Chapter 2

The queen comes out of the pool showing off her goodness-like body, she stretches her hands and Baara and the other maid slowly put on her robe.

The queen walks out of her bath and they try their best to keep up with her at the same time maintaining some distance.

She stands in the middle of her bedroom with her arms still stretched out, they removed the robe and put on her proper attire.

Baara helps put on her jewellery while the other maid helps her with her shoe, suddenly the maid sneezes, she immediately bows and starts pleading

"I deserve to die your highness".

The queen bursts with rage and slap her across her face "How dare you? Do you have no fear?".

She cries "Forgive me... " the queen instantly takes off the shoes  and throws them at Baara, Baara quickly bows her head

"Burn them". She ordered walking out on them

The maid just stayed on the floor shivering in fright. Baara let's out a sigh. This is why serving the queen is like a punishment.

Baara takes the shoes to her quarter and keeps them in a basket "I'm sure the price of the shoe alone would help my uncle" she thought to herself

"What are you doing here?". Someone asks catching her by surprise.

It was her roommate and only friend Dorothy, Baara smiles at her "The queen told me to burn her shoes and I'm using the opportunity to take a rest".

Dorothy smirks, she pinches Baara cheeks as she whines like a baby moaning from the pain "You sneaky weasel, I was sure you were going to get caught today, you better stop going out of the palace, you know it's forbidden" she let's go of her cheeks

Baara caress them "That hurts, and I'm not going to get caught. Anyway my uncle needs help, he's been kicked out of home".

Dorothy gasps covering her mouth with her hands "Oh no, that bad?".

Baara lets out a sigh wearing a sad facial expression "Yes, I have to do something to help them, even if it means going to the king myself".

Dorothy scoffs at the idea "You can't be serious, the king? Do you have some sort of death wish?".

"If I don't do anything they would be left on the streets".

Dorothy understood Baara's situation and how she felt, knowing her friend she might do the dumbest thing just to go on her way to help someone. "Let's give it time okay? I'm sure something will come up".

Baara nods giving her friend a sincere agreement "I better go back before the head maid finds me here".

Dorothy laughs "I might as well just call for her if you don't leave this instant, I need to get some sleep".

Baara mockingly bows for her friend "Of course, night shifter".

Dorothy chuckles and suddenly wore a smirk "I heard you're also doing the night shift today, I guess we're both spending the night together".

Baara rolls her eyes at her friend "Whatever, Go to sleep".

__________ The king sat in the garden, admiring the beauty of nature, the colourful flowers and butterflies, the lake and how the sun made the water shimmer, he suddenly recalls a memory of when his father was alive, how they would stroll around the garden, he remembers the smile his father had on, he doesn't quite remember what they talked about, but he remembers his father looking like a giant, and how he always felt safe next to him.

"Your highness". A familiar voice echoed in his ear bringing him out of his thoughts. He sees Calvin, the son of one of his father's concubines.

"What brings you here?".

"Should there be a reason to meet my brother?". Calvin takes a sit next to him, indeed Calvin and Darius were close, and the bond they shared got people thinking there might have been born by the same mother "What are you doing here by yourself?".

Darius just smiles "Is it a crime for one to keep himself company?".

"I guess it's not but it's all so lonely, you are always alone sometimes I forget you have a queen". Calvin laughs but stops when he sees Darius wasn't laughing

Darius sighs "The Queen still doesn't enjoy my presence, even after eight years of marriage".

Calvin sees the hurt on Diarus face, At times like this he doesn't know how to cheer him up "Why don't you just have a concubine?".

"That's out of the question!". Darius exclaims "That will only make the queen hate me more, she might deny the love I have for her".

Calvin scoffs, the King's response sure rendered him speechless "But still, you can't continue like this, tell me when was the last time you slept with each other?". Darius doesn't say anything "Don't tell me she doesn't let you touch her?".

Darius clears his throat "I do not wish to share my private affairs with you"

Calvin looks at him with unbelief "Sure you don't, if you say so then, just think about what I said okay?". Calvin stands up "I shall take my leave now". He bows before walking away.

A concubine? Darius has never once thought of getting one, his father had three, and he heard his grandfather had countless, so far he's the only king without one. Love was his excuse, the love he had for the queen was unimaginable, even with the way she treated him, he can't seem to hate her, anything she request he happily gave to her, but why does the queen hate him so much? Their arranged marriage is the only reason he could think of, maybe she had loved someone else.

The way she looks down on him is quite hurtful, she sees him like a housefly that can easily be killed by his people with a single clap of their hands. She isn't the only one though, others around him find him incompetent, but the queen is the only one that shows it.

____________Baara meets up with the other maid who's making the queens bed

She walks close to her and whispers " Where is her highness?".

The maid turns to Baara and kisses her teeth giving her a bad eye "She left, she said she doesn't need an escort, even her eunuch didn't go with her".

Baara wears a look "That's strange, where would she have gone?".

The maid shurgs "I don't know probably to meet the king?".

"Even so, she would have taken her escorts". The maid and Baara look at each other asif they were both thinking the same thing

The maid suddenly hits her head to stop her dirty thinking " Enough with the gossip, we have work to do, why don't you go empty her bath and fill it with fresh water".

