Must be around 8 pm.
Just then my stomach grumbles.
I yawn and stretch. I look around and see that I am alone. I need to stop being unsophisticated and act like royalty. I do not know any noblewoman. I can scarcely ask the queen to show me how to behave as a woman of noble birth. I need to keep my ears and eyes open. I need to try to observe and learn from my surroundings. I will just keep a close eye on Rosalinda's parents and mimic their behavior.
I hear a knock on the door.
"Enter."
It is my maid Martha.
"Milady, the king and queen bid you to join them for dinner if you are well."
My first reaction is to decline. I will be out of place. But then, I decide to join them. I might as well get it over with. I cannot evade this forever. I do know that the king and queen would want to discuss regarding my upcoming nuptials.
"I am feeling quite well. I will join them. You may leave, Martha."
After Martha leaves, I ponder. This might be my best bet to ask the king and queen regarding politics. I need to maneuver this carefully.
I enter the large and grandiose looking room. There is a large table with the king sitting at the head of the table. His wife is sitting towards his right and I take my place to his left. The table is filled with a variety of food, some of which I do not know the names of and some I have never seen in my life.
I greet them and I fill my plate with what looks like roast beef. All of us eat our food in silence.
"So, daughter how are you feeling?", the king asks.
"I am feeling alright, father."
I decide to ask him some questions of my own.
"Father, do we have any news regarding brother?"
"No daughter, not yet. My sources tell me, that he is alive. We will not be able to see him again, until we agree to this union, wherein you are married to King Cosmo."
Roberto... so that is his name.
"Father, how are our present relations with Methidrion and Pendrameda?"
The king pauses mid-bite and looks over at me with a quizzical expression.
"My dear, let us leave all the politics to the men. Let us discuss about the gown you are going to wear for your wedding. We will make you wear a gown so fine, your future husband will forget his own name.", Rosalinda's mother speaks up.
Ugh.. I grown inwardly.
No lady, I will choose scrubs over a gown any day.
I did not fault the queen of her thinking, she was a product of her time and place. Rosalinda was probably a sheltered bird who was expected to do what the men in her life bid her to do without question. Well, if these people think that I am some poor, helpless and meek princess, they are so very wrong.
"Mother, your generosity astounds me and I am assured that I will have the best gown in all the land.", I tell to appease her.
She looks pleased.
Looking at the king, I try again.
"Father, please, tell me."
He sighs.
"Well, they are neither our foes nor our allies. I know what you are thinking daughter. The two neighbor Isles will not stand with us to wage a war against King Cosmo. That is why I have agreed to this union, for it is the only way our land will know peace."
Before, I ask him another question. Rosalinda's father starts choking. The queen sits frozen in shock and the servants watch in horror. Without thinking, I get up, go behind him and perform the Heimlich maneuver. After five or six abdominal thrusts, he spits out a small rock-sized beef bone.
The queen and the servants look at me as if I have grown a second head.
My inner doctor shoots out orders.
"Quickly, get me a glass of water.", I speak to the servants huddled in a corner.
One of them rushes and within seconds produces a glass of water in my hands. I let the king sit and make him drink water.
"We need to take my father to his chambers.", I say to the servants.
They help the king, and the queen and I follow behind. I look behind and see a cloaked figure move out from the corner of my eye. I brush it off, thinking it was a figment of my imagination and hurry along.
After settling down, the king thanks me and as expected questions me how I knew such a tactic.
It's because I am not from your world. I am a doctor. We have modern medicine to tackle any disease.
"I saw a healer do this to one of the stable boys, when he was choking.", I lie simply.
I don't really care whether you believe me or not.
The king looks skeptical but does not question me any further. The queen is silently sobbing and fawning over the king.
"Now dear wife, I am alright. We need to thank the heavens that our daughter was present. Go to your room dear Rosalinda. I will take rest for some time. This day has taxed me greatly. Your mother and I will retire for the night and take rest."
I obey him and walk back to my room. I cannot shake the niggling suspicion that someone is watching me. I reach my room, bolt the door and close my windows. Sleep is the farthest thing on my mind, I recall my parents and my friends and the life I left behind and cry myself to sleep.
I remind myself to stay strong and never give up hope. But even the strong will eventually become weak, when hope slowly fades.
******************************************************************
Rosalia sleeps, but tomorrow will not be the same again. That night, the king and queen are murdered in their beds. Their throats cut open and their eyes gaping wide. The assassin and traitor, smiles maliciously over their dead bodies. And as silently as he came through the window without no one noticing, he escapes.
This time there is no princess to save her parents, he thinks gleefully. But in order to fully complete my mission, I need to be careful. The princess is more intelligent than she looks.
*******************************************************************
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7X9xFJMHqM
149Please respect copyright.PENANArI1FFiQo4R
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUisRX6A0Y9
149Please respect copyright.PENANAq43DMpn9t2
149Please respect copyright.PENANAuiFUfFbcKa
149Please respect copyright.PENANAdhnCEQ8AuR