CHAPTER ONE- RECOVERY??
It is a joyous day as the King's health is finally improving after months of tireless efforts from the royal physicians seemed futile. But the skies seem to disagree as lightning dominates it and giving out an ominous feeling, as if to warn all about a calamity about to befall. The afternoon sky, pitch black like it would be during night time except for the absence of the moon and stars. Ignoring the warnings of the weather, my stepmother Queen Aisha organised a celebration for the entire royal family to celebrate Father's recovery or should I say signs of recovery. Father was wounded during the previous war and went unconscious for three months now, he was shot with an arrow coated with a poison called 'Mayede", this poison is known as the deadliest poison in all the lands originating from Kingdom Wanesa , our enemy who father had faced. This poison depicts its name as Mayede means Death in one of Wanesa's oldest tribe language.
I attended the celebration but I couldn't help but feel uneasy whenever a lightening flash, but I chose to ignore it and just stay in the moment and enjoy the familial bliss that is finally back in the palace, though at this time I would rather be sneaking around and spying on officials handling the state affairs, or just practice sword fighting in my secret garden, but Queen Aisha practically ordered us all to be here and she being the chief Queen no one wants to be on her bad side.
Four hours has passed, its nightime yet the weather looks the same it did four hours back. Like she had done for the past months, Queen Aisha headed for the king's chamber, its my turn today to escort her but she refused telling me to call it a night. She relieved the attendants and took over as she does every night since father's illness, she sat in a sofa by the bedside and just blankly stared at the pale looking king , battling the wave of emotion that she felt she couldn't help but shed a few tears, whether they were tears of joy or of sorrow I am not even sure.
'Your majesty'' one of the physician who had witnessed the Queen's breakdown every other night tried calling her attention. 'Yes, what is it?'' Queen Aisha replied without lifting her head. 'You might want to have some rest, we don't want to wake up tomorrow and think we neglected his wife, do we?'' The physician spoke sarcastically with a hint of smile. 'I'm not lea….., wait what ?'' Queen Aisha asked registering the words of the physician. I could feel my chest lighten as I process what the physicians words indicated. 'Namina ,why don't you retire for tonight, I'll stay here " Queen Aisha spoke to me ever so lovingly, that if any outsider were present they would think I am her child.
My birth mother died in labour. I vividly recall the cries of a new born baby, I was very happy to have a sibling from the same mother, I rushed to my mother's side only to see her laying lifeless and my new born brother held by one of the midwives. Father had arrived a short time later and tried to comfort me, but how useless it was to me; a five year old born to this cruel whose only source of peace and true care was my mother's, and now I sat besides her dead body, just staring at her, it was as if my whole world came crashing drown. Without a mother; if I was a boy then I would be given my own chamber and be taught in the palace, but i am a girl so I was supposed to be sent to the mountain palace to be taught how to be a proper princess and get married off when I was of age to whosoever benefited the state most, but Queen Aisha refused this arrangement. Instead she held my tiny hands and led me to her chamber, protected and cared for me as though I were her own child and she even requested I addressed her as mother instead of her title as everyone else does . She didn't forget my baby brother too, she hired a wet nurse to breastfeed him and took care of him well, but unfortunately he also died a few months later.Some people rumoured that she was only that kind because her only child had no interest on the throne and I am a girl, others rumoured that she just wanted to feign kindness and compassion. But in my heart I knew she did it out of her own good will. Nevertheless she has been an amazing mother to me and all my half siblings. Her impartiality and just way of ruling the harem has created a special place for her in my heart.
'Namina??'' I hear her calling me as I realise I haven't moved from my spot since she told me to. 'oh sorry mother'' I squeaked embarrassed when I realised all eyes were on me. I hastened to leave the room and soon arrived at my chamber, I rushed to my bed as I was about to get a much needed sleep, wrapped in my blanket I looked at the lightening outside, which for some reason still bothered me as I slowly drifted to sleep.
