What awaits her
Boldly, fear, was inscribed on the faces of the maids as they walked Xena’s chamber. Their nervous heartbeat could be heard loudly, as they were getting closer to Xena’s chamber, they were panicking, hoping they would come out safe from Xena’s chamber.
The palace female maids had three rooms sequentially, they were divided into rooms, with ten maids in each room, Aurora and Shastina shared the same room, making both of them plunge as a victim. Shastina tried imagining what could cause the urgent summons.
“What did you think we did wrong this time?” One of the maids let out, her heart throbbing as she stared at Xena’s chamber afar, she was one of Mira’s minions.
“I don’t know, I just hope it won’t be something serious,” She replied
Many of the maids inhaled and exhaled as they reached the entrance, no one among them wanted to press the doorbell, they feared announcing their presence,
Shastina watched how the others were pushing each other to the front to press the door. Aurora stretched her neck looking, but she couldn’t utter a word, she lowered her head, feeling uncomfortable looking at Shastina’s face, she believed it was her fault.
She suspected Jeanne might have remembered trailing after her to the maid’s quarter last night.
Maybe they were summoned because of this, and she can’t stop feeling sorry for the maids. The maids hated her for killing their late king, and they wouldn’t hesitate to hate her even more if they discovered she was the cause of this.
Just as Shastina pressed the door, a voice came out. It belonged to Xena, as the door wide opened, Xena came out looking furious, Jeanne stayed at her back as they walked out of the room, their eyes filled with rage, flickering with anger, none of the maids could penetrate their eyes, it was killing stares.
“All of you, follow me,” Xena said in a curt, she led the way, and the maids trailed after her as she carried each step. But this time around, they walked like dumb and deaf, they couldn’t utter a word.
As they walked, the maids swept the path they took, and lowered their heads as they sighted Xena, coming, no one could dare to raise her and look at her face, everyone feared her since she was the king’s favorite.
Many believed she held more power than the Queen, the maids wondered what the other maids did to make them walk after her. They are worried because there is always trouble whenever they see Xena walking angrily this way.
Getting to an intersection, she turned in the direction leading to the dungeon, it was the place she used to punish the maid. The maid’s eyes filled with tears as they turned to the path, without asking her, they knew their fate already.
Nneka was coming out of Morena’s chamber, she went for a herbal concoction, and she heard the murmurs of the palace maids, talking of how powerful Xena was among the king’s women.
Where she stood, she heard how they compared her power with Xena, it angered her to hell, she could feel her blood crazily boiling all over his body.
“She might be the queen, but concubine Xena has more power than her in this palace, she is the king’s favorite. The king would always do her wish,” one of the maids whispered to the hearing others.
Hearing how they belittled her as a mere concubine makes her go crazier. With sheer rage and anger, she made her presence known to the maids gossiping.
“My queen,” They chorused, and lowered their heads, with their hearts beating nervously.
“Where is Concubine Xena taking the maids?” She said in a calm voice, inside the calmness of her voice, still, it held how angry she was.
“Dungeon,” They chorused.
“Okay, go and report yourself to Morena. I will think of a better punishment that will benefit you,” she said and walked away, making the maids shiver.
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Aurora looked at the faces of the maids, she knows they are terrified already, and she thought of ways to stop this from ensuing, she has caused people pain, and she is not ready to add more pain
She might look innocent, but she had killed many people, and caused many families pain and wounds, just because she has always thought that is the right way to protect her father and community. Meeting Malik makes her know that what she had done for her father over the years caused many people pain.
Seeing how Malik got colder after his father’s death, makes Aurora know the children of the people she has killed must have felt the same way. Maybe she’s suffering for her past sin, she thought.
The silence that befell, not hearing the footsteps sound, brought Aurora out of her deep thought, she looked around and realized they had reached the dungeon. The foul smell of the dungeon, and what she passed through in the dungeon seemed to input some fear into her, she was nervous, hoping she won’t be thrown inside again.
A murmuring pleading aroused as Jeanne walked to the front and opened the pot of hot water, the hotness was still emitting.
“Silence,” Xena’s voice followed as their kneel found the ground.
“Someone among you, dare to want the king to herself, not only that, that person dared to lay her dirty hand on my best friend here,” she said, and pointed her hands towards Jeanne, notifying them that she is the one she was referring to.
“I know that one person among you must know the person, since the person belonged to the maids in your apartment… Just point to the person and quench the fire burning in me right now,” Xena roared, she made the maids feel like a rat in the hand of a cat.
Hearing her, Shastina raised her head and looked at Aurora. She knows she is the one Xena is referring to, she had caught her and warned her never to put them into trouble.
Just as she predicted, it had happened now. She raised her hand, signaling to Xena that she knows the person.
“There is no need to raise your hand, spill the beans, am not a patient person today,” Xena said, she clenched her fist, wanting to hear the name of the person as her eyes glued on Shastina’s mouth.