24 Chapter twenty four: Taking care of her injuries

Hearing old men bicker among themselves was not Onyx idea of fun, though there are few young men interspersed among the ministers that were hardly the point.

Hidden behind the veil that separated her from the rest of the court all Onyx could think about was getting away from the palace for good sword training. Since donning the apparel of a Queen she has hardly held a sword let alone had time for practice. She wondered why the King insists on her presence in this meeting when she is not even allowed to talk.

Right now the two factions of the ministers are fighting each other on what to do about the barbarians that occupy the Kingdom's northern border. Words have gotten back to the king that they are encroaching on Wuxiang lands and killing their people who previously owns the land.

Her father believes that more soldiers be sent to the borders to protect the villages there, which Onyx is in full support, but Minister Wang and his factions are in disagreement, demanding a more peaceful approach. A dialogue and probably a peace treaty with the barbarians and offering them something in return for leaving their lands.

The barbarians from their display during her wedding didn't strike her as people that understand the language of peace and so what Minister Wang proposes will be a futile mission but it seems the King is getting soft in his old age because he authored that an envoy is sent to the Fuanis Kingdom for a peace treaty between the two Kingdoms.

Onyx watched as Minister Wang turned to flash a smug look towards her father who was shaking his head at the King in disappointment.

The King's ruling brokered out a heated discussion between the ministers. Everyone was talking at once, but the King has spoken and his words shall be carried out. The envoy chosen was from one of the ministers in Minister Wang's faction and he leaves in 3 days. And with that, the court meeting was adjourned and sweetly released Onyx from her misery.

The King was barely out of his seat when she was flying from hers and heading towards the exit. While the King moved on towards his study with his personal Enoch and guards, Onyx decided to return to her chambers.

En route, she overhead three female servants gossiping among themselves as they passed her carrying buckets of water. They were talking about the first Concubine and something about her daughter being pushed down by a servant. What had Onyx freezing right in the middle of the corridor was the description of the said servant.

After the ceremony, she had lost track of her blonde servant and now she needed to know where she is.

Instead of heading back to her chambers she changed course and headed for the first Concubine courtyard. She hasn't had the courtesy of meeting any of the King's Concubine. The five of them. Something she plans to remedy by tomorrow, but it seems she will be meeting the first concubine before their official meeting.

She has heard about the woman from her servants and was aware of the woman's beauty and intelligence. She was also aware of the woman's cunning nature getting other people to do her dirty work. Something she has to keep in mind when dealing with the older woman. She knew the woman converts her position and if it was left to Onyx she would gladly let her have it but is not and she is the Queen now. The woman is going to learn to accept it.

When Onyx drew nearer to the courtyard she could hear the blonde screams which set her blood on fire. When she reached the courtyard and saw what was going on her fury knew no bounds.

" What is going on here! " she yelled with so much anger and fire, glaring daggers at the older servant wielding the cane. Her side-eye caught sight of the First Concubine as she stood to the side watching the scene with a thin smile on her lips, which disappeared at the sound of her voice to be replaced by a blank look.

Onyx decided not to acknowledge her but rather focused her attention on the blonde. Without speaking further to anyone she made her way to the blonde who she can see had slipped into unconsciousness and scooped her into her arms.

The tear tracks on her smooth pale face filled her with sorrow and rage. Her brown eyes swirling with so much anger she walked away with the blonde not caring about the spectacle she made carrying her servant in her arms.

The blonde was as light as a feather and fit so snugly in her arms. Onyx didn't want to think about how good it felt carrying the blonde in her arms.

Just out of hearing a shot of the first Concubine and her servants, Onyx turned to Sally who was walking beside her.

" You and Mei find out what happened here and report back to me, " she instructed in a hard tone, a chilled look in her eyes.

" Yes, your highness, " Sally acknowledges with her head bowed.

That done, Onyx lengthened her steps towards her chambers.

Two pair of eyes followed their disappearing shadows until they completely disappeared, a thoughtful look in the honey brown eyes.

Afterwards Concubine Su remained still in the courtyard, a contemplative look in her eyes while her servants gathered around watching her expectantly for what next. They were scared of what the Queen might do for harming one of her servants, but that wasn't what had the Concubine thinking. No. She was more interested in the look in the Queen's eyes when she lifted the blonde into her arms. The fondness and the tenderness of her action had her intrigued.

Is there some truth to the words reported by her servant this morning? She wondered and then turned to focus her scheming eyes on one of her servants.

The servant looked up when she felt her mistress watching her. It was the servant that reported to her this morning.

" I want you to keep an eye on our new Queen and that blonde servant of hers. Report anything unusual to me. "

The servant nodded.

" What are we going to do about what we did to the blonde? " the oldest servant among them brought up before her mistress could leave.

Concubine Su didn't react but turned to focus a blank stare on the servant.

" Don't worry about it, I will handle it, " she assured her servant and walked off.

Salsa felt a little dizzy as she was pulled out of the darkness. Her back was on fire and she felt like throwing up. She groaned and then opened her eyes only to find the worried ones of the Queen gazing back softly at her. She blushed profusely when she realized that the Queen was carrying her.

Onyx didn't know whether to laugh from the redness spreading rapidly across the blonde's face--- she looks so cute--- or be annoyed with her for getting herself into trouble. She just took her eyes off her for a few minutes and she was already in trouble.

