Four

"Who do you say wants to see me again?" Lilian asked as she opened the door to her room and started walking with Nancy.

"The Queen," Nancy replied.

"Do you know why?" Lilian asked.

"No," Nancy replied, shaking her head at the same time.

"Where's she waiting for me?" Lilian asked.

"In her Chamber," Nancy replied.

Lilian has hurriedly cleaned up herself but not properly.

Lilian has planned to quickly attend to whoever wants to see her and rush down to the stream for a quick and effective wash but first, she must see the Prince.

When they got to the front of the Queen's Chamber, Lilian stopped walking and said,

"Go back to your duties, I can take care of things from here."

Nancy quickly bowed her head and said,

"But… The Queen asked me to bring..."

"I said go." Lilian interrupted her at the top of her voice.

Nancy turned her back to Lilian and said,

"Okay… But if the Queen should question me later, I will tell her that you didn't let me bring you to her."

Lilian nodded and said,

"Yes, it's on me. It's fair enough."

"Take care," Nancy said and walked away.

"You too, Idiot," Lilian muttered to herself and walked closer to the Queen's Chamber.

She got to the door and knelt with her head bowed and said.

"Queen mother, good day. You seek my presence, here I am."

"Good day to you too, my child." The Queen greeted back with her beautiful voice that sounds like a heavenly choir from inside one of the rooms in her chamber.

"Thank you, Queen mother," Lilian said, she paused to sigh very deeply and loudly before continuing,

"Nancy said you demand my presence."

"Yes, my child. You may come in." The Queen commanded.

It's only Lilian that has permission to enter the Queen's room either to give her food, assist her or clean her room.

The other maids can only stay in the chamber and not in any of the Queen's rooms.

"Thank you, Queen mother," Lilian said and entered the room the Queen was in with her head bowed.

She quickly knelt opposite the Queen and bowed her head the moment she entered the room and said,

"Queen mother."

"Rise my daughter and come sit with me." The Queen said to her with a smile.

She has taken Lilian as her own from the very moment she was brought into the Palace. She even breastfed her because she lost her baby during labour.

She was already in labour, but unfortunately, her unborn child died before she could deliver her child. She wasn't even allowed to see the corpse of her newborn.

Had it been her child was alive, she would have been the same age as Lilian.

"Thank you, Queen mother," Lilian said and rose.

"Come." The Queen said again, stretching her hands towards Lilian.

Lilian held the Queen's hands and sat beside her.

The Queen began stroking the back of Lilian's palms and asked,

"Are you alright?"

Lilian nodded before replying,

"Yes, Queen mother."

"Don't lie to me. I breastfed you. You are like my own child. I shall ask again. Are you alright?" The Queen asked again.

Lilian let out a big sigh as a tear rolled down her cheek and nodded again before saying,

"Yes, Queen mother."

"If you are alright, then, why are you crying?" The confused Queen asked.

Lilian shook her head and replied,

"Nothing, Queen mother. I am just grateful that you and His Royal Highness have picked me up and have raised me like one of yours. Like...Like your very own." And started sobbing.

"Come here. Don't make the Queen emotional. Do you want me to cry too?" The Queen asked as she pulled Lilian's head to her chest and started to pat her back.

On hearing that question, Lilian quickly pulled away from the Queen, knelt with her head bowed and said, shaking her head at the same time,

"I dare not, Queen mother. I dare not make you cry."

"Come here." The Queen said and laughed softly as she pulled Lilian up and made her sit beside her again.

"You woke up very late today. Are you sick?" The Queen asked.

"Yes, Queen mother," Lilian said while nodding at the same time.

"If you are sick, you should have gone to Ma Adele first before coming to see me, I would have understood. Haven't I always been gentle to you?" The Queen asked and pouted as she looked away at the same time.

"No, Queen mother, I dare not to come to see you first. You matter more to me, Queen mother." Lilian said, raising the Queen's arms.

"Then, what is your illness?" The Queen asked when she turned her head to face Lilian again.

"I don't know yet, Queen mother. I will go to Ma Adele later for a medical checkup and treatment, Queen mother." Lilian said, trying to put the Queen's mind at rest.

"Then, go now." The Queen said to Lilian as she pulled her hands from Lilian's and slightly pushed her towards the door.

She was about to kneel again but the Queen quickly stood up to stop.

"No, my dear. Go for your checkup and report back to me later." The Queen said to Lilian and opened the door for her.

"Thanks, Queen mother." She said and walked out of the room.

She remembered something else, the very moment she stepped out of the room.

She hasn't seen the rapist.

The only man she has given her heart to since a young age.

The only man who only matters to her but after what happened last night, she wasn't sure about that anymore.

She now despises him and wishes him dead.

No, she can't wish him death.

They are still going to get married, right?

But it's taboo for the crowned Prince to marry a maiden that is no longer a virgin.

Anyways, he deflowered her, so he should marry her.

She has to find him first before going to the stream.

Finding him is more important right now.

She doesn't care if she stinks or not.

She must find him first.