Chapter eleven: Pledge your service to the Queen
The only thing that could pull Salsa's attention from her hungry stomach was the new queen. She kept stealing glances at the woman. She was just too beautiful for words. She didn't want to be caught so she was being sneaky with her glances.
While the Priest was performing the ceremony she heard the sadness in the Queen's voice as she said her vows and that resonated in her chest making her feel pity for the princess.
Salsa was aware of the irony. She is to be a pleasure slave to some old fat dude and here she is pitying someone who is on her way to being the most powerful woman in the Kingdom, but something tells her that her situation might not be so different from the new queen.
After the ceremony Salsa's eyes nearly got lost in the bowl of nice smelling soup in front of her when she saw all the gifts being presented to the King. She has never seen such amazing things all in one place.
Her eyes strayed once again in the Queen's direction.
The Queen looked bored like she rather be anywhere than where she is, while the King on the other hand looked like he was ready to explode. All happy and full of energy.
Guess his bad mood from the Fuanis' presence has all but disappeared.
Salsa could understand.
If she was also marrying a woman that beautiful like the new queen she too will be super proud, not that she will be marrying a woman or something like that. That would be a taboo and all, Salsa retracts her thoughts scratching her blonde hair awkwardly.
She felt as if something was crawling on her face and she didn't need to look to see that the barbarian was staring at her again.
Will he stop looking already?
She can't believe that the barbarian was still staring at her. What is so fascinating about her that the tall giant can't seem to look away.
Salsa had thought with the start of the ceremony that the man would have lost interest in her. Who is she compared to the beautiful queen and the powerful King but the man is almost burning a hole into her face.
Seriously does she have something on her face?
Salsa was tempted to ask Master Chang if there was something wrong with her face but only held back because Master Chang will think her crazy and then decide that she was due for a flogging.
Salsa's body shivered at the threat thought of being flogged. She has never been flogged in her life before.
Needs a distraction, she thought, her current thought terrifying enough.
Her attention went back to the Queen something it seems to be doing a lot. She was a lot more interesting to watch than anything around here. It was exciting watching the play of emotions on her face. From indifference to anger then to fear back to indifference and the only time she has ever gleamed a light of excitement in her brown eyes is when she looking in her direction.
Salsa was confused as to why she is a source of amusement to Queen but oddly enough she found out that she didn't mind at all. Seeing the Queen happy kind of makes her happy. Weird right.
The strange thoughts running through her mind made Salsa's face hit up and she found herself blushing.
The strange reaction made her so embarrassed that she forgot to look away from the Queen which lead to their eyes meeting.
Salsa let out a soft gasp when she felt a bolt of energy strike right at the chest. It wasn't physical or something but she felt something when she looked into the Queen's eyes. Her heart began to race in her chest. She wanted to look away but it was like she was trapped in some kind of weird connection with the Queen.
Her heart felt like it wanted to beat out of her chest the more she stared into the Queen's eyes. Everything else disappeared and it felt like the Queen was the only one in her world.
Salsa was scared shitless by this strange feeling but there was also a bubble of excitement swirling underneath the terror this strange feeling aroused in her.
With the intense way the Queen was looking at her she realized she wasn't the only one feeling this way and that brought a little comfort to Salsa.
Their staring contest was rudely broken crashing them back to reality when the voice of the King and one of the barbarians echoed loud in the room demanding for Salsa.
" What! "
Salsa gasped her green eyes huge with fear as she turned to look at the barbarian and then the King.
The barbarian wants to buy her!
Salsa couldn't wrap her terrified mind around that, and the King wants her to come to him!
Oh my God! she was so dead!
What has she done wrong? Did the King see her looking at his Queen?
Her psychotic mind decided that she wasn't terrified enough and showed her a horrifying vision of her head being detached from her neck at the King's order.
Salsa gasped again and shrunk into herself, her whole body trembling. She wanted to look at the Queen but that was the root of the whole thing, not that she understood the barbarian interest in her either.
She stole a glance at Master Chang and the fat man didn't look any better. He looked terrified and confused while the crowd was going crazy at the Barbarian for speaking up.
The barbarian didn't look concerned that he might have angered their king and merely stared at Master Chang awaiting his response. The King was also waiting.
For what? Salsa had no idea.
Master Chang slowly got to his feet, his weight making every movement a nightmare. Finally, after a long process, he was on his feet.
Salsa noticed that he was slightly trembling from fear as he stood to address the barbarian.
" Thank you kind sir for your interest in my servant but she is not for sale. "
The barbarian opened his mouth to say something but the man who looked to be in charge placed a strong hand on his bulging arms demanding for him to be quiet and with a roll of his eyes the younger man obeyed.
