Just as the moment seemed unbearable, the door burst open, and Aurora entered the chamber, breaking the suffocating silence.
Aurora’s gaze landed on Nneka’s face, and a shiver coursed through her as she detected the contorted expression of anger, though the queen managed to force a smile. Perceptive to Nneka’s disdain, Aurora felt a twinge of confusion, unsure of the reasons behind the queen’s hostility.
“Good evening, Your Majesty. Good evening, my queen,” Aurora greeted them, paying her obeisance with the utmost respect. Nneka, in response, mustered a fake smirk that failed to hide her underlying animosity. Alpha Malik keenly sensed the tension lingering in the air.
Observing the strained atmosphere, King Malik decided to diffuse the situation. With a firm yet composed voice, he addressed Nneka. “Queen Nneka, I request your departure. We shall continue our discussion at another time.” And he added, “Henceforth, you shall be responsible for making decisions that pertain to the kingdom.”
Nneka forced a smile, but her blood boiled with an intense fury. The knowledge that Aurora, the very woman before her, was the masked girl who had captured the hearts of the king made it increasingly challenging for Nneka to conceal her true motives.
“Very well, my lord,” Nneka replied through clenched teeth, her voice laced with feigned obedience
Reluctantly, Nneka began to walk towards the door, but her gaze fixed on Aurora with a lingering disdain. She couldn’t help but view the young woman as a potential threat to her.
As she reached the door, she made a conscious effort to maintain her composure and asked the king, her voice laced with restrained anger, “Why did you summon a maid at this late hour, my king?”
King Malik’s eyes flashed with anger, his voice stern. “Queen Nneka, you have overstepped your boundaries. I called you here to assess your care for our people, not for trivial matters. Begone.”
Nneka’s face reddened with a mix of embarrassment and regret for challenging the king’s authority. She quickly lowered her head, offering a hurried apology. “Forgive me, my king, for overstepping. I apologize for questioning your intentions.”
Before she turned to leave, Nneka couldn’t help but cast one final, contemptuous look at Aurora, hoping her disdain was evident. As she exited the chamber, she pressed her ear against the door, unable to resist the temptation to eavesdrop on the conversation she had been excluded from.
Her eyes swept the room as Nneka made her exit. Wonder filled Aurora’s gaze as she pondered the purpose behind this summons from the king. What could he possibly want with her? Uncertainty tinged her thoughts, yet she maintained an air of composure.
King Malik was still on his illustrious chair, Aurora on the same spot, her head bowing in deference to his royal authority. The king’s gaze lingered upon her, curiosity etched across his face.
“Please, Aurora, be seated,” King Malik finally beckoned, his voice carrying a tone of intrigue.
Gracefully, Aurora settled herself in a chair, her heart fluttering with anticipation.
Just then the king produced an assortment of books and trinkets, arranging them deliberately upon the table before her. Aurora’s eyes widened as she observed the collection, a realization slowly dawning within her.
“Starting next week,” King Malik began, his voice resonating with purpose, “you shall undertake the noble task of educating the less privileged, you are one of the three teachers I appointed”
Aurora’s face lit up with uncontainable joy at the king’s proclamation. She couldn’t help but turn to him, her eyes brimming with gratitude and an underlying eagerness.
“Your Majesty,” Aurora interjected, her voice infused with genuine enthusiasm,
“Majesty, do you also consider imparting the gift of knowledge upon your people? Teaching them to read and write?”
“Yes, did you also think education is meant for the elites only?” Alpha Malik asked, his eyes piercing into her.
He regarded her intently, a mix of curiosity and contemplation crossing his regal countenance as he awaited her response.
“No, my king I love this, only a few Kings will think like you. Your Majesty, if everyone is like you, the community and people will have a peaceful life, giving everyone a chance to education is the right. whether elites or not ” Aurora complimented the king.
Still, the king seemed not pleased with her, he thought Aurora spoke this way because she is among the less privileged too, but he didn’t know he said his thoughts loudly.
