Nothing at all could describe the pain and ache in my heart as Juniper spoke. His words were like tiny sharp prickles drilling into my chest and no matter how hard I tried to pretend that I didn’t care that what he was saying didn’t matter, I couldn’t help it. I had confided in him and yet he was using it against me. The thought of everything that had happened rushed to my head and my head started to spin. A part of me was still finding everything that was happening a little too real, unbelievable.How did I not see through at all?“Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered, tears running down my cheeks. He was supposed to be my best friend and yet here he was torturing me.“You know while I baited my time here, nothing seemed to ever faze Jonathan. He was so well protected and there was no leakage, nothing at all. There was no way I could penetrate into his impregnable wall and even the news about the palace was scarce. He had no weak points, only strong points but I knew that the t
I couldn’t believe my eyes or my ears. Everything was starting to feel a little too fast, a little too real. Juniper’s words were as though he was driving knives into my body. No matter how hard I tried to keep my composure, I just couldn’t. I couldn’t believe that the one person I trusted with my life had set me up and made me a fool. At a point, I just stopped trying, the tears flowed down and I was so sure that I wasn’t going to be stopping anytime soon. Everything was starting to make sense in my head.Questions I should have asked before, I was just asking them. The doubts I should have chased before, I was just trying to chase them now but I was too late. Way too late.“So everything was all you” I whispered, biting on my bottom lip as he stared at him and Juniper nodded as he got up from his seat.“I thought I already made that clear already, everything was all me” he replied as he started moving around placing some things in the shed and I frowned.“You know I gave you a chanc
The moment Juniper spoke, I shuddered as the large door of the shed opened and then I heard footsteps. I started struggling even harder with my ropes. I didn’t know how Junier had managed to make Jonathan come and even worse on his own.“Welcome your highness” Juniper said with a grin as he came face to face with Jonathan.“I hope you listened to me and came alone” he added and I watched Jonathan almost step on a trap that Juniper had laid out.“Be careful!” I yelled and Jonathan’s legs remained hung in the air.“He has set traps all over, watch your feet” I breathed and Juniper turned to me with anger, “Who asked you to talk?” he glared at me kicking the nearest object beside him and sending it flying towards me. The empty bucket hit my stomach again and I groaned in pain.“How dare you?” Jonathan growled at him and Juniper burst into laughter.“Easy there your highness, don’t annoy me” he replied and then it was Jonathan’s turn to burst into laughter. He stared at Juniper for a whil
I had no idea how much longer I was out for but by the time I opened my eyes, I was laying on the grass and as I sat up, I immediately recognized the grass to be the grass at the far end of the royal garden, it was somewhere I used to come to to get away from the prying eyes of people and I would lay there drifting in and out of my thoughts and some other times, i would sleep out totally. My hands immediately went to my stomach to see where Juniper had stabbed me and there was nothing.I was clad in my royal outfit and unlike before, I knew the clear line between reality and my dreams so I knew I was dreaming. I quickly stood up to my feet and dusted my clothes while hurrying out of the garden. I knew I was dreaming but I also knew that it was another chance for me to see my family, to see my father. I always saw him in my dreams.I was unsure of the severity of the knife stab of Juniper’s but considering how much blood had been on my hands, I knew that the chance of me surviving was
I slowly fluttered my eyes open and the movements made my head feel light. I closed my eyes and opened them a few times before I finally managed to open my eyes. The familiarity of the room was immediately registered in my head as soon as I opened my eyes. I was in Jonathan’s room.I was alive? I had survived?I turned slowly to see Jonathan’s head on the bed and he had slept off. He had most likely slept off while watching me. Instinctively my hand reached out to him and my fingers delved into his hair, rubbing his head softly.I was so grateful that I had gotten to tell that I love him. And then thankfully, I could tell him again. My hand went to my stomach and I could easily feel the bandages wrapped around my waist. My little movements woke Jonathan up and I watched with a small smile as he raised his head from the bed and stared at me with red eyes.“You are awake” he whispered, his voice hoarse and he quickly reached over me and pressed a kiss to my temple.“Thank you Princess, f
My head spun.Princess? Princess? High Princess?The title of High Princess was only given to Princesses who were sent to other kingdoms as peacemakers, sometimes it was usually a marriage alliance or to act as an ambassador in the said kingdom. Serena was a Princess. I stared at him in shock, my lips parting but no one came out of my mouth.“You are a princess” I whispered and Serena chuckled.“I’m sorry I kept it from you” she replied softly and I blinked my eyes hard at her. I had heard too many things in a short while to even be fazed and bothered that she had hidden such a thing from me. “So why were you pretending to be a slave?” I asked curiously and Serena laughed.“I never said I was a slave” she replied and I froze on the bed, blinking as I searched my memories of when I first arrived at the palace. She had indeed told me that Jonathan had saved Julianna but she didn’t exactly say anything about herself, it was something I had missed and she as well had allowed me to conven
He loved me. He loves me.That was what Jonathan felt for me and I knew that he did in every way. Helping him get rid of his guilt and self beating up was one step fr him to admit that he loved me and that after everything that had happened, we both deserve a chance, a chance to be together, a chance to make everything right and we both agreed. We sat down in his room and talked about a lot of things and despite all of that, Jonathan still wanted me to go home, he wanted me to visit my father’s grave and pay my respects. He also wanted to apologize to my mother and my family for the chaos he had caused.Baring our hearts to each other made us way closer. We laughed at some of our thoughts,laughed at some of our memories and cleared up the misunderstandings we had built about each other during our stay with each other. It was a discussion that we honestly should have had long ago.And Serena hadn't lied at all. The people of the Berg Kingdom were so sorry. So sorry that it brought tear
