"Why is it so hard to squeeze through this crowd?" Safiya growled as she struggled to push her way toward Dede.
The throng of people hailing and cheering around them made it even more challenging. The king and his entourage had already retreated back inside the main palace.
Safiya knew she needed to focus on her plan, but she also wanted to congratulate Dede. However, it seemed impossible in the midst of the commotion.
Just as she was grappling with these thoughts, someone grabbed her wrist. As she turned, she realized it was Ahmed. He had managed to make his way inside before her, thanks to the princess.
"We need to go," he yelled through the cheering crowd, making sure Safiya could hear him properly.
"I need to meet Dede," she yelled back, still trying to push through the crowd.
"Not now, Safiya. The guards will soon chase everyone out. Maybe you should do that tomorrow for the final round."
Safiya nodded and walked away from the crowd hastily, trying to stay out of sight. Since the crowd was gathered in one area, the guards didn't really notice them. They followed the left side of the palace, where a small corridor led to the king's chamber.
The windows along the corridor were open, allowing them to see inside. As they walked through the corridor, they noticed pots lined up in a row, some covered while others contained beautiful flowers. The marble floor beneath their feet added to the elegance of the surroundings.
Moving cautiously, they reached the first window, which provided a view into the king's chamber. Peeping inside, they saw that he wasn't present.
"He is not here," Safiya whispered softly.
They continued their slow progress until they reached another window. Safiya paused, her ears perked up, listening closely. Soon, they heard faint voices coming from inside.
They crouched beneath the window and peeked inside, barely visible. Safiya's eyes widened as she noticed the door handle turning slowly.
The king emerged, removing his crown and revealing a bald head. Frustration etched on his face, he muttered, "I do not want to hear it," before taking a seat on his chair.
Curiosity burning within her, Safiya wondered who the king was referring to. Just then, her gaze fell upon the queen entering the room. With a petite frame and a pained expression in her eyes, the queen approached the king cautiously, her nervousness evident.
"A male child is what I asked for, and still, you couldn't give me that," the king shouted, his voice filled with anger.
He rose from his chair, pacing back and forth, glaring at the queen. "My king, the ancestors will grant us a male child. We must continue praying," the queen pleaded.
"Shut up!" the king snapped, gritting his teeth as he walked towards her. The queen let out a yelp and instinctively stepped back.
Safiya, deeply concerned, furrowed her brow, wondering what he was planning.
"You are probably cursed, your whole family must be," the king continued, cornering the queen against the wall. He gripped her neck so tight, and Safiya feared he might snap it.
"Please, it hurts! Please," the queen pleaded, desperately trying to free herself from his grasp. But her efforts were in vain; she lacked the strength, her petite frame no match for the towering and powerful king.
"You don't want me to have a successor? Do you want the throne to be given to someone else?" he demanded, his words filled with disdain.
The queen vigorously shook her head, tears already streaming down her face. However, he continued callously, showing no regard for her feelings. "A female child is useless to me. Both you and your daughter are useless to me."
Safiya's mouth hung open. No, he didn't just say that. Her fist clenched, and it was Ahmed who held it, his eyes silently telling her to keep calm.
"Disgraceful," the king released his hand from her neck.
The queen coughed and said, "We are your family. How can you call us useless?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but he heard her clearly.
The king's eyes blazed with anger, and then he walked up to her and did the unthinkable. His hand landed on her cheek, causing her to go down.
Her eyes widened, but she did nothing except cry. Safiya made a yip sound, seemingly in shock. The way the queen cried indicated that it was probably not the first time he was hitting her. He didn't even feel remorse for what he did; he only kept ranting on and on.
So this was it. The fact that she couldn't bear a child was her fault. Women like her were supposed to do this, to submit without having any say, without standing up for their selves.
That's why when they see her, they are repulsed because she dared to act strong. Safiya made a cursing sound, and the king turned abruptly towards the window.
"Who is there?" His voice sounded frantic, as if someone had caught him hitting the queen.
Of course, no one would come to save her. His voice must have shaken in an attempt to save his reputation.
Safiya and Ahmed quickly went down, hiding so the king wouldn't see them, but it seemed like the king was slowly approaching the window.
"Go," Ahmed whispered. Safiya crawled slowly toward the path they had just come from, with Ahmed trailing behind her.
They reached a pillar that was a little far from the window, then stood up and ran as fast as they could through the crowd, which had begun to lessen.
"Oh, that was close," he said, laughing.
But Safiya wasn't finding it fun; her frown only deepened. "We should leave, Ahmed."
"But the king, he must probably meet with someone. We should wait and see," Ahmed said.
Safiya shook her head. "Whoever he is meeting with, I don't think it's here in the palace. We only have to find out when he is leaving the palace." She gave Ahmed a reassuring smile, then looked around.
The warriors were no longer there; it seemed they had gone for rest. The crowd was beginning to die down. Safiya thought it was best they leave now.
She nudged Ahmed, indicating that it was time to leave. Ahmed nodded, but as she turned to leave, her eyes suddenly caught Malik.
He was looking intently at her, his hand resting at his back. Safiya suddenly paused in her tracks. She heard the faint voice of Ahmed speaking to her, but she didn't hear anything he said.