The Queen's Gambit

The Queen

“Your majesty the queen wishes to see you” The king was reading some state affairs when the eunuch came into him. He put them aside and looked to his servant. "Tell her that I am busy"

"Yes your majesty”. Eunuch bow down and went outside to inform the queen who is waiting

“Your Highness..." The queen noticed that the servant was hesitant to tell her so she tap his shoulder and smiled " I heard it, go back to your work, I am sorry for disturbing you" then the queen walked back to her chamber.

When she reached her destination, a tear fell down on her right cheek, she immediately wiped it.

“Your Highness, are you okay?" with worried expression, her court lady asked her. The Queen faced her and smiled “Yes, of course! His Majesty is always busy during this hours so I did not had an opportunity to give this refreshments to him, here take this and share the foods to your fellows. I am going to take a rest" Then she left and entered her room.

The Court lady named Ho accepted, bowed and left after the queen successfully entered her room.

***

“I cannot understand it" the queen’s eunuch whispered before he drinks the refreshment that Court lady Ho shared to them

“What is it that you do not understand, Pepito?” asked Beatrice

“Her highness…”

“What about her? “Beatrice puts down the drink and looked at the Eunuch

“The Queen is beautiful, she is full of talents, and she is also smart… I cannot think of any reasons why the King doesn’t likes her”

“There are so many things that people cannot understand in this world, especially for a lowly servants like us. All we have to do is to take care and protect Her Highness” Court Lady Ho told them

“‘You should not be involved in any problems in the palace or else your life will be in danger’ her highness always reminds me this.” Beatrice said “You are young and just entered the palace pepito, you should keep low, keep quiet and be careful, people here uses the servants to do horrible task you cannot imagined. Some may ask you to spy, put a trap or even put a poison to someone’s drink.” She whispered to him

Pepito is a young boy in age of 10, sold his self to pay his father’s debt; he was then became a slave and was treated badly. One day, he was carrying a bag of rice he collapsed on the way because his master did not gave him food to eat and was tired for doing such heavy works. A nobleman passing by helped him, he brought pepito to a shelter and asked his servants to take care of him. The nobleman bought pepito to his master and he treated him nicely.

After three years he asked the nobleman what he can do to pay for his kindness and then the nobleman replied “I don’t need you to pay, but I am asking you a favor to watch for someone”

“Look!” he snapped back to his thoughts when Beatrice shouted “It is snowing today! I must see her highness” she then left excitedly.

“Slow down Beatrice!” Court lady Ho scolded and followed her

“She is right people may ask us to spy on someone, maybe that is why I am here” he whispered

***

Queen Alessandra was sitting near her window looking outside. “Your Highness!" Beatrice, her servant and her friend since she was young entered happily.

She looked and smiled at her “Why are you so happy today Beatrice? Hmm?"

The servant kneeled in front of her and holds her hand still smiling widely

Alessandra was shocked that her servant's hand is so cold "What happened to your hand Beatrice? Are you sick?" She asked worriedly

The servant shook her head instead and point her finger at the window. The Queen look at it, a while ago she was in deep thoughts that she didn't realize that the snow is dropping!

"My Queen it is the first snow of the year let us go outside and welcome it, like we used to!" The servant giggled and excitedly dragged the Queen outside.

They both laugh and felt the snow dropping on their heads. She smiled bitterly when the image of the king under the snow smiling and looking at her appeared.

Beatrice noticed that she stopped and looking elsewhere “What is the matter your highness?”

"Oh it's nothing, let us go back inside before we catches cold” the Queen forced to laugh

Beatrice just nodded and lead the way back to her room

***

"Beatrice? Can you Call Court Lady Ho and ask this stuff?" Alessandra was sitting in front of her study table, she handed a piece of paper to the servant.

“Of course My Queen” Beatrice received it and tries to read the letters “N. e eendle? May i ask what this Your Highness is?" The Queen giggled

“Come here Beatrice, didn't I tell you to study and remember the things I taught you? It is N e e d l e. Needle okay?"

“But My Queen studying and reading is so hard than cleaning and besides I am not a noble person I don't deserve education" she moved closer to the Queen

"Tskk tsk. Don't be like that Beatrice everyone deserves education. Now go with court lady Ho to find this things and be back immediately for I will teach you how to read again"

“Yes your Highness" the servant bowed and left

"It is already winter, i did not even notice it, for it had no difference between these past years… Every day I feel cold" she whispered

***

Beatrice was practicing to read beside the Queen’s table, while court Lady Ho was watching the Queen comfortably sitting and making a scarf.

"You truly are talented My Queen, everything you do is flawless and perfect!" she was complemented by Court Lady Ho, the Queen just laughed and continued to embroider the scarf she made, she was embroidering a cherry blossom flower design.

