a trance. Her heart skipped a little, but she remained in control and watched what he wanted to do or say. After what felt like ages, he opened his eyes and his orbs shone white as crystal. “Hail, queen Mia, mother of Wahala’s greatest ruler. It is an honour to stand in your presence and foretell the little I’ve seen.” He bowed his head. “The moon goddess knows what she did when she made you blue and also queen.” Mia instantly knew he spoke about her fur and she wonders if he had any kno
Xavier sat in the courtroom, listening to the report of the supervisors of the Capital 3 in the last few months. According to their report, the project should reach its completion in another four months and in a year’s time, these institutions would become fully functioning. Xavier, however, didn’t listen to their case or take anything they say into consideration. His mind was far away on the ship leaving for the kingdom of Reading, the ship which had the love of his life and mate. It left shores three days ago according to the reports he received and his heart had been bleeding ever since. He made a promise to Mia to carry on in her absence, and that was what he had done so far. Still, it hurt, waking up every day without her beside him. Going about his duties as king without having her laugh and tease him didn’t sit well. He missed her; he missed her laughter, her grace, her rebellion and everything that made her who she was. He couldn’t accept the fact that she had gone, accepting
Weeks later. Xavier’s lashes pulled apart as his consciousness returned. He saw Mia already up and seated on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He barely saw her like this. Everything was now good. The kingdom was safer than ever, and progress was now a sure thing. After the trial ended, Xavier dismissed Elliott from the capital, because he believed he had a hand in the attack on the queen, even though there was no proof of it. Robb implored him to reconsider his decision, but his queen was okay with the sentence and so was he. All has gone well ever since, and Xavier only hopes it’ll get better. He pulled himself up and drew closer. He placed his lips on her soft, bare back, lathering kisses thereon and feeling her tingle to his touch. She moaned and turned to him. “Good morning.” “Good morning, my love. Why are you up?” “Thinking.” she sighed. She looked to be in a dilemma and that had cast a dark fog over her mi
Xavier stepped into the inner courts where the now seven elders, Elliott and Robb, sat waiting for him. Behind him were Mia and Edward, and together they made their way up. While Edward and Mia stayed back, Xavier continued towards the stand to face the alpha of alphas. Unlike the last time they were here, they had one less person in the courtroom, Chike. The council of alphas in unison placed a curse on Alpha Chike as punishment for the betrayal of his duties to the throne a few days ago. The curse left the mark of betrayal, an engraved red scar on his forehead, which would tell everyone who he was and what he had done. And after that, they banished him from the kingdom of Wahala. He was told never to return or will die at the hands of the elders and his soul would end up in Inferno, every living being’s nightmare. Heeding Mia’s advice, the king spared Chike’s family from his fate after discovering that they had no hand in it. Alpha Chike’s act of betrayal a
“Queen Mia, your presence is needed in the throne room. The elders are assembled and waiting for you.” Mia slammed shut the book in her hand abruptly and rose to her feet, following the guard out of her study. She walked as fast as her legs could take her to stay on track with Sir Valerio. Summoning the eight elders together usually took three to five days, because they weren’t always in the capital. But since they’ve all stayed at the capital in the last three weeks of the king’s trial, their arrival at the palace took a few hours after the message went out to them. She arrived at the throne room and the eight elders stood before the king, all adorned with white robes having golden stripes. Over a dozen guards stood behind them and Edward stood on the first stair that led up the throne seat where Xavier sat. All eyes travelled to her at her arrival and she immediately shivered in response, knowing her attacker was also here, staring at her. Xav
When Mia woke up the next day, she didn’t find Xavier in bed. He had left, and her eyes strained. She wondered how long she had been asleep while she turned around in his bed. The smell of Xavier lingered on the sheets and in the room and last night her senses were foggy, but now she could take in his manly smell along with his scent. She missed this, and it was just two days of being apart. She wanted to stay all day here, but she knew reality wouldn’t let her have that. She sighed and pulled herself up to sit down, the memories of the night before slipping into her head and she remembered why she came back to Xavier’s room. There was an intruder last night, an alpha, who tried to kill her. The images flashed back into her head and fear gripped her heart. She wrapped her arms around her body. She had held her own, yet she was scared. Xavier asked her into his room so he could keep her safe and she was grateful he did because she felt safe wrapped in his bed and arms
Xavier couldn’t stand the thought of any harm coming to Mia. He had made provision for more security since his trial began, so no harm came to her when she stepped out of the Palace but failed to consider the harm that could happen within the palace. He failed to protect her tonight. He didn’t see the attack coming, but he should have. He would have lost her tonight, and it would have been his fault. The thought of losing her haunted him and shrunk his heart terribly. He needed to keep her safe at all times. “You can’t stay here. Come stay with me tonight,” he suggested. She hesitated because she felt unsure about his suggestion. “I haven’t slept in your bed in the last two days.” He nodded. “And I’m sorry about that. You were right, I was selfish, but it was because I didn’t want you going down with me. I love you too much to want that.” She nodded, no longer wanting to fight after everything. “I understand.” He exhaled in relief. “Good, then come with me to my room and stay ther
Mia had returned to her room after the incident with her husband two days ago and hadn’t gone back since. This morning, unlike yesterday, when she went for breakfast, she didn’t see him at the table. She didn’t ask Edward, who sat at the table with her where he was. She was still mad at Xavier as she should be. But she didn’t hate him. She couldn’t hate him because she loved him. He only did what he thought was best, what he thought she wanted. Yet, it hurt her. He was ready to give up on everything. On the kingdom, his throne, and on her. That made her mad. She stripped out of her clothes, picked up the towel and wrapped it around herself. Then she made her way to the bathroom to get a hot bath. Toni already set her white nightgown on a hanger close to the door, so she could change before leaving the bathroom. She stayed in the tub, easing her body and mind of the events of the day. She missed Xavier’s hands on her. They were good at washing and making her feel relaxed. She no lo
Xavier stood beside the door of the court, holding a smile on his face as he watch her speak with the maidens. Not for once did he take his eyes off her majesty. She was the walking, breathing definition of perfection. He didn’t care how the trial would end; he didn’t put his mind to it. He was only interested in cherishing his queen for the rest of the time he had. As the maidens took their leave, Mia’s gaze finally turned to him, and his heart skipped a beat. She smiled and made her way over to him. Every step made his heart beat faster. The smile didn’t leave her face as she approached, and he took a few steps forward to meet up with her. “My king.” “My queen.” “We will win this.” Yes, that was very important, but somehow, having her with him for the rest of time felt even much more important. Staying with him, however, might not make her as happy as it would make him, and if he truly love