Awin cleared his throat "how have you been?"
Qaya looked at him for a long time, seeing him after so long made her remember all the bad things he'd done.
She turned back to Zachary ignoring his question "how was your father? Have you settled the issue you went home for?"
Zachary could only nod, he couldn't be chatty when she just dismissed the king.
"Everyone leave us, I'd like to speak to Qaya" Awin declared and they all obliged.
Qaya rolled her eyes and turned from him
"I will not let you continue to disrespect me"
"Awin, I'm starting to feel that you just enjoy bickering with me, sadly the feeling isn't mutual"
"how do you think it makes me look? You ignored me, your future husband and your king in front of my subjects"
"probably the same way you looked when you actively framed me. What were you doing sending people over to bring me to the palace when you wanted me in jail in the first place?"
"I've told you countless times that—"
"enough" Qaya cut in, her voice stern and cold. Awin could see pure disdain in her eyes, he knew she didn't regard him. She turned to leave but Awin held her back.
"will you be staying now that you're here?"
He was only met with silence as Qaya removed her hand from his grip and walked away.
***
Qaya stopped washed her hand aggressively "how dare that monster touch me with his filthy hands" she thought to herself.
She left her room and met Zachary waiting for her.
"oh you're here" she said eagerly
"I believe I am" he said looking around as if to make sure he was indeed there with Qaya. She playfully hit him laughing at his quip and then stopped in her tracks.
"is anything the matter?" He asked in concern
"did you just make a joke? That's unlike you." She pointed out but Zachary just shrugged.
"maybe you're just comfortable enough to not be formal with me" she turned to him for confirmation but he just shrugged.
"what's with this attitude, Zachary?"
"well, you've made me start to fear for my life now. Maybe that's why I'm giving you attitude"
"what? When did I ever?"
"you ignored the king and favoured me in his presence. He must be arranging for a hitman"
Qaya inspected his face, he looked deadpan. Was he serious? She scoffed "I forgot you were loyal to that idiot" she increased her pace but Zachary in a panic held her hand.
"I was just joking"
She looked at him "you have to work on your delivery. You just learnt to start joking you have to start small" she giggled and awkwardly signalled that he let go of her hand.
"but you ARE loyal to him, I mean Awin"'she asked in a serious tone
Zachary kept quiet for a short while and could only manage to answer with "you're my friend"
With all the things he's been doing recently he had began to doubt his own loyalty to Awin but he couldn't bring himself to say that. He couldn't acknowledge this.
"whose side would you pick? Me or Awin?"
Zachary looked at her almost amused. He knew the answer to this but like the question before this, he could not answer.
"why are you asking this?"
"no reason, I just want to know, you're my only friend here. It would make me happy to know if I could trust you with certain information"
Zachary nodded.
Bernard, the King's assistant and Zachary's colleague walked in. "The king asks of you, Miss Heris-Mariale"
"for what reason?"
"I cannot say but he's with his advisors, the council and vassals"
Qaya shook her head and chuckled. Awin was already playing his game.
"I'm on my way"
***
Qaya stood in front of the door of the meeting room, she knew this was an ambush but she was ready to face Awin head on. Even if she would risk her life and future as long as she could uncover the truth and bring him down, it would all be worth it.
She sighed and knocked on the door, she was let in.
She gave a charming smile to them, after all they were all on good terms, then she settled down in her seat.
"how have you been?" Betram, one of the King's chief advisors turned to her.
"I've been okay" she answered, feigning a smile
"congratulations! you know, I knew that you were innocent from the beginning" another said
Qaya smiled and nodded in appreciation
"but why didn't you come earlier ?"
"forgive me, you see, I had just gone through the hardest time of my life, I went to my father's house to recuperate, did you hear the king complain? after all, he's the one who sent me there" she turned to Awin who just kept quiet.
After small talk was concluded. They got right on with business.
"Qaya, you've proven to all of us here that you're a capable woman performing the duties of a queen flawlessly, that is why we suggest that you and the king get married in the soonest. The harvest festival, abunumas is very soon, we need a queen that will precide over it"
Qaya smiled "I understand your sentiment and reasoning and I also want that but with my standing in the academic circle I can't do that?"
This time Awin cut in "what do you mean?"
