Episode 16

Persephone

I winced as Madge pinned the final lock of hair that was left into place. Honestly, I would have preferred a scarf but I was not given so much as a choice.

"All done,your Grace." Madge said.

I stood from the wooden stool and looked at myself. I looked away instantly as I felt the contents of my belly reach out for my throat.

"Can you not get a tunic for me instead of this... this clothing?" I asked.

She looked at me,rather stunned by my remark and her lips pursed in a way I concluded she took offense of my words. With the look on her face,I could have sworn if I was not with child...the King's child,she would be mopping the castle floors with my face.

"No your grace." She mumbled a few more word underneath her breath and laughter erupted from the left corner of my room and it came from the maid scrubbing the floors who after a glare from me stopped laughing.

"What did you say?" I asked her.

"Nothing." She said, giving me an evil eye.

"Get out."

"Your Grace..."

"Utter one more word and I swear I will forget I am with child."

Her eyes widened as if she had seen something on my face and she ran out instantly.

Rather than crumble into the chair beside me,I left the room.

As I walked along the hallway,I received looks from everyone that passed by me. I did not know where the consorts were to meet and with the way i was being looked at, i had to rethink asking anyone.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Hera

"Why then are we doing this if the King already has a child with that peasant? Our stay here is an insult to our family name. The King did not find any of us pleasing enough and chose to give his favour to a peasant? Now you mean to say that I,Rhea του Mykonos,should fight with a commoner for the King's bed?" She spat.

I expected the consorts to act like this but this was sooner than I had expected.

I studied each of them. The majority of them seemed displeased with the topic.

Lady Helen stood up gracefully and gave a kind smile.

" If it does not displease your Majesty, I'll be returning to Rhodes before dawn. A child is no joke. I refuse to ignore the fact that that maiden is with the King's child. Remaining here will make no difference. I shall inform my father of the recent happenings and I am quite sure he will understand. " As she spoke, I watched her. She was my first choice of a wife for Teris but his father had to be an adamant fool and wedded him to Elpida. Even her name irritated me. Lady Helen,dangerously smart for her age... one of the many reasons I adored her, knew what the consequences would be if her father found out what Teris had done. We could not handle a rebellion if one occurred and especially not from Rhodes. Lord Icarus του Rhodes was a powerful and influential man and he was better an ally than an enemy.

"The girl lies. Lady Helen, you have known Teris since he was a boy, have you not? "I asked after much thought.

"Yes, your Majesty. Whenever he practiced swordsmanship, he would always have me close by. He was my best friend so yes. I do know His Grace. "

"You think he would take advantage of a peasant? "I asked. She bit on her lower lip as her grey eyes moved about. She was thinking. Good. Thinking of what my plan was to remove Persephone out of the picture. Trying to think ahead to see if it was in her favour. She loved Teris and everyone knew that. She had waited this long to be with him and she would not let a peasant take what was hers.

"No, your Majesty. He could do no such thing. His pride would not let him... and also his heart never harbored such evil. "She said.

I stood and walked up to where she stood.

"Your Majesty... He would not make a claim on the child if he was not the father. He supports her, shields her... Like a father would his child. " she said, her eyes searching mine.

"I hear from his guards that he was drunk that night and now she conveniently names him the father of her child. His Majesty has a kind heart and she is taking advantage of that, but I see through her and its only a matter of time before King Teris sees her for who she truly is. That is why I plead with you, ladies of great houses to help this mother rid her child of this cankerworm. " I said sadly as I looked down and sniffed.

The only thing that was heard in the court room was my weeping. I prayed that they bought it. I had to stoop this low just to get that thing out of here.

Soon they surrounded me and pleaded with me not to cry and I could not help but smile internally as I sobbed some more.

"Good morning. Is this... where the consorts meet? "

I glared in her direction but when my eyes landed on her, I froze. It felt like I was looking at Elpida. Only the more beautiful and younger version. I never thought anyone could be more beautiful than Elpida, but here I was gazing upon such a rare type of beauty. She looked so unreal. Like a painting.

"Yes. It is here. "Lady Athena said to her with a welcoming smile in her face. She seemed friendly. That would be a huge problem. I got my act together and walked to the center of the hall.

"Good day, Ladies of great houses. "I said and threw a glance over to where the wench stood, head bowed like I expected it to be. Nuisance.

"It is no secret that we will be conducting our first test on who is fit to bear the King a heir. In a few seconds, the court ladies shall provide each of you with the things you might need to complete each test. In total, there will be four tests in which your poise, intellect and reflexes will be tested. The final test will not be revealed until the three have been completed. If you fail two tests in a row, you will be sent back home..."i said and glanced at Persephone once more before adding, "... regardless of your condition. "She lifted her head and gave me a look i couldn't understand.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Persephone

I actually wanted to go home. I will fail all tests on purpose. That should do the trick. Then something occurred to me. If i went back home... There was no home to go back to. They burned it down. Getting another place to stay would require dancing for years and i seriously doubted i would get a job as a pregnant woman. There was Eos' fees too and my child too. My child would grow up in an harsh environment, inheriting all of the scorn and hatred i earned and that too without a father.

