Valerie arrived at the gold palace an hour later in a silver laced long gown, ignoring the etiquette that only the Queen is allowed to wear such.
Stepping into the place she so much desired to live Valerie couldn't help but stare at the beautiful and massive palace and structure before walking in.
There are over hundreds of guards and servants waiting on the Queen outside, exactly what she dreamed to have.
Valerie stood at the door and waits for her presence to be announced to the Queen.
"Let her in" She heard Davina's voice and the door opens for her.
Davina wore a long cotton gown and sits on a large gold platted chair with a table of the same size and pattern in front of her
The plates and cups on the table are also made of gold and everything glitters around the whole room, even her maids her dressed in a completely different way from outsiders
Valerie couldn't take her eyes off Davina's seat and only look away when Missy taps her to remind her to bow.
Her eyes fell on Jessica sitting at a distance looking very weak and unkempt, she ignore her and bow her head a little to greet
"You ask to see me...your Majesty" she said reluctant to say the last two words.
Davina scoff at her rudeness, she didn't expect Valerie to respect her but didn't know she would have the audacity the disregard the rules
"Knee" Davina ordered with a calm expression as she looks at her old time enemy
She was in her palace when she heard a ruckus outside and is surprised to see it's Maya, she had sent her to her mistress immediately after the edict to make her a concubine was sent out and completely forgot about them
Maya recount Jessica's ordeal for the past few days to her and how she barely managed to run away to get some help so her mistress doesn't die.
Davina has forgotten there is someone in the palace that doesn't want her here and knows Valerie would definitely not welcome Jessica as a rival but she went too far by starving her for three days and locking her in the room
"What are you saying? Kneel?" Valerie replied losing her cool.
"You heard me, do you want to do that on your own or should I make you?" Davina retorted and glance at Arya
Very pissed but knows better to act up in her palace, Valerie involuntarily went on her knees
"May I ask what my offense is your majesty"
"You have been living in the palace for a while but you still haven't learnt anything" Davina replied
"You…" Valerie fumes angrily, she know well of the dispute between the two sisters and how they never get along
"What gave you the right to lock up a concubine in the palace?"
"Concubine?" Valerie sneers
"She is nothing but a shameless woman who climb on the king's bed to get herself the title, why is a few lessons wrong" she retorted not feeling sorry but rather tries to justify her actions
None of the Queens that has entered the palace after her dare to question her actions and are cautious around her, she is the first
"Do you think you are qualified to say that?" Davina asked
"What do you mean?"
Valerie had thought the fall of her family from their high horse will humble her and didn't expect her to still hold her head high
Davina stood up from her seat and with the help of June and Arya, she walk forward towards Valerie
"I am the Queen, if I say you are not qualified then you are not" she spells out to her.
Valerie rolled her eyes Davina's words sounding ridiculous to her, she really except her to respect her as the Queen.
"Even the Queen mother has never addressed me as such, a mere title of the queen doesn't have the power" Valerie told her
"Mere queen"
"I will leave now, I have a lot of things to attend to this morning" Valerie added and took a bow then stood up to leave.
Davina gesture at two of the servant standing close to Valerie and they immediately hold her down bringing her back on her knees.
They are afraid of the prime minister but this Queen doesn't seem like a joke either.
Valery already bribe and bought over more than half of the servants in the Queen's palace, she is shocked to see them going against her and struggles to get free
"What do you think you are doing?"Valerie shouts at Davina
Davina move closer to her with a look of disdain on her face, she let June hold her face up and slaps her hard across the face leaving everyone shocked
"Your Highness!"Missy screams and rushes over to her mistress side to protect her.
"Drag her out to be flogged...ten times" Davina orders but no one could move as they are still taken aback by the hit and even more speechless the hear her get punished
Even though Davina is the Queen, slapping a consort from the prime minister mansion is really daring and now to hit her?
"How dare you?!" Valerie yells after getting over the shock.
"You still dare to raise your voice at me? Twenty" She shouts and everywhere became silent.
"Guards" She called and a large number of them came in and everyone shivers in fear, the atmosphere of the room suddenly become cold
Her eyes look so terrifying that even Valery couldn't find her voice to argue and the guards grab her ready to drag her away
Seeing that she might really get dragged to be flogged, Valery quickly bow herself down to plead for mercy
"Please spare me your majesty" she shouts Boeing her head low
Valerie had thought the death of her father and the fall of her family will humble her and cause her to become docile, she didn't expect her to start using her authority in the palace on her first day.
Davina ignore her pleading and the guards starts to drag her out again while Valerie continue to fight hard with Missy holding her back.
Watching the nemesis of the one who has made the last four days of her life hell begging for mercy bought a smile to Jessica's face.
So much like Davina, even their father is scared whenever she gets angry and no one dares to offend her without thinking twice
"Stop" Davina ordered and watch the guards pull back from her before walking back to her seat.
"Now do you understand what you have done wrong?" she asked
"Yes your majesty" Valerie answered
"Release the maid I sent to you and compensate her" she added
"You can all leave" Davina dismissed them and Jessica also went on her knees
"Yes your Majesty" they both respond Valerie still trembling
"Let her maid take the punishment instead" Davina said not done and the guards drag Missy out to carry out the punishment.
Helpless, Valerie could only accept and turn deaf ears to Missy's pleads for help, she forced a smile and leaves with the rest of her servants.
Jessica also stood up and faces Davina while Maya hold her hand to help her stand properly
"Thank you" she said.
"Why did you do that?" Davina asked when she turned to leave
Jessica stood still understanding the meaning of her question and also remind herself that she should be the one in her position if only the unfortunate incident didn't happen with her father.
"Do you really love the King or you want the position of the Queen?" She asked again and Jessica quickly went on her knees.
"I dare not covet the Queen's title, its just that I really love the King and want to be with him. I must have lost my mind to do something like that" she said acting sober but silently detest her.
"Get the doctor to attend to your mistress and get her some good food to eat, you can leave now" she said and they both leave...
…"Your Highness, we really own it to Queen Davina this time or we would have been in trouble when Missy came earlier" Maya said as they approach their Quarters but Jessica pushes her away upset.
"Queen? Who says she can be the Queen, that is supposed to be my position, I am meant to sit where she is today" she snapped and pushes her down to the ground.
"Am sorry your Highness" she quickly apologize on her knees.
"If father hasn't gotten into the trouble that leads to his death then this wouldn't have happened to me" she said and felt dizzy.
Maya quickly stood up and held her hands to help her stand properly.
"You need rest, I already send for a doctor he will arrive soon" she said and Jessica nods her head.
Her plan was almost perfect, the Queen was dead and the King needs a new Queen.
All she had to do was have the King sleep with her and since Davina is against becoming the Queen she will be crowned.
She never expected that a misfortune will befall their family and she has to become an ordinary concubine bullied in the palace.
Like the saying goes, when there is life there is hope. She can still get rid of the both of them and become the King's only woman and most powerful woman in the Kingdom