The Queen's Gambit

Hunting

King Ezekyil was riding his white horse when he suddenly stopped he saw the Queen from afar standing on the bridge; she didn't notice his presence because she was busy looking at the river.

“The Queen seems to be occupied.” He said to his self. He saw the Queen's court lady whispered something to her; she then looked where he is. The King immediately shifted his gazed forward, trying to not look at her.

***

“Your highness, the king is here” Court Lady Ho to the Queen, she was surprised at first but composed herself to meet the king, she walked towards his direction and stopped beside of his horse, she bowed and looked at him.

"Greetings to the King" she politely said.

"What are you doing here? It is cold today you should be at your chamber resting" he said without looking at her

“My apologies to his highness I am just finding a beautiful scene to paint. If his majesty wishes for me to go to my chamber, I will immediately go back then”

The king didn't reply instead he whipped his horse slowly to make it move and left the Queen.

Queen Alessandra bowed again and looked at her husband's back until it disappeared, she then head back to her chamber.

“At least he still cares for me, even for just a bit" she whispered to herself staring on her artwork

The Queen tends to paint the river filled with snow but she ended up painting her encounter with the king earlier. She painted a man riding his horse looking straight forward and a woman standing downside

"Court Lady Ho?" She called " Can you find someone who can tell us where is His majesty's leading?" she just remembered that the Kings direction earlier was heading outside the palace.

“Yes Your Highness" Then court lady ho left.

King***

King Ezekyil went out for his hunting trip at the mountain. He remembered the Queen, she was looking at the river earlier, and her hair was perfectly made, the pins in it matched with her white and gold gown. “She was beautiful as ever.” He said at the back of his mind, He was busy thinking about the Queen when an arrow stroked towards him.

A wild bear suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was attacking them. He tried to dodge the arrow as a result he fell; he still had not recovered from falling when the wild bear saw him and angrily attacked him. He had no choice but to cover his head with both hands to protect his self.

“Your Majesty!” One of the royal guards saw that the King was going to be attack so immediately threw a spear to stop it and accidentally hits the head causing it to die.

“Your Majesty!” They all ran to the king and knelt “Please punish us!” They said

The King who is covering his head felt embarrassed in his position stood up and composed himself. He looked at his subjects kneeling and was frightened not because of the bear but because of the punishment they will face for not protecting him and throwing an arrow that might kill him.

He forced to laugh “Do not make such a big deal, I am fine you may all stand-up”

He left them and walked passed through them. On his way to the tent, one of the girls standing offered her handkerchief to him, he then realized that he had a wound on his arms caused by the arrow he dodge earlier. He ignored the girl and passed through her

“Who’s that girl?" he ask his Eunuch

"She is the daughter of the Chief of defense your majesty, she is here to watch you, your majesty" the Eunuch replied, King Ezekyil looked at the tent where the prime minister and the chief of defense is.

The king turned back to the woman and accepted her handkerchief He looked in her eyes and announced “Bring this girl to the palace"

The woman secretly smiled.

The Queen***

At the Queen's hall Alessandra was attending her plants when her servants arrived

"No one wanted to tell us where his majesty is leading your highness" court lady Ho informed the Queen, she was trimming her plants when the court lady entered,

She stopped halfway cutting as she heard the court lady but continued again" Didn't you tell them that I am asking for the information?"

“I told them that it’s you, your highness but they just shook their heads and denied that they know where the king is headed" the court lady replied

"Court Lady Ho" called out Beatrice "Don't you want to tell her Highness, what we had heard earlier when we was out to get information? Huh?" teased the servant

The Queen looked court lady ho with curiosity “what is it?"

The court lady felt uneasy, unable to utter any word

"Those ungrateful servants My Queen, they showed no respect when you are not in front of them! They dare to bully you!" Beatrice butted in

“Why what happened?” the Queen asked

" When asked the king servants where is his majesty leading they denied it, they say they don't know, so we walked away but before we take some distance they laughed and said 'She is the Queen, the wife of the king but she didn't Know where is husband's leading?' how dare they?! They should be punished right now!" ranted the servant

"Did you get into fight with them?" she asked Beatrice

"As much as I want to pull their hair and punished them I can't your highness it may cause bad to your name and thanks to Court lady Ho for stopping me"

" ohh thank God Beatrice you might be in trouble for making a scene and starting a fight, if that happens next time just ignore them and walk away okay?" she ordered them, continued to trim her plants

"But why are you enduring all of this your highness? You should make them regret mocking you" ask Beatrice, the queen stopped what she was doing and took a seat

"It is better this way Beatrice, because if i make a fuss about it and make a big deal it will just harm my name, that i cannot even handle and earn their respect” she smiled.

