Chapter 12. It's okay to be a maid who does chores
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Sponsored by Curufin. Thank you ❤️ (6/8)
***
Ihedia's cold warning was immediately aimed at Charlotte.
"Do you know what Her Majesty's orders are, for the sake of Elmir’s future, to somehow catch Lord Bayate's eye?"
"....
"If I win his favor, the first thing I will do is take your life, Charlotte Gordon, and do you think your pompous father will prevent that? If you want to live, behave yourself."
Charlotte touched her swollen cheek and bit her lip.
She, too, knew that Ihedia would be sacrificed to Anut.
Like the grisly rumors associated with the Bayate family, the wretched wench would either be beaten out of her mind or left for dead in the streets.
But what if she were to win the favor of Kayan Bayate?
Besides, Queen Lena had once said that Kayan Bayate had other feelings for Ihedia.
"What are you doing and not leaving?"
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears of frustration as Ihedia, whom she had always considered beneath her, spoke to her in such an arrogant manner.
But even if she (Charlotte) were a mad stallion on a rampage, she knew she’d be digging her own grave if she confronted her in this situation.
She lowered her tail and slowly turned to walk away as Ihedia stared at her in a way she had never seen before.
It wasn't until she heard the door slam harshly behind her that Ihedia let out a deep breath and clutched her thumping chest.
***
Four days before the envoys left, Queen Lena requested a private audience with Kayan.
She was not a woman to be trifled with, and Kayan had dismissed her entourage at the door.
Nevertheless, she insisted on sending someone, as if it were some kind of battle.
When Lena mentioned Ihedia as if to play her last card, Kayan swallowed the words that threatened to spill out and reluctantly entered the Queen's palace.
"What is your purpose?"
Lena smiled brightly, unperturbed by the chill in Kayan’s voice.
It was as if she had already forgotten the insult she had suffered at the dinner table.
The corners of Kayan's mouth twitched in mockery.
Yeah, he was not surprised anymore.
Everyone here seemed to wear a mask.
"I forgot for a moment that you are in a hurry, you don't give tea leaves time to steep."
"Her Majesty and I are not exactly on speaking terms."
Despite the sarcasm in his tone, Lena smiled and took a sip of tea in a graceful motion.
"I understand you are leaving for Anut tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Lena lifted her head a little and stared straight into the wall, the dark contempt in her eyes.
"Princess Ihedia will go with your lordship."
Kayan's icy eyes hardened at once.
She was playing tricks on him again.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if one of our own caught the eye of the famous Lord Bayate? As the Queen of Elmir who cares about the safety of her country, I could ask for nothing more."
"I didn't realize you were such a patriotic queen."
"You may accuse me of selling out the Princess to keep this paltry position, as your lordship puts it."
There was a subtle irritation in Kayan's voice at the uncomfortably blatant statement.
"I think I've made my intentions clear enough already."
"Lord Bayate's wishes are irrelevant, tomorrow the Princess will be coming with you, and if you don’t accept......"
"..."
"You will be in for a very unpleasant surprise, for as you saw that day, Ihedia's sins are determined by His Majesty's mood. Is that really what you want?"
Lena seemed relaxed, even in the midst of Kayan's murderous gaze.
As if everything was going to go her way.
"Funny, you make it sound like you’re threatening someone who has nothing to do with me."
Lena took another sip of tea, wetting her lips.
"They say that royalty in a ruined world who is taken to Anut has a life worse than a slave's, but for Ihedia, it won't be much different from life here, because the two siblings don't get along as well as you might think."
"Why should I be interested in the affairs of others?"
"Well, then Ihedia could be executed tomorrow, and I feel sorry for her after all she's been through."
Kayan was at a loss for words as he watched the Queen, her eyes folded in half, casually talk about killing the princess.
