Aurora was performing her duties fetching water into the kitchen, she made sure to take along the fetcher with her whenever she went to pour the filled bucket into the jar inside the kitchen.
She couldn’t forget the experience she had two days ago when someone threw the fetcher into the well just to punish her. She had thought the king would punish her for it.
Although the king eventually punished her that day, but she knows it isn’t because of the fetcher, but because of the man who lied against her.
She wanted to punish whoever threw the fetcher into the well, but she hasn’t had time to investigate it since she didn’t know the perpetrator, likewise she hasn’t had time to rebuke Tira for slapping her, but she sensed Tira knows the person who poured her water away and threw the fetcher into the well.
She might take every insult from the king’s women, but she can’t take insults from slaves, she’s born Royal and won’t allow circumstances to give her another legacy.
Anyway, she was excited that the king learned of the truth, she had been afraid of the king’s decree, of sending her to the market square as the late king’s murderer.
She won’t have come out alive, knowing how much the people loved the late king, still she wondered why the late king summoned her community to war, if he was this nice and benevolent to his community.
Maybe there is something hiding to her that her father didn’t let her know of.
Just then, she lowered to the bucket level after she had filled it, wanting to put on her head, footsteps approaching distracted her, and she narrowed to the direction she heard the sound.
“Here you are,” Evans said with a smile on his face.
Two nights ago, Evans had decided to change and start behaving friendly to her, exactly the way they were before the death of the late king.
“Evans” She called softly and withdrew the buckets from moving to her head rather she dropped it on the ground.
“How are you doing?” Evans asked her.
He hadn’t seen her since yesterday, when they departed after he asked her to pass through the tunnel into the prison.
“I’m fine” Aurora said with excitement on her face, she couldn’t believe Evans had started relating to her like before.
She wishes if this was a dream, she would rather not wake up from it. She had missed his jest, his cares and his furrowed brows whenever he came to report the king to her.
“Thank you for saving me yesterday, if you hadn’t found the tunnel, I won’t have made it on time” She said reassuringly
Evans shook his head miserably,”I thought it will be death of us yesterday, I was so scared when I learned that you hadn’t come back to the prison, I was scared the king will discover you are the mask girl…but I was relieved when I learned the queen defended you.
Although I was still confused because I didn’t know the reason the queen would show up and save you from the king” Evans started
“Yes” Aurora nodded, and she bit her lips uncertainly, she lowered herself.
“There is something you aren’t telling me. Isn’t?” Evans asked, looking intently into her face.
“Yes, but please don’t make me to tell you now, I promise to tell you when the time comes” Aurora said, knowing she mightn’t survive Evan’s pressure, if he wanted to make her to talk.
“There is no problem, I will wait until when you are ready… Anyway, tell me, how did you feel when you heard the punishment the king gave Xena and the man who lied against you”
A thrill of pleasure coursed through Aurora’s body again as Evans remembered her, the most shocking news she had heard for a while now.
Although she thought she must be a bad person for being happy about another person’s downfall, still she couldn’t help it but to feel happy.
Moreover, she didn’t trust or fancy Xena anymore, ever since she learned she slept with the king brother, she saw her as a betrayal.
If truly she loved the king as she always claimed, she expected her to inform the king since the king’s brother forced himself on her.
But she doubted if she can do it, yet she allowed the king to continue trusting his brother.
“Did you think I’m a bad person for being excited that the king sent her to prison, just as she made him send me there?” Aurora asked, she was unsettled in her mind, but wanted to clear her conscience.
” No Aurora, you are a human, and it’s normal since she had always treated you badly. I’m happy she went into the prison too” Evans enthused happily.
“Yes, she deserved it, and I’m happy for it” Aurora said and busted into laughter with Evans.
After chattering for a while, Evans finally informed her that the king demanded her presence.
“What? And you have been chatting with me since” Aurora asked wide-eyed.
Evans nodded vigorously,” I wanted to chat with you for a while, that’s why, you know I have miss us” Evans said with a pouted mouth and wrapped his arms round her shoulder, and pinned her head inside his arms.
He lifted his eyes up, wanting to stare at her eyes, as he wanted to pinch Aurora’s cheeks, she knocked his head, leaving him to groan.
He released her head from his arms and rubbed the position where the knocked landed.
“You are nuts, did you want the king to punish me?” Aurora snapped at him.
Evan looked around carefully and then, he leaned closer to her ears.
“Tell the king you are the mask girl and he won’t punish you. The king loves the mask girl” He whispered, leaving him to receive another knocked on his head.
“Argh… Aurora, did you want to break my head?” Evans pinned her with a glared.
“Whatever… Find a way to drop this bucket inside the kitchen” Aurora said, then she turned around facing the path that lead to the king’s chamber.
Her heart was in her throat as she continued on her track to the king’s chamber, she couldn’t help but to feel nervous.
Wondering the reason for the call.