THE ROYAL QUARTERS.
After a series of disentangling and combing Queen Hatia's hair till it's soft and shiny. She makes her way to the dining while I follow behind.
During the walk, she assigns me some errand to do after her breakfast which I make a mental note of.
She walks with her head and chin held high, ignoring greetings and bows from the servants on the hallway.
We arrive at the dining room where other family members are seated except Maverick. I heave a sigh of relief as I don't think I can face him again, I suddenly have this fear for him. I quietly lift my gaze to look at the dining and it's occupants but my gaze is immediately locked with Aidan's, in his usual intense stare. I look away and walk behind the Queen to stand. I still can't understand how I'm expected to stand a little farther behind her while they eat.
I shrug and adjust her seat while placing a napkin on her tighs like Aine instructed me to yesterday.
AIDAN'S POV
I sit down quietly while staring deep into her eyes. I'm aware that she notices my gaze but just chooses to avoid them. She dutifully serves Hatia, carefully cutting her fruits into cubes.
She serves some of the fruits on a new plate, wipes her hands and stand behind her.
I keep staring at her while eating an apple and chuckling at her queasiness.
Immediately, Maverick walks in with his lips slightly bruised.
Hatia glances at him and stands up swiftly holding his face with both hands, "Goodness Gracious Maverick! Who did this to you?!" He takes her hands off his face and sits. Hatia stands there for a while then sits.
I lean in my seat and with a smirk take a bite of my apple while I dart my gaze between Hatia and Maverick.
"Dad, we had an intruder here last night." Maverick says.
My father clears his throat, "Maverick, if the so called intruder did this to you and obviously other hidden injuries, I don't wish to hear anything about it." He says and gestures to the servant to refill his glass.
I chuckle loudly and take my glass, swirling it and gulp down it's content at once.
I lick my lips and return my gaze to Zelda as she returns my gaze with the same intensity. I smile and our eyes lock for a moment which I totally delight in.
Maverick utters some words under his breath and gestures the servant to serve him.
"I'm greatly annoyed by your indifference towards Maverick, Edward! Maverick is your first legitimate son for crying out loud! Your attitude towards..." Hatia rambles on.
"I didn't train my sons to grow up as cowards or weaklings. Maybe if he spent as much time as he dedicates to his mistresses to learning the art of combat, he'll be a better legitimate son." The king retorts with an underlying sarcasm in his last sentence.
I smile and place the apple remnants on the plate and pick a refilled glass.
"You'll just regret all these soon!" she says with a loud screech from her chair. She swiftly gets up and storms off.
Zelda gives a quick bow and scurries off after her.
I shift my gaze to Maverick, his grip on the cutlery was intense. He places them suddenly, and leaves.
*******
ZELDA'S POV
I stand at a farther end as the Queen pants in anger while flinging a glass to the wall.
"And why are you still standing?! Get down and clean those!" I shudder at how I'm at the receiving end of her anger.
I bend and slowly pick up the shattered glass pieces. Suddenly, the door opens to reveal Maverick. I avert my gaze and pretend to focus on picking the pieces.
"Leave!" the Queen orders. I hurriedly stand and scramble to the door, grab it's handle while suddenly I hear his dreaded voice, "Wait!"
My hand slids off the door knob as the Queen gives him a questionable look.
He chuckles and walks closer to me, pulls me by the hair and pushes me down before the Queen. I whimper as a sharp piece of glass gets stuck in my thigh as I'm pushed to the floor.
"Mother, she was the reason I got bruised. I wished to have my way with her but Aidan came in and acted as the knight in shinning armour who saves the damsel in distress." He says sarcastically as he pulls my hair. I shriek.
"Maverick! How condescending of you to go after a pauper like her. If you wished to have more mistresses, you should've sought for girls from noble families. I'm certain most of them will scramble for that position but rather you went after this! This? How disappointing." The Queen says.
"That's not the issue mother, my request here is that you hand her over to me. I've made arrangements to get you a more proper personal maid from an honourable family. I wish to take custody of her."
My heart thumps at Maverick's request, I hold my breath waiting for the Queen's reply.
"I'll give you her custody, but let it not be known to anyone, clear?" The Queen replies.
He nods and makes me stand up.
My heart drops at her reply. My eyes blur and suddenly I feel dizzy at the thought of being a mistress to Maverick. He holds my hand firmly and walks out of the room.
I silently cry at the thought that I won't be rescued anymore by Aine or Aidan. I stumble as he roughly drags me along the hallway.
As we arrive at his room, he immediately drags me in, locks the door firmly with a key and looks at me with a smirk while walking over to his drawer, after rummaging through it for a while, he brings out a linked metal ring, 'Mancle!'
Knowing what it's to be used for, I scramble to the door but he immediately reaches out and drags me back. We engage in a tussle with series of pleading from me.
Suddenly a low calm voice is heard which leaves him startled, and he frees his grip on me.
"I wonder, I do wonder how many times I'll stipulate that she isn't meant for you."
Aidan walks out from a hidden corner beside the wardrobe, and walks over to Maverick with his hands in pocket. He walks over to Maverick and stands staring at him with slitted eyes.
Maverick chuckles and walks closer to him and whispers, "And I do wonder how many times I'll reply you, that I'll chose to disobey you, hmmm?"
Aidan chuckles and tuts and walks closer with their faces few inches apart.
"Besides mum approved me of having her as a mistress, don't worry, I'll be done with her in a week, just don't..." Aidan cuts off his speech with a sudden strike which causes Maverick to stumble.
He regains his stance to throw a small sized statue to Aidan which he swiftly dodges, Aidan slams him to the wall and continuously hits him intensely.
Suddenly the door is unlocked and flung open with Edward, Hatia and a guard walking in. Aidan unaffected by their presence picks up a glass vase and smashes it on Maverick's head which causes blood trickle down quickly onto his face and then his clothes and floors.
He slides down the wall to slump to the floor staring at me.
"Maverick!" The Queen screams and runs over to hold him while shouting at the guard fetch a doctor.