"I am looking to join the legal profession so it would be injurious to partake in something illegal"
The others looked at each other in confusion "we don't understand you"
"I am not of age, you see"
"impossible, why would you lie like this?" Awin was agitated now
"but I'm not lying my King, while it is true that I am of age, it is also through that I have not done my coming of age ceremony, so technically I am not of age. I was in a coma, when I should have performed the ceremony and even after I awoke from my coma, I haven't had time to do that. And you all know that this is not the season for such things, everyone is preoccupied with making preparations for abunumas"
Everyone nodded in understanding, what she said made a lot of sense.
"so you're saying what? I can't marry you till after your coming of age ceremony?'
Qaya nodded "and that will be next year. I implore you to not be hasty and wait till then, the people have celebrated abunumas without a queen for some years now, I think they will understand and I could even perform my duties without officially being a queen.
There were mutterings of approval "she makes a point" they said to each other.
Shortly after, the meeting was concluded Qaya was on her way to get lunch when Awin decided to speak to her.
"so, this is how far you're willing to go?"
"what do you mean? Awin, you're so confusing"
"are you doing this because of Zachary. Is something going on between you. I was aware that he spend hours on end with you but I thought it was in a friendly capacity, was I wrong? Are you cheating on me?"
Qaya scoffed in her mind, this man must be drinking huge doses of hallucinogens to be this delusional. "Awin, I didn't speak a single lie in there, so I don't know what you're driving at, I'm starving so please let me go"
"will you let him feed you?"
Qaya was fighting the urge to burst into laughter? Was this man serious? This heinous man was busy whining, quite the sight.
"it's funny, so you think it's because of the presence of some other man, that I'm not accepting your advances? I've hated you before I met Zachary. Even if I was sentenced to being stuck with you for eternity with no other person but you, I would still hate you"
"you're dodging the question Qaya, are you cheating on me?"
This time, Qaya decided to indulge him.
"I wish" she answered exasperatedly "but the thing is Zakie doesn't see me that way. But I do enjoy his company, if he was the one engaged to me, I wouldn't make a fuss, I would willingly marry him"
"Zakie??"
"oh sorry, you know him as Zachary. Zakie is reserved only for me— is that what you wanted to hear? There, I've said it. Now leave me alone"
***
Qaya wolfed down the pie she was served. She missed the wonderful food of the palace. Zachary stared at her.
"won't you eat? Or you're not a fan of pie"
"I'm a tad bit uncomfortable, dinning with you. It is inappropriate, after all"
"I think just watching me eat is ruder"
"I'm your friend, I can be rude"
Qaya chuckled. She caught sight of Awin and Betrand discussing business and walking in their direction, she shoved her spoon into Zachary's mouth, alarming the other
"I've told you time and time again that you don't have to be so formal with me" she said in a cheery voice that caught Awin's attention, he turned to them and scowled.
"why are you acting this way?" Zachary asked clueless as to what was going on
"don't mind me, Zakie. I'm not usually like this, I promise I only act different around you" and to make matters more severe she said this with the most appealing puppy eyes, she could muster.
Awin couldn't take the sight anymore, he walked out in anger.
"Zakie??" Zachary muttered in confusion. As much as this whole performance gave him butterflies, he could shake the feeling of everything being weird and alien.
When she was certain that Awin was not in the vicinity,she cut of the act and sighed "sorry Zachary, I must have scared you"
He shook his head in awe at her sudden shift.
"That man, Awin has been annoying me recently, just thought to return the favour. Don't worry I'll make sure to clear the air, so he doesn't do anything stupid to you"
Zachary shrugged "there's no need to correct any notion he has in his mind"
Qaya's jaw dropped, who was this man before her? "I get that you're not scared but still this could backfire"
"you've done it anyway. On one hand the damage has already been done and I doubt that he'll believe you and he'll just think you're trying to protect me because of your romantic feelings or he didn't even buy your acting because truth be told it was eerie."
Qaya snickered "my acting is that bad?"
"yes, but there's a possibility that the king believed it despite it's poor quality"
"you say this, yet you don't want me to clarify things. Is it that you enjoy being under this facade"
"are you saying I'm suicidal" he quipped.
They continued chatting until they heard a commotion, they went to check it out.
Qaya was stupefied when she saw Melinda struggling with the palace guards.
