Actually, Her Majesty told me a story earlier, about a princess who was spared and returned to take revenge.
"Hmm… it seems intriguing, would Lady Tiana mind telling me the story… that is if she is willing, this Emperor is all ears?"
"Well, of course your Majesty, Her Majesty started like this".
"Once upon a time the lived an empire, who was ruled by a treacherous king until one day, all the people had enough and refused to pay their taxes and the king kept sending his money on women and drinks, until the vault was emptied, he pressured the people and the nobles to pay up all the money he spent, promising to rule wisely, the people forgave him, but one day he returned to his old ways pressuring the workers and noble men and exploiting them to his advantage, the vault was once again emptied, and the poor died out of hunger, a wise princess fought along side a knight, they arose and fought for the kingdom, dethroning the Emperor, and getting support from the nobles… that is all your Majesty".
Her words snapped Derek out of his thoughts as he questioned uncertainly
"Is that all…?"
"Yes your Majesty…"She replied with her head bow, he could not she her expression but due to the redness of her ears, he assumed she must be telling the truth.
"Okay, the story was indeed intriguing but I don't understand the princess who came to take revenge…?"
"Me either your Majesty, I think the Dowager Empress just wanted to make it sound intriguing so people will listen".
"Well that sounds like my Mother…" His light tone made the atmosphere a little relieving.
"It's late, This Emperor will take his leave and Allow lady Tiana to have her afternoon nap…" He said though a little disappointed as he left the room.
"I thank his Majesty for his concern…!"
The door was shut as the two returned to their respective duties.
'It was not what I hoped for, but I can't be unreasonable, that Tiana can't be underestimated'
"My lady…?"
"Speak…!" Tiana cold voice was different than when she was speaking to the Emperor and it made the servant girl shiver in fright.
"My lady…but that was not how the story went, why…?" Before the maid could finish.
"Cindy…!" Tiana called in a commanding tone.
"Who is this…?"
"My lady, she is the new maid instructed by your mother to follow you…"
"How many maids from the palace was there when her Majesty told that story…?" Tiana asked.
"There where 5 my lady…"
"Plus her…?" Tiana cold voice resounded the room.
"Yes my lady…"
"I want them all dead by tomorrow…and as for this one, I want you to cut off her tongue and feed her a glass of acid, pour it down her throat…"
"Yes my Lady…" Without hesitation, the Maid answered.
The young servant on the floor, who just realized her mistake, was already pinned to the ground by guards.
"My lady please…it was this lowly servant mistake for not knowing her place and questioning my lady…!" She cried desperately.
"Leave her…!" Tiana ordered after a few minutes of her begging.
"Thank you for sparing this servants lowly life, this servant will never question My lady again…" she quickly crawled to Tiana's feet begging for mercy as she ignored the pitiful gaze of the other servants.
"Bring me the knife…I'll do it myself, she proves to be a noisy type?" Her hope of survival was insanely crushed on Tiana's words.
###########################
Corvina on the other hand, after returning back to the restaurant was welcomed by the scolding gaze of Floria and The penetrating gaze of Cynthiana who seem to be looking for something on her.
"And where have you two been…?!"
"Nowhere important, just site seeing…" Corvina quickly responsed as she skillfully pulled Floria away, under the watchful eyes on the two sisters.
"Ma'am was right…that girl is strange…!"
"Why do you say so sister…?" Cynthiana, puzzled, asked her sister uncertainly.
"There are three possible options here,
One, she is more than what she is showing us
Two, Ma'am is hiding something from us
Three, Ma'am doesn't even know the monster she's raising". Cythera said raising three finger's as a demonstration.
"So what does sister suggest we do…?" Cynthiana asked.
"For now we observe and do nothing, we can't take any risk when it comes to her, you know she's precious to Ma'am…"
"I don't like her…!"
"Me neither, but we have to keep an eye on her for the time being, in other for her not to suspect anything, we will swap once in a while, is that alright…?"
"Yes…" After coming to an agreement, the two sisters parted ways to carry out their different activities.
"Anut Floria…?"
"Where are those two sisters from…?"
"Why, weren't the nice to you…?" Floria's worried expression troubled Corvina as she cleared the air.
"It's not that Anut…it's just, the do look alike but the seem to be from different places…?"
"What…? Corvina please stop this, what are you getting at…?" Floria asked.
"I once read in an old text, about the sand quarter, this people have unique skin color and their eyes are a mixture of two different colors…there where extinct when the imperial law took complete control"
"So why do you bring this up now Corvina…?"
"I think Cynthiana is from the quarter, though it's not obvious, her eyes are different shades especially when her emotions fluent…and I feel like I have seen her before, back in the capital…I'm not sure…" She said uncertainly.
"Corvina… you're thinking too much, you might be right, though the are not biological sisters, I have seen them go through thick and thin together, I hope you'll respect that…?".
"Yes Anut…" Corvina promised but little did Floria know that her affirmation has set a stage for a bigger problem to arise in the coming future.
'I know I can still revive the sand quarters, I know she's not the only member…as for Cythera, that proves in how useful she will be in the future' Corvina's thought where already deeper the anyone thought.