“Thank you so much, Madam Baski,” she whispered sincerely. “Take her far away
from the courtroom. I don’t want her to see or hear. It’ll hurt her a lot, and she might
try to stop everything.”
Baski shook her head in sadness, but at the same time, she felt a new respect for
this young woman. “You, Sally, are the bravest and most loyal young woman I’ve
ever known. You’re not meant to be a slave. Your heart is too pure to have been in
this dark world of ours.”
Baski’s curiosity got the better of her, so she asked, “How did you make it this far?
All this light and happiness and brightness of yours… how did you keep them for so
long?”
Sally swiveled her head to the door. “It’s all because of that woman inside that den
of lions, Madam Baski.”
“The princess?”
She nodded. “It’s all because of her.”
Baski looked away. “Has she been unmasked?”
“Yes. I hear the shouts from here,” Sally answered.
“Then now is your chance.” Baski walked closer and helped Sally put on the mask
and padlocked it behind her head.
Sally walked to the table and lifted the bangle, then slid it into her left wrist.
“You almost walk like her.” Baski’s voice held reverence.
Sally beamed at her through the tears. “I’ve been with her for so long, Madam
Baski. I know her, my princess.”
Baski bit her lips worriedly. “A lot of slaves have died behind the doors of the
royal court. You might never walk out of that door alive, Sally.”
Sally smiled through her tears. “I know, Madam Baski. It doesn’t matter because
I’ve been living on borrowed time, anyway.”
Danika was so stressed; she knew she’d urinate on herself if she were there any
longer.
She knelt in front of King Lucien. “I w-want to use the bathroom, M-Master.” Her
voice trembled.
“Five minutes,” was all he said.
“Th-thank you, Master.” She got up and walked towards the door. The guards
opened the door for her, and she walked out.
Outside the courtroom door, Danika had the insane urge to run away-to run as
fast as her legs could carry her. She couldonly run to the bathroom. There was no
escape from this place-from Salem or the palace-from the introduction.
In the bathroom, Danika was hyperventilating, and tears ran down her cheeks. She
closed the door, leaned against the wall, and started sobbing. Her world was crashing
down around her. She was breaking down before anything even started. But she
couldn’t help herself.
Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are.
As she used the bathroom, Danika cried as much as her heavy heart could allow.
Her heart filled with fear.
“You can do this, Danika. You can do it,” she whispered to herself hoarsely.
Afterwards, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom’s mirror. She wiped her
tears, grateful that her eyes weren’t swollen-just a little red behind the mask.
Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are, Danika. Keep your head high.
You can do this.
Danika opened the door and left. As she walked towards the throne room door, she
was surprised to see Baski coming towards her.
There was visible relief in the older woman’s eyes. “Danika, there you are. I was
looking for you.”
“I took permission from the king to use the bathr-” she tried to explain.
But Baski hurried towards her and took her hand. “There’s some work I need you
to do.”
“But the king-”
“I already told the king about it, and he gave his consent. Now quit being a
troublemaker and follow me,” she commanded.
Danika snapped her mouth shut. Baski was already walking in those hurried steps
of hers, and Danika followed her. She didn’t understand why the woman was calling
her away.
What could Baski possibly need from her that couldn’t wait until after the
introduction?
From his throne, King Lucien stared at all the kings. He tried not to think of what
was going to happen here.
He tried not to, but it went into his icy heart and stamped itself there. He closed his
heart to it and swore again that he would fight for a greater future.
He would never give up. If he had to, he would die trying. For his people. For the
lowborn. For him. For his father. He wanted this introduction to be the last of his
reign. This introduction would happen because his kingdom couldn’t afford to go to
war now for many reasons; it was not even an option.
But before the day was over, he was hoping to get King Noir and King Zeba to be
on his side in the fight to abolish some traditions. He knew for sure that Moreh and
Philip were lost causes; they would never agree to it. He didn’t know where Pesih
stood yet, but he intended to find out.
But as for Noir and Zeba, Lucien heard both kings had never attended
introductions in any kingdom before, and according to his findings, the slaves of these
two kingdoms were being treated as well as humans should be.
These kings were here now not because they found fun from the Introduction of
King’s Slaves but because it was the late King Cone’s daughter.
It was about anger, hate, and revenge. It was not about the introduction; it was
about the introduced.
He knew he could persuade them to join his side in the fight to abolish some
inhumane laws.
When the door opened and a woman entered the courtroom, King Lucien knew
almost immediately that something was off. The woman behind the mask was not
Danika.
He sat up on his throne and surveyed her carefully. Same clothes. Same hair. Same
mask. She wasn’t Danika.
How did he know this? The woman behind the mask walked towards him and
lowered herself to the ground beside him.
Maybe it was because his slave was a little taller than the person behind the mask.
Or because of the difference in regality. Danika’s poise always emphasized her
previous status, and even though this person almost had the poise, it wasn’t the same.
Then he saw the way the girl’s hands trembled at her sides, even as she curled
them into fists to stop the shaking.
Sally. The girl behind the mask was Danika’s former personal maid, Sally.
How did this happen? And where was Danika?
Before he could say something about it, King Philip stood and commanded
“Danika” to go to the inner room.
The girl didn’t hesitate; she stood. And that was when King Lucien looked into her
eyes. He saw fear and sadness. Above all, he saw determination.
She practically wore her intentions in her eyes. They said, “I wasn’t forced to be
here. I want to protect my princess. I will do anything to protect her.”