Jaelyn didn't stop until she drop the empty glass on the table, she took the whole jar and continued drinking it seem she could drink the entire ocean, her mind still battling the frightening thought of having to spend every night with the king.
She thought, she will be locked in some palace and will only have to attend a public gathering with the king when required, back at home her father King Acer had many concubines after the death of their mother.
It took even years before the king will grace some of the concubines with his presence but it's not the case here. She pulled herself together.
"It's true that my cousin, I mean the king is a monster but you can rely on me and Byron so tonight I," Jaelyn interrupted Demelza knowing what she was going to say next. "Tonight, so soon,"
"The entire royal family will be standing outside the room while you two…," Demelza whispered, No! that's not happening, she is not ready. She needs more time, she has to be given more time. She can't accept being some breeding stock to produce the king's heir.
"No, this is sick! Are they mad? Why will they watch us while…." Jaelyn forgot her position again and let her tongue slip. "Relax, we came up with a plan to deceive them but you will have to play along with me," only then was Jaelyn able to calm down.
"the maids will be here soon to take you to walk the milky way, "Demelza mumbles, Jaelyn was dumbfounded, the milky way as they call it is the hallway leading to the bridal chamber, it's a great honor for any woman to take the walk.
only the king's queens get this kind of honor, once you are out of that room you become the next important person after the king. But Jaelyn feels like the most unlucky person alive right now.
Why her fate does have to be this cruel? Why? Why is she forced to sleep with someone she doesn't like? Forget about being his fake queen, she can't bear the idea of having to see his face and sleep with him every night for the rest of her cursed life.
"They will first take you to the special bath house to bath in milk and then inspected by the high priest to see if you are qualified or good enough to carry the next heir of the kingdom."
Demelza walks her through the entire process, Jaelyn's eyes lit all of a sudden paying keen attention to Demelza's words. One might think she was thrilled about it.
"So what happens when I fail the inspection? What if I'm not deemed qualified to carry an heir?"
Jaelyn asks seeing a way to escape her cruel fate and this marriage again.
"I know what you are thinking but I heard those who fail are either killed or sold into slavery looking at your pretty face, it will be a waste to be killed or sold but taken to the kagon," Demelza
says with a pretty smile that convenes the opposite of what she was actually saying.
"That is even worse than death I guess?' Jaelyn asks clinging to her left upper, where her birthmark is located. What if the birthmark gets her killed or perhaps sold into slavery? Even worse, what if she is taken to the so call kagon? What could be worse than death itself? Fear suddenly grip her.
"Don't worry I'm sure you will definitely pass the test besides that's the least of our worries now," Demelza hissed holding her hands.
"Seriously what could be more important than being killed or send to Kagoon or whatever," Jaelyn freak out springing from the bed as her hand is still on her birthmark. The very one she has hidden so well, the beginning of her terrible fate, the mark that had doomed her for the rest of her life.
"Kagon they call it, a special place for the king's chamberlains he wishes to honor, and there are drinks and lot lots of beautiful women to have merriment with. It's like an entire lifetime party,"
Demelza grins as if it was such a thrill thing, women are used as sex toys of course "Is that so? Is that fun? Does Byron also visits such a place?" Jaelyn asked with disgust on her face, in an attempt to make Demelza know there was nothing fun about what was saying.
"If he does I will break his legs and perhaps pull his heart out of his chest," she said folding her hand into a fist. "Anyway Lyn, forget about all that, the maids are here remember what we talk about, be calm and I will handle the rest," she said as she edge her to go with the maids consort Suva sent.
"This way your majesty," the maid said with their heads bowed low. Jaelyn turned to look at Demelza wondering if they were referring to her. She waves her hands asking her to go with them. Jaelyn reluctantly follows them.
She knows her end has come, with her birthmark, she only had two choices either kill the king and herself at least she will be doing something worthwhile, or accept the fact that she will become a sex toy to please the king's men for the rest of her life. Could her life be any more miserable?
Jaelyn is not perfect, she doesn't wish for much all she wants is to be loved and for one to see her worth or perhaps stay in her hidden corner but knows her fate wants to make a mockery of her.
Each step she took made her heart thump, it was like she was willingly walking into the slaughterhouse. She is no coward but what can she possibly do, she doesn't know if to cry or just come to peace with it even if she doesn't do anything that will happen will still happen anyway.
Jaelyn was led to a confined room, she was too busy with her thought to even look around, what was standing there was just a hollow container her soul had already left her.
"May I?" the maid asked and didn't wait for Jaelyn's approval and they started undressing her, she shut her eyes as she let them do as they pleased. It was her first time having someone else touch her body aside from Moesha. They were about to take the final piece of her garment when she stop them.
"I can do this by myself," she ordered meanwhile consort Suva was standing behind the curtains satisfying her own curiosity ensuring all the custom was followed, or is it that she wish something will go amiss to assure her it was indeed a façade?
Jaelyn lowers her white silk undergarment to her arms still covering her arms especially where her birthmark is located. She holds her head up high. With Oaklyn's reputation across the four kingdoms, she was hoping they won't ask her to take everything off completely.
The maids step aside making way for another woman who steps closer to Jaelyn and smiles gracefully, "Pardon me your majesty this might hurt a little," she said with a comforting smile.
Before Jaelyn could process what she meant by her words and what they were planning to do to her, two maids hold her legs and spread them apart making her lose her balance, two other maids were there in time to hold her still.