Baara pouts her lips "Why must I get the hard work!" She whines

"Just do it lazy ass". Baara walks to the bath and removes the drainage and all the water disappeared. She takes a bucket and goes to the well to fetch water.

On her way back to the Queen's chamber she overhears some maids talking, she stops to eavesdrop, she hides behind a bush

" Do you really believe in that old myth?". One of the maids asked unbelieved

"Uh huh....I heard during the King's birth the oracle was a maid, who saw his birth bring doom". The other maid quickly covers her mouth

" Hush...someone might hear you". She removes her hand from her mouth and starts spitting

"Don't do that. Anyway they say there might be another oracle amongst us".

The second maid gasps with her widen eyes" Really?".

"Yes, imagine, if I knew who it was, I'm willing to give them all of my money to get my future read". They both walk away continuing their talk

Baara slowly gets up, she had a smile on her face, the smile Dorothy feared, the smile that meant she had a risky idea.

" No!" Dorothy exclaimed

Baara uses her shoulder to give her a playful push "Come on.... it's a good idea". They were both outside next to each other under the bright full moon washing the king and queens garment

"Baara, you are going to trick people for money? Do you know what will happen if you get caught?".

" I won't get caught it's amongst us maids, it's just a little lie, nothing is going to happen I will be careful I promise, please? It's just for a short while, to help my uncle". Dorothy aggressively deeps a cloth in  the soapy water over and over again so it would purposely splash on Baara

"Stop it!" Baara whines shielding herself with her arms

"You're on your own this time do you hear me?".

Baara smiles at Dorothy "This is why you're my best friend".

Dorothy scoffs "I'm being serious, don't think of asking me for help, this one is all on you".

Baara chuckles "Sure sure, hey, cover for me will you, I'm going to spread the word". Before Dorothy could say something Baara had stormed off

Dorothy and Baara had always done everything together and got each other back, no matter how many times Dorothy tells Baara she's on her own she's always the first person to show up when she's in trouble.

Dressed in a worn-out red lacy outfit, the queen shoes on her feet, and a big hand fan with tiny holes used to cover her face, Baara was ready to prophecies

"Give me your hand". She said faking a deep tone in her voice

The two maids from earlier hesitate to feel frightened by her presence, one finally had the courage to stretch forth her hand, Baara feels her soft palm

" I see something". The girl's eyes widen as their minds burst with curiosity "I see a misfortune that's about to take place".The girl instantly withdraws her hand Baara surprisingly grabs a hold of it "I see the king, and he's very angry...you did something that has angered him, if you wish to be safe then you have to bring me something worth 10 gold pieces".

The maids both stand up  "Yea right, what kind of scam are you trying to pull? Let's go, anger the king my ass". They storm out of her room.

Baara eyes widen as she sees them leave she starts to yell" Wait! 3gold pieces will do, don't you want to stop your misfortune?". Baara angrily throws the fan away. shit, I blew that, maybe I shouldn't have asked for that much, she thought to herself.

____________ Night time fell and the words that Calvin had said to Darius played over and over in his mind.

His bed felt rather large, especially tonight, he had requested for the queen to join him in his chambers earlier but she ignored his request, her disobedience is an insult to him as a man and his pride as a king, does she do it purposely to torment him?

With so many thoughts going through his head, Darius didnt know when he suddenly fell asleep.

The next morning he was awakened by the songs the bird sang, as soon as he opened his eyes he sees his

eunuch.

"You're awake sire". He said bowing to him

King Darius sits up straight "Get my bath ready, and tell the maid to bring my breakfast, I won't be coming out of my chambers today, I will be attending to everything here". He ordered.

" Yes, sire".

After taking his bath and putting on his attire, Darius sits on the bed staring at the door waiting for his breakfast to arrive.

He hears a knock "Come in!" He exclaimed, the doors slowly opened and a maid walks in with her head down, holding a tray with his food, she carefully drops it on the king's lap like he had ordered with his hands.

She pours hot water on the king's cup when all of a sudden a drop of water falls on his fingers.

The maid instantly goes on her knees "I have committed a great sin, I deserve your die". She starts to cry

Darius gets angry, his eunuch rushes to the scene " It is my fault, your highness, punish me instead"

Darius glares at them with his red eyes and yells "Get out of my sight this instant!". The maid immediately gets up and runs out.

She runs as fast as she could, and she goes to Baara's quarters, lucky for her she sees her there with her roommate

" Is everything okay?" Baara asks concerned.

The maid starts to cry "You were right, I should have listened to you, forgive me, please take away my misfortune". She goes down on her knees and starts pleading "Please I'll do anything". She brings something out of her bra "Here, this hairpin was given to me a long time ago by my suitor, it is worth 15 gold pieces, please just make the misfortune go away, I beg you".

Baara gives Dorothy a look, Dorothy just shakes her head and leaves the room. Baara takes her big old hand fan with holes and uses it to cover her face and speaks in a deep voice " The heavens have heard your cry my friend, and your gift has surely made them smile at you, your misfortune is gone, no harm shall fall upon you, for the time being, but your eyes should be open and you should be very careful you have enemies who pray for your downfall".

The maid smiled and starts rubbing her hands together out of gratitude "Thank you, thank you so much, I promise to do as you say, I can't wait to tell everyone". She got on her feet "Before I leave, do you mind telling me how you got your gift?".

A smirk suddenly appears on Barra's face.