Sally had just returned from the mines and entered the slave quarters, but hadn’t
gotten to their bedroom when she started hearing rumors.
First, today was the Mask Festival, and not only that but this year’s festival also
would be celebrated in the royal court of Salem.
Why choose Salem out of the twelve kingdoms?
As she walked, Sally heard more rumors. Maids formed little circles to gossip.
Sally didn’t mind at all, but when she heard ‘slave princess,’ she stopped suddenly
and faced the group of three maids.
“What’s happening? What happened to the slave princess?” she asked, already
scared that something might have happened.
One maid turned to her and leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Nothing for sure,
but we heard that the Mask Festival is also an introduction for the slave princess.”
Sally’s heart raced right out of her chest. “In-introduction? Another one?”
“Yes. Apparently, the kingdoms Danika’s father hurt one way or another also want
a piece of her. They want to hurt her badly.” The maid giggled.
Sally felt anger and disgust at the maid’s happiness, but the maid was the least of
her problems. She ran to their bedroom, and when the princess wasn’t, she knew
everything they were saying was true!
“Oh, Creator! Oh, Creator!” she exclaimed as she ran as much as she could to the
dressing room.
Two maids were there cleaning. “Please, wh-where’s the slave princess?” she
asked breathlessly.
“She’s been dressed. I think she’ll be in court with the king now,” one of them
replied.
But Sally was barely listening. Her eyes were on the priceless bangle of her
princess sitting on the nightstand. Tears filled Sally’s eyes. She blinked them back,
still staring at the glistening diamond.
The Mask Festival.
Sally had witnessed how the introduction and that festival worked. She knew the
methods, starting from the unmasking.
Those kings wanted to kill her princess. They wanted to destroy her princess.
She turned to one of the maids. “Which costume w-was she putting on?”
The maid cocked her head to the side in thought. “It’s elegant and unique. There’s
only two here in the kingdom.”
Sally hurried to the young girl, looking into the freckled face. “What’s your
name?”
“I’m Uyah,” she answered.
“Do you know me? From the time in Mombana?”
The girl was the same age as Sally. She nodded her head vigorously. “Oh, yes,
Sally. You brought us food one time that saved my mother. She has been starving for
three days, and then you brought us a feast! Oh, thank you so much. I’ve always
wanted to thank you, and”
“Can you help me, please?” Sally pleaded.
“Of course. I’ll do anything,” the girl agreed readily.
Sally turned with teary eyes and stared at that glistening diamond bangle again.
Once upon a time, that bangle was always on Princess Danika’s wrist. She couldn’t
even wear them because she was no longer a princess.
And now… no! She’d never allow it! Never!
Sally turned to Uyah. “Can you help me get changed?”
Everyone in attendance was eating and drinking. All wore masks except the kings.
Danika’s eyes took in the five kingdoms that attended.
Behind her mask, Danika checked them out freely. They divided the gigantic hall
into six different parts: five for each of the kingdoms and one for the people of Salem.
Each section consisted of each king and his slaves-three privileged families.
The hall was packed.
Ever-y other person’s mask was locked behind their head except hers. The king
had told her not to put the padlock on until after the unmasking. She didn’t understand
what he meant by that.
Dread and fear wrapped around Danika like a cloak. Sitting on the floor beside the
king’s throne, she had the urge to clutch his big garment and hide from the world. It
was an urge she resisted. She recognized two kings already and wasn’t surprised that
they were there.
King Moreh, the king of Ijipt, and King Philip, the king of Gordon. Her two
tormentors from her last introduction. She swallowed with dread.
King Moreh was the first to get up and start addressing the crowd. “I, King Moreh
of Ijipt, welcome us all to this royal court and this year’s Mask Festival.”
The people nodded, even while some ate, and some privileged people played with
their slaves.
Finally, his eyes found Danika from across the room. “Come out here and remove
your mask. While King Philip and I have seen your beautiful face before, King Pasih,
King Noir and King Zeba have yet to see.”
Danika’s legs trembled underneath her, but she stood. Don’t forget who you
are. The words came back to her.
Head high, shoulders squared, she walked to the center of the room. Quietly, she
removed her mask.
A chorus of ‘ooooh’ and ‘ahhhh’ rang out, their voices laced with approval, lust,
and excitement.
“She looks like that mastiff, Cone,” King Noir snarled.
“Yes, she does. An extremely beautiful version of him. She takes more after Queen
Meetia, her mother.” King Zeba drank his wine before he added, “She was one of the
most beautiful queens among all the kingdoms when she was alive.”
They speak about me like I’m not standing right here, Danika thought. Her fear
mounted when she saw the anger and evil anticipation in their eyes: anger for her
father and evil anticipation of what they planned to do to her.
She gripped her corset by the sides, squeezing the fabric to calm her nerves. Don’t
forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are.
Now she understood what the king meant by unmasking.
With their permission, she put back her mask on and finally padlocked it.
King Moreh continued his speech, and the more he talked, the more agitated she
was. From everything he said, she understood what was about to happen.
While the Mask Festival was going on in this royal court, she’d be taken to the
inner room where the kings would visit her one after the other.