Betrothed To The King

Chapter18

I sat on my soft couch and watched Sage massage my legs as my legs had been aching. She was really doing a great job and told me gossips I needed to know.

“Sage, can you do me a favor?” I asked as she looked up at me, gazing into my eyes.

“Yes, I will if it’s something within my power, my queen.”

“I want to explore the kingdom, you know; ever since I got married into this castle, I haven’t stepped out, and I really need to see my friends, you know?”

I could tell that my request was a difficult one by the way she bit her lips.

“My queen, what you have asked for is really beyond my powers, and I sincerely wish I could help, but I really can’t.”

“Of course, you can help, just get a commoner’s ragged dress, and we will find our way out,” I said, hoping she would accept.

“My queen, I am sorry, I can’t do that, it’s dangerous, and if we get caught, the king will dearly punish us,” she said and continued rubbing my feet.

Then maybe I have to talk to the King to let them in legally; I mean, if he is my husband, why should I be scared of him?

I haven’t asked him for anything before, the first time shouldn’t hurt at all, so I will go talk to him.

“Sage, it’s okay. My legs don’t hurt anymore,” I said as I stood up and made my way out of the room.

I got to the King’s chamber, and as usual, it was wide open. I sighted him staring at the painting and tracing his fingers through it. I could tell he was burning with anger, and it wasn’t the right time to say irrelevant things to him.

I turned to leave as I met Prince Ray standing behind me with a soft smile curved on his lips.

“Come with me,” he said, pulling my hand as I followed him, curious about where he was taking me.

Soon we got to a beautiful garden, a garden filled with lots of beautiful flowers, and there was a swing at the end. Why hasn’t Sage told me that somewhere as beautiful as this existed?

“Here,” he said, pointing over a table filled with cookies and wine; what a treat!

“Who did you arrange this table for?” I asked, staring at him teasingly as he chuckled a little.

“I know my brother’s wife is pregnant, and pregnant women love attention. You know Archer doesn’t have such time,” he said as we sat.

If only King Archer had a little of his brother’s kindness, I wouldn’t have much problems with him, he doesn’t even treat me like a pregnant woman, and sometimes I’d wish he would massage my legs and serve me.

The thought of that made me giggle. That can never happen.

“Why did you giggle to yourself?” Ray asked as I sighed and took a bite of the yummy cookies.

“Is it possible that King Archer could massage and serve me?” I asked as Ray gazed at me for what seemed like minutes as if he was checking if I was okay as he suddenly burst into laughter. Obviously, that’s impossible.

“I wish he could, Pearl, but Archer can’t do that, or should I say that I am not sure; maybe he can if he loves you so much,” Ray said, trying to make it sound better.

Love indeed, love was far from my relationship with King Archer; I am here as his submissive, I am just an unfortunate pregnant woman… He doesn’t want my baby.

His baby

Our baby

**

“My King, you need to do something about this. I have noticed that Pearl is making her handmaid insult me; Sage challenges me now,” Zinnia said in a pretentious, cracked voice as the king turned, giving her a stone glare.

“Leave my chamber, Zinnia,” he said in a cold, angry voice as Zinnia bowed and left, feeling unfulfilled.

She had wanted the king to punish Pearl dearly, but here the king was sending her out.

“Guards!”

“Your highness,” they hurried in and bowed.

“Tell the head maid to add Sage to the kitchen maids. She won’t be Pearl’s handmaid again and throw Pearl into the dungeon,” the King said and walked inside his room.

Zinnia had overheard the king’s command, and in victory, she danced around her room.

“I guess I’m still the king’s favorite anyway,” she said audibly to herself as she served herself wine.

Now her plans will work just according to the way she wants, no obstruction anymore! The thought of that couldn’t make Zinnia stop smiling.

“Guards!” she called out as one of the guards hurried in.

“My queen,” he bowed.

“Go call Agent Fox for me quickly,” she ordered as the guard left.

