I am Reborn through Revenge

Political puzzle

***Marie's POV***

It had been just a day since she met Henchman, a day after Henchman had shown her the innermost part of the bookstore. A space most people didn’t know existed but for reasons that were best known to him, he afforded her with the privilege to see it. The thought of it had kept her awake in the room—inside her cabin—just very close to where the royal horses were kept. The cabin was built from logs with simple tools. It looked like a small abandoned storehouse. If the room wasn’t built inside a larger open place (Which also houses the horses), the roof should be leaking water when it rains. There were openings in the roof which could leak water—It was a hell of a job. Her room could only contain two persons comfortably but three would be the limit.

She sat on the frame of the wooden bed kept opposite the door, very close to the wall(made with logs). There was a small window, which threw a dimmed light across the slim milk-coloured curtains on the door and the window. It had been quite a long time since she woke up but she had to remain in the cabin until Angie comes to deliver a message to her or ask her to run an errand for the Queen. She sat with her breast hugging her laps and her hands circling her knees while her jaw rested on it. Thanks to the unprofessional work done with the logs on the walls by the builders brats traveled through the open holes in the room then to the trough outside the cabin. But instead of complaining or becoming irritated, she would laugh every time she sees a rat crossing her room to the trough outside.

Now, she started thinking again. Her lips were sucked inside her mouth, thinking. Thinking about what Henchman had told her.

“She should quit.”

She thought about it and she found herself quivering whenever the thought pops up in her brain. Yes, it was true that she lied to the Queen but what if she finds out about the truth? What would the Queen do? She began rattling over the thought. She started to miss madam Alice. At least if she had been there with her, she would maybe have given her a piece of advice, she thought. She wished she knew someone she could talk to. Someone that would tell her that what she was doing was the right thing. Though she wasn’t aware of the consequences of lying to the Queen of Zahrin but she sure knows that lying to the Queen about anything would have a devastating outcome if she happens to find out. The only option she had was to continue lying and never to stop because if she does, then, that would be the end of the journey for her.

Something else dragged her out from shuddering. Something puzzling! What could it be? She was sleeping in a different room, different from other maids, why was that? Was it that the Queen lowered standards for her simply because she couldn’t read? That means, it might have something to do with what she had told her about herself, she thought. But she remembered something else. According to Henchman, he said that she was the royal messenger—a very important and unpopular position. She remembered Henchman emphasizing how important the status was. So, if this rank was very delicate, why would an illiterate girl be given such responsibility? She lacked the political ingenuity to c***k the puzzle.

She stood up, went close to her lampstands, and blew off the two small candles she had used since the previous night. She wanted to take her bath but she had to walk far away from her cabin to do that—her bathroom was situated at the back of the cabin so she had to go go all the way back just to make it a reality. She came outside, just by her left, she picked a bucket. She walked towards the pen (different horses were kept here in separate cells) which was at her left. She would fetch water which she would use to take her bath. She stopped in her tracks when she got very close to a dark horse in the first cell. It approached her, bringing out its head from the door—which was made with woods. She leaned closer and stood admiring the horses’ mightiness. She began to caress the horse on the head and responding to the touch, the horse shut its eye instantly (it seemed to be enjoying it).

“What are you doing?” A contralto voice asked. It came from her back. It was a very familiar voice.

Shivering, she turned quickly. “Angie!” Marie said shockingly. “H-have you been here all this while?” she asked, stuttering.

She looked at Angie’s twirl gown, it looked so beautiful and somewhat odd to be worn in the morning. Ring-like earrings were made with silver dangled on her ears. Her neck was smoothened by white powder. It was a good thing Marie and Angie shared the same height so it didn’t cause Marie a fortune to notice that her eyelashes looked darker than it originally was—maybe she applied something to it.

“What are you doing here? Pretty?” she asked and looked at Marie up and down, frankly assessing.

“I uh… I just want to take my bath.”

“You want to take your bath?”

“Yes.”

“Here?... In the pen?” she asked, raising her brows. Angie was somewhat unpredictable for Marie. One minute, she could be good and the other minute, she could be crazy.

“No-No. I just came here to fetch water. I am sorry but I have to go now.”

