THE KING’S SLAVE.
{My master and I}
By: Lilly Chidinma.
Episode Thirty five.
.
¤ Erica ¤
I couldn’t help but cry and weep over the king’s condition. He’s been placed on life support all because of me. He has been unconscious for hours now with an oxygen mask over his nose. I wanted to tell him the truth about the paternity of my pregnancy, but fear of losing my baby wouldn’t let me.
“Erica dear” Nadine appeared in front of me and I wiped my tears.
“For how long will you continue to cry and hurt yourself? You haven’t eaten all day” she said, sitting in front of me. I didn’t even lift my eyes to look at her, I continued staring at the king.
“I’m not hungry” I bluntly stated.
“Really? Is your child not hungry either? Erica, look at king Marion’s condition, do you want to put your child in such condition as well?” she asked and I flin-ched.
“May heavens forbid!” I spat out and sighed.
“Then, you must take something, I believe your prayers will heal the king” she said. I considered what she said and followed her into the kitchen where she gave me some food to eat. After eating, I got enough strength and decided to hunt for evidence.
I will not allow Annabelle to continue getting away with her evil, she has to pay, this whole thing must end. I immediately left for the medicine man’s shop with the drugs. He is Dente, the only medicine man in Axel city. He knows everything about drugs and their uses.
I entered his shop and met him with a few patients.
“Oh, welcome Erica, I’ll be with you in a few minutes” he said as soon as he saw me. Dente is very familiar with everyone in this kingdom so I’m not surprised he knows my name. I sat down and waited for my turn.
“Erica, I’m re-ady for you now” he called me in and I sat at his desk.
“So what can I do for you?” he asked.
“Dente, take this” I handed him the drugs.
“Check it for me plea-se, I believe it’s killing instead of curing” I added. He took it from me and examined it carefully, then he sighed.
“Who is taking this?” he asked.
“A hypertension patient” I answered and his eyes wi-de-ned in shock.
“A what?! This drug kills a hypertension patient Erica! This is very bad!” he exclaimed and fear gr!pp£dme. Just as I suspected! That witch Annabelle has resorted to using drugs to kill the king.
“Oh God! Dente what do I do now? The patient is seriously ill at the moment” I said, afraid.
“Calm down Erica. As a matter of fact, I have only sold this medicine in large quantity to a lady who c@m£ here weeks ago” he stated, stro-king his chin. I suspected it would be Annabelle.
“Did you see her face? Can you remember her?”
“Not quite. She always wore a veil” he answered and I sighed in disappointment.
“I saw her” a timid lady, coming out from the inner room said.
“It’s the queen” she added. I gawked surprisingly at her.
* * * *
“What is going on?”
“Why has she as-sembled us all here?” they all whispered as I stood looking at them all. Annabelle walked majestically down the stairs and I grinned. Today, her game is over.
“And what’s the meaning of this? Why did you call this impromptu meeting?” she asked.
“Relax, your highness, I’ll soon let everyone know” I answered and went upstairs. The king was now awake, but too weak to stand. I had to bring him down with the help of his guards and he sat on his throne.
“Erica, this had better be important” he said faintly, obviously still angry with me. I will tell him the whole truth as soon as I expo-se Annabelle.
“I have called everyone in this castle to announce that… Someone has been trying to kill our king” I began and murmuring filled everywhere.
“What nons-en-se!” Annabelle skrie-ked.
“Nons-en-se you say? Would it still be nons-en-se if I told you that you! The queen is the culprit!” I yelled at her.
“Erica! How dare you?” she asked, her eyes bitter.
“My king, just yesterday, I caught her maid in your room, exchanging your original drugs with fake ones which could kill you. Two weeks ago, if you can remember, there was a time she left this castle in a veil, guess where she went, to the medicine shop, to get the fake drugs!” I explained and everyone was in a state of confusion.
“Prove it Erica!” Annabelle screamed.
“Don’t make empty accusations”.
“Fine then, Mira!” I called, and the timid lady I met at Dente’s shop appeared and knelt in front of the king.
“My king, I promise to speak only the truth and if I lie, let me die” she started.
“I saw the queen, in a veil, she c@m£ to my master’s shop to get these drugs, I also heard her discussing with her maids to kill you, my king” Mira bowed and I smiled.
“Annabelle, is all this true?” the king growled.
“My lord, how can you believe them?” she asked, faking tears.
“Annabelle!!!” the king thun-dered.
“So what if it’s true?!!” Annabelle retorted and I heaved a sigh of relief. She has expo-sed herself because she couldn’t take the pressure anymore.
