PART ELEVEN (cont'd):
The Diagram of Di-abolical:
Rifra's heart slumped at the way his wife cringed when he came close to her. It had been two days of emotional and mental anguish in his little room and home. The physical had also taken it's own fair share of toll. Displaying cuts, scratches, bruises and bumps that the servant was still trying to figure out, how to explain to his master Methus. Ironically, everything Ashea recounted as having happened, made the oppressive and miserable atmosphere around them explainable. But he had absolutely no recollection of what she described. Neither did he possess the ability to imagine such dreadful and questionable occurrences. All he ever remembered, was coming in and seeing his wife trying to stab her self and possibly cut out their still unborn child. Had she lost her mind? And was she now to trying to cover her madness and guilt by accusing him of floating in the air and making guttural declarations?
His attempt to reenact what she described, left him with more bruises that he had bargained for. Rising above the ground horizontally was best left to a figment in the mind. He checked out his wife's skin and compared it to his. Everything seemed normal to him. How could he be anything else but human like the rest of them. His whole life he had been human, why would it change now? He thoroughly searched his whole body one more time, desperately seeking any sign of what might be amiss or what might have been added abnormally. It was all to no avail. He still came up with nothing like the other times. He then deeply cleared his throat and said his name out loud. Same results, his voice had not changed one bit. He was now convinced more than ever, that he needed to take Ashea back to their province and family. They would care for her and help her regain her lost mind. He was in the middle of his mental plans, when he heard banging on the door. He meant to ignore it, since there was so much more at stake at the moment. Nevertheless, Methus was shouting out his name as loudly as he was banging.
A majestic but meek maintenance:
Methus stood with his legs slightly apart and hands clasped behind his back as he watched the maids bustling around the queen and her quarters. He still had not heard anything good or bad from her majesty and was not sure what to make of it. He had then decided to come and watch the new set of maids while they worked. The queen had quickly given him the permission he requested to stay around and watch them. His apologies for the recent, numerous and rapid switching of her staff had been met with a smile and a shrug. The queen though very much beloved, was also known to be an intriguing body of mystery. An enigma so lovely and charming, that all that beheld her were certain was only and rightfully fit for a king to unravel. Her beauty and gait were exactly where it belonged, in a palace. And to whom it belonged, her king. Methus knew she could demand, alter or reverse anything she wanted to and when she wanted it too. But the recent upheaval and constant changing of events and situations left him feeling vulnerable and inadequate of doing his job well. It was a series of successive pandemonium, of which he and the palace had never before experienced.
First there was a drastic adoption, if you ask him. Then her majesty's fainting spell, while celebrating the drastic adoption. A vicious attack had followed closely. An attack he heard had now been upgraded to murder for reasons still unexplained. This much he knew, keeping house with so much disruption was no easy feat. He was concerned about fixing anything that might come up, before his majesty the king himself noticed. Worse still was the likelihood that he might sense any unspoken discomfort from his queen. He Methus, would make sure to leave no stones unturned and no holes with loops. This job and position was very important to him.
"Your majesty, I beg your forgiveness that I had to replace Ashea your personal maid just as quickly as I had brought her to you." The housekeeper looked and sounded remorseful as he spoke.
"Ashea was not my personal maid." The queen stated calmly, turning sideways to where Methus had planted himself. With a face void of expression she continued. "Debeh was my personal maid. And I have not replaced her with anyone yet." The royal finished factually, this time with a partial and slightly displayed smile.
"Oh your majesty, does that mean that you do not then approve of Ashea?" The housekeeper wistfully plunged into what he hoped was a window of discussion opening up about the whole situation. The queen was silent for a few moments, as if she was comtemplating whether or not she approved of the mentioned servant. Then she simply asked; "What happened to Ashea that you replaced her Methus?" "Ermmm.... your majesty.... She was sick." The housekeeper was taken aback by the sudden line of questioning. "She was sick." The queen stated pensively. "Is she still sick? And if so what ails her for such a long time? Are the servants not being fed or cared for properly Methus?" The house keeper was now rendered nonplussed. Not since Debeh had another female servant caused him so much annoyance and grief. Now doing Rifra a nepotic favor could cause him to endure an in-house audit, which might eventually lead to him losing his job.
"All is well with the feeding and care of the servants your majesty, I do not know what ails Ashea." "You do not know what ails her?" The queen let the question hang in the air for a moment as she studied the housekeeper's bowed head. Then she continued. "You have to find out what the problem is Methus before you can solve it and/or prevent it from happening again. You have to know the reason why you made a decision and took any course of action." "Yes your majesty," answered the housekeper quickly. "Your majesty I think.....?" He was starting to say again.
