PART THIRTY-THREE:
An unwelcome saga, an uninvited spouse:
The palace guard crashed unceremoniously to the ground. Hurting his ego and occupational authority simultaneously. Without looking up and around, he could tell that a few other guards had shown up immediately. Also along with his comrades, some of the service staff working around the main palace yard had gathered. Without any fuss, the fallen one quickly scrambled to his feet. Meanwhile, two other guards tackled the belligerent female.
“Let me go. Please let go of my arms, I come peaceably. Ohh! Pleeease, you are hurting me.” Ashea screamed and sobbed all at once. Twisting her whole body. As she painfully tried to wriggle out of the two stronger pair of hands, digging into her flesh.
“Hurting you?” Scolded one of the guards struggling to control her. “Probably not as much as you have hurt our colleague and disrupted our duties. You come here to attack an innocent man. Who by the way, was just doing his job.” He shot back at her, attempting at the same time to turn her elbow backward.
“I have come peaceably, do you not hear me?” The young woman croaked in exhaustion. This may have been the reason her mother adamantly refused for her to come to the palace. Any sort of first or second hand encounter with these vicious guards, would make any person afraid of showing up again. She could only wonder what they had done to her mother.
However, she had still decided to come. Partly based on the information she had managed to extract from her mother. She just needed the truth, as much as she wanted the facts. How else could she go on, without setting things straight? Or letting go what needed to be released. And besides, how could things be set straight? Except she confronted them in their entirety. One of the guards angry voice and forceful tug, pulled her right back to reality.
“Will you let us throw you out of the gates now? Or would you prefer to spend some time in the palace dudgeon? You are guilty of trespassing on royal grounds, intruding and disrupting activities in unauthorized premises.” Ashea stopped struggling. Hoping as she did, that both male would release her throbbing arms.
The first guard, had fallen backwards at the beginning of their tussle. That was no fault of hers, as far as she was concerned. Glancing over to where he stood, just a few feet away. She could see that he was now making what seemed like a lengthy verbal report. A tale probably filled with accusations and lies. She wished they would let her defend herself. After all, he had run to grab her. When she had ventured to walk right past him. Heading towards the main gate of the very much secure grounds. He must have been hiding behind the bushes. She grimaced, feeling reluctantly impressed. She had quickly responded, by shoving him away at contact. Wondering the whole time where the strength she had just displayed came from. This person standing here in her body, was unfamiliar to her. But then again, so were a whole lot of other things. Like who had she become and why?
One of the domestic servants, that gathered at the beginning of the commotion. Instantly recognized her, when she finally stood still and lifted her head. Prior to that and throughout the whole encounter, Ashea had her head bent in fighting determination.
“Ashea?” The servant ventured tentatively. Careful not to incur the wrath of the already angered and glowering guards.
“Is that you? Aaah, but indeed it is.” Finished the servant, with a look of recognition and a relieved smile. Ashea turned to look at her. The face, just like the gate and the grounds all looked familiar. But she was not sure how or why it was so. For that reason, she had initially approached the royal grounds confidently.
“Do you know this obstructive rebel of a woman?” Barked one of the guards, as they all witnessed the exchange.
“Of course yes.” Started the servant, nervously addressing him. “We all worked together, not too long. I have not seen her for some time now. But I also believe she has a brother who works here too. Right Ashea?” She turned to ask the accused intruder. Only getting a blank stare in return.
“You once worked here?” Interjected a now present senior guard. Ashea looking distraught and disheveled, glanced from him to the servant in confusion. Was the servant crazy or trying to be funny, she thought? If the latter were the case, then it was a very cruel joke.
“I just asked you a question!” Snapped the waiting but impatient and angry guard. “Did you ever work in this palace?” Ashea turned to look at the servant again. Searching her face to see if this was a game and a clue to continuing with the charade. Instead all she saw was a questioning expression. Howbeit, a very serious one.
“No.” She finally responded. Stealing a quick glance at the by standers, before lowering her eyes in defeat.
“No what?!” Queried the now irate guard.
“No, I did not and do not work here. I only seek Hanad.”