“We are not finished here Marie whoever they call you,” she said, the corners of her lips quirked. “Her Majesty would love to see you as soon as possible. So go get washed up and fetch some nice dress and put it on. She will be in her quarters waiting for you" she added.

Marie bowed, without uttering a word, she picked the bucket and wanted to walk.

“And please,” Angie said audibly. Marie stopped and Angie went past her, without turning, she said “Don’t waste her Majesty’s time.”

Then she left.

Marie waited for a while to allow her to walk away before her. Then when she could no longer see Angie, she walked fast to the back of her cabin where there was a bathroom. She took her bath immediately and rushed in to get clothes to put on.

She slid into a simple brown gown with a neckline V-shaped. The waistline was slightly tight, exposing her curves to a small extent. The flounce attached to the gown that covered her knee down to her feet was beautifully knitted with a stylish design—it was the thing in the dress that was appealing. She remembered that Angie applied something dark in her eyelashes which she sort of adored. She wanted to apply hers too but she remembered warning: Don’t waste her Majesty’s time.

She hurriedly left her cabin and rushed to her Majesty’s quarters. As expected, Angie was standing there on the door which leads inside the Queen’s room. Before Angie, some guards stood opposite each other holding spears at their right hand.

She had never been this close. If not for the touches hung on every corner that leads to the Queen’s room, she wouldn’t have been allowed to admire the paintings of different majestic animals, portraits of the Queen and the king, and some portraits she presumed must be the Queen’s children. She also scanned the portraits to see if she could find Anon's portrait hanging, but it wasn’t there. Marie passed the guards, h, holding her breath, and walked close to Angie.

“You are here, ” Angie said, assessing Marie again.

“Yes.” She answered briefly.

“Your Majesty! Marie has come to see you.” Angie announced.

Marie's heart almost flew away when she heard Angie mention her name loudly. The Queen of the great kingdom of Zahrin requested her presence? You can imagine the fun. She doesn’t know what it was the Queen wanted to say to her but she considered it an honour. Even though it was never part of her dream or part of her plan to leave in the palace but it seemed like she had started to enjoy the feeling that comes with it. To see the Queen or the King of Zahrin would be a great pleasure to most inhabitants of Zahrin but here she was being summoned by the Queen herself. It’s a blessing, she thought.

“Come on in.” A velvety voice responded from the inside. It was presumably the Queen who responded, she thought.

Angie swayed the door open for her and she threw her steps like a cat—almost noiselessly—inside the room. She looked straight up and saw the Queen standing, her back facing her. She was putting on a long blue gown that exposed her shoulders but ran down to her feet. Her hair was lined in long strips and they hung beautifully at the back of her shoulders.

She continued to walk closely but slowly. The red rug on the floor even made her steps quieter than she had intended it to be. On her left, as she looked, she saw a very big brown exotic bed covered with a tent, with lots of royal carvings done on the body. There were about two doors she saw leading somewhere else outside the room. On her right was a dining table with about six armchairs put around it. Apart from the window, the Queen was standing very close to, about four other windows were standing in appropriate angles in the room that made the whole room lit equally.

When she was halfway to the Queen, she stopped. “Your Majesty!” She bowed.

The Queen smiled and looked at her. “How have you been Marie? I have kind of missed you.”

Marie froze. She couldn’t afford to look at the Queen’s face. She kept her unsteady eyes fixed at the floor. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” There was no need of bowing because her head was already looking down.

“How have you been seeing your new job?”

Marie's eyes flickered, she didn’t know what to say to her.

‘Should I tell her the job is confusing or should I ask her why she gave me a task of a messenger? But she’s the Queen, you don’t have right to question her orders Marie'—she muttered to herself. She shook off the thought immediately.

“Is it stressful?” the Queen asked anxiously.

“No. No. Not at all. To be honest, I am enjoying this job” Marie answered, she wanted to steal a glance but she couldn’t afford to do it. But she could see that there was a smirk on the Queen’s face. She seemed surprised at the answer she heard. “You are enjoying it in what way, if I may ask?”

Shivers ran down Marie's spine. What is she going to say? That she was enjoying it? Unless she has a better excuse to give her.