"Come join here the two of you join me eat and drink this refreshments" she offered

"we don't dare to eat with her highness it is against the rules to eat with the royals" the court lady bowed, the queen just laughed “but no one is looking the door is closed, just treat me as your friend here when no one is looking, I am no royal when it’s just the three of us" she smiled

The court lady was hesitant but she saw Beatrice was eating already.

" if the both of you are finish let us take a walk later and check how is everyone doing in the palace" The Queen smiled and stand to continue what she was doing earlier..

The Queen is beautiful, with kind and pure heart she should be loved by everyone but they are laughing in her situation and even call her useless queen. She can't even do her important duty to this kingdom.

The court lady is sad she was thinking about the Queen, Everybody sees her as useless Queen, but she doesn’t see her that way. She deserves to be loved but they don’t. If they can't love her at least they should respect her. If everybody sees her as weak for not doing nothing she sees her as strong for enduring all the humiliation since her marriage to the king.

***

“Your gown looks beautiful today.” A noble lady named Danny complimented her friend who wore a new gown

“Isn’t it the one popular now in our neighboring Kingdom?” Another lady named Luz asked

“What is the use of this? When youth is beauty?” The Lady with a new gown sighed. Her name is Jocit

“That is not true always. The Queen is young but has not even been touched by her husband” comforted Lady Danny that made them all laugh.

“Have you heard?” Lady Luz asked “His Majesty summoned the Chief of Defense daughter?”

“Is that true?” they were all curious

“My husband came with his majesty’s hunting trip earlier, he said that his majesty was amazed by the Chief of defense daughter and summoned her, tomorrow she will be here in the palace

“If that is the case then the Queen will be rep...”

“Watch it!” Lady Jocit cut lady Danny’s words “Watch what you say… she is still the Queen” she said seriously that made others silent. “Even it is just only a title” she added. And they all burst in laughter

Queen Alessandra took a walk hoping to meet the King by chance again. But she stopped when she heard the wives of the kingdom’s council. They did not notice that the Queen is passing by at their area.

“Your Highness, Shall we take a different path?” Court Lady Ho was hesitant to ask her. But the Queen just took a deep breath and continued walking, ignoring them.

After strolling Queen Alessandra realized that she won’t see her husband anymore like what happened earlier so she decided to go back to her chamber. “It is getting dark let us go back and have a rest” she declared to her servants. When they were about to enter the gate of Hall one of the kings servant arrived and told her something. She felt drained so she just nodded and continued to her room.

As she reached her bed again this time she closed her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. She had a little hope earlier in the morning when she met the king. She thought that he still cares for her.

“So you were heading to a hunting trip earlier…” Even her eyes are closed her tears finds its way to fall. “You’re supposed to hunt wild animals but you caught and brought another woman”

“You even want me to arrange her installation ceremony” she smiled bitterly even she is crying. “How ruthless you are…”

At the King's Throne... King Ezekyil was writing something on a book

"Eunuch Wang" He called out, the Eunuch immediately entered the room

"Yes your majesty?"

"Did you already sent someone to tell the Queen?" He asked his Eunuch

"Yes, your majesty. In fact he is already outside" the Eunuch replied

"Call him" he commanded.

" Yes your majesty" The Eunuch bowed and stepped outside to call the servant

After a while the King heard a knock on his door.

"Come inside"

The servant who met the Queen earlier entered and knelt

" Did you call for me your majesty?" he asked. The king nodded and asked

" What did the Queen's reply to you?"

"Your majesty, Forgive me but I did not hear any words from Her Highness after I had informed her" the servant stated

" Have you seen her reaction?" he asked again

"I have not your majesty"

"I see, you may go now" He dismissed his servant.

Eunuch Wang entered the room again, he ignored him and continued what he was doing earlier.

You might be feeling pain

You are indeed strong and can handle everything.

Wait a little longer everything will fall at its right places.

"You are making a poem again your majesty"

King Ezekyil looked at him

"When the right time comes give this to the woman I love"

"But how can I know to whom shall I give that and if it is the time your majesty?" The Eunuch asked

The king closed the book "You'll know it"