Untangling tussles and telling tales:
Rifra headed immediately to the front gate of the palace main yard. It was quite a jog and a trek from the main building. He was busy inside the stockroom, when one of the domestic staff came running to alert him of some problems. A former staff member of theirs, was embroiled in some sort of commotion. With the security guards at the main gate. The housekeeper balked at the report at first. Thinking it must have been a mistake, or a case of mistaken identity and location. The guards knew how to handle their business. But a trouble making former staff? Every worker knew their place. And for the most part, acted civilly. Knowing to inform an authority, if any friction arose.
As he approached a private walkway that secretly let to the front gate. An emergency path only used by the royals or authorized personnel. He heard raised voices and a woman sobbing. He decided then, to back-up beside a fern covered wall and listen harder. Strangely enough, the woman’s voice sounded like Ashea’s. How could that be? What could she possibly be doing there? She was supposed to be spending some time with her family. From what he was made to understand, the birthing trauma she experienced. Would last for some weeks. Even worse, was the fact that no one had prepared him for her unwarranted visit.
Moving cautiously, he began to step alongside the maze of flower walls that adorned the palace main yard. He had to be careful not to be seen, before he had confirmed his suspicions. Sure enough, from where he stood. And hidden behind heavily budded flower shrubs. He saw Ashea, in a seemingly unfriendly tug of war with a guard. While another stood nearby glowering at her. A third guard, had what appeared to be a raised weapon. And It was trained on her temple. The housekeeper leaned back on the wall heavily. Trying to breathe slowly and steady his racing heart. He was suddenly sweating bullets. Thinking hard and fast, he decided to head back to his quarters. He should not be seen there, at this time and under those circumstances.
“Master, master Rifra.” Came the desperate call of someone, running towards him. It was one of the cleaning servants and he was clearly excited and out of breath too.
“Master Rifra, your sister is here. She is at the main gate. And she maybe having some trouble with the security guards.” He blurted all at once.
“Who?” Asked the housekeeper, who now stopped dead in his tracks. But did not turn around.
“Your sister that lived here with you. You know, she was one of the maids.”
“My sister is here?” He still did not turn around.
“Yes she is. She is at the main gate right now and it appears they might not let her in. But the strange thing is, she did not ask for you. Just begged to see a Hanad. And we….”
“What did you say?” Rifra swung around immediately. “She asked for who?”
“She asked for….” The servant started to respond.
But was interrupted by the voice of a third person. Someone who both he and his master never saw coming.
"What in these parts, is going on here Rifra?” Barked the sixth magistrate Dezen. “Have you all gone mad? So mad, that now you have the queen mother involved and sending me on errands.”
Rifra turned sharply again for the second time in just minutes. His life was apparently reeling at the moment.
“I am sorry sir,” began the pressured housekeeper. “I was just about to find out what was going on. I only got wind of some disturbance, a few minutes ago. So I….” He made yet another turn. This time to ward of the servant who was excitedly trying to explain what had happened all over again.
“You can run back to your duties now, thank you. I will explain the situation to the magistrate.” His tone was heavily tinged with sarcasm, as he glared at the stumped worker. That one looked from the magistrate to the housekeeper and then briskly jogged away.
Rifra turned to the magistrate who seemed bored and irritated. He had to say something or offer some kind of statement, to keep him at bay. At least for the moment. “Counselor, I will find out what the problem is and then report to you right away.”
Dezen appeared to consider the idea for a second and then responded, shaking his head. “I might as well have the senior guard tell me right away. It makes sense, since I am out here already. And I know, the queen mother is waiting to hear from me as soon as possible.”
“No sir.” Rifra submitted rather quickly and in apparent panic. An action which caused the magistrate to raise his brows quizzically. “There will be no need for that, sir. I will run along right now and get all the facts for you.” Dezen observed him keenly for a few seconds and then spoke. “You do that and quick. The last thing I need now is an impromptu annoying session with her unroyal highness. Remember, she heard the commotion herself first hand.” The housekeeper nodded his agreement and then hurried away. Oblivious of the expression that had crossed the magistrate’s face.
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