Aurora stood inside the garden, her heart beating fast with anticipation. She was dressed in a beautiful mask, a long flowing gown, and her hair styled to perfection. She was looking straight at the entrance, hoping to see the king walk at any moment.
She could even feel a presence and thought it was the king, but it was just the wind blowing through the leaves. She couldn’t help but wonder if the king had forgotten about their meeting, or if he had found out that she was the masked girl.
No,” she thought to herself. “He would have asked for my capture if he found out.”
The mere thought of being captured again or losing the king was unbearable for Aurora.
As the hours ticked by, Aurora’s anxiety grew. She felt a pang of disappointment with every passing moment. Eventually, she gave up and took off her mask, her heart heavy with sorrow. She knew that she had to find out what was going on, so she decided to trace the king to his chamber.
Arriving at the spot, she saw Evans standing outside. “Evans, have you seen the king?” Aurora asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
Evans looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, Aurora, The king won’t be coming again,” he said, with a tone of regret. “I was supposed to come and tell you in the garden, but I couldn’t leave the king’s chamber.”
Aurora felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. “Why won’t he be coming? Did he find out it was me?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.
Evans looked at her reassuringly. “No, but I hope no one knows it was you,” he uttered, trying to be sure she was not caught being the masked girl.
“No” Aurora replied and shook his head, expecting Evans to reply.
“The king rushed to see Xena. She lost her pregnancy, and he’s worried about her.”
Aurora felt a sudden, sharp pang of jealousy as Evans mentioned Xena’s name and her lost pregnancy. She hadn’t seen it coming and the news hit her hard. She couldn’t help but wonder what her sister was going to do concerning the situation, knowing the dangerous task she gave Morena, wanting to prevent the women from getting pregnant for the king.
She knew that the king cared deeply for her. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but it was hard. “I see,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Evans noticed the pain in Aurora’s eyes and felt a pang of sympathy for her. He knew Aurora must have felt disappointed when the king left her to be with his woman.
“I hope you’re not feeling jealous that the king stood you up for his woman,” Evans said teasingly, glancing at Aurora.
Aurora feigned ignorance and turned to leave, but Evans stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. “Are you sure you’re not jealous?” he asked with a playful pout.
Aurora felt herself getting angry, unable to deny the truth. “I am not jealous,” she retorted before walking away.
As she walked back to the maids’ quarters, Aurora couldn’t help but feel disappointed at herself yet at the same felt hurt. She had hoped that the king would notice her and not just see her as a masked girl. She knew that she couldn’t let her jealousy control her, but it was hard. She just wished that things were different and that she could be the one by the king’s side.
Aurora’s heart was still heavy with emotions as she walked back to the maids’ quarters. She was lost in thought, trying to figure out her next move. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her from behind, trying to pin her down. But Aurora’s reflexes kicked in and she quickly overpowered the person, pinning them against the wall.
As the person shouted “it’s me Princess”, Aurora recognized the voice and relaxed her grip, it was Shastina. However, her
annoyance at being ambushed was evident in her tone as she quipped.
“Finally remember I’m your princess, do you?”
“Here we are both just maids.”Shastina scoffed at Aurora’s remark, reminding her that they were both maids in the palace now and that their old status didn’t matter anymore. Aurora sighed, knowing that Shastina was right but still feeling a pang of sadness at the loss of her former life, still she couldn’t take insult from Shastina anymore.
Aurora said, “I hope you will be able to repeat that when we go back to our own community. Now, why did you block me?”
“I wanted to know if you are safe since everyone – including the king’s women – are looking for the masked girl.”Shastina hesitated for a moment before saying. Her tone was sarcastic and it made Aurora feel uneasy.
Aurora reassured her, “No one will know it’s me if you don’t tell anyone.”
Shastina wished inwardly to tell her that she had already informed Queen Nneka that Aurora was the masked girl. But remembering how Queen Nneka had threatened her, she said in a sarcastic tone,
“I won’t tell on you, unless you annoy me.” Shastina replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Aurora bristled at the tone of her voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I just thought it was obvious that I wouldn’t betray you like that,” Shastina said, trying to sound reassuring.
Aurora suspected that Shastina was hiding something from her, but she didn’t want to push the issue further. “Thanks for looking out for me,” she said, turning to leave.
As she walked away, Shastina couldn’t help but feel guilty for not telling Aurora the truth about her conversation with Queen Nneka. She wished she could take it back, but the fear of the queen’s wrath was too great.
Aurora couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was not right. She knew that she had to be more careful and vigilant in the palace, especially with Shastina, she can’t seem to trust her, moreover now that she hasn’t confirmed if Xena truly knows she is the masked girl.
Just then, as Aurora was about to turn to the maids quarter, her eyes locked onto the figure of the king approaching her. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt her heart racing in her chest. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way, that her love for the king was forbidden and dangerous. But try as she might, she couldn’t resist the intense attraction she felt towards him. As the king drew nearer, Aurora’s mind raced with thoughts of what could happen, likewise she wondered what the king was doing in the maids quarter.