" I see you are really going to be trouble, " she teased lightly for lack of a better response to the blonde.

Salsa's heart tightened as she looked away in shame. She hadn't meant to cause the Queen any trouble.

" I am sorry, " she whispered as tears gathered in her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of the Queen so she blinked her tears back.

Onyx was shocked at the blonde's response. It wasn't her intention to make the blonde feel guilty. She was sure that whatever had happened in the courtyard wasn't her fault.

" Hey! I don't blame you, " she told the blonde softly as she laid her on her stomach on her bed. She began to zip down the blonde's gown but when she noticed her shuffling around a little uncomfortable she stopped.

" Hey, relax, I just want to look at your back, " she offered softly.

Salsa's body had reacted strangely when she felt the Queen's fingers on her back and that made her hot and a little uncomfortable. She nodded her permission for the Queen to continue.

A gasp fell from Sally's lips when she saw the damage done to the blonde's back.

Onyx's face was a mask of rigid fury as her eyes took in the deep raw marks of cane crisscrossing the blonde's back. She blinked a few times to force down her anger, now was not the time.

" Get me the healing salve, " she instructed one of her servants without looking away from the blonde's back.

Mei walked off to do as her mistress commanded.

" Here, my Queen, " she stretched the small white porcelain bowl towards the Queen a few seconds later.

" I need you two to go to the physician and ask him for some herbs for pain and wounds and when you get back prepare it and bring it to me, " Onyx commanded softly after taking the salve from Mei.

Sally and Mei bowed and left the Queen alone with the blonde.

Alone Salsa tensed up when she felt the slightly cold touch of the Queen's fingers on her back.

" Relax dear, I am just going to apply for some medicine to your back. It will help to prevent it from forming a scar, " Onyx further explained not moving her fingers until the blonde relaxed.

Salsa swallowed but the rigidness didn't leave her body. She was scared of her body's reaction to the Queen's touch. What if the Queen realizes how she feels about her? She might punish her or worse have her killed for being an abomination.

Onyx signed when the blonde continued to remain stiff under her fingers.

" What is your name? " she enquired softly.

" Salsa, " came the whispered response from the blonde.

Salsa, Onyx turned around the name in her mind.

" Is beautiful, " she commented with a soft smile.

Her words pleased Salsa whose heart leaped in her chest in response. " Thank you, " she mumbled.

" Salsa do you trust me? "

Salsa nodded. She doesn't know much about the Queen but she found herself trusting everything to the woman without knowing why.

" Good. So believe this when I tell you I will never hurt you, " Onyx promised in a low tone staring intently at the blonde.

Salsa's face heated and her body relaxed.

Seeing the blonde grow soft, Onyx began to apply the ointment. She was gentle in her care, promising to internally to herself to get back at the ones who hurt the blonde. Her breathing began to elevate as her fingers skirted close to the blonde's round bottom. The urge to touch it filled her that she had to physically restrain herself from doing so.

The pain in her back began to reduce as the Queen applied the medicine to her back. Soon they all disappeared as another sensation took its place. She began to feel a burn between her legs as the Queen's hand kneaded softly the flesh on her back. A moan unknowingly slipped out from her lips causing her heart to stop beating in dread.

Onyx has long ceased to be applying medicine to the blonde's back and instead was enjoying stroking her soft smooth flesh. When the blonde moaned she felt a flare of her desire and swallowed a responding moan that filled her lips. She moved her fingers again, this time daring to move them down to the dangerous territory. Stroking the upper skin of the blonde's buttocks while her heart thundered in her chest. She wanted to move further. Wanted to reach underneath the blonde to touch the molten heat she knew was waiting for her there.

Salsa tightened her legs as her body hummed with desire. Between her legs was burning with desire for the Queen to move her fingers down there. Her response to the Queen aroused her so much that it scared her. She jerked and moaned when the Queen squeezed her buttocks.

" Please! "

The word squeezed out through her lips like she was being tortured.

Onyx's hand froze on the blonde's buttocks as her desire slammed against her like an a rock.

" Please what? s" he husked in a low tone.

Before the blonde could respond they were interrupted by the arrival of Sally and Mei.

" My Queen, we have the medicine, " Sally announced from a few distances away from the inner chambers.

Onyx didn't respond immediately as she gave herself a few seconds to gather herself.

" Come, " she bid her two servants, her voice softer with the desire she was trying to push down.

Salsa was also struggling to control her feelings. She wondered what would have happened had they not been interrupted. The thought of what would have been sent a ball of fire to her sex making her condition worse.

" Can you sit up? " Onyx asked the blonde as she took the medicine from Sally's hand.

" Yes, my Queen, " Salsa answered and began to lift herself.

When Onyx saw she was struggling she bid her two servants to help her.

" Open! " She commanded when they have propped the blonde up, stretching a spoon of the medicine towards her lips after blowing on it.

Salsa's face heated at being fed like a child by the Queen.

" I can do it, " she offered shyly.

Onyx ignored her and waited patiently for her to open her mouth.

For the rest of the day, Onyx took care of the blonde and when the night came she decided to share a meal with her, Sally, and Mei.

They have just finished their meal when a servant came in to inform her the King was waiting outside.