Meeting At The Gallery Part 1

"Is that Lady of yours awake yet?" the man yelled as he smirked at Shyla and Kanene. Shyla and Kanene had woken up in the midafternoon. Exhausted from the previous night's events and fights that happened.

The ship was now at the Sea Moss Harbor. It was a big port with many workers and it had a huge marketplace. It was very far from the capital and it took a while to get there. They were going to set dock here for a while as they got crewmates, supplies, food, and other things that the ship might need.

In fact, the ship was much livelier ever since they set sail. With a few uniformed sailors laughing and talking as the men put things away.

"No. We're letting her sleep." Shyla said to the man. " Being up all night due to being chased by some bandits could do that to you." The man held his hands up as Kanene let out a long sigh. Shyla looked at Kanene who was shaking her head. "What?"

Kanene looked at the man with a stoic expression. "Do you know where Akeem is?" she asked him. The man blinked before shrugging.

"He's at the gallery." the man said while Kanene thanked him. Shyla glared at the man as he backed away from her a bit. Shyla rolled her eyes as she followed Kanene to the gallery.

"What do you think it's about?" Shyla asked Kanene who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Hell if I know." Kanene whispered while she opened the door.

The two women were greeted by the sight of Ten in his Shadow uniform. He had his head in his arms and he breathed slowly.

Then they looked at Akeem. He was standing at the head of the table. He was dressed in a baggy white shirt and some baggy boho maroon pants. He was reading something as he looked up at them and stood up.

Kanene and Shyla noticed the nervous smile on their lips. They stopped before looking at him for a long time. "What's that smile for?" Kanene asked.

"What smile?" Akeem asked them which only made them glare at him.

Shyla crossed her arms as Kanene and Shyla walked over to the table. " You have the' They're going to kill me. I'm sure of it.' smile." They both took a seat near the head of the table which made Akeem laugh a bit.

"That's because both of you aren't going to like it." Akeem said to them. Shyla and Kanene looked at him for a long time before he held his hands up. He gave them a small smile. "But there is some good news too."

"How good?" Shyla asked which made Akeem sigh.

Akeem stood straight as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "That depends on how you two take it." Shyla and Kanene just stared at him as he sighed from their expressions. " Where is Demi?"

"Sleeping." Kanene said to Akeem.

Akeem frowned. " I would want her here too. This involves her."

Shyla and Kanene frowned. Kanene looked the other way while Shyla sighed. "Then this could wait. She's exhausted, Akeem."

Akeem frowned. "Yeah I know that but…" The sound of the door opening grabbed everyone's attention as they looked over at it. They noticed Abidemi peeking inside. Her bright blue eyes looked at everyone as she gave a small wave. "Lady Abidemi. Right on time."

Abidemi blinked at him before walking completely in. Holding the door to let in Pearls. She looked at Akeem with a confused expression. "Really."

Akeem nodded his head and looked at what she was wearing. It was a simple grayish short sleeve blue dress with brown boots. She had a comfortable corset around her waist as Pearls rubbed against her leg.

"Yeah, really." Akeem said with a warm smile. Abidemi looked at him oddly before bending down to pick up Pearls. The black cat let out a meow as she went to sit next to Ten who hadn't moved in a long while. Akeem sighed. "Okay. Good."

"What do we need to talk about?" Abidemi asked as she pets Pearls. She peeked up at Akeem who was watching her. "I really hope that it's what we discussed in the carriage?"

Akeem sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Yeah. That." He took a deep breath before looking at Kanene and Shyla. "I don't know how to start this?"

"Well, you could start with how you know Kanene and Shyla." Abidemi said. She petted her black cat who was just sleeping in her arms now.

Akeem blinked at her. "Lady Abidemi." Abidemi looked at Akeem with an arched eyebrow. " Kanene and Shyla have been your personal maids for how long?"

Abidemi blinked. "Since I was ten years old." she furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Kanene and Shyla. Both women looked a bit worried, which made Abidemi's eyes soften. "But I get the feeling they are more than that."