“I enjoy it because it sort of…it sort of allows me to go round the palace and also get to know different places I never thought in my lifetime I would know or see. There are so many beautiful places here in the palace and I equally know that this job would provide me the opportunities to explore these hidden gems in the future” Marie said instinctively. She managed to fake a smile and still somehow managed not to look at the Queen eyeball to eyeball. She thought that looking at her would easily reveal that she was lying.

“Brilliant,” she said, and walked to the dining table and sat down on it. “You know, I would appreciate it more if you would look at me when I am talking to you.”

Marie slowly raised her neck and her eyes jammed the reddish lips of the Queen. The red colour of the lipstick she rubbed was finely distributed on her lips. She looked up to her eyes, the gap between her eyebrows was bridged with the black colour of an eye pencil. Then her hair was packed tightly at the back, exposing a sharp face and pointed jaw. Marie struggled to get hold of herself. Being in presence of the Queen of Zahrin as a commoner would sure make anyone nervous.

“Perfect. You just need to know something. You are not just an ordinary servant to anyone, you are the Queen’s servant. So you need to learn how to carry yourself elegantly and also learn how to look at me when I speak to you. Don’t me look stupid.”

Sure! It wasn’t part of the plan to make her look stupid or crazy or anything like that.

“I understand your Majesty.” Marie bowed.

“Good. Angie is going to show you your new place. Maybe from tomorrow, you will be moving and you will no longer sleep there. So maybe when you get home now, you hey your things ready.” The Queen’s voice was so soft. Marie's heart was filled with happiness hearing the good news from the Queen herself. Even the house she was living in with Alice was better than the cabin she had been sleeping in. The cabin was usually very cold at night and very warm in the daytime. Marie had wished she could complain about it to someone but she couldn’t do it.

“Yes! Yes!” Marie murmured. “Thank you so much, your Majesty.” Marie rejoiced happily.

“Marie!” the Queen called. Her voice was icy-cold. Marie staggered when she mentioned her name. She stood up and walked closer to where Marie was standing.

She placed her two hands on Marie's neck as though she was dressing her cloth. “Marie! You are myfavoritee among the girls. It’s a pity you are not educated but on the other hand, I would say, and I wish you were. But maybe you were destined to be this way for a reason” she said. She pointed at the dining table. “Come, have a seat. Let’s take coffee.”

Marie's heart was ponderous. Making the Queen believe that she was uneducated while she’s not was making her have a rethink. Maybe she should tell her the truth, she thought. Without even saying a word, she followed the Queen sheepishly. She grabbed the dining chair—with a well-polished grey edge and a red cloth embedded in the middle. She sat right opposite the Queen with the table crossing their distance.

“Hmm!”

Marie raised her eyes only for it to jam the Queens'. Her heart fluttered for a moment and she shifted her gaze immediately.

“Care for a coffee?”

She shook her head.

“Is that a no?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Coffee isn’t just my thing,” Marie answered.

“Then you are saying it’s my thing I guess?”

Marie immediately raised her head, looking at the Queen, she shook her head. “That’s not what I mean” she defended. “I am sorry.”

The Queen licked her lips, creating an uneven patch on the lipstick she rubbed. “Marie I want you to listen and listen carefully. I gave you the work of a royal messenger which is a very delicate and important post. If there is any reason that would make me find out that you would betray the trust I have poured on you then I am sorry. I’m going to kill you myself. Understood?” The Queen asked through a narrowed gaze.

Marie's body fluttered. She managed to grab a look at the Queen's face but suddenly something happened to her. Something no one has ever explained to her or something she hasn’t been able to explain to herself.

Her pendant.

Yes! Her pendant glittered and gave her that burning sensation. This was the second time this had happened to her and she had tried convincingly to tell herself that the first one was just accidental or coincidental but now, she understood that there was something about the Queen that was distinct, different from most people she had seen or met.

“You can go now” the Queen muttered. She lifted her head to her back, closing her eyes and then slowly taking a slow deep breath.

Marie was more than happy to hear her say “You can go now.” She was utterly anxious about what the Queen would say next and she sure knew that it wasn’t going to get funnier.

She stood up and bowed. She tiptoed herself outside the Queen’s room in what seems like an utmost silent manner.