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One of the Lords stood up; ”Your Majesty, we’re happy for your safe return home. We hope the trip was a success?” He asked, and Zavian nodded; he was leaning to the side, supporting his head with his hand.

There was little murmuring in the hall, and Zavian looked at his subjects sitting in front of him, and they were looking at themselves, as though they had something to say but were not sure how to bring it up.

”Is there something I need to know?” he asked, a little frown forming on his forehead.

The Lords looked at one another, whispering among themselves. No one wanted to bell the cat. Zavian was growing impatient, and then he looked at the Lord, who was standing;

”Lord Gerald, do you have anything to say to me?”

Lord Gerald straightened his pose as he cleared his throat;

”Indeed, Your Majesty. We have something to tell you.” He said, pinning the rest of the Lords into his speech; there was no way he was going down alone, if anything went wrong.

”I’m all ears.”

.....

”Your Majesty, the Dukes of the kingdoms have sent letters asking if the ceremony for the Queen selection will still be held. The date fixed for their arrival is in a week’s time, and you have not said anything in respect to that.”

Zavian blinked. ”Is that all?” He asked, frowning.

The lords, looked about, avoiding looking at him. They knew why they had doubts about bringing this up. The slave girl who appeared out of nowhere had been causing some rumors to spread about the kingdom. They even heard that he had chopped off a subject’s hand because of the girl. So they thought he might want to delay the ceremony because of her, in case she could bring Delilah to him.

”Yes, your majesty. We just weren’t sure this was the right time to bring this up, seeing that you just arrived from a battle. ” Lord Gerald replied.

Zavian sat up on his throne.

”Write to the dukes that the dates fixed for their arrival have not changed. If preparations have been delayed, they should resume in earnest. The ceremony will hold and nothing is going to stop that. ”

Zavian knew they were asking because of Neera. Although he wanted to delay it for some time, he didn’t want to make things worse than they already were. If he did that, bad rumors would start to spread and the Dukes might demand her head, or else they would wage a war, and the last thing he wanted now was a war.

”We will do as you have said, Your Majesty. ” Lord Gerald spoke, bowing his head a little. Well, they had all thought he would delay the ceremony, but they were surprised that he did not. He loved Delilah to a fault, that even after 500 years, he still loved her painstakingly. It was natural for them to assume that he would want to delay the ceremony.

”Over to the next issue...” Zavian spoke, and they discussed other important matters. After the meeting, Zavian went in to have lunch.

”Send for Neera,” he said to the servant boy who was serving him.

The boy nodded and walked out of the dining hall. After long minutes, he came back, and bowed;

”Your Majesty, she refused to come.”

Zavian who was eating suddenly stopped and looked at the boy, as though he had heard something foreign.

”What?”

The boy was scared of repeating what he had just said, afraid that the king would unleash his anger on him.

”She.. She refused to come. ”

Zavian was quiet for a moment; then he continued with his meal as though nothing had happened.

...

Neera knelt over a large basin as she rinsed the bedsheets. The sun was already setting and she was not done yet. There were so many. About fifty bedsheets, with their duvets. The arrival of the princesses was around the corner, so they were washing the bed sheets and getting the rooms cleaned up for their arrival.

Neera’s hands were almost peeling, and they trembled as she tried to squeeze the clothes. Penelope had come to help her earlier in the day, but one of the head maids who hated her quickly called her and sent her on her own errand.

Pen looked at her with pity as she left, there was nothing she could do.

Neera stood up as she dragged up the duvet she had rinsed and spread it on the line. Her feet trembled, but she struggled to remain standing. She had not eaten since morning, and she had been out in the sun, all day.

She was famished, tired, and almost fainting.

A servant had come earlier in the day to tell her that the king was asking for her. She just looked at him and continued to wash the sheets.

Normally, she would have sprung up, and ran to answer immediately, scared for her life. But now, she was no longer scared of dying. She did not care what he did to her anymore. He could rip out her heart and get it over with if he wanted.

She was done. She was done trying to live. If she left the chores and went to answer the king, she would get in more trouble with Freya, who might ask the guards to whip her till her back bled.

If she did not answer the king, he might pull her heart out of her chest. Neera laughed. She did not care anymore. If that was how she was going to die, then so be it.

”Neera!” Neera heard Pen’s voice as she approached her in the washing area.

”Oh, I just finished cleaning the rooms now, there was a lot of work to do!” She exclaimed as she came to join Neera.

”I smuggled some food out for you. Eat, let me finish with this. ” Pen said, handing a wrapped ball of rice to Neera.

“Pen, ” Neera called, tears gathering in her eyes; ”you will get into trouble for helping me. ”