"Your Excellency! The Chief Advisor's messenger is here." A mermaid bowed reverently in front of Queen Julia.
Julia, who was busy painting her nails red, looked up with a slight surprise on her face, "Daniel?" She spoke more to herself.
Why would Daniel send her a message? Nevertheless, she replied, "Send him in."
The mermaid bowed respectfully and left. A few minutes later, a messenger appeared outside Julia's chamber. There was a transparent, pink curtain separating the messenger and the queen's room that partially hid the Queen's face from view.
"Your Highness! The Chief Advisor requests an audience with you at the Main Palace." The messenger spoke.
"Why?" Julia enquired.
"Apologies, Your Highness but I do not know the reason. The Chief Advisor would be in a better position to answer." The messenger bowed in respect.
"Very Well then! I will meet Daniel in an hour at the Main Palace." She replied.
The messenger bowed and left.
At the Main Palace, Julia entered the main hall.
Daniel was already present. He bowed in respect, "I am glad you arrived, Your Highness!"
"Daniel! Is everything ok? What is the matter?" She asked looking concerned.
Daniel's left hand went up to scratch the back of his head and he had a slightly apologetic look on his face, "Eh, how much do you love surprises?"
Julia narrowed her eyes, "Only if they are pleasant." She had a slight smile on her face.
Daniel dropped his hand, "Well then this one is pleasant too! Only if you look at it from my perspective. You will have plenty of time to comb your hair, take a stroll in the garden, indulge yourself in meaningless, I mean, meaningful make up!" He smiled nervously.
"Daniel", Queen Julia gave a playful look, "What are you getting at?" She prodded on.
He swam about a little, his fishtail swaying in slow rhythm, "My Queen! Zedon will remain absent for a few days and I will have to take care of the kingdom in his absence." He blurted out.
"What! Why?" Julia's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock.
Daniel spoke hurriedly, "It's just for a few days! Don't you worry, everything is fine." He tried to reassure her.
"But Zedon should have informed us all himself." She spoke.
"I agree but I am sure it's something urgent. He doesn't do anything without a purpose." He tried to pacify her.
Julia's face wore a disappointed look. Clearly, she was unhappy at the news. She hadn't expected Zedon to disappear like that unannounced. She knew he was a responsible king and very well knew that she shouldn't be worried as he was a powerful ruler but she was his wife. She expected a proper response from him.
"Do the other Queens know?" She inquired.
"Only Queen Bella has been informed. It is my duty to inform the other Queens." Daniel responded.
"Ok, I hope Zedon's safe." She spoke.
Daniel smiled a little and nodded. He then bowed and left.
Next, he thought, to convey the news to Ariana. She was Zedon's childhood friend and would understand his absence. He sent for a messenger and the Queen arrived.
"What is it Daniel? Why are you summoning a Queen to the main palace?" Clearly irritated at being summoned like that, Ariana raised an eyebrow.
"My Apologies, Your Highness" Daniel gave a bow, he then paused, unsure of how to break the news to an irritated Queen but then soon got up to speak.
"Your Highness, King Zedon has gone away for some time and I am required to look after the kingdom's affairs in his absence." He finally stated.
"What?" Ariana spoke in a sharp tone, "What do you mean by that Daniel? Where has he gone?" She spoke a bit hurriedly.
"I'm not allowed to say that, Your Highness." He spoke nervously, his eyes cast downwards.
She suddenly felt chills down her spine. It was only a while ago that she had foreseen Zedon in a battlefield. This was bad news. Zedon shouldn't have left without informing anyone. He should be careful.
"Hmm" She hummed thoughtfully.
"He is the King and I presume that he had to go due to some urgency. Can I ask you one thing Daniel?" Ariana asked, her eyes full of concern
"Sure, Your Highness! Anything that you feel like." Daniel responded with conviction.
"Since you're the only one who knows where he's gone, please look out for him. Will you?" She asked softly.
Daniel, who was a little taken aback by this, replied, "Certainly, Your Highness."
Ariana nodded and left.
Now only Annelise and Brietta were left. Brietta was known for her short temper. Moreover, she was the Chief Queen, making her all the more powerful among the Queens. Thinking it better, Daniel thought to inform Queen Annelise first.
He started towards the palace garden and found Annelise lost in deep thought.
"Queen Annelise," He bowed, "I was coming for you."
Annelise came out of her reverie, "Daniel! What are you doing here?"
"Your Highness! I have something important to tell you. King Zedon will stay away for sometime. He's gone for some urgent work. In his absence, I will look after the affairs of the kingdom." He stated matter-of-factly.
"What? Why? He didn't tell me anything." She cried out, her hair flowing underwater and her eyes dilated in surprise.