"Anyway, that's all I have to say to the lord, I suppose Ihedia's life is now in your hands, and if you really don't want it, you can pretend our conversation never happened and leave in peace. I apologize in advance for any misunderstanding on my part, but it's up to Ihedia to deal with the aftermath."
"...."
"Ah, you won't say you feel guilty, will you, great warrior of Anut, for the Princess whose life is as insignificant as that of an insect."
The faintly high voice seemed to clutch at the nape of Kayan's neck like a noose.
***
The next day, Doa, who was eating with Kayan, spoke up.
"What a shame, because the food here is so good."
The Anut envoys were preparing to leave Elmir ahead of schedule at Kayan's behest.
Thanks to King Patrick's insistence that a good deal was a good deal, the negotiations had gone so smoothly that there was virtually no business left in Elmir.
Doa nudged Kayan as he nibbled on a cream-filled cookie.
"Speaking of which, Master Kayan, do you think we could take a few more weeks off?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Oh, really?"
"Well, why don't you just stay here and not follow me to Anut?"
"...."
"An Anut warrior naturalizing as an Elmir citizen would be a welcome addition to the dumb King's repertoire, though I'm sure you'll have your work cut out for you in the event of war."
Doa nodded, and his eyes flashed timidly.
"Don't you think you're in too much of a hurry, though? Gakhran's a hunted animal now, and I've already sent pursuers to Gebelkato, so I don't see the need for Master Kayan to go there in a hurry."
Doa grumbled, but Kayan didn't respond.
He thought to himself.
It's not necessarily the Gakhran that makes me want to run away from this place.
The unpleasant conversation with Queen Lena had been replaying nonstop in Kayan's mind.
The way he'd stormed out of the room, telling the Queen to do as she pleased, only to be followed back in.
Kayan found himself feeling almost as pathetic as the King of Elmir.
"Are you really going to kill her?”
Even as he vowed not to fall prey to the sneaky, snake-like queen's tricks, he couldn't help but think of the unfortunate princess.
The woman who had been stoned by a child, who had thrown herself out of a window, and who had knelt so innocently, so casually.
The unpleasant woman who showed no sign of resentment or anger.
All he could think about was getting the hell away from this bloody country.
For some reason, the longer he stayed here, the more irritating everything around him became.
At Kayan's urging, the Anut emissaries were forced to hurry to their horses as soon as they finished their early breakfast.
The royal palace was quiet until they reached the entrance, thanks to the strictures placed upon them.
Contrary to the Queen's words, the Princess hadn't come to see him even this moment, when he was about to leave the palace.
Kayan felt a strange sense of relief at that fact.
Then Doa's voice drew his attention from his thoughts.
"That...... Hey, Master Kayan, look at that."
Someone was standing at the entrance, blocking the way.
It was Ihedia.
The black horse that Kayan rode came to a halt in front of her.
He gazed serenely down at her as she stood like a lifeless flower.
"I dare to ask Lord Kayan Bayate. Please let us go to Anut together."
Ihedia pleaded, her voice more desperate than ever.
When Kayan said nothing, she moved a little closer to him, clutching the hem of her dress with both hands.
"I'll do anything you ask, I'll even be your maid to do odd jobs, I really must go with you, so please......."
Ihedia had forgotten that she was Elmir’s princess, and she dropped everything to plead with him.
Her eyes were as desperate as those of a man dangling from the edge of a cliff, and Kayan felt a rush of complex emotions that were hard to describe.
Perhaps it was better when she was a stubborn pearl.
"Well, then, Ihedia may be executed tomorrow, and I feel sorry for her after all she's been through."
Queen Lena's harsh voice echoed over Ihedia's face, which looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
"...."
Doa, beside her, gulped and looked back and forth between Kayan and the Princess.
The expression on Kayan's face was odd.
If she continued to offend him like that, there was no telling what else he might do.
Just as Doa was wondering if he should stop her, Kayan's mouth opened.
"Doa, put her in the wagon. We're going to Anut together."
***
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