Somewhere I Belong

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Gwen woke up when she heard someone calling, "Your Majesty, please have some breakfast."

She started and instantly sat up, panicking and looking around. She's still in that cursed bedroom, the luxury making her wanted to scream in horror. As reality sank in, her heart felt like it was crushed by a building.

Last night was real. It wasn't a nightmare.

Sally Hunt, the lady in waiting, saw the lady on the bed looked around the room like she was furious.

Sally was very curious.

She didn't know much, except that she's another woman the King brought to the palace.

However, since the previous night, the palace household had been abuzz with speculations.

The woman was not someone his elite guards found. Instead of being brought by the guards to the palace, dressed prettily, and brought to wait for him at the Tryst Room (it's that certain bedroom he always used to bed the women he wanted), the King carried this woman in his own arms, unconscious, to his own bedroom. His real room.

And instead of sending the woman home, he let her sleep in his sacred bedroom, while he himself slept in his late father's room.

In the morning, the King had gathered the entire palace household, consisting of all the staff and the guards, also the palace officials, for an announcement.

"I have chosen my queen. She'll live in the palace from now on. Be sure to give her the respect that she deserves. I will make a formal announcement soon. Until then, the fact better stays in the palace. If the news is out before my announcement, I'll investigate the source, and give no mercy."

The shock of the announcement won over the fear of his threat.

They had a queen!!!

"The queen is still adapting to her new title. She can only leave my private quarters if I permit it. Whoever gives her access to do otherwise, will answer to me, and the consequences, I assure you, wouldn't be pretty."

With that, the announcement ended.

Sally was entirely surprised when the King ordered her to give the Queen her breakfast, and furthermore, told her that she would be her first maid.

She's just one maid that was in charge to bring him his meals. Of course, she had a master degree and was a certified Nutritionist, but she had never thought that she would be the one serving the Queen. It's a great honor that her mother would be so proud of.

"Your loyalty is to me, though. If she asked something, always thinks about how I would react to that."

She bowed.

"I understand, and I will obey, Your Majesty."

Standing there two meters from the Queen though, she didn't look like a blushing, radiant bride.

Gwen, however, stared at her as if they had met before.

"Natalie? Are you here to help me?"

The girl blinked in confusion. "That's not my name, Ma'am. Are you looking for someone else?"

Why wouldn't this girl that looks exactly like Natalie help her? Their only difference is their hair length. Natalie's hair was long, and this girl's hair was short.

"You're Natalie!" Gwen insisted.

"I don't know who you're talking about, Ma'am."

Gwen got overwhelmed and felt her eyes begin filling with tears. She didn't know where she was, and this girl that looked exactly like her best friend seemed to not know who she was.

Sally quickly put the breakfast tray at the end of the bed and ran to another side of the room to get the tissue box for her.

Once Gwen wiped her tears, she asked Sally bluntly, "Can you help me escape? I've been kidnapped."

Only strict training on palace manners could make Sally not scream at what she was hearing.

"I apologize, Ma'am, I can't do that."

"Why not??? I told you I was kidnapped!"

"The King would sentence me to death, Ma'am."

Gwen didn't get it. Was this a pervert role-play area of a harem, like in those stupid, misogynistic games, or what?

"Why are you calling me Ma'am, I'm no madam!!!"

Sally didn't answer that, but she offered the tray to Gwen.

"Breakfast first, Ma'am. It's the most important meal of the day."

Gwen wanted to refuse, but she was really starving.

"You didn't poison this, right?"

Sally fell to her knees in panic. "I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty!"

Gwen was flabbergasted by the reaction.

For someone in Sally's position, to be suspected of poisoning the royal family would be death itself.

She nearly cried until Gwen said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Please get up."

Then, because she had to eat, she began eating.

It was chicken rice porridge with pickles, with pudding as the dessert.

"What's your name, then?"

"I'm Sally Hunt, Ma'am, at your service."

"What do you mean?"

Gwen was just going to believe that this woman who looked exactly like Natalie but with different hair lengths was really a different person.

"The King said I am your first maid, Ma'am."

The girl was smiling and looking so pleased as if she was so proud.

"What, so he's a real king?"

"....of course, Ma'am. Don't you know?"

Gwen laughed at that. This must be some sort of role-playing area then, everyone believed the same lie.

"Alright, tell me, then, where am I?"

"The Kingdom of Galsbourg. You're at the capital city, Broadstower."

"And Rainier is the King?"

Sally flinched upon hearing the King's birth name. No one dared to call that name. But of course, she's different, so she could call him by that name.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Gwen laughed at herself, shaking her head, and resumed her meal. Once she's done, Sally called the King, as she's been ordered before.

"Sir, the madam has finished her breakfast."

She was shocked again before she moved the tray away and tried to take the phone from Sally.

"Please lend me your phone. I want to call the police!"

Sally moved away.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. The King said you can't have access to a phone until he says otherwise."

"Are you insane? He kidnapped me!!! Why would you listen to a kidnapper???"

"Please, Ma'am. Don't insult the King. If you were someone else, you would be severely punished."

"Hey!!!"

At that precise moment, six women entered the room.

"We're ordered by the King to help you prepare for the formal portrait" one of them informed.

"What formal portrait???"

"We will start doing our duty, Your Majesty."

They pulled her off the bed and began taking off her dressing robe.

Naturally, she pushed and fought, kicking them off.

Two of them fell to the floor, moaning in pain.

To her surprise, those she kicked got back up immediately, as another two approached her.

"Stay away from me!!! Stay away!!!"

"We are ordered by the King to--"

"HE'S NO KING, HE'S A CRIMINAL!!!"

The team of stylists turned as pale as a sheet at the accusation.

"I am the King, and you better dress up, or I'll kill these talented ladies until you listen to me."

The King himself had entered the room, with someone that looked exactly like Emmet, her other best friend.

"Emmet! Are you here to save me?"

She was all hopeful, running to her best friend, but Rainier came between them before she could hug him.

"He's no Emmet. He's Jake, my Captain of The Guards."

"Emmet! Let's go!"

"He's not that person, Gwen. He just has the same face."

"What do you mean?"

"I told you already. I'll explain it later. Now, dress up."

"What should I dress up for?"

"A formal picture. Do it."

"I'm not a dog that you can order around as you please!"

He sighed.

"Give me your gun," he asked, reaching a hand to Jake, who promptly gave his gun.

Rainier cocked the gun.

"Dress up, or I'll shoot the makeup artist."

"You wouldn't dare!!!"

And he fired 20 cm above the head makeup artist's shoulder.

All the ladies in the room jumped, as the head makeup artist cried and fell to the floor. Unharmed, but shocked.

Gwen covered her mouth with both hands and he asked, "Are you sure I wouldn't dare?"

She didn't answer, so he said, "Dress her up."

Two other stylists came to Gwen and held her hands, bringing her to another side of the room.

Their touch was gentle, but she was trying hard not to sob out of frustration and anger.

"Leave the room and wait outside."

Jake bowed and left, and the King sat down to watch the stylists undressing her and helping her to a new set of underwear, then into a royal navy gown.

The humiliation made Gwen cry, her bitter tears falling down her cheeks, and they dressed her silently.

They wiped her tears and told her not to cry because they had to put on her makeup.

Sally didn't know if it was correct or not, but her heart hurt seeing the Queen cry, so, before they put on their makeup, she sat beside her on the couch, and held her hand.

Gwen was surprised and looked at her. Sally smiled, and Gwen held her hand tight.

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