"let me in, I must see him at once" Melinda shouted as she tried to squeeze herself past the guards.
"what is the matter?" Qaya asked coldly. Decorum filed the room as soon after she spoke. Melinda just watched defiantly at the woman. Who deprived her of Awin's attention, standing regally and looking down at her.
"we apologize" one of the guards spoke up "she came in here demanding to meet the king and would not listen to reason"
Qaya scoffed "I see, what a pity. You missed Awin, he just stepped out but I can get him for you. After all, you must urgently want to speak with him"
Melinda just kept quiet but Qaya did not care. The latter turned to a servant "go and tell the king that I wish to speak with him, here"
Melinda shook her head, the disrespect. What did Qaya think she was playing at? Was this her way of letting Melinda know that Awin only thought of her? These were the thoughts that ran through Melinda's head.
"while you wait for him? Would you like tea or coffee, i'd like to speak to you."
***
Melinda sipped her coffee and stared at Qaya precariously. What did Qaya wish to talk about? The other broke the silence.
"i imagine that you came to ask that the king reinstate you."
Melinda rolled her eyes "just say what you have to say? I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not your biggest fan"
"I noticed alright. I might not look it but my life so far has been so confusing, but in everything I've learnt that a person cannot be all good or all bad at least not initially. Man is too complex a creature for everything to be in black or white . Reports from old friends and acquaintances prove that who you are now, wasn't who you were like before."
"what?" Melinda looked confused
"I heard the Harbinger is no more"
"everyone did" Melinda dismissively replied.
Qaya kept quiet for a while and all she could do was let out a sigh. She was happy that the Harbinger was no more, when she expected the total opposite. Though in a way she understood why she felt relief and happiness at her brain child dying. She'd done so many vile things for the sake of keeping her newspaper agency afloat, things that she's still atoning for and the Harbinger stood as a persistent reminder of her sins, it was like an adversary letting her know that she was still a wicked, inconsiderate person. Qaya held Melinda's hands and looked at her in pity. She didn't hate the woman that stabbed her and left her to die, she just felt pity for her because just the way the Harbinger made her do stupid things, that's the same thing Awin was to Melinda.
"what I'm just trying to say, Melinda, is that ... I've come to understand that you can't write someone off as completely bad or good, it's not your
or place to do so. Maybe see this time as a period for you to retrace your steps and find yourself. Let go of the shackles that the Harbinger placed on you"
Melinda kept quiet and it appeared that she was in deep thought, like she was considering Qaya's words seriously. But soon that was short lived, Awin walked in.
"Qaya, you want to speak to me?" He asked not shocked by Melinda's presence, he appeared stoic in fact.
"actually, Melinda was the one who asked to speak to you"
He turned his back to them, obviously annoyed "I'm waiting upstairs"
Melinda looked at Qaya, one last time, before going after Awin "is there anything else you'd like to say?
Qaya only gave her a sad smile and shook her head. In truth, there was a question, she wanted to ask Melinda, a burning question, infact; "did you feel guilty about killing me?"
***
Melinda sat down and picked her knuckles nervously.
"you wanted to see me" Awin coldly replied
Melinda bowed her head "I apologize, what I did was wrong. Please forgive me"
"is that all you came here for? My forgiveness?"
"I came here hoping you'll forgive me and lift my punishment"
"punishment? Ah" Awin laughed "I gave you privileges you didn't deserve and then decided to take back does privileges, that was what happened"
"your highness, I—"
"enough you'll not change my mind, I won't be giving you those privileges because you've proven to be unworthy of them"
Melinda looked down, her face sullen. She knew Awin well enough to know when he meant something and would not go back on it. She couldn't enjoy her previous privileges, so she turned to leave.
"hold on" this was Awin. Melinda's breath hitched; was there hope? Would he forgive her?
"do you know my favourite thing to eat in the world is cake? Ever since I was a boy, I would beg my parents to let me have cake"
Melinda furrowed her eyebrows, this man and riddles.
"but I couldn't eat cake everyday. So instead my mother would give me bread, it wasn't my favourite but I'd manage"
"I don't seem to follow you" Melinda expressed and regretted it because he gave her a disappointed glare.
"exactly my point, Qaya would have understood. What I'm saying is Qaya is Cake and you are bread."
Melinda stared long and hard at Awin. This man just continued to amaze her.