Salsa took in an easy breath.
It was a relief to know that Master Chang wasn't planning on selling her to the barbarian an action that surprised Salsa. Ten gold bars was a lot of money in their kingdom and Master Chang came across as a greedy person so why isn't he taking the money and offering her to the barbarian?
Maybe because the King requested for her also.
That little reminder made Salsa gulp.
Why does the King want her?
" To make you his pleasure slave, " an evil voice in her mind answered.
The thought made Salsa so terrified that she wrapped her arms around her body.
The King or Master Chang? the two names flashed in front of her.
None!
She shook her head, feeling her eyes swell with tears. She didn't want to be anybody's pleasure slave and just wanted to go back home to their little village. They might be poor, and sometimes go days without eating but she was free there and she longs for that.
She was lost feeling sorry for herself that she didn't hear Master Chang's response to the King but whatever it was angered the King because he flew to his feet with his face throbbing in anger.
" You don't tell me what is good and not good for me! " he yelled. " My Queen desires your servant and I want you to give the servant to her! " the King ordered.
Salsa gasped and looked towards the Queen. She looked as shocked as Salsa at the King's words and they weren't the only ones. Everyone gaped at the King before all eyes swung in Salsa's direction.
Salsa retreated into herself, feeling self-conscious at all the eyes gawking at her.
The crowd was wondering who the golden hair servant was and why all the interest in her.
Salsa let out a squeak when Master Chang suddenly dropped to his knees beside her.
" I am sorry your Majesty I meant no offense and was only thinking that a King as mighty as yourself deserves a befitting gift and some scrawny little girl I picked from some backwater village. "
Salsa would have felt insulted at Master Chang's words if she wasn't too scared to feel anything else.
" Of course, if you want her as a servant for your new Queen I will gladly gift her to you. Stand up girl! " Master Chang barked startling Salsa.
In her, fear Salsa tried to obey his words quickly and flew to her feet but her movement was so jerky and rough that she collided with the table in front of them sending everything to the ground.
Salsa froze as well as everyone else in the hall.
Salsa could feel the blood in her veins turning to ice. She fixed her eyes on the ground to paralyzed from fear to beg for her life. She was dead, she knows that.
The question is who kills her first. Master Chang or the King?
The tense atmosphere was broken when the barbarian that have been gawking at her broke into deep laughter which caused some of the people in the hall to laugh along, even the King found it amusing.
The relaxed tension eased Salsa's mind some worth but she didn't relax her guard.
" Come little girl, " The King beckoned her forward.
Salsa took a step forward but her legs felt so wobbly that she feared falling to the ground with sheer will she managed to make her way forward. If her heart was racing before now it was pounding furiously in Salsa's ears as loud as a war drum.
When she got to the throne she fell to her knees.
" Your Majesty, Your highness, " she fell to the ground with her forehead to the floor.
" Rise little girl, " the King ordered.
Salsa did with her eyes fixed to the ground. She could feel everyone staring at her even the Queen. She wanted so badly to look in her direction but lacked the courage to do so.
" What is your name girl? "
" Salsa, " she whispered her voice shaking so badly that her words were incomprehensible.
" Louder girl! "
Salsa jumped at the strong command before repeating her words.
" Salsa. "
This time her words were clearer and steadier.
The King nodded running his eyes over her form as if he was evaluating her before he spoke again.
" From now on you are going to serve the new Queen she is now your mistress and you will obey her every command do you understand? "
Salsa nodded incapable of words. She didn't know if fate have decided to smile at her or if her situation got worse but a little spark of hope lit up inside her. Serving her would be a hundred times better than being a pleasure slave.
Salsa felt bold enough to look towards her but her eyes froze mid-way when the King barked again at her.
" Your words girl! "
Salsa looked up briefly at him confused. What words was he looking for?
" Y...your Majesty. "
" I want you to declare that you will serve the queen, " he repeated the words slowly and then looked towards his Queen. He wanted to see her reaction to his gift. He was a little disappointed when he saw none of the excitement he glimpsed earlier when she was staring at the servant.
Does she not want the servant?
Women have always been a mystery he can never crack.
Well is already too late, he has gotten the servant.
Salsa didn't know how to go about declaring her service to the Queen. Not that she has ever done something like this before. She decided to go on instinct hoping she doesn't say the wrong thing.
" I... Salsa agrees to serve you, my Queen, " she fell on her knees and then bowed in her direction. When she lifted her head and stared in her direction, the blank cold stare she got in response left her heart confused.