Chapter 4

“One lays accused, one lays under the ground. Might be different souls or same, this hour around”

Marina

“You did what!?” Lanthernia’s voice was definitely not the whisper we had agreed it to be after mother and Jepheeth had gone to bed.

It was past ten pm and I solely waited for the right time to break the news to she and father. Now we were seated by the mini stool we managed to gather around the eat the remnants of our sick ones.

“Went to the Flame Cycle R-“

“I heard you the first time. And you didn’t think it would be better to seek some coins instead? It’s the role of a mistress?”

“To be frank, everyone who came looking for finances was declined and I didn’t want a temporary solution”

“You believe bedding the King is a permanent solution?”

“No, but it is better to have unlimited access to resources we direly need than to have money to acquire what we can afford. I don’t think the parliament loans out funds to any family, twice in a row”

Father was awfully quiet at the exchange going on between Lanthernia and I. Merely listening to each argument like he was trying to process something while rubbing on his now overgrown stubble.

“I can’t believe this” my older sister says, trying her best to pace up and down the little living area as quietly as she can but failing woefully at it.

“I can’t believe it either. Please sit down” the last person I wanted to know about this information was mama. I had no idea how she was going to take the information but I did not want any negative turns to be put on me.

“You do not try to play smart with me little girl!” There she goes again, doing her very best to remind me that the only person I had authority over in our home, is Jepheeth and in his current frail state, he could boss me around too and I was obligated to adhere.

She pointed her index finger to me and continues “Do not provoke me”

“I am not trying to. Even though I laid the request, I honestly didn’t think the king would heed to it. It’s been two solid weeks since then. I’m as surprised as you are!”

Madam Mongolia and Jeneva had to almost empty a pail of water on my head when I was on the verge of passing out in the fashionere after the soldiers had left.

“Go die on your father’s property young woman” said Madam Mongolia in the most compassionate voice she could muster.

“I cannot believe that such an idea grew within you for years and you did not care to seek our opinions. Are you out of your mind?”

“That’s wrong sister. I barely conceived the idea two months ago after King Xanthanius ascended”

The story on how the idea came to be was quite random.

The former king, Xanthanius’s father had just been killed and the locals were trooping in to Madam Mongolia’s store to sympathize with her and hear little stories about their lost king to fuel their hatred for the one whom had just ascended. The one who was responsible for the death of his father, King Flutheria.

I stood by the entryway to the backyard just listening. I was done with my laundry for the day and was whiling away my time by listening to the stories.

Captivated by how her life had just changed by simply offering King Flutheria a fresh apple as her token of appreciation of his rule and the King was so mesmerized by the act that the next day, he came personally to offer her the role of consort.

What Madam failed to acknowledge, was the fact that the king was mesmerized by her beauty. Madam Mongolia had features that even younglings like myself would apply a load of face clay and make up to get.

High cheek bones, flawless skin, eyes that sparkled with the most beautiful shade of blue, hydrated plump lips.

Even in her sixth decade of life, her beauty was obviously one that could never be missed. If she was on the poor scale of commons, I’m certain the King saw the potential in her appearance and went for it.

When she shared tales of how he changed her wardrobe, and she began living in the castle. Eating and drinking whatever she wished and extending the measure to her family…

I began to dream of the King seeing me as something fancy too. Something that could be fixed up just a bit so my family could be lifted from the poor scale of commons too.

The trick to it was, the new king was unpredictable as he just popped out of nowhere. There was no idea to what he liked or detested, if he had different plans for the country and if he would ever be found in the market center.

Until one day, the usual announcements for preparations of the Flame Cycle Request Meeting began. The announcements always gave everyone a month head start to plan.

And just like that, one month to the day. An idea struck me.

Maybe the King would never come to the market centre, but I could definitely go to the throne room.

Maybe I wasn’t the kind of beauty to catch his eye, but I could definitely wear what could.

Maybe he could never ask for a consort, but I can request to be one.

There was never a harm in trying. The only person who knew of this plan was Jeneva and that was because I needed her to use her seamstress knowledge to get the best eye catching material she could from the textile brocadia and make me a dress that would stand out.

Somehow, that foolish idea had come to pass. I was going to be the King’s consort.

For a moment I felt like I was in a dream.

“How did you even get there?” Lanthernia brings us back to the moment. Confusion etched on her face and in her voice. Because she slept in the living area that night. Far enough to not disturb mama and Jepheeth as they slept but close enough to hear them if they needed any help during the night.

“I snuck out my room window”

She and my father exchanged a brief look. Screws turning in their heads to figure out how I was able to wiggle myself out of that barely human sized opening.

“You went to the castle in your casuals?” Further interrogation.

“No. I had a dress made for the event”

“We are trying to see our family to a positive end and you were making dresses?”

“The money was from my savings after all taxes and healer sessions have been duly cared for. I took a risk and now it paid off. Why do all these questions matter?” I was getting exasperated by the fact that I thought this was great news yet I’m being chastised for it.

“She is right” my father finally said something tonight and the both of us looked to him to figure out whom between us was marked as ‘right’.

“Could you expatiate on that?” Lanthernia subtly demands. Arms crossed over her chest and hip cocked to the left side as she awaited an answer.

“Mari is right. It may not have been the wisest or best decision but it definitely gave a positive end that could benefit us all”

“So you’re in support of her whoring herself to the king who killed his own father and imprisoned his mother?”

With the raise of a hand to silence her, father continued. “I am not finished. The king may not desire to share a bed with her, it took him a whole two weeks to determine if he even wanted to accept her offer. I have a thought that there might be another reason he had said yes. She could go in there, save us all from this situation and when the King seeks her in his bed, she can humbly decline and return home no longer a mistress. By that time, she is still entitled to some privileges and would have helped us all”

“But what of the village? What would they say? We already have a poor reputation as it is with the incurable sickness hovering around mama and our little brother. Adding the gossip of a mistress to our home would make it unbearable” Lanthernia was now seated on the floor in defeat.

“There is nothing more the villagers can say that is beyond what they have already said” I added to the conversation and noticed my sister’s misty eyes change to that of understanding.

“Allow Marina to pack whatever she feels the need to and go to bed. We must also retire early. I heard this new King is quite a punctual one so the escorts should be here by the breaking of dawn” said my father in conclusion.