Episode Thirty six
.
¤ King Marion ¤
“So what if it’s true?!!” she barked shamelessly, causing commotion and noise to stir up in the crowd. I was in awe, I knew Annabelle to be a cunning woman but I never knew her to be this despicable. I guess Erica has been right about her all along.
“So you admit that you tried to kill me?” I asked.
“Yes! Yes I tried to kill you! I wanted to be the one and only ruler of Axel city, I wanted power” she spat out. I clenched my fists in great anger, fighting the urge to strangle her right there and then.
“How could you?!” I screamed.
“How could I not? Axel city is the most powerful kingdom in the world and I wanted to be in control of it! But no, my plans had to be foiled by this pestering Erica!” she yelled, turning swiftly to Erica who flin-ched.
“And what did I ever do to you?” Erica asked.
“Tsk! You are nothing short of a pain in the n£¢k. You’re always ruining my plans… Even when I planned to kill king Xander of Hamelton, you showed up and killed him instead!” Annabelle revealed and everywhere went silent. I was so shocked at this revelation, wait, so Erica was the one who killed my greatest enemy? Why did she lie to me then? Why did Annabelle claim the feat?
“Erica? Is that true?” I asked and she wept.
“My king, yes it’s true that I killed king Xander, but Annabelle here killed my father and threatened to finish off my mother if I told you” Erica answered, wiping her tears.
“Annabelle! How can you be so evil and wicked?” I asked, mustering my last strength and standing up. I couldn’t help my anger anymore. I made her queen, I married her thinking that she defeated Xander, not knowing it was all Erica’s doing.
“Annabelle! For the countless atrocities you have committed, I str!p you of your title as queen. From today onwards, you’re no longer queen of Axel city and you have been s£ntenced to death for treason, guards, get her out of my sight!” I ordered and sighed.
“No! No, all my ha-rd work can’t be in vain!” Annabelle roared. In the twi-nkle of an eye, she rushed towards me and pierced my abd0m£n with a knife. Blood oozed out of my b©dy and I found myself on the floor.
“My king! My king!” Erica and Nadine rushed to me. I ca-ressed Erica’s cheek, telling her how much I love her. I felt my life slowly leaving me………
.
¤ Erica ¤
It’s been two days now and my king is still unconscious. He has refused to open his eyes and I have also refused to leave his side. I weep day and night and pray that he recovers but nothing is working, he’s not moving at all.
Annabelle has been detained in the dungeon, waiting for her prosecution day. She is to be beheaded for attempting to kill the king, it was the law.
“My king, my lord” I took his hand in mine and k!$$£d it. Tears dropped from my eyes.
“I want to feel the t©uçh of your palm on my b©dy again, I want to look into your eyes and grow weak, I want to feel your warm embr@ce again.. plea-se wake up, wake up for my sake, for your baby’s sake” I lamented, placing his hand on my baby bu-mp.
“plea-se I’m begging you my king. If you don’t wake up, I will kill myself and come after you. Our love story can’t end when it hasn’t even begun, can it?” I wept and l@yon his che-st. I remained in that position until I sle-pt off.
* * *
My eyes fli-ckered open when I felt a hand c@r£ss!ngmy hair, I raised my head immediately and met the king’s gaze. He had a soft smile on his face, this alone brou-ght so much joy to my heart.
“My king! My king!” I yelled in happiness and hvgged him so ti-ght that he started coughing.
“I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” I asked and he shook his head.
“No dear, I’m fine” he replied.
“I’m so happy you’re finally awake, I’m so happy” I said, wiping the tears that didn’t want to st©p flowing.
“But I’m not happy with you Erica” he stated.
“Why?”
“You betrayed me remember? I loved you but you betrayed me by slee-ping with another man” he whined and I giggled.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“My king, I had to say all that because I didn’t want Annabelle to harm our baby” I revealed and he looked at me in disbelief.
“You’re lying.. Our?” he asked, I nodded.
“Yes, your child, our child is in my wo-mb” I replied. Hisl-ips curved into a charming smile. He pu-ll-ed me into his arms and covered my face with k!sses.
“Oh Erica! You’ve made me the happiest man alive!” he exclaimed and I blu-shed.
“Marry me” he blurted out and I blinked surprisingly at him.
“My king?” I called.
“Yes Erica, marry me and let our family be complete” he said.
“Oh my king! Yes yes yes I will marry you!” I squealed and hvgged him again…. I have never been this happy in my entire life.
.
.
Tbc
Our slave turned queen………