Leaving The Berg Kingdom had invoked emotions in me that I couldn’t describe. It was unbelievable that I was finally leaving. As I climbed into the carriage with Serena behind me, tears welled in my eyes asI stared at the horde of people who had come to wish me goodbye. I couldn’t believe it. Serena got into the carriage with me and the door was closed.“Are you okay?” she asked, seeing my expression and I nodded.“I just can’t believe that I’m leaving, I’m going home” I whispered in reply and her hand immediately stretched out and covered mine.The night before, the people had hosted a campfire dinner for me showing me all the beauty of their culture. Their dances, their traditions, their usual practices, I had a good time laughing and watching in curiosity and amazement and even a a point while they danced, Masoma had pulled me to my feet and taken me to the center to dance with them, it was easy to learn some of the steps and soon I was in tune with them and the excited howls and wh
“I was shocked as well when he requested to see me and then he told me a story about a young boy who had been in love with someone all his life, he watched her grow up into someone he even fell in love more and I was getting honestly invested curious where the conversation was going and then he told me that the boy was him and the girl was Masoma” Jonathan said and Amira’s eyes widened.“SO they had met several times before?” she asked and Jonathan nodded her head.“But since Masoma can’t remember, I guess she has forgotten” Jonathan replied and Amira laughed.“He’s a strong man, he’s trustworthy” she replied and Jonathan nodded.“I sent it to his father the very next day and then we talked. He's like her since he was 15 and his mother had a lot of things to say about him and the way he followed her” Jonathan continued and Amira laughed.‘So we can say that he has been waiting for her?” she asked and Jonathan nodded.“Yes. H’es quite patient you know” Jonathan replied and Amira hummed
“I was shocked as well when he requested to see me and then he told me a story about a young boy who had been in love with someone all his life, he watched her grow up into someone he even fell in love more and I was getting honestly invested curious where the conversation was going and then he told me that the boy was him and the girl was Masoma” Jonathan said and Amira’s eyes widened.“SO they had met several times before?” she asked and Jonathan nodded her head.“But since Masoma can’t remember, I guess she has forgotten” Jonathan replied and Amira laughed.“He’s a strong man, he’s trustworthy” she replied and Jonathan nodded.“I sent it to his father the very next day and then we talked. He's like her since he was 15 and his mother had a lot of things to say about him and the way he followed her” Jonathan continued and Amira laughed.‘So we can say that he has been waiting for her?” she asked and Jonathan nodded.“Yes. H’es quite patient you know” Jonathan replied and Amira hummed
Night had fallen before any of the women in the room decided it was time to go back to their houses. They slowly walked out of the room talking and laughing, their voices filling the ears of everyone around while the rest of them looked on with both respect and healthy envy.“So have you decided how you are going to host the bouquet?” Masoma asked and Amira shrugged.“Well I have no idea yet but we never can tell” she replied rubbing her chin.The Berg kingdom had a lot of traditions, traditions that Amira wanted to bring back, there was an upcoming bouquet where everyone in the kingdom would eat together, dance and laugh together. It was more of aftering bonding kind of festival and event and it was always richly enjoyed and Amira wasn’t about to stop that anything soon but planning it had been proving a little bit hard for her as she wanted to try something different.“You know we’ll always be available to help,” Serena said and Amira smiled.“Yeah, like I would forget that” she rep
Masooma frowned as she slowly dubbed the wound in front of her with care. She had spent a really long time trying to stop the incessant bleeding. The man in front of her had a frown on his face and even though he wasn’t saying anything, his face told her that he was showing great restraint and she knew because she had opted for an herb that stung the blood cells but was the fastest way to stop the bleeding and make it heal.“Can you be more careful?” he finally spoke and Masoma turned to him with a frown.“Careful?” she barked at him, “More like you are the one who needs to be careful because how do you use your sword to very conveniently slice yourself? Weren’t you looking?” she barked back at him and he stared at her speecles.s'I injured myself and you are blaming me?’ he questioned and Masoma was the one who was now speechless. She dropped the herbs in her hands and glared at him.“Who asked me to be careful?” she yelled at him, suddenly irritated.“You injure yourself and you wit
THIRD POVKareem’s 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.“Kareem” she whispered and ehr voice carried so much pain and hurt that it almost made Kareem crumble.Amira’s words echoed in his head and he didn’t 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 couldn’t 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 didn’t 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
AMIRA’S POV“Is it ready?” I asked and Elora nodded her head.“Ready my queen” she replied and I smiled mischievously.“They have to settle whatever is wrong today” I said and Elora shook her head.“Hopefully it doesn’t backfire” she commented and I snorted.“More than anything what they both need is this. He needs to listen to her, that’s how they get past what happened” 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 wasn’t looking so I knew that he didn’t hate or despise her, he was just angry and maybe there was some other emotions for him but that exactly wasn’t 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 Kareem’s obstinate decision not to speak to her unless he had no other choice and all of her efforts had proved abortive.She didn’t think that hiding her identity from him would cause something like this and would make him so angry. It wasn’t 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 didn’t 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 hadn’t 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.“You can always come back whenever you want” 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 wouldn’t cry when leaving Zadok, that my parents wouldn’t cry or even be bothered but I saw my mother’s 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 didn’t blame her, deep down we both knew the
I was now a married woman.The feeling was too much and I just couldn’t 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 Jonathan’s arms as we slept as husband and wife. It was beyond my imagination, the excitement I was feeling as Jonathan’s 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 didn’t 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 wouldn’t 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