Chapter 20 – Insane
After helping Marilyn change into another dress, Annalise gathered all her personal belongings and instructed the maids to handle them with utmost care. The King had commanded Annalise to bring his queen to the palace, signaling the imminent start of the marriage rites. While Marilyn had been lost in her thoughts, a formal announcement had already echoed throughout the entire kingdom, declaring that the King had found his true queen, and the marriage rites would commence soon.
Nayak City erupted into a frenzy of celebration. People reveled to the point of intoxication, performances filled the bustling market square as they celebrated the arrival of their new queen. They had initially believed that Natalí was furious at the King for taking consorts without waiting for his queen, but it appeared she had been searching for the right one all along. The temple’s sealed door remained untouched, a symbol of hope, and they knew their queen would soon unlock its healing powers, curing those afflicted by illnesses that medicine couldn’t touch.
As Marilyn observed the vibrant city coming alive with the news of their new queen, a sense of trepidation washed over her. These people would soon become her responsibility. What if she failed them? What if Natalí’s tears stopped responding to her commands? The role of queen in Nayak weighed heavily on her mind, and Marilyn couldn’t help but shudder at the immense burden and pressure it entailed. She had come to Nayak merely to explore the possibility of conceiving, but now she found herself entangled in a web far more intricate than she had ever imagined.
Upon reentering the palace, she briefly contemplated turning back, following her initial instinct to journey to Holcomb. However, she knew that option had vanished the moment her carriage had come to a halt in front of the women’s pavilion. Annalise assisted her out of the carriage, draping a scarf over her head, chest, and neck.
Taking a deep breath, Marilyn followed Annalise as she guided her through the labyrinthine palace, passing through various chambers and corridors reserved for the palace’s women, until they halted at the entrance of the east wing. It was a beautiful sight, though not as opulent as she had expected, given the splendor of the King’s inner palace. Marilyn assumed this chamber belonged to the Queen, but she was soon to discover otherwise.
“Her Highness will see you now,” Annalise announced, dispelling Marilyn’s initial assumption. So, this chamber was not for the Queen. But who occupied it? The consort, perhaps? Why had Annalise brought her here?
“The King’s aunt is not an easy person. You mustn’t allow her to intimidate you,” Annalise whispered, and Marilyn sucked in a deep breath. The King’s aunt? She must want to assess her new niece-in-law.
The young servants, clad in sleeveless gowns barely reaching their knees, opened the door, allowing Marilyn to step into the chamber.
Inside, a woman sat regally on a cushioned chair. She wore a black sleeveless silk blouse adorned with intricate golden-threaded corsetry, paired with an extravagant black skirt that came just an inch below her blouse. The room was exquisite, adorned with beautiful pottery and an array of paintings that caught Marilyn’s eye. It resembled her room back at Gattar Manor, with one exception-Marilyn’s beloved bookshelf was conspicuously absent. But she remembered that the women of Nayak were illiterate.
The woman turned to face Marilyn, her face illuminated by candlelight. There was a slight resemblance to the King, enough to make her pass as his mother, but she was only his aunt from his father’s side: Princess Cixi, the sister of the late King. She looked both beautiful and aged, with wrinkles marking her face as she scrutinized Marilyn.
“I heard you are from Ruqgu. Shouldn’t you bow before the King’s aunt?” Princess Cixi spoke with a voice that held both annoyance and boredom. Marilyn promptly greeted her with respect. “Greetings to you, Your Highness,” she replied, but Princess Cixi seemed unimpressed.
“How old are you?” the old woman inquired, resuming her seat and picking up a fan to fan herself.
“I am twenty-six, Your Highness,” Marilyn replied, her tone tense. She couldn’t quite place why she disliked the woman’s scrutiny.
“Twenty-six? Unmarried? You are well beyond a suitable age for marriage,” the woman remarked with a hint of intrigue. She dropped her fan and studied Marilyn more closely.
Before Marilyn could respond, the door abruptly swung open, and Annalise rushed in. Princess Cixi furrowed her brow, glaring at the intrusion.
“My apologies, Your Highness, but the King urgently requires Lady Marilyn’s presence,” Annalise explained, bowing as she conveyed the King’s message. Princess Cixi looked annoyed, seemingly forgotten in the King’s jubilation over his newfound soulmate. It was a déjà vu of her brother and that Ruqgu woman. He had abandoned his own sister for a new love. Marilyn and Annalise both bowed as they exited her chambers.
“Natalí must be truly mad or blind. Why choose women from Ruqgu for the King when there are plenty of women in the capital?” she mumbled to herself, lifting her cup of unfinished tea to her lips with a sly smile.
” let’s see if this love story will last”
Annalise led Marilyn to the northern part of the palace, to a small building the King used for relaxation. In front of the building lay a small pond with a few fish swimming lazily. Treven stood by the wooden rail, gazing at the pond. He turned as footsteps approached, and Annalise and Marilyn greeted him with respectful bows. He dismissed Annalise with a mere glance, and she hurriedly exited the shed.
“Do you know why I summoned you?” the King asked, his melodious voice filling Marilyn’s ears as she struggled to compose herself.
“No, Your Majesty,” she replied gently, her head still bowed. He stepped closer, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. Moonlight bathed her face, highlighting her exquisite beauty so intensely that he almost stumbled over his words. Such a breathtaking woman, all his.
“If you seek love, you won’t find it with me. I’m making you my queen solely for Nati and Natalí, who have chosen you,” he stated with a hint of irritation. Marilyn sighed in frustration. This was madness! So much for being the only one he would ever desire. She didn’t believe he would ever feel anything for her, but she also knew her own reasons for marrying him.
“After this wedding, you will be the Queen, and I will fulfill my duties as your husband, but nothing more. I will never love a woman who has been claimed by another.”
Marilyn’s eyes blazed with defiance as she locked her gaze with his.
“Your Majesty, I did not come here seeking your love. I came here because of Natalí’s call and to fulfil a duty, just as you are doing. Hell! I even left my husband’s house.” She sighed but he suddenly flared moving closer to her which shocked her for a while.
” you will not call another man your husband! You are mine now! ” He said placing his arms on her waist and pulling her closer to him. His breath fanned her nape as she stared him in shock at his sudden outburst. Didn’t he just mentioned that she was claimed by another man and he will never love her? The king is insane; Marilyn concluded in her mind.