Memory Lane 10...!
When the plates fell to the floor and shattered, the Queen's eyes widened...
As he cried, he cried himself to sleep as he rested on his Mother's shoulder...
Though, he slept, the Queen still used her palm to caress his back, moving it back and forth, up and down as she caressed him...
Though, he was asleep, Yes...
But he was also a very sensitive sleeper...
Any small move, and he would wake up...
That's why when the plates shattered to pieces as it fell to the floor, her eyes widened as she stopped caressing little Andrew's back as she waited, to see if he would wake up...
He had only moved a bit as he turned his head to adjust properly and rested well...
When she had waited and he didn't wake up, she gently sighed in relief as she gently stood up, with Andrew on her shoulder...
Caressing him gently, she slowly turned around...
She was about to ask who had dropped the plates to the floor...
Bit seeing the girl on knees gently picking the pieces up, she shut her mouth and assumed that the girl bent on her knees was the one...
So beckoning on Martha, she silently ordered her to gently take little Andrew to his room and tuck him in properly...
Other than the Queen, his Mother, Andrew was not as close to anyone... except these two (2)...
So knowing that fully well, the Queen need not tell her much, because she already knew what to do...
So nodding, and taking Andrew gently in her arms, Martha slowly but carefully took little Andrew in her arms and then, walking away from the Queen, she left the kitchen and headed for thee Prince's room...
Everyone present had their lips sealed as they watched Martha leave with the Prince in her arms...
There was this sort of jealousy all the maids had in them when they saw Martha leave with the Prince on her arms...
All the other maids had dreamt of that...
But they knew best when to keep their mouths shut...
Because even if the Queen was very pretty and nice...
You do NOT, want to see her bad side...
Everyone had their mouths shut...
Everyone except the girl that was still gently picking up the pieces of the shattered plates...
The Queen gently watched her with a gentle smile on her face...
Grumbling underneath her breath, the girl was unaware of the fact that she was being watched...
So, getting up, she had finished picking up, even the tiniest piece of shattered plate...
Walking past the Queen, but pausing to bow, she greeted;
"My Queen...!"
Once she had greeted, she walked on towards the dustbin, but was stopped by the Queen's voice...
"Sara...?" The Queen called without moving her head.
Stopping on her footsteps, the girl turned and asked;
"Yes my Queen...?"
But before she could finish her statement, the Queen cut in to say;
"What was your murmuring about?" The Queen asked directly without beating around the bush...
Sara could feel her hands shake as she looked at the Queen.
"M...M...My Queen?" Sara asked as she stammered.
Slowly turning her head and her body while tilting her head to the side, the Queen looked at Sara, causing Sara's hands to shake...
Making her almost lose control of her hands in order to leave what was in her hands...
The Queen's eyes sharply looked at her hands as she said;
"Better hold those pieces with care, if not, it'll not only be those pieces that'll be called 'PIECES!' " The Queen said in a stern voice.
Sara's hands immediately stopped shaking as she tightly gripped the garbage nylon to her chest, though it poked her, she dared not speak...
The Queen stared at her as if she was studying the girl
Narrowing her eyes at her, the Queen asked;
"What's with your murmuring...?"
Sara felt like as if she had entered huge trouble...
Gulping, her eyes looked teary.
Then the Queen's eyes softened as she carefully asked;
"Sara, why were you murmuring, shut now?"
Sensing the softness in her voice, Sara felt her heart softened as she looked on at the Queen, her eyes becoming more teary as the Queen reminded her of her own Mother...
She had just started working in the Palace for three months, and though it was long enough for her to forget her people, but seeing the Queen right now, it made her remember her own Mother, causing her to become sad...
And then unconciously, a tear slid down her eyes...
This act caused the Queen to become gentle...
Therefore taking some few steps towards Sara, the Queen took Sara in her embrace and then caressed her gently...
"Now, now, dear...+" The Queen consoled.
"Don't cry...!"
"What's making sad all of a sudden...?" The Queen asked gently.
Sara, sobbing, used her hand to wipe her cheeks dry as she stammered;
"N...N...Nothing, M...M...My Q...Q... Queen...!" Her stammer was so strong, the Queen had to calm her down so she could hear what she was saying .
"No, now Sara...!" The Queen consoled as she patted Sara on the shoulder...
After a while, the Queen asked;
"Nonsense, what do you mean by 'nothing'...?" The Queen asked as as she hugged Sara by her shoulder and then took her outside the kitchen...
Once they were both outside the kitchen, the Queen asked Sara why she was crying again...
Sniffing, Sara responded.
"N...N... Nothing...M...M...Mi'lady!" She said as she smiled.
The Queen became stern as she said;
"Look, Sara, the fact that I'm caro g for you right now, doesn't mean that you can take me in circles...!" She said all of a sudden.
"So you better spill the beans, or I gave you go back home and never return to the Palace ever again...!" The Queen said sternly.
At that point, Sara wanted to cry again, but all she could do, was sigh...
After all, she could not keep the Queen waiting...
So taking in a deep breath, Sara opened her mouth and saying with her head lowered;
"Well, my Queen...!" Sara began.
The Queen grew inquisitive.
"I miss my parents...my Mother and my Father...!" Sara finally said as she raised her head.
Then the Queen finally relaxed as she only caressed the girl's hair...
The Queen seemed to be deep on thoughts...
After some moment of silence, the Queen finally said;
"You know, once you're a slave, you become part of thee Palace, and, there's just no way you would be given the freedom to go back...!"
Once the Queen said that, Sara sighed as she lowered her head...
"I know...!" She said sadly.