Chapter 4

  

  "My Queen, the king, asked me to call you out for the Royal banquet in respect of your coming," Sage said in a bow as I sighed and came down from the bed.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Sage, it's high time you spoke to me to my face instead of talking to the ground… Lead the way," I said as she bowed and led me out.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  She is just so polite and devoted to her job, as if she loves her stay in the castle.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I trailed carefully down the stairs to avoid falling from the heaviness of my outer cloth. I tried to trace my hands through the very smooth wall, but I withdrew. I didn't want to stain the wall and wouldn't be able to pay for it.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "My Queen, This is the dining room where the banquet takes place. The King and the Queens are waiting for you inside," she said, pointing to the smudgy glass door as she bowed and left.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I was quite nervous going in there as the new wife to meet the king and his wives; Queen Zinnia, as she called herself, had already warned me to stay clear from the King. She already hates me on my first day here and sees me as a treat; I don't know how the rest of the wives will see me.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I am not here to drag the King's attention with any of the Queen, nor am I in competition with them; my coming here isn't my choice, and I don't think I can adapt to staying here or loving the King.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I gently pushed the door open, revealing the very large dining room. It was bigger than my sitting room back at home; I couldn't just stop staring at the beauty of literally everything around me.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The bright, beautiful chandelier was appealing. I could bet that if I were sold to some slave traders, they wouldn't buy me half of the amount the chandelier was bought.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I closed the door behind me as I walked to the nearest chair I saw on the large long dining table that could contain fifty people.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I didn't expect to see many people in the dining room, I thought it was just a family banquet of the king and his wives, but here I am, seated among many powerful people that looked like royalty.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I scanned through the table to see an assortment of foods, drinks, and fruits, which got me wanting all. I hated that I would have to act Noble and mind the way I ate.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The King cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention on him.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "I thank you all for honoring my invitation, as you all can see," the King said, pointing towards me. I was kind of embarrassed by the eyes on me. I felt like a newborn baby. "I have got a new wife and the youngest of all," he said, smiling slightly as the men stared at me lustfully.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The looks made me uncomfortable, but unfortunately, I have got nothing to do than to sit and listen to whatever the King needed to say. By the way, the gathering was in my respect as a new wife.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Her name is Pearl… Pearl, these are my friends and their wives, they rule different kingdoms just like me, and this is my elder brother Ray. He stays in this castle while his family are abroad and here are your fellow wives…Zinnia as the first wife, Felicity as the second, snow as the third, Lula as the fourth, and then you the youngest of all," the King introduced as Zinnia gave me that knowing smirk. I don't just know why my eyes drifted to her side. She was seated close to the King and holding him so tight as if he was married to her alone. The King on his own side wasn't acting as if he was being held. He addressed the banquet coldly and expressionlessly.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I saw a different side of him; he wasn't acting as he did on our way to the castle; now, he was rather cold and expressionless.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I didn't know what to do after the introduction as all eyes were on me; I smiled and waved my hands to them… I felt like a dummy after doing that because I knew that I was expected to do more.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "You're really a beautiful one; I must say you are still a fresh blood," one of the neighboring Queen said. I didn't know what she meant by me being fresh blood, but of course, I smiled

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "And I am sure that after King Archer gets you laid, you will loosen up a bit. You seem too shy and innocent," the blonde Queen said as everyone laughed, I turned to the King but could see that he wasn't reacting to anything they said but was busy whispering stuff to a man who looked more like a soldier from his attire.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Let's get this royal banquet started!" King Archer said as the servants walked in, all facing the floor with their hands behind them.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  They quickly dished out the food and served as they stood at a corner watching us eat. I wondered why they were still standing there instead of returning to their duty posts.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "I know that our new wife is finding it hard to adapt to the royal system because she's a poor commoner," Queen Zinnia laughed, mockingly staring at me; I don't know why she kept on picking on me. I mean, it's just too early to start that!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Aren't you ashamed that a poor commoner, as you called her, is far prettier than you are?" One of the Queen's defended me; I didn't expect that as Zinnia's cheeks turned red in embarrassment.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "And her skin is clearer than yours, even with her freckles; I am sure King Archer's attention will be drifted to her, soon," The other pointed out as I could notice the King's eyes piercing through my skin; I didn't want to look at him because I knew how uncomfortable I would be after that.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I enjoyed every bit of what they were saying; I could tell they weren't friends with her… I mean, who wants to be friends with someone as bossy as Zinnia?

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "You all don't have the right to talk bad about me just because of this thing," She said, disgustingly pointing at me as the King glared at her scornfully

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Zinnia, don't start this, and let's eat in peace!" The King said in a cold, authoritative voice as he pouted his lips slightly with anger.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "But you have been watching Queen's from another kingdom insult me in front of a young Queen, and you didn't say a thing, and now you are picking on me because I tried defending myself?" She said in a cracky voice as the Queen's chuckled inwardly, using their palms to hide their mouths.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I could tell that King Archer was quite disgusted by their attitude but decided to hold back from shouting at them in respect of their husbands.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Zinnia, keep quiet and face your food!!" He yelled, obviously losing his temper as Everyone cringed in fear and shock.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  There was a sudden silence as everyone started digging into their meals; I stared at my plate, facing the appetizing tapioca pudding! That was a nice start for every meal.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I always loved my mom's evening tapioca pudding as she made it to my taste; I'd miss eating most of the meals she made for me.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I raised a spoon full of the pudding to fill it to my mouth as I perceived a weird smell from it. Was that the smell of the pudding or something else?

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The tapioca pudding I knew never had such a smell, so it's definitely something else.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I tried putting it back in my mouth, but the smell was rather stronger; I wasn't feeling okay; I was feeling queasy. I suddenly had that weird urge to puke.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Queen Pearl, are you okay?" Queen Lula asked as everyone on the table raised their heads up, staring at me as I nodded but deep down, I wasn't okay "you look sick and pale, or don't you like the pudding?" 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "I am fine," I simply said as I turned back to the pudding.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  It was quite weird that the pudding that I loved so much was making me feel sick, as if I wanted to throw up.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I forced the pudding into my mouth and swallowed it hard without chewing through it. The urge to throw up was suddenly strong; I couldn't hold it anymore, it was already on my throat, and any little thing could trigger it out.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The King snapped his fingers to the maids; I didn't understand the meaning of that as I made to stand up only to see a little bucket under my mouth.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  How did the King know that I wanted to throw up badly!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I hesitated, throwing up in front of everyone as they were all staring at me in a questioning manner until my throat betrayed me, welcoming the puke out into the bucket; I threw up literally everything in my stomach and was finally satisfied.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Everyone at the table had that concerned look except Zinnia, who was disgusted, and the King, who wasn't paying attention to anything, just so busy with his meal.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I was so embarrassed for ruining the banquet; I was sure they lost their appetites.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Pearl, you look pale and sick. Are you sure you're okay, or will you need a better meal?" Queen snow said as I shook my head.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "I'd rather go back to my room and rest."

  

  

  

  "Unfortunately, you can't leave until the banquet is over," Zinnia said with a smirk as I sighed, resting my head on the table.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  "Call her personal maid to take her inside" That was King Archer's voice.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  @pop precious