Akeem sighed as he stood straight. He looked at his two cousins. "You're right. They are more than that. In fact, their status is much higher than a maid."

Abidemi blinked. She looked at Kanene and Shyla with a deep frown. "Then what are you guys' status and why were you acting like maids in the first place?"

Kanene sighed and looked at Abidemi. "Our status is very similar to a marquis." Abidemi flinched from that. "My family is called the House of Silverbone. They mostly have warriors, priests, and spiritual magic users."

Shyla sighed as she played with her hair. "And I'm from the House Of Grass Vigor." Abidemi looked at Shyla with a deep frown. "Our House mostly has dancers, storytellers, poisonous plant users, and rare water users."

Abidemi blinked at the two. "You're noble ladies." Shyla and Kanene nodded their heads. " Then why were you guys placed next to me?"

Shyla sighed. "Because Auntie didn't want another incident happening to you again. Where some random stranger thinks they could kidnap you. The Duke Of Sealen asked Uncle and Auntie for a favor and she picked us."

Abidemi blinked as she raised an eyebrow at Shyla and Kanene. "Auntie and Uncle?" Shyla and Kanene looked at Akeem. Abidemi looked at him as well.

Akeem took a deep breath. "My parents. The King and Queen."

Abidemi blinked at Akeem before frowning deeply. "The King and Queen. How did Father know The King and Queen of Elov?"

Akeem smiled at her as he played with his ponytail. "You're mother and my mother were best friends." Abidemi blinked as Akeem spoke. "They had known each other since they were little. After your mother left Elov they wrote letters to each other, up to the point when your mother died."

Abidemi blinked. "Friends. Your mother and my mother were friends? My father never told me that"

Akeem sighed and looked the other way. "I'm very much aware of that."

Shyla laughed as Abidemi looked over to her. Kanene was smiling warmly from a memory. Shyla hummed. "Your mother was the prized daughter of the House of Obi. Sure she could be a bit blunt and could put a lot of men in their place but that's what made her wonderful. Most Elovian men loved women that could call them out on their crap."

"You knew my mother?" Abidemi asked. Shyla and Kanene nodded their heads slowly.

Kanene smiled weakly. "Our memories aren't very good since we were like five when we last saw her."

Shyla laughed. "But from what we could remember. She was the best." Shyla's expression turned dark as she sighed. "Then, your father came along and she fell for him."

Kanene blinked as she frowned. "Was it more like he fell for her first and she just liked him enough to marry him."

Shyla blinked as she nodded her head. "Now that I think about it. Yeah. It was."

Abidemi let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah. That's like her." Abidemi's eyes soften. "She even told me that before she died. She said she loved him more and more as he took care of me and Mother."

Shyla frowned deeply. "Now. I'm pretty sure, Nini will punch him with all of her strength."

Kanene nodded her head in agreement.

Abidemi only nodded her head slowly. "Not wrong about that either." Abidemi sighed before looking at Kanene and Shyla. They were giving her slightly worried expressions on their faces. " So, the queen just appointed you to be by my side?"

" Kinda."Shyla said to Abidemi. She cocked her head. "I and Kanene volunteered. We were told not to tell you since people were supposed to think we're your maids. Plus telling a ten-year-old and a five-year-old we were really bodyguards wasn't a good idea either."

Kanene looked at Abidemi with a worried expression. "I hope you're not mad."

Abidemi shook her head. She smiled. "I'm not mad. I'm happy that you two took great care of me. I wish I knew but it was something I'm not supposed to know at the time."

Akeem cleared his throat. "Which will bring up the things I have to talk about." He looked at Shyla and Kanene. "Starting today. The both of you are no longer Lady Abidemi's maids."

Abidemi's eyes widened from Akeem's words but she relaxed.

Kanene frowned deeply while Shyla stood up from her seat. "Seriously Keem."

Akeem frowned at Shyla. He sternly looked into Shyla's eyes. His tone was firm and commanding. "Seriously, Shy. The mission was for you two to be her maids and bodyguards when she was living in Valtis. She is not coming back to Valtis anymore. Therefore, your mission is over."