Suddenly realizing all of these made me weary. What was the best thing to do? Oh heavens, guide me. I raised my head to find Queen Mother's vengeful eyes on me. She was an insane woman, yes, but I - were as tight as mine but they seemed to be breathing fine.

I looked to my right also, I could only see the closest to me who was the woman that I met at the kitchen the other day. Her black her was pulled into a tight pony tail and instantly, I loved it. She wore a black long sleeved dress that hugged her until her waist and flowed from there on out. It had a high neck line so nothing was left uncovered. It was a really comfortable dress and I would have done anything to trade dresses with her. She was not wearing much jewelry when compared to the rest. Just a pair of pearl earrings and a gold ring on her index finger. It was an eye catchy one.

"Er-ehm. "Someone coughed as if to catch our attention.

My head snapped to the right and three women came to view. All clad in white voluminous garment. The woman in the middle of the other two moved differently from the other two. While she moved with such grace and chin high with high shoulders as well, the other two looked down, never lifting their eyes to meet ours.

Soon, she was at our left, standing at the beginning of the part between us.

"Poise. "Was all she said. Was she testing according to our poise? I looked around. The other consorts seemed not to be bothered. They did not flinch or try to adjust.

"You. "

I looked around for a while, a little bit lost. She could not be referring to me. I at least tried to move, unlike the others who remained like statues.

"You, with the awful hair color. "

The lady said again. Awful hair? Definitely not me then. I looked forward and to my right again. There were lots of consorts with awful hair color here. My lips twitched upwards at the comment.

I looked to my left then, only to find the woman's dark eyes filled with anger and a deep frown on her face as her eyes rested on mine. I felt my cheeks heat up. Me? She was referring to me?

"Who else would I have been referring to? "The lady said, making me realize I might have asked aloud.

Scolding myself for feeling so embarrassed, I maintained the stare.

"Yes? "I asked.

Her frown deepened in a way I never thought anyone's face could take. She was not essentially pretty but the frown on her face took away every form of beauty there might have been. She now resembled an old hag. Without joy.

She stalked towards me, hands holding her garment up so she could walk with ease.

Her purple painted lip twitched slightly before she spoke. "I have not seen you around here before. ”

I only stared. She was not asking a question , was she?

She peered down at me with angry eyes but I didn't back down. Old hag.

"Such insolence. Were you never taught not to look a Queen in the eye? "

Queen? Just how many queens did they have here? Another stuck up woman to deal with. I might just give out. I rolled my eyes.

Her irritation seemed to grow at the body language. " Who are you? "

She asked.

"Persephone. "

"Persephone του...?

"του nothing. "I shrugged.

Her eyes widened. "A peasant?!! "

"Hera! "She suddenly shouted. Hera? She could call queen mother by her name? Just who was she?

The Queen Mother strolled in from whenever she was watching outside.

"Why is there a peasant in my courtroom? "She asked, glaring at the bored looking queen.

Queen Mother simply picked her nails and gave a shrug.

"Have you not heard of the blue-haired woman who claims to be carrying Teris' child, Mother? "

The old hag's head snapped forward as she eyed me from head to toe.

"Ayla. You said the issue was taken care of. "

One of the women who walked in with her rushed forward.

"Y-yes your Majesty. It was taken care of. His Majesty affirmed it and she stays here. I told you all of this. "

"Do you mean to say I'm forgetful Ayla? "The old hag asked.

"N-no... Forgive me! "She fell to her knees at once.

The old hag had dementia and no one had the courage to tell her. My lips curled up again. How fitting.

"Why then are we holding these tests? If my grandson says he's the father, he is. He never lies. Send the rest back home with compensation. Let her be his royal consort. Why do you dally about Hera?"

I blinked. An honest old hag. She looked at me again. The anger in her eyes now replaced with something softer that I could not read.

"She looks... unreal... Child... Where do you hail from? "She asked. I blinked twice, realizing that I did not know where in Enchantia I hailed from. I grew up in Avalor which was the capital of Enchantia. I was probably from Avalor then. Since father was from Avalor.

"Avalor. "I said.

"No. Your hair, your eyes... Avalor has the most beautiful people in the whole of Enchantia, in the borders of this world but never blue hair and eyes like the sun. Your father's name?"

She asked again, eyes still inspecting my face.

"Aeschylus. "

"Avalor then... Your mother? "

"I do not know. She never mentioned that. "I said,grief suddenly washing over me.

Her eyes softened again. "Walk with me Child. "

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***