ROME
“Long live, Your Majesty!” Everyone in the courtroom chorused as the king walked in.
He nodded slightly but he wasn’t having it. He was sure many of them didn’t care about him or the title he held but only followed the ritual because they didn’t want to lose their heads. If he were to drop dead, they wouldn’t wait till he was in the ground to start the scramble for his throne.
Rome sat on the throne waving his hand dismissively and the room went silent as they resumed their seats.
“As you well may already know, we are here because Erika, the Queen – is being deposed…” The room went aflame with some murmuring and sighs.
“A while ago, I caught her cheating with The King’s hand, Chester. Who is presently in the dungeons, awaiting his verdict. I have now decided to depose both of them, and replace Chester with my dear sister, Skye, as the King’s hand.”
And at this point, Skye, who had been standing by his side, stepped forward and bowed. The crowd murmured a little more. Rome knew the court wanted a say in choosing the king’s hand. Many of them would have lobbied for the position.
“Silence!” he demanded. “Erika would be deposed from the position of Queen of Hanaerum and would be removed from all rights and privileges associated with that office. However, she will be granted land and wealth, commensurate of her time as Queen.”
He paused wondering if she deserved such goodness as he had just shown. In times past, cheating queens were hung or burnt at the stake with their cheating partner’s cocks in their mouths.
Skye looked at him and gave a curt nod.
She agreed with his verdict.
“If anyone has anything to say regarding the unlawfulness of my decisions, let them speak up.” And before the words were out of his lips, someone rushed to speak.
“Your Majesty!” It was Kain Kurt.
He feigned sadness and kept dabbing at some imaginary tears on his face as he spoke.
It was no news that Kain Kurt was a scheming devil. The king’s blood boiled as he talked but he restrained himself from yanking his eyes out of their sockets.
“This is indeed a very sad day for us all,” Kain Kurt spoke, still dabbing imaginary tears. “Especially members of the house of Kurt who have been dear friends to the royal house for quite a long time.”
Rome couldn’t help himself. “Get to the point, Kain.” He thundered.
“Alright. Alright, Sire. I would just say, this is terrible. But has Your Majesty considered that this would leave a hole in the royal house? I mean, by law, the King must have a female to give him an heir.”
“Do you want to give him another one of your whore daughters?” Someone on the far end yelled.
“I beg your pardon!” Kain Kurt turned.
He scanned the courtroom.
“Thank you, Kain. Anyone else?”
Chester’s Father raised a hand. An elderly Lycan.
“Mr. Romanoid?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said, getting up as he began to speak, buttoning his bright red suit. “I would like to start by apologizing on behalf of my entire family. The Romanoid’s have been dear friends to the crown for centuries. I am sorry about the shame and pain my son has caused you. It is disappointing.”
And at this moment, he bowed, keeping his head low and hands clasped together.
“Thank you, Mr. Romanoid. This doesn’t affect that relationship.”
“Thank you, Sire. I must beg, however. He is my only son. Please do temper justice with mercy. You have been gracious, please be so now.”
As Mr. Romanoid sat down, Rome realized that he had been so fixed on deposing Erika that he hadn’t taught about what to do with Chester, other than deposing him as well.
The king gestured for Teriel to lean closer. He asked his advisor about Chester’s punishment.
“My Lord, it’s already in there. He is relieved of duty and stripped of all positions as well as banned from stepping foot in the palace,” he whispered.
Rome was grateful to have Teriel. He realized, even more, the need for true allies within the ranks of the Court. Not those who owed allegiance to their family houses.
“Thank you!”
“Your Majesty,” someone said, raising their hand.
It was the whore, Monica. Kain Kurt’s sister, Erika’s aunt. A devil, as well.
“I was thinking, is it lawful for you to depose the Queen when you have no mistress?”
The court burst into a cacophony of voices that argued and defended the motion, each one trying to be heard above the other.
“Silence!” Rome declared and a stillness washed over the room.
He hated Monica the more and didn’t bother to hide it in the withering look he shot her but the conniving woman stood confidently looking him in the eye. It seemed she had more to say for her eyes held a familiar sparkle. She had to be enjoying the moment.
“I mean; we all know that you don’t have mistresses. Neither have you been able to produce an heir.”
This time, as the voices combusted in argument, Rome could clearly see who in court was on his side. Kain Kurt sat there smiling. Some members of the court rained insults on Monica.
“Silence!” he said as calmly as he could and the noise ceased.
*********************
ELORA
The kitchen turned out to be my favorite place in the palace. And I would later find out that Lucy loved to be in it as well.
First of all, it had the sweet smell of different flavors and foods. The kitchen was never not in use, not with the number of guests the palace housed. There was always cooking happening in the kitchen, so much so that some of the guards had the habit of stealing from the kitchen whenever they were hungry. And no matter how much they took, it could easily go unnoticed.
A section of the kitchen was always cooking meats of all kinds. Another section of the kitchen was always making different Lycan soups. And another section cooked anything that needed to be eaten at the moment.
As we entered, the irresistible smell of roast duck hit my nostrils. Even though I had already eaten, my stomach growled and I remembered Alma, and how she would force me to eat. The beautiful smell of lamb also sent my heart to mother’s roast lamb and how it went beautifully with the homemade strawberry shakes. I missed mother. But I had asked Lucy how I could send word to Alkarod and she said she would show me how.
As we went in, I realized that the kitchen was divided into two parts. One part cooked specially for the royal family and had their food delivered to them anywhere in the palace where they stayed. The other part of the kitchen cooked for the palace workers and made sure also, to feed them during their shifts or free time.
Denise, or Madame Denise, as kitchen staff liked to call her, was walking to and fro the Kitchen, inspecting the dinner that had been made for the workers. Lucy had told me that Denise had two males in their teens and she had lost her husband to some disease. The King had asked her to continue as head of Palace workers when the old one, her predecessor had retired. She ran the workings of the palace and was in charge of who was employed and who was not- but she spent most of her time in the kitchen.
Just as we were about to speak to Denise, I overheard the conversation of some guards as they passed. The hair on my skin stood immediately.
They’d got my attention by the name, and then the details of their conversation.
“What had Kain been asking about?” One had said to the other.
“He’d kept insisting that I find out who was new in the palace and where they were from. He said it was important to the king.”
“Some dark business again. If it were important to the King, why didn’t the King just say so himself? Wouldn’t Lady Skye do it? Sneaky one, that Mr. Kain.”
The other retorted as they both left carrying plates of chicken for their dinner.
The Lycan from that night. Kain.
He had been trying to find us.
Although panic almost had me fleeing the kitchens, I realized something.
He hadn’t seen our faces clearly that night so he didn’t know us and wouldn’t be able fish us out himself. That was why he was asking who was new and where from.
I had to warn Olivia, Brian, and Bennett.
“Oi! Elora!” Someone yelled. “Come over here.” It was Denise.