Not knowing that Aurora heard him, he asked Aurora once more, his voice tinged with contemplation. “Are you truly pleased with this prospect, Aurora?”
Aurora’s head bobbed earnestly, her response filled with unwavering sincerity.
“Yes, my king,” she affirmed, her eyes locked with his, “even if I were among the privileged elite, I would still wholeheartedly embrace your decision. I am immensely proud of you, My lord.”
Aurora’s inadvertent slip of referring to the king as “my lord” rather than “Your majesty” hung heavy in the air, moreover speaking to him like they are friends.
Fear gripped her momentarily, realizing she had spoken out of turn. However, King Malik’s reaction surprised her.
Yet hearing how she addressed him, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing his inner delight. The king’s laughter bubbled up, an unexpected display of joy sparked by Aurora’s genuine appreciation. Her words, a rarity in his life, mirrored the sentiments he longed to hear.
Now Alpha Malik felt excited knowing the three people he wanted to ask for their opinion, two of them it was the mysterious masked girl who occupied his thoughts.
Aurora, her eyes brimming with contrition, hurriedly apologized for her unintended transgression. But King Malik swiftly reassured her, his gaze filled with warmth.
“No need for apologies, Aurora,” he interjected, his voice gentle and reassuring. “I am grateful to you for believing in my vision.”
Hearing the king say thank you makes Aurora’s stomach giggle with excitement, she looks at the king like he is the different person he only has access to whenever she pretends to be the masked girl.
Silence descended upon the chamber, yet it held an unspoken connection between them. In that shared moment, their desires and longings intertwined, silently conveying a depth of understanding beyond mere words. It was within this charged atmosphere that King Malik found himself unable to resist his yearnings.
“Why is it that you are so difficult to resist, Aurora?” he mused aloud, his voice a mere whisper. “Even though you killed my father, I still find myself craving for your touch.”
Aurora, unburdened by hesitation, rose from her seat and drew closer to the king. There was a newfound confidence in her gaze, a fire that burned within her spirit.
My king,” she responded, her voice carrying a subtle yet resolute determination, “Why not indulge in your desires tonight? Tomorrow, you may resume despising me as you see fit.”
Her words hung in the air, without a hint of hesitation. Unfazed, she reached for the zipper of her dress and gradually pulled it downward, revealing the vulnerability beneath her exterior.
Overwhelmed by her audacity and captivated by her words, King Malik closed the distance between them. In a surge of longing and surrender, their lips met in a passionate union, igniting a blaze of emotions that threatened to consume them both.
Amidst the grandeur of the royal chamber, the intoxicating aura of desire enveloped King Malik and Aurora, drawing them into an irresistible embrace. Their lips met passionately, and their bodies intertwined, succumbing to the undeniable attraction that fate had woven between them.
Unbeknownst to the King and Aurora, Queen Nneka, still stood just outside the chamber, her ears pinned to the door, eavesdropping on them
As the echoes of their ardent kisses and whispered moans reached her ears, her heart shattered into a million fragments.
Jealousy and rage surged through her veins, a tumultuous storm within her heart. Part of Queen Nneka yearned to flee the scene, to shield herself from the painful sight and the torment of their passion. But another part, consumed by a dark curiosity, compelled her to stay. The desire to know every detail, to hear the echoes of her sister’s moans for her husband, gripped her with a sinister fascination.
Aurora’s soft words carried a plea as she looked into the king’s eyes. “My king, tonight, please take me without seeing me as the one who murdered your father. Instead, see me as the naive and innocent maid I once was.”
Her voice trembled with vulnerability, her heart longing for redemption and a chance to be seen anew.
Aurora’s whispered plea served as an unspoken permission, erasing the shadow of her past actions. King Malik, fueled by desire, swiftly undid her garments, guiding her toward the nearby table. Their lips locked in a passionate embrace, lost in the intoxication of the moment.