She swallowed tightly. Suddenly, she wanted to use the bathroom. This horrible
impending torture was seriously upsetting her bladder.
“You can go back now, slave,” King Moreh said to her in the middle of his speech.
Danika breathed a deep sigh of relief as she walked back to King Lucien’s side and
lowered herself to the ground in her usual position.
At least she wasn’t the center of attention for now; that was all that mattered.
Tears were prickling her eyes, and no matter how she tried to blink them back, they
seemed determined to meet her cheeks. No matter how she wanted to be strong,
Danika didn’t think she could survive this. They looked upon her with so much hate
in their eyes, these kings.
Why did she have to go through this?
Once upon a time, none of these kings would look at her without respect.
Once upon a time, she’d be sitting on a gold chair instead of the cold, hard ground.
Once upon a time, these privileged people bowed in her presence, and none of
them would look her in the eyes so obviously.
Once upon a time, she wore a crown on her head instead of a collar around her
neck.
Baski rushed into the dressing room and stared at Sally. A different Sally.
One look at the girl and Baski already knew what she planned to do, and her heart
broke.
“No, no, Sally, you can’t,” she said as she took steps deeper into the dressing
room.
But Sally’s mind was made up. “I can. I will.”
“You want to take her place?” Baski whispered dreadfully.
Sally was dressed in the same clothing as Danika. She had a blonde wig on her
head, just like Danika’s hair. The two women were almost the same height and build,
and in a mask, no one would know the difference.
“Oh, Creator, you really want to take her place!” Baski gasped.
Sally nodded, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked… different. Wearing such
elegant clothes, she looked sophisticated.
“If they find out, you’ll be in trouble, Sally. They will execute you for this!”
Sally stared at the older woman with a sad smile on her face. “That’s why I sent for
you, Madam Baski. I know you can help me; they’ll never find out if you help me.”
“God, Sally, it’s too dangerous!” Baski shook her head. “And I don’t want you to
do this, do you hear me!? No, I won’t allow this!”
Sally wiped the tears from her cheek. She walked closer and took Baski’s hand into
hers, squeezing it in reassuringly, even as her own hands trembled badly.”My princess
can’t live like that, Madam Baski. Those kings hate her. She’ll never survive what
they’ll do to her. She wasn’t born like us. She’s no slave; she’s my princess! They’ll
break her to pieces; she can never survive that.” Tears streaked down her made-up
face.
“And you think will you survive it?” Baski countered softly.
The answer she got was more tears.
It made Baski’s eyes water. She squeezed Sally’s hands. “You won’t, Sally. You
think just because of the…things you had to do to get us food that you can survive
being the object of hateful violence of five powerful kings? You can’t survive that!
I’m Remeta’s mother, and I know this with every bone in my body. You can’t do this,
Sally, do you hear me!?” Baski said heatedly, shaking Sally’s arms.
Silence. Sally could only weep even as a little smile touched the corners of her
mouth.”Please answer this question for me, Madam Baski. If it was King Lucien in
there, and you had the power to save him, would you save him or not?” she
whispered.
Baski allowed the question to wash over her. Then she lowered her head, her heart
heavy. They both knew the answer to that question.
“And what about Sir Chad?” Sally continued in a whisper. “If it was King Lucien
in such trouble, wouldn’t he do everything within his power to save the king-
including dying for him?”
“Oh, Sally.”
“And what about Sir Declan?” she whispered tearfully.
Baski clutched her heavy heart at the mention of him.
“He died in Mombana-for his king,” Sally supplied. “And all of you would do it
over and over and over again for him with a smile on your face, because that’s how
much you love and want to protect King Lucien.”
Baski wiped the tears that kept coming from her eyes. She studied Sally’s face
carefully, this girl who had her heart-and the heart of every other person in
Salem.”King Lucien was worth it, Sally. He is still worth it,” she whispered at last.
“Your princess…is she worth this sacrifice?”
“Oh yes, Madam Baski. She’s worth it and so much more.”
“If she finds out about this, it will break her, Sally. What is worse than going
through torture is watching someone you care about go through it…for you. You can
ask King Lucien about it; he knew it better than anybody. She will never forgive
herself.”
Sally stared at the royal bangle again. “Better me than her. This will destroy her
dignity. Her very being. She’d never walk with her head high again. She’d look at
herself and see dirt. Garbage. She’d be seen as a true slave. That is being broken for
royalty, Madam Baski.”
Silence met her words.
Finally, Baski stepped back, trying to regain her composure. “Then I’ll help you.
I’ll get Danika out, and I’ll keep her out so you can go in.”