Nneka’s chamber echoed with the sound of her restless footsteps, her anger smoldering just beneath the surface. Anxious anticipation and frustration mingled within her as she impatiently awaited Daphne’s arrival. At long last, the doors swung open, and Daphne entered, gracefully bowing before her queen. However, Nneka remained unmoved by the courteous gesture, wasting no time in getting to the heart of the matter.
“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you,” Nneka demanded as she stepped forward into the room.
Daphne’s expression conveyed a mixture of regret and apology as she lowered her head, aware of the queen’s displeasure. She cleared her throat before offering an explanation.
“I apologize, Your Majesty,” Daphne began. “I was waiting for the king, but he never showed up. Instead, I encountered a masked girl in the garden.”
Nneka’s brows furrowed in disbelief, her anger intensifying with each passing moment. The unforeseen turn of events only served to stoke the flames of frustration within her.
Her gaze bore into Daphne, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. She leaned forward, her voice laced with intensity.
“Did you remove her mask?” Nneka inquired, her words sharp with expectation.
Daphne’s expression faltered, fear flickering in her eyes like a waning flame. She hesitated, wrestling with her response, before finally letting out a confession tinged with regret.
“I… I couldn’t, Your Majesty,” Daphne confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. “The absence of the king rendered any further action impossible.”
Without warning, Nneka’s hand lashed out, striking Daphne’s face with a force that sent her stumbling backward, crashing to the ground. Daphne quickly regained her footing, tears welling up in her eyes as she pleaded for forgiveness.
“Please, Your Majesty,” Daphne pleaded, her voice trembling with both pain and desperation. “I didn’t remove her mask because the king wasn’t there. I swear.”
Nneka’s anger blazed in her eyes, her frustration evident in her every word. She scoffed, her voice filled with a mix of incredulity and reproach.
“Really! Are you so dense?” Nneka’s voice crackled with anger, her words biting. “Can’t you use your own brain? Even in the king’s absence, you should have proceeded with our plans, called upon the people. Why didn’t you do it?”
The queen’s gaze remained fixed upon Daphne, her eyes seething with a mix of disappointment and rage.
“I’m so… r.. r…” Daphne’s voice trembled, her words interrupted as a knock resounded through the chamber. Nneka, momentarily diverted from her anger, motioned for Daphne to attend to the door. With a lingering glance, Daphne complied, opening the door to reveal Marcus, a trusted minister of the queen. Understanding the unspoken signal, Nneka gestured for Daphne to depart and make preparations for tea, leaving the two of them alone.
Alone with Marcus, Nneka’s frustration gradually subsided, replaced by a growing sense of curiosity. She watched intently as Marcus approached her, bearing a scroll in his hands, a silent message waiting to be unraveled.
“Read this, Your Majesty. It contains crucial information,” Marcus urged, extending the scroll toward Nneka.
Nneka’s eyes locked onto the scroll, her brows furrowing as her gaze swept across the written words. A tumultuous mix of emotions twisted her features, combining disbelief and anger in equal measure. The contents of the scroll seemed to strike at the very core of her being, igniting a potent blend of frustration and outrage.
“Why would they want Aurora dead? And sometimes I question if our father was truly her father,” Nneka voiced her bewildered thoughts aloud, her voice tinged with a mix of concern and doubt.
Marcus Intrigued by Nneka’s contemplation, Marcus leaned closer, his voice lowered to a conspiratorial tone.
Did you truly believe that your father is not Aurora’s father?” Marcus inquired, his voice filled with curiosity. Nneka nodded in response, confirming her doubts.
Nneka’s voice trembled with a mixture of confusion and disbelief as she replied, “I suppose I must be delusional. If Aurora is not truly my father’s daughter, surely my mother would have informed us. She would have revealed such.”
“Don’t let their issues consume you, Your Majesty,” Marcus urged, his voice a steady reassurance. “Though there are pieces of the puzzle that elude you now, time will reveal them. Eliminating Aurora before the designated deadline set by your father is crucial. Moreover, if she is still alive, she poses a threat to both him and your sister, the crown princess. I implore you to take action before your father does.”
Nneka’s mind raced with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She longed to protect her family’s interests but struggled with the weight of the decision.
After a brief moment, Marcus inquired of Xena why Nneka had not been able to conceive. Nneka, her frustration evident, replied, “The king has refused to come into my chamber. His love for Xena takes precedence over fulfilling his duties as my husband, he values her above all us, the remaining women”
Marcus smirked a hint of amusement in his eyes.
“The king values Xena because he believes she cared for his mother until her dying breath. But fear not, when the time comes, he will eliminate her himself. We need him to rid us of his treacherous brother first. Once that’s done, I’ll show you how to make the king despise Xena and ensure her downfall.”
Nneka’s desperation grew, and she pleaded with Marcus to reveal his plan immediately. But he advised caution, urging her to use the information strategically for the sake of her future and her son’s.
“Without Xena being eliminated, I won’t be able to bear the king a son”
Marcus chuckled, seeing the fire in Nneka’s eyes.
“Do you trust your mother’s brother, the one who helped you become queen? One of the powerful ministers of this land” Marcus asked.
Nneka nodded, a flicker of hope in her heart.
“Then know this, the king awaits you in his chamber tonight. Go and pleasure him, ensuring his seed is planted inside of you tonight.”
Nneka’s face lit up with a mix of excitement and determination.
“Tonight… I will go to the king’s chamber and fulfill my duty. His seed will be planted within me.” She muttered inwardly.
She couldn’t contain her happiness, her mind filled with visions of securing her position and bearing the king’s child. With newfound confidence, she called for her maid to attend to her, preparing herself to meet the king.
As the chamber door opened, Daphne lowered her head, aware of her place in the hierarchy. Nneka, now radiating with anticipation, spoke to Daphne with a mix of authority and superiority.
“Make me beautiful, Daphne. Tonight, I am going to the king’s chamber.”
Daphne, though hurt from the earlier encounter, understood her role and compiled silently. She began to adorn Nneka, ensuring her appearance would captivate the king.
As Nneka’s transformation progressed, her mind buzzed with a mix of eagerness, trepidation, and a newfound sense of power. Tonight would be a pivotal moment in securing her position as queen and fulfilling her desire of bearing the king’s heir, now she seemed happy she caused Xena miscarriage since she can’t trust the king, he might choose a concubine over her.
Finally, dressed in regal attire, Nneka exuded confidence. The time had come to enter the king’s chamber and fulfill her duty as his queen. She left her chamber, leaving Daphne behind, and walking down the grand corridors of the palace.