"It is an official matter, Your Highness. Maybe that's why he must not have informed you." Daniel replied.
"Alright. Thanks for the information Daniel." She finally stated as she sighed.
Daniel bowed and turned to meet the most dreaded Queen, Brietta. He dared not summon her through a messenger. She was the Chief Queen and quite temperamental at that! He had to go himself and stand in front of the Queens's Palace and ask for her permission to meet her.
With these thoughts in mind, he finally reached the main entrance of the Queens's Palace. There were two female guards at the entrance.
"I have an important news to share with the Chief Queen. Could you please ask for her permission to meet me?" Daniel stated in a formal tone, knowing very well the guards could be very "nasty" when it came to the Chief Queen.
"The King's Advisor wishes to see the Chief Queen? Did I hear that correctly?" One of the guards, a green fish tailed mermaid, raised an eyebrow. The other one smirked.
"Well...yeah! I am the King's Advisor and I bring the King's message for her." Daniel's voice hesitated a bit.
"Why! If that were the case, the King would give her the message himself as she is his Chief consort." The other guard, a yellow tailed mermaid, chimed in, "Why would an Advisor like you bring her a message?"
Daniel grew a little irritated, "Ladies! I do understand that you are in charge of guarding the palace but I am not here to sabotage the building. I am here as the King's Chief Advisor who has an urgent message from him for his Chief Queen. If you refuse to call her, that would be utter disregard of the King's orders. So if you will please call her, I can deliver the message at the earliest."
The guards looked at him aghast. Slightly annoyed, the green fish tailed one, opened her mouth to say something but then a voice was heard, "What is this commotion?"
It was Denise, the maid in waiting of Queen Brietta. The guards quickly straightened up and lowered their heads.
"The King's advisor is here, asking for Her Highness." The green tailed guard spoke.
"Her Highness is resting. Is it something urgent?" Denise looked pointedly at Daniel.
"Denise, I am afraid the news is from the King himself and it is urgent." Daniel spoke in a formal tone.
"You very well know Her Highness detests being disturbed like this. Why do you wish to bring upon her wrath?" Denise replied as her eyes shone in contempt.
"Very Well! Do not call her then but if she gets to hear this piece of news from somewhere else, she might not like it. She may even have your head beheaded." Daniel smirked a little.
That had her thinking. After a few moments of eyeing him cautiously she relented, "Alright. You can wait here Advisor Daniel."
She then turned back and went inside. The guards looked at him menacingly but stayed quiet. Daniel knew that the Queens's Palace was a different world altogether. The guards here listened more to the Queens rather than the King sometimes. As far as Denise was concerned, she was Brietta's favourite and that had made her all the more haughtier and arrogant. She enjoyed special favours as compared to the other maids at the Queens's Palace.
After a few moments Daniel saw Queen Brietta arrive in a huff. A few paces behind her was Denise, her head lowered a little.
"What is it Daniel? Do you not love yourself? I can put you behind bars this very instant for disturbing my sleep." Brietta spoke menacingly. Her eyes were trained on Daniel.
"Your Highness! Apologies for hindering your sleep but the news is from King Zedon himself and it is quite urgent."
"What is it?" Brietta asked coldly.
"The King has gone somewhere and won't be back for a few days. Till then I am to take care of the kingdom's affairs." Daniel said in one breath.
"WHAT!" Brietta shrieked.
The guards recoiled in fear. Denise, who was a few paces behind, stood unaffected. She was used to her Queen's temperaments. Daniel stood unperturbed. This was something he had already anticipated.
"Where has he gone?" She asked, her voice full of anger.
"Your Highness! He has gone on an official duty the details of which cannot be disclosed. It is the King's order to not disclose anything." Daniel replied in a formal tone that he was used to using while carrying out difficult orders from the King.
"Nonsense! I am the Chief Queen" She waved her hand dismissively, " Zedon always lets me in on his plans and you will telll me about his disappearance, this very moment." Her voice was laced in anger.
"You can have my head beheaded if you wish so, Your Highness but I cannot betray the King's command." Daniel replied with finality in his voice.
"How dare you defy my orders..." Before she could say anything further, Denise cleared her throat deliberately, "Ahem Ahem."
Brietta paused for a moment. She then closed her eyes in agitation and after a few seconds opened them again. She knew that she couldn't harm Daniel. He was a Chief Advisor and was close to Zedon. She had to keep calm otherwise if Zedon heard of this, he wouldn't like it.
"Alright then. You may go." She ordered.
Daniel bowed and left. She then ordered.
"Denise! Call all the Queens to the Main Hall of the palace."