Tails of Acalarah - The Young King
This is the story of a King who obtained the throne by his own hands and his own means. fighting war and many battles, but the biggest battle he ever faced was himself. A lover of many women and the Kingdom's known playboy, flirty and confident on the outside, but inside, he was fighting the internal struggles of the darkness raging inside his heart which he battled with anger, hurt, pain, loneliness, evil thoughts which he battled against every day to not give in to desires he fought with, to dealing with betrayal by those within his own family. From being a prince, to now becoming King in his father’s place, King Leon, was his name. His unlikely friendship with a servant by the name of Maia, who is one of the most highest-ranking servants to be close to the King to serve him as he needs and seems to bring some sort of comfort by her presence whenever she is around him. She has a secret that she cannot tell anyone: she is a warrior of the night, serving and protecting the crown in secrecy, along with her selected few servant friends who are faithful to the crown. She is both servant and warrior of the night. The unlikely friendship of a powerful King and his servant leads to a special bond that no one can understand between the two, a bond so close, that cannot be easily broken. This in turn leads to conflicting feelings to develop within the troubled King and this kind-hearted servant, willing to do anything for her King, where a relationship between royalty and servants is forbidden and are banish able from the Kingdom by the laws of Acalarah, even the King himself cannot break the Kingdom's own laws. On the brink of war, through much trial and challenges along the way, will their bond develop into something much deeper than that, than just a servant and King relationship?
Chapter 19: A little competition
Both Lily and Maia and Tana and other servants served the King that day as he was on the throne in the throne room, and also the King's table that evening, and Ruela happened to be present and sat next to Leon, and Radeon, the King's brother happened to join them as he just got back from visiting other countries, and the queen and the officials of the King, sat together to eat at the King's table, and the servants served that day, along with Maia that evening.
Maia, Lily, Tana and their servant friends happened to serve that evening, they kept their mouths shut and their opinions to themselves at the King's conversations with his family and friends, as they served the royal family.
"Welcome home, Brother!" Leon welcomed home Radeon, as they hugged and embraced at the King's table. "It is good to be home, your highness, I could not wait to come home" Radeon responded softly as he greeted members of the King's table.
"Your highness…." the servants bowed to welcome the King's brother home. "Good to see our lovely servants…." Radeon smiled at them, as most of them were female and blushed. Leon looked at Maia's expression when greeted by Radeon personally, "I hear, you have been working hard for the King?" Radeon smiled at her. "Us as servants are unworthy of our master's praise, we wish to serve our lord the King, your highness…" Maia bowed in respect and honour for Radeon.
Radeon reached out and kissed her hand in front of Leon, "any servant who honours and respects their King, is worth protecting." Radeon smirked and winked at her. Maia blushed at Radeon when he said these words. "Your… your highness…you honour me" Maia bowed and blushed at his comments, as she didn't know what to do.
Radeon chuckled at her. "You would make a great wife one day, miss Maia…." He smiled and winked at her then walked back to the King's table. "Oh my heart…." Maia thought embarassingly, as this made her heart skip a beat. The King could hear her pounding heartbeat. Leon smirked as he drank his wine, "wow… her heart beats like that even for Radeon….well she does have a thing for him" Leon thought.
As the dinner arrived with the drinks at the table by the servants, the King and those around him ate as so their hearts desired and were merry together.
"You have gotten yourself a good man here, Ruela, he is not just the King, but he is also a great hunter" the queen said to Ruela, "Thank you, your Majesty, I do love the King…." Ruela said as she kissed him on the cheek in the presence of those around. Leon smirked as he embraced her face tenderly and kissed her in front of all. Everyone blushed at the table as they looked away. Maia and the servants glanced at the act, then looked away and left the King's table room, "How embarrassing, its enough I saw them in the act but to do it in front of family, is on another level of shame…." Maia thought to herself. Leon smiled at Ruela tenderly as they all continued to eat at the King's table. "Please, enjoy your feast tonight, at the King's table" he commanded all there to eat.