That was the only way she could see Agent Fox as she wasn’t allowed in that hallway, but she had planned on getting herself freely to that hallway, and hopefully, it worked.

Soon Agent Fox walked into her room with a slight smile as he made to kiss her, which she accepted happily.

“Our plan is going to work with ease now! I reported Pearl to the king, and guess what?” Zinnia said, not really expecting a guess from the curious Fox. “King Archer has made Sage a kitchen maid now, leaving Pearl without a handmaid, and Pearl is to be thrown into the dungeon!” Zinnia said happily.

“Wow, that’s such a sad punishment, but our plans begin from here.”

“So, how will I help to make it work perfectly?” Zinnia said as she sat up curiously.

“Never mind, I don’t need any help; it’s an easy task, my love… I will set the snakes free tonight,” he said and gave me that knowing wink.

“You should leave now before we are suspected,” Zinnia said, playfully pushing Fox out as he tried to peck her lips.

***

Pearl and Prince Ray walked down the hallway together after their little treat. Pearl was happy that at least she went to a place other than her room.

Just then, two guards walked toward them; they grabbed hold of Pearl’s arms roughly.

“What’s going on here? Why are you holding your queen in such a manner!” Ray shouted as they all bowed; Pearl was in a confused state as she thought through what she might have done but couldn’t place her hands on anything.

“Your highness, we are sorry, but the king has ordered us to throw Queen Pearl into the dungeon,” they said as they pushed her further.

“But I have done nothing to offend the king!” Pearl cried as they pulled her.

Prince Ray angrily headed to his brother’s room; he knew what Archer was capable of. Maybe he was transferring aggression to Pearl.

“Archer, what has come over you this time? How could you order the guards to throw your pregnant wife into a dungeon? You can’t imagine how they were rough handling a pregnant woman; what has she done to you?” Ray yelled at Archer, who sighed.

“Zinnia reported Pearl and her handmaid to me today; you can’t imagine that Pearl told her handmaid to disrespect Zinnia… So you see, they both deserve to be punished.”

It was wrong to insult the head Queen as she is the oldest, but Ray didn’t believe that Pearl told her maid to insult Zinnia; that doesn’t make sense.

“Archer, Pearl can’t possibly do that. Maybe Sage insulted Zinnia out of her own will. By the way, you caused it by sleeping with her!” King Archer glared at his brother, trying to control his anger.

“Well, Pearl still deserves to be punished for not teaching her maid morals. Can this topic end here? No matter how long you stretch it, I won’t get her out of there.”

Ray already knew that Archer had made up his mind, and indeed nothing would make him change it.

“If anything happens to Pearl and her baby, you will see the true side of me,” Ray declared and left, not wanting to say much because Archer could tell Zinnia to punish Pearl herself just to dare him, which would be the worst.

***

Pearl sat on the cold floor of the very dark dungeon. She was shivering already from the cold air coming in, and she was scared as the dungeon was so gloomy that she couldn’t even see herself.

She wondered what could make the king decide to punish her in such a way without reason. She was hungry, and she could guess that it was already night because she had sat on the cold floor for so long.

She curled up on the cold floor as she gradually dozed off in her tears.

“Has she eaten anything?” The King’s voice could be heard along with the sounds of footsteps.

“No, my king, you didn’t tell us if we should starve her or not.”

King Archer, knowing that Pearl ate too much, knew how badly hungry she would be, but still, he didn’t feel a bit of pity for her.

At least, he tried not to.

“Otis, tell the maids to get her food and her regular coffee,” he ordered as the guard bowed and hurried out immediately. “Unlock the dungeon. Let me see her,” he said coldly as the guard unlocked the numerous chains used in locking the dungeon as they opened the heavy gate of the dungeon.

“My king, there are snakes in here!” Arlo shouted in shock as he knew the dungeon was safe when they threw the queen in.

“What do you mean by that?” the king said and pushed Arlo out to see the greatest shock.

There were lots of snakes in the dungeon surrounding his innocent sleeping wife, not just snakes, dangerous ones!