Nneka’s stomach giggled excitedly after Daphne informed her of the punishment given to Xena.
The excitement was so obvious on her face, making Daphne wonder why she was feeling so joyous about it.
Although, since the queen came into the palace, she hadn’t seen her feeling this happy without the input of alcohol.
Whenever she’s angry at the king for not acknowledging her presence as his queen, she always turns to alcohol to kill the boredom, anger, and rage in her.
Sporadically Daphne wondered why the king was wicked and evil to his women, especially his queen.
The citizen is expecting the queen to conceive soon, but as far as she knows, the king hasn’t laid with the queen for the past five months since she entered the palace.
The King only gives his precious time to Concubine Xena.
She concluded, that seeing Xena getting hurt is enough to make the queen happy now that she was in prison.
The realization struck her heart and she understood the reason the queen was thrilled.
She narrowed her eyes at the door as a bang landed on the door.
“Go and get the door Daphne” Nneka ordered with a chuckle on her face like she knows wanting to come In. She held an expectant expression.
Just as Daphne’s hand left the door, three beautiful women, dressed in royalty, rushed in breathing heavily.
They rushed down to the queen’s quarters as soon as they heard from their maids that the king sent Concubine Xena into the royal prison.
They couldn’t believe the king would send his favorite to prison, so they had to come to the queen to confirm the truth of the rumors.
Nneka suspected seeing them in her chambers this morning, hearing that knock made her conclude that they came in.
The bang on her door made her blush because she knows they are the ones coming.
Although, she sees them as dumb for remaining silent all this while, allowing a woman’s life to overtake their rights.
Although she planned to make the king send them out of the palace and gave them houses inside the community.
She doesn’t plan to have any rivals in the palace when she finally holds the king’s heart.
“Queen mother “They chorused as they knitted their brows impatiently.
Nneka signaled Daphne to excuse them, but she hesitated, wanting to ask the queen if she can serve the concubine tea
Before she could open her mouth to let out, one of the concubines called Sheba yelled at her.
“What are you waiting for? To eavesdrop on our conversation” She shouted at her.
Instantly Daphne’s mouth clamped, she could no longer produce a word, shivering out of their presence.
Just as Sheba turned her eyes to focus on the queen, she noticed the stares of other concubines burning a hole out of her.
“What?” She groaned at her.
“Must you always pass your aggression to the maids? Isn’t their fault that the king refuses to touch us or acknowledge us as his woman? Isn’t their fault at all? I will suggest you gather all the strength and use it to make the king look at your side” Kira, one of the concubines, muttered.
Sheba scoffed at her, refusing to reply to her, rather she lowered her head and greeted the queen once more; she laid her buttocks on the mat and crossed her legs with a knitted furrowed brow.
“I don’t think we should kill ourselves for a king who didn’t care about us” Sally, one of them murmured under her breath.
“Queen mother, we heard the king asked concubine Xena to stay inside the royal prison for three days as a punishment.
We came to confirm if the rumors are true because we can’t seem to believe in it,” Sally, announced.
She was considered to be the most peaceful among the kings women, behaving like she was not interested in the king at all.
Perhaps, it was because her father forced her to marry the king against her wishes because of her selfish gain.
He wanted some benefits, and only the king-in-laws have access to it, although he is a minister in the palace, but he isn’t contented, rather h sacrificed Sally happiness for his selfish desires.
“Queen mother, we are anxious to know the truth, Is it true? “Kira and Sheba uttered simultaneously.
Whenever an issued arises, and it involves Xena, the two concubines always supported each other since she is their most sworn enemy in the palace.
“Our king is a righteous man, he judges according to the level of your offenses… so concubine Xena sinned and the king judged her according to her offenses” Nneka declared in a calming tone, she held a strict expression, not wanting the other concubine to think she’s excited about it.
Her mission is to hide her true motive from them until she accomplishes all her plans.
Then she will unravel the mask off her face and make them knows she is deadlier than Xena.
“What?” They chorused with amusement on their faces.
They won’t have believed if the queen hadn’t testified to the rumors. Even sally couldn’t hide her feelings, her face lightened up heartily.
Just then, Kira burst into a mockery of laughter, she sprang to her feet and walked around the room carrying each footsteps exactly how Xena always raised her shoulder proudly whenever they had a meeting.
Displaying and announcing herself the king woman… Although I can’t stay late, and the king won’t chastise me, he hates to rebuke me … I own the king’s heart” Kira mimicked Xena exactly how she used to talk proudly, showing off to them.
Just as she uttered the last word, all of them burst into laughter, unable to hide the feelings, they were excited, feeling as if the king had announced, he will have their time henceforth.
However, Nneka bites her lips, trying to suppress the excitement churning inside her stomach.
After a while, the atmosphere of laughter and mockery reduced, and Nneka brought their consciousness and focus back to her.
“Women of the palace, I don’t want us to be excited about the downfall of our fellow women, I will advise we beg the king on her behalf so that…”
“No way queen mother, I can’t beg the king because of that proud girl, moreover there is a rumor that she was once a maid, she didn’t deserve our sympathy “Sheba snarled at Nneka before she could finish with her sentences.
And in that instant, Kira stood up and supported Sheba, saying she wished she could have the evidence that Xena was once a Maid.
Nevertheless, they are supporters whenever it involves concubine Xena.
“Will you please exercise patience and listen to me, this is one of us, we can’t possibly allow her to remain there for three days” Nneka said gently, with her pretentious calming, and caring expression?
“Queen mother, we can’t… we are different from you, we don’t have a kind heart like you, maybe if we possibly wake up tomorrow with the kind of heart you have, we might beg her behalf.
But for now, is a capital no for us with due respect queen mother”Sheba said, her eyes seeming with anger, and her chest was rising and falling.
Just as she finished her response, she lowered her head and exited the room, with Kira trailing after her.
Nneka’s throat begged to release the laughter inside, but she tried to suppress it, wanting Sally to get angry and leave the room just like them so that she can laugh her lungs out.
Disappointment struck her chest just as Sally’s response penetrated her ears.
“I can’t lie to your queen mother, I don’t like Xena just like the others, but I want to avoid hating her either, that’s why I wish to beg the king on her behalf. Kindly notify me once you are ready, “Sally said and faced the exit door.
Nneka’s face hardened hearing her, she felt like choking the life out of Sally.
She wondered the kind species she was.
“Is she human? Every human has a level of revenge and selfishness”
“Why is she different from others?” she asked herself a rhetorical question.
She clenched her fist in fury, with anger boiling inside her blood, she watched Sally leaving her room until she finally disappeared from her presence.