Kamigani waited till he spoted the woman in flaring red robes approaching her, Aenti walking behind her holding a bucket. She quickly rised to her feet and bowed.
"Aenti will take you to the royal kitchen, all you have to do is to take his Majesty's meal to his quarters and also eat your breakfast in there and don't let me see you around here, you are causing a lot of distractions." She stated firmly before leaving.
Kamigani almost groan when she realised she had to spend some time with Aenti. Aenti didn't say a word he only started walking to the castle while Kamigani walked behind him.
He stopped on his track and Kamigani quickly did the same few feet behind him. Aenti turned when he noticed Kamigani wasn't interested in approaching him. He frowned, his eyes darting behind her.
Kamigani turned to see the man she recognised as the King's brother staring at her from a distance. Since it was a bit far to her she quickly turned to Aenti without bowing.
"Walk beside me." Aenti said almost like a whisper looking a bit worried.
Kamigani quickly walked up to him and they started climbing the stairs. She tried to imprint the path to her memory as they rounded a corner stopping at a door which Aenti opened.
The kitchen was nothing like how Kamigani expected, it was a bit spacious and sparking. A smaller replication of the other kitchen but not a single person in view and lacking the atmosphere of being used. She spotted a recently washed pot as she quickly opened the window to let in fresh air.
Her mind drifted to what the woman told her as her eyes widen in horror. "Will I prepare his Majesty's meal?" She couldn't mask the terrifying way she sounded.
"No, they would have done that... let me cook something for you." Aenti said placing the bucket on a table and brought out a box of ingredients, a bowl of chicken laps, a tuber of yam, two small potatoes.
Kamigani was a bit embarrassed she couldn't even tell him she would do the cooking but since she doesn't know how to cook she quietly stood beside him watching as his cheeks tinted with a slight shade of red and it started spreading which made her frown.
She wanted to ask what was going on when it dawn on her she was a bit ignorant about the world outside Ayante's house. She tried to think if it would offend him a bit if she opened her mouth and ask why he refused to meet her gaze as he started peeling the potatoes.
She took a good look at his him and noticed he had small freckles on his nose and cheeks and his dark eyes seemed lighter than what she noticed from afar and his hands were larger. She couldn't help but compare his large hands to the King's slender ones with pure white finger nails. The difference were much, Aenti hands looked like it was a bit hard while from afar anyone could tell the King's hand would be so soft like cotton.
Kamigani had never gotten so close to people of the other species to the extent of striking a long conversation with them. She had seen them only when Ayante sent her on a mission since Ayante restricted her from going to the market and she was only allowed to go once in a month, there she always wore a cape and each time she met their gaze they would want to strike a conversation with her but Axin that always accompanied her do send them off while Cecil was the only one that would allow her to say few words, they would want to know where she lived and kept disturbing her, some will even try to touch her which made her experience quite unpleasant and also her trainer for seven years was a man.
But the men in the palace were different, they were nice and gentle and wouldn't hesitated to help her. She was a little confused if they were like that beacuse they were a bit closer to the watchful eyes of the King or entirely for another reason she was still trying to find out. She doesn't want to admit she was stupid but Cecil already told her about love, what she would feel and that was how she knew she doesn't like Huare in that way.
She studied Aenti looking at him from head to toe, she noticed his breathing was a bit faster than normal and she quickly took a step back since who wouldn't when someone decided to invade their personal space to the extent of being glued to there sides there hands even touching and staring at them intensely.
She watched him work and even lighted the charcoal in the stove which made her more embarrassed not asking if he needed help.
"Aenti do you live in the palace?" She asked wanting to strike up a conversation.
"Most times." He replied as he brought out a pot and filled it with water placing it on the stove.
"Okay...." She racked her brain for a conversation when the door opened to reveal Tutina.
"I brought the oil." She said holding a can of oil.
"Place it there on the table." Aenti told her.
Tutina glanced at Kamigani before placing the can opposite where Kamigani was standing.
"Hi Kamigani." She smiled.
Kamigani almost spit out blood with the way Tutina was smiling at her like she was really happy to see her. "Hi." She replied not wanting to draw Aenti attention to them.
"I have to get something..... Tutina will you check to make sure the food didn't get burn?" Aenti asked turning to Tutina hopefully with made Kamigani's heart fell.
"I can check." Kamigani blurted out and almost wished the floor would open and swallow her up with the way Tutina turned to her in shock.
It wouldn't be difficult, all she had to do was to check and pour more water on it if it started to burn. Aenti didn't say a word he only nodded and left.
"Do not get your head in the clouds yet." Tutina smile fell, her face impassive like she wasn't the one smiling a minute ago.
Kamigani turned to her to take a good look at Tutina who was dressed in robes like her and it was a bit weird seeing her in a female clothing "What?"
"That is not why we are here." Tutina pointed out folding her arms.
Didn't the King tell them to stay and serve in the palace till Ayante comes back or did she misinterpreted the purpose they were there. "What do you mean?" She asked.
"It's a good thing the King took us in." Tutina shrugged. "Ayante left us incase you fail which you miserably did so we are here to execute the plan, that is the main purpose."
Kamigani gasped. "Tutina you can't be serious....."
Tutina shot her a dirty look. "I can see you are already enjoying your time flirting with men thinking you will gain something from them maybe marry one of those old ministers." She laughed like she just said a joke.
Kamigani frowned, she doesn't understand what Tutina was implying. "I do not flirt with anybody." She declared as she clinched her fist under her sleeves.
Tutina rolled her eyes. "Acting innocent now are we." She smirked shaking her head "Or do you think that Ienlouch guy will marry you... let me tell you he is just a flirt and only wanted to use and dump you like he did to many like you."
Now Tutina was starting to get on her nerve and she would love to punch the wicked smile off her face but Kamigani knows better than acting out. "Tutina..." She bit her tongue to avoid lashing out at her.
"And do not drag Aenti along with you slut!"
"So we are here to kill the King." she said between gritted teeth as she ignored her last word since it wouldn't be okay for Aenti to come back and see them engaged in a fight.
"Oh no.. we can't kill him now, we will be suspected all we have to do is to play the maid role for a while." She smirked and turn to leave when Kamigani stood up abrutly and quickly grabbed her.
"Why do we have to do this?." She said her eyes beseeching. "Ayante left us."
"For the time being, she promised to set us free if we do a good work if not our slavery continues." She said before yanking her hand from Kamigani. "If not because of you good for nothing that couldn't execute a minor person....."
"A king is not a minor person" Kamigani snapped. Tutina only short her a dirty look before walking out.
Kamigani sat with an unenthusiastic slouch knowing her life was clearly filled with rocky path.