"Of course, everything her highness does is beautiful and perfect!” Beatrice suddenly butted in “Her highness is also perfect, she fits in everything. Look court Lady Ho even her way of laughing is also perfect!” she added, that makes the Queen laughed even more…

“Stop it Beatrice and go back to what you are doing” Queen Alessandra is trying to stop her laugh

“It is true! Her highness is perfect, but the King does not see her that way! Maybe the reason that he doesn’t visited you since day one of your marriage is because he doesn’t like you, your highness” Beatrice covered her mouth when she realized what she is saying. Everyone fell silent. The Queen felt uneasy and continued what she was doing.

“Forgive me your highness for my bad behavior” Both Beatrice and Court Lady Ho knelt asking forgiveness. “Forgive us” they both said in unison

Queen Alessandra stood up “It is nothing; stand up now the both of you. You did not do anything wrong” her voice was so gentle that calms the two servants. She then helped them to stand up.

“The embroidery on the scarf will be done after a few minutes, please prepare a nice box for this” she asked them.

Beatrice was hesitant to leave trying to say something but Court Lady Ho bowed to the Queen “Yes, your highness we will leave you now for we are going to prepare the box you are asking” and pull her away.

The Queen took a deep breath and continued what she was doing

***

“Watch your mouth Beatrice! Her highness is the Queen; you cannot talk to her like that, what you did earlier deserve punishment we should be beaten by now. We are lucky that her highness is kind and understanding” Court lady Ho angrily said

“I am sorry, I won’t do that again” the regretful Beatrice said. The two is heading back to the Queen’s chamber; Lady Ho was holding the box that the Queen asked. “I feel bad for her highness, she always hides her feelings and only shows happiness, maybe my emotions made me do that” Beatrice voice was down and sorry

“You are right Beatrice but we cannot do anything about that” Court lady Ho imagined how the Queen handled the pain of being neglected by his husband. “It must been hard for her”

The two of them did not realize that they had already reached the door of the Queen’s room. They just looked at the door wity pity eyes.

***

“What took them so long?” Alessandra asked herself when her court lady and beatrice are not yet back. So she decided to come outside to check them.She was shocked when she saw the two are already standing outside her room,staring at the door. “What are you staring at?” she looked at the door but there is nothing to stare.

“Are you crying Court Lady Ho?” Queen Alessandra asked her when she noticed tears on her cheek.

The court Lady snapped back to herself “ Oh. Forgive me your Highness and please do not mind me. It is the cold wind outside hurting my eyes” The court lady lied and composed herself again, she saw the scarf the Queen was holding and ask “Where do you want to give this scarf, your highness? I will deliver it then"

Even she is curious, she just nod and answered her court Lady “I want to give this personally to His majesty, It is cold season I want to give him something that I had made an effort on" The Queen announced.

“But your highness it dusk already, we can deliver it tomorrow" said Beatrice

"Today the first snow dropped, I want to remind him that. Besides he might be busy again tomorrow, just like he is always busy whenever we go there" she said “Now let us go to his Majesty before it gets darker"

***

Queen Alessandra excitedly walked towards Milant Hall where the King’s chamber is located.

"Slowly your highness, you might fall" The court lady pleaded, Alessandra listened and composed herself. When they reached the hall the Royal guards stopped her.

“What do you think you are doing?!" Court Lady Ho Hissed

"Forgive me Your Highness, but his Majesty strictly instructed us that no one should enter while he rests". Bowed the guard

“How disrespectful you are! The Queen is not anyone!" The court lady is turning red because of her anger. “You dare to disrespect the Queen? Calling her no one? You should be punished by law!"

The Queen took a deep breath, looked at the red box where the scarf is placed inside. She gestured her hand to stop the Court lady from lecturing the guard.

“It is alright" she smiled “He is now resting, preparing for another day of business, but instead can you give this to him?" She politely asked the guard.

“We are sorry, you're highness" he bowed and received the box. “Please tell him to rest well and do not get sick" She turned her back to the hall and walked slowly.

***

“It is night already, go and take rest" She ordered her servants” Have a goodnight" she said before entering her room.

She sat on her bed and tears started to fall like a fountain from her eyes. She cried and cried wishing to pour all her sadness but they just won't go away.

It was the first day of snow when they both met each other… It was also the happiest day of her life “The heavens sent me this man.” That’s the words she uttered when the man smiled at her under the snow.

"I've been feeling cold without you by my side all this years; I've been trying to understand you to the point that it is piercing my heart. I made you those scarf to warm you but it seems that you don't need them. You always have someone to warm you in this cold season"

The picture of His majesty's footwear together with a woman's footwear earlier flashed again as she closes her eyes trying to stop her tears. But it made her cry more.

"What did I do to get this kind of pain?" she whispered to her pillow finding comfort in it.

The Queen cried all night.