SCARLET’S POV
I don’t know why but I decided to walk out through the front courtyard today, instead of the inner door that I am used to.
I used this chance to speak to Mama Ruth. Ever since she was brought here, I have not had the chance to be with her. I know she has been here for just a few days, but I miss her so dearly and I want to be with her just like it was at the mansion.
We chatted and giggled, just as it has always been. I never even realize that I have missed her this way.
“Wait…” Mama Ruth said.
I stopped and looked at her, wondering what the problem might be.
“Can’t you hear it? Some wailings…” she asked.
“I think I do…” I said after listening for a few seconds. I sighed. “It must be from the gate. Maybe some random folks” I dismissed it.
“No, I don’t think so” Mama Ruth replied.
Knowing that she would not rest until she got to the root of the matter, I obliged her even before she made her intention known. “Okay, mama Ruth, I think we should go see for ourselves”
It is strange though, that I never stroll to the gates but for Mama Ruth, there is nothing I would not do.
“That is lovely, dear, let’s find out who that is?” she replied with a smile.
As we drew closer to the gate, I began to hear the voices clearer and I figured that it should be the guards at the gate with some strangers. Honestly, I see no need for our interference. I heaved.
“Listen to that,” Mama Ruth said.
“I already told you that the should be some random folks, things like this are common, it happens on a daily basis. Please let us just go back in” I replied.
“No, Scarlet, that woman is crying. I can hear her” she refused.
She was right. It is a woman’s voice that I am hearing, and she is crying. I decided to take in the words that she was saying.
“No… no, I am never going to give up. I will remain here until I see the queen” the woman wept furiously.
“We can still send you out of our land. For all we know, you might be spies” I heard the voice of one of the guards warn.
“I am no spies” the woman wept even louder. “We are no spies… Lalic is dying”
“Lalic…” I turned to Mama Ruth. “Who is Lalic?” I murmured.
“I don’t know. We may have to get there to find out” she replied.
I heaved as so many questions swept through my mind. Why is the woman at the palace gate, and what do my guards have to do with a dying Lalic? Why she is even weeping? With the thoughts in my mind, I continued to that gate.
“Let us go, Sophia, please let’s leave here now. We can look for help some other place” the voice of a man said. He sounded very exhausted.
“What is happening there?” I asked Mama Ruth.
She shrugged. “At the gate lies the answer” she replied.
“Who is Sophia?” this was a rhetorical question and I did not expect Mama Ruth to reply.
The woman’s voice came again. “No, there is no other place, Athena, I will remain right here”
“Do this for us, man, do this for the dying little boy” a man begged the guards.
“It does look like something very serious, you know,” Mama Ruth said.
“I think we should hasten our steps” I replied.
We arrived at the gate to meet a group of people, two men and a woman holding a child, just about to leave. They already have their back turned.
“Wait…” I called out to them.
“The great queen” the guards exclaimed in shock and bowed.
The group turned slowly, and when they saw me, they could not believe it. Their breath hitched and their lips parted in surprise.
“The queen…” the bewildered woman muttered and unconsciously let go of her boy with her.
Before the little boy could land helplessly on the ground, one of the guards quickly with the speed of lightning reached for him and stopped him from falling. The woman immediately regained her consciously and she collected the boy from the guards in shock.
“Greetings, my queen” the two men with the woman knelt in respect.
It was as if something snapped out of the woman and she rubbed her eyes roughly and then drew close to me with the little boy. She knelt down before me and bowed her head.
“I will see them in my court after dinner” I instructed and left with Mama Ruth.
“You can’t leave them like that” Mama Ruth protested as she dragged along behind me.
I reduced my pace for her to meet up with me. “I can only take decisions in my court. The council of elders has to be present” I explained calmly.
“They look as if they are going to die. Didn’t you notice that little boy, he appears to be a ghost of his old self?” she murmured.
“Yes I did notice him, mama Ruth” I replied.
“I think they need food, they might not be able to last until after dinner time. You cannot just leave them like that” she said softly.
“My servants know what to do. We are hospitable people” I replied.
“But your guards were not about to let them meet with you. They had already given up and were leaving by the time we got there. If you hadn’t shown up and stopped them, they would have left” she persisted.
“That is not how we operate, mama Ruth, please believe me” I replied.
“Then who gave them the right to turn them away before they met with you?” she asked.
“There is a war lurking, mama Ruth. We have to be very careful, especially in dealing with strangers at this point in time. They might be some spies sent to survey our land and feed the enemy with vital information about us. We cannot risk it, mama Ruth” I explained.
“So you will meet them after dinner?” she asked again.
“Yes, I will meet them after dinner. I will listen to them and find out what brought them and only then can I make a decision” I replied.
She reached out to me with her hand and smooched my arm, and she said in delight. “You are a good girl, Scarlet, you have always been. And I have no doubt that you will do right by them. I will be there tonight, that is if I am welcomed”
“Of course, you are always welcome, it is an open court” I replied and forced a smile.
Yes, I was a good girl, but how do I make her know that I am no longer that frail girl that she used to know, how do I make her understand that people’s wickedness has shaped me into what I am now?
I shook my head, I hope she is not completely disappointed in me.