Thirty-Two

Tatiana POV

Serving was harder than it looks. I have never served anyone else in my life before so that meant, I was tripping over my feet and setting down meals clumsily.

“Why is she a serving maid, she is horrible at it.” One warrior said after I had passed his table no care for propriety.

“She would need a cover, can you not see how shapely she looks, I am sure that she is here for other jobs that do not require her hands or legs unless if it is to switch positions if she needs to wrap her legs around a man. We really cannot tell the king to budget wenches for us.” Another replied as they roared with laughter while my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

They would suffer for those statements. If they were in my husband’s army, they would have their tongues yanked out for what they just insinuated, Chandler would have them whipped for the disrespect.

Then I froze as I realized, I would mean nothing to Chandler right now because I betrayed him.

“You are not paid to stand in one place, you need to move.” The man of earlier who found me in my hiding spot said and his words got me to move my feet but before I could get far, he reached for me and pulled me to his body.

“On the contrary, maybe those warriors are right, follow me.” He ordered, I went after him as I struggled to unglue my tongue from the roof of my mouth, I was feeling dizzy and I needed to rest but I was too scared to close my eyes and sleep before I would be awakened with a male body pressed to mine and someone expectation that he would get served.

I moved after him with deliberate slowness which just made him scowl at me more, but he did not say anything which I reached him. He just handed me smaller trays that were not that heavy and directed me to the tents. The tents were for the higher-ranking officials in the army and I did not want to meet anyone who would know me. Come to think of it, this army’s flags were none that I have seen our warriors carry before. Was it a new unit formed?

“The king is a tyrant to those who know him.” I hear someone roared within a tent as I passed, and I couldn’t help my innate reaction to freeze.

“He is your employer, and he is your king.” Someone else replied.

“He is my king, beloved by his people, smiling and seen as benevolent when he is nothing but a poor excuse of a man.”

“Silence Guston, you speak of treason.”

“Treason?” The first speaker laughed harshly. “Treason like the one he has his daughter commit and then he orders that we capture her when we see her. Treason like when he slept with his first son new bride and had her kill herself when she was with child. Treason like when he killed his wife to create enough commotion so that everybody will not ask why the prince who raped our princess was going scot-free. Treason like when the news spread that he sold his daughter’s virginity, and the kingdom was in its right to collect. I am happy that the god-king killed the prince and is going after the father who made the deal. I want a front-row seat to watch when he comes after our king too. I commit no treason to a man who is nothing but a traitor himself.”

I sank to my knees as I listen to the words which reshaped my impression of my family. “Now as if there is not enough, he wants us to hunt his daughter down like she is an animal, has she not suffered enough for his sake, her only crime was that she was born into the royal family and still she must think of the king with hearts in her eyes, loyal to her father not knowing that her father betrayed her from the moment she was born.”

I covered my mouth to choke back my sob, this was not right, I should not be here. I should run while I can before they find out I am the princess, and they send me to my father.

I did not believe Chandler's words because he did not know my father, but this was my father’s army and that was a tent for one of the commanders here, and those words were something that cannot be unheard. A king is what his cabinet thinks of him and the mind of that cabinet.

I do not know the mind of the person talking but I can hear the ring of truth around his words, He was tired of the evil and my father is the evil. I was not safe in my home and here is even more so. I need to leave the boundary of this kingdom. Here was no longer my home.

I ignored the tray of food and started to walk towards the edge of the settlement, picking my way through the darkness and keeping in the shadows, I made it to the edge of the settlement just in time to see the guard walked off to relieve his self. With tears of relief, I sprinted the last distance and kept running towards the direction I had seen Garnet take.

When I saw a tavern after walking for a long time because I could no longer run, I sprinted to it without thinking about if I have money. But before I could open the door, a tiny voice called out.

“My queen?”

“Garnet?” I asked and then Garnet rushed at me and after hugging me, she started to look me over, asking me many health questions but tears kept falling from my eyes.

“Are you okay My queen?” She asked alarmed but I could not stop the tears from falling.

“We need to leave this kingdom right now Garnet. Here is even less safe for us than the god-king kingdom.” I responded.

“What is going on My queen?” Garnet asked confused.

“We need to keep moving Garnet. Right now.”

“But you need to rest, you should not stress yourself because you could lose your child.” Garnet protested.

“And if we get caught either by the god-king people or my father’s, I will lose my life and my child,” I responded. “We can rest when we are anywhere but here, Garnet. You have to trust me.”

“I do,” Garnet replied and with that, she led me to the horses, and we stole away. My mind stuck on the fact that I had lost everything. I did not have much before. Just the attention of King Chandler but with the news which I am sure Breena would tell him when he returns home, I am not even sure that I would want his attention on me then.

I ruined my life with my own hands.