"Do you know where the prince is Methus?" Asked the queen suddenly ending any further discussions on the matter. "Yes your majesty, I believe he is riding in the stables with his friend." "Okay then," said the queen with a broad smile. "Can you have him stop by when he is finished?" "Yes your majesty," answered the housekeeper as he bowed out. The queen robbed her stomach gently as a smile played on her lips. The baby in her womb, kicked just then. To which she said; "Mmhmm, you got that right indeed."
Puzzling an already burdened crown:
The king examined the second and smaller sheet that had been included in the satchet left behind by Debeh. He was alone in his study. His magistrative council had submitted a report, informing him that it was possible that the discovered bloody object was Debeh's murder weapon. He had picked up the satchet which he now had stowed away at a secret section of his book chamber. The sheet looked like an allotment of sorts, since he could not exactly make out the fading scribblings. Someone must have either doused the satchet with liquid or dropped it in a wet place. Like his wife suggested, he did not want to involve anyone else until they were remotely sure about who was for them or against them.
Setting back the smaller sheet to be examined at a much later time, he placed it back in the satchet and picked up the bigger one again. As he began to read, he creased his brows at the two phrases that had been on his mind since he first read the sheets. Phrases that popped up, as if begging to speak for themselves. Crying for an attention that hoped to trigger an alarm. This he knew was something definitely not to be brushed aside. He studied the phrases one more time, squinting to read the smudged words.
"The seed of the flies will cast the fatal blow...."
"A server of kings who reigns amidst snakes"
How could he decipher what and who these were or could be? He had thought of inviting the witch again, to once again expend her dark and vile knowledge. But the queen had forbidden any further visits or alliances with the sorceress and the likes of her. They were only bad news and gross misfortune she countered. Their words were sleek and buttery for the gain they desired. But the swords in their hearts were irreversibly, destructive and deadly. Her majesty wanted no lingering foreboding on her husband and children. They would find a way to uncover the puzzle soon enough. Someone somewhere would arise with the needed answers, she believed. But until then they moved with caution and stepped circumspectly.
Bossom buddies and bargaining branches:
The frenzy of the crowd in the market place was as normal as the cracking clouds parting to give the sun its rightful time and space. It was the dawn of a new day that had both buyers and sellers and everyone else in between hurrying into the business of the day. Reinah marched herself with the crowds that seemed set towards a known destination. That would be the sellers, she thought. The real occupants of a territory that actually belonged to no one. Somehow, she found herself sidling next to a middle-aged woman clutching a bunch of plants close to her chest. The woman cussed under her breath and then wagged her index finger at a rider who let his trotting horse come close enough to sniff at her cradled plants. The princess marched on next to her oblivious companion, as people milled to and fro past them.
Her plan was to find something to do that would earn her keep for a day, two days or more. She had walked a couple of miles after leaving the house of the exchange-killers. Spent the night on a bed of flowers with oak branches for a shade and the moon as a smiling and glowing lamp. Her neighbours must have been happy to see her, because she woke up to a lion sleeping at her feet and a monkey watching from the tree-top above. The fresh fruits that were littered around her when she woke up could not have been an accident. The clean rippling pond a few feet away from her sleeping vegetative space, put a priceless smile on her face. A loud yelp in her left ear jostled her out of her morning session of woolgathering.
"Oh look at that now", exclaimed the woman with the bossom plants as she stifly tried bending down to pick-up a couple of fallen branches. She winced in obvious discomfort, as her initial retrieval attempt failed. Reinah watched as a few hastening feet moved callously and some unaware to trample. Then she dived forward to grab the plants for the grateful woman. "Oh how very nice of you, sweet child." The smiling and relieved woman was looking at Reinah as she expertly beat dust from her bunch of plants. "Where is your mother? That I may thank her for raising such a thoughtful and pretty girl as this." The woman went on to secure her leaves, never taking her eyes off the girl. "I have no mother ma'am," answered the princess without blinking or taking her eyes of the woman's face either.
"Oh dear," said the woman in whispered exclamation this time. Placing her free hand on her now vacant chest. "Surely you did not fall from the sky, as likely as that maybe. For you are indeed precious." Her eyes and smile were kind as she spoke. "No ma'am, my mother died." Said Reinah who had now lowered her eyes and was fidgeting with the front of her dress. "Oh no, so sorry to hear that," continued the woman aghast and empathic. "That must be so dreadful." She added, her eyes forming a scant pool of tears. The girl merely nodded head still lowered. "And your father, is he around?" The older woman continued. "My father went to war. He has not come home yet." The princess replied assertively as she now lifted her head. "But the war is over my dear one." Supplied the woman, not sure to be amused or puzzled by the captivating girl. "Not yet ma'am, it is not." Stated Reinah emphatically.
The woman started to say something, but froze as she experienced what felt like the hair on her arms swaying. She then stood still and stared at the girl for a moment before speaking again. "Something tells me, we speak not of the same war huh?" The woman queried further. "No ma'am, something tells me we do not." Answered the girl.
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