When no one was looking, Leon glanced at Maia when she left the room with the other servants. "Maia!" Leon called out to her from the King's table, Maia froze when he called out to her and she turned around and walked towards the King and his family and friends at the table, and bowed herself to the ground on one knee before him - "Yes, my lord?" Maia asked formally. "don't come to my bed chambers tonight, that is an order by your King…." The King told her in front of all with them. Everyone grasped in the room. He did this to make a point to Ruela.
Maia just stood there speechless and almost never said a word, "Your highness…." everyone grasped in the room in shock. Maia completely blushed in embarrassment, as she swallowed a breath, putting her heard down, "As…. You wish, my lord" Maia said and got up and left their presence. She couldn't do or say anything, as it was a direct command from the King himself.
Leon watched her walk out the room. "I wonder what she thinks of me now?" Leon thought within himself.
Ruela looked at Leon for a moment and never said a word, being suspicious of the King's servant. "What… what does your servant normally do for you at night, your highness?" Ruela asked out of curiosity and jealousy whilst Leon kept his gaze upon Maia. "… whatever I command her to do…." Leon grinned as he kept his gaze upon Maia as she walked out of the dining hall. Ruela grasped softly within himself and looked with jealousy at Maia as she left the King's table.
"A little competition for you perhaps, Ruela?" Radeon teased. "Hmph! To be compared to a servant, how degrading!" Ruela brushed off. The queen looked on however remained silent of the matter.
That night after dinner at the King's table, the King and Ruela retired early and went to his bedroom, whilst the head master servant dismissed all at the King's table, other than the royal family, as they all did as they pleased, whether to stay or retire to their bedrooms for the evening.
Ruela is with the King in the bedroom. "So my love… when will we be getting married?" Ruela asked Leon as they are sitting together on the King's balcony, overlooking the Kingdom. Leon went quiet as he looked at her for a moment, "Ruela…. I don't want to do this anymore…." The King told her softly yet sadly. "What are you talking about?" Ruela questioned confused. "Us…. I don't think we are going to work out, Ruela…." Leon said softy. This was meant to say that he was breaking up with the woman.
"Why…. I thought what we did…. What we had….. is it me?" Ruela asked heart broken in shock and confusion. "Ruela…. I am sorry…." Leon told her as he embraced her face, when she slapped his hand away, "Don't touch me!" Ruela grasped as she was angry, "I see… it's because of your whore of a servant! That's why you want to break it off with me!!?" Ruela demanded and yelled at the King, "Ruela!" Leon grunted, slightly yelling at her.
Ruela grasped as she never saw this side to the King before as they both went silent for a moment, "she has nothing to do with this, this is a decision I made myself…." Leon said calmly as he looked towards the horizon. "truth is, I know what you have been up to behind my back, Ruela… I am not stupid…" Leon said as he got up and put on his robe. "I know you have been seeing the King of the east behind my back…." Leon glanced at Ruela. Ruela grasped, "Don't try to deny it…" Leon demanded. "You've been spying on me…." Ruela said in defence. "Of course, I had to secure my interest if I am to marry the princess of the land of the West, however, in this case, looks like you are already in relations with the East, so I cannot go ahead and make union with someone who is already with another alliance and become their collateral, this is a dangerous thing you could have caused for me and the King of the East, therefore, I don't think this will work out between you and me, Ruela….although what we did and what we had between is, is just nothing now and gone and forgotten, like a flower when it withers out of season…. You may go…I don't want to see your face again…" Leon glared at her, as he was somewhat heart broken by the betrayal. Ruela got up and left his presence, "I will get you for this, Leon…" Ruela vowed. "What for, when I am not the one who was unfaithful during our engagement?" Leon smirked. At that, Ruela left the King's presence. But before she left, "Ruella!" Leon commanded her to turn around, as she glanced at him, "Never talk about my servants ever again, or anything that belongs to me…." he leered at her as she left him.
Ruella left disgracefully from the palace. She was never seen for a long time after that.
Meanwhile, Leon is standing on his balcony looking off into the horizon. "She was just another woman… she was just a play thing anyway" Leon thought to himself thinking he just broke up with Ruella, and now his focus was on how to strengthen his Kingdom.