Chapter eighteen: Planting evidence

Onyx felt breathless under the heavy dead weight of the king. The adrenaline rush of what she just pulled made her heart race like a war house inside her chest.

For a few minutes, she all allowed the weight of the king on her, with one hand over her face as she panted feeling exhausted like she had just done a marathon.

An ache on her lips and chest reminded her of the King's treatment and she grew restless and irritated. A dying urgency to have him off her body had her pushing at his chest roughly her face frozen with an angry look.

She couldn't believe that the King attacked her like an animal.

Was this what she will be looking forward to whenever the King decides to bed her?

She sincerely hopes that after tonight the King will go to his numerous concubines for his bodily pleasure or better still have one of his dolls provide him with the pleasure he needs.

Speaking of dolls, Onyx's mind short to the one sleeping soundly on her bed.

At least she hopes the little blonde servant was having a better rest than her.

The thought of the blonde brought to mind her pale flesh making Onyx shiver and not from the chill of the night.

She quickly pushed away the tempting forbidden thought of the blonde from her mind.

She shouldn't be thinking such thoughts, is wrong especially when it is about her servant.

She hissed in frustration when the King wouldn't bulge off her chest and was snoring soundly like her chest was the softest pillow he has ever slept in.

Onyx couldn't abide the smell of the drinks he imbibed a few hours ago oozing out from his breath.

She pushed at him again, this time adding every drop of strength she has left.

Few more pushes and groaning under the strain of her effort she was able to push the King of her to the bed beside her.

She released a huge breath of relief before her eyes widened and her brow hiked up to her hairline.

The king has just thrown his hand and legs over her body once again pinning her down.

Onyx can't believe how unfortunate she is.

What will it take to get the King off her body?

" Maybe tying him down, " the naughty part of her suggested.

Onyx gave the suggestion a thought but tabled it as a reservoir option if every other thing fails.

Gently as much as she can spare for the King she lifted the trespassing limbs off her body and dropped them where they belong.

" Stay, " she growled at the offending limb and then turned to back the King. She was tired and in much need of a rest.

She used her hand to place under her chin with her head resting on it, she tried to lose herself in the dream world, but sleep was elusive as her eyes remained wide and dry.

After half an hour has passed and she is yet to fall asleep, Onyx concluded that she was not going to fall asleep beside the King.

She was tempted to leave the room back to the comfort and familiarity of her bed but she dare not try it.

Customs demands that she spends her first night as a new bride with her husband, and being the King's bride means that come morning the older female servants in the palace will be coming to check for evidence of their coupling.

Onyx scoffed at the thought of them believing she was going to sleep with the King. She was going to try everything in her power to get out of this particular marital duty as much as possible.

Uncomfortable with the position she was on, she sighed and turned only to come face to face with the King's slumbering face.

She stared.

Not because she was attracted to what she was seeing, but because she was curious about the King.

Sleeping he looked more like a lamb than the ruthless dragon many citizens have accused him of being.

Dead to the world, he appears weak, and harmless but Onyx has stories of his brutality. One of the reasons she abhors her father for using her as a gambling rabbit.

The King was dangerous and if she has any chance of surviving past the other wives before her she has to be smart.

She already has the King's affection on her side which she can only back on for as long as possible but it will not be enough.

She needed a plan but right now her brain is very wry to function in any capacity other than sleeping, if only sleep will come.

She turned again away from the King and then forced her eyes close determined to fall asleep.

She was going to need all her wits to come morning.

Finally, the deafening silence around her lured her to sleep.

*††††*

Before the crack of dawn, Onyx was the first to awake.

Her eyes snapped open like she was brought to life by a snap of a finger.

She took several breaths while trying to orient herself to the environment.

She hissed in annoyance when she realized that the King's limbs were back on her body.

She lifted the heavy arms and placed them where they belong and then sat up beside the King.

She turned to look at him.

His slowly moving chest assured her that he was still deeply asleep.

Good.

She got to her feet and then went in search of a sword.

The only sword in the room was the gift from her father to the King and it was perfectly placed in a special place in the room.

She slowly made her way there, walking on her tip toes so as not to wake the King, but that looks highly unlikely judging from the amount of drink he took in last night and the sleeping medicine she added to the drink she gave him last night.

When she got to the long box housing her father's gift she flipped it open and stared in admiration at the sword.

It was a rare piece and must have cost her father a fortune to acquire. Just like her father to try to show off.

She lifted the sword from its container and the strong silver steel sparkled under the light reflection.

She did a practice swing with the sword in hand.

She has missed the feel of a sword in her hand and the one she was holding was a perfect king.

Being the Queen now means she was forbidden from carrying the sword. She is now expected to act like a young lady with decorum. Talk without moving her mouth, and keep silent when the men are talking. Never show her emotions outside, smiling even when she is dying inside.

Onyx couldn't begin to wrap her mind around the hell that is expected of her now that she is Queen.

But she had made herself a promise, she wasn't going to be a docile Queen.

The Queens before her were all quiet as a lamb and we're laid to slaughter.

She was going to be different.

With a determined hard look on her face, she matched back to the bed and then stood with the sword poised over the palm of her left hand.

Without a twitch or squeamish grimace, she sliced a cut into the center of her palm and then tightened it close to allow the blood to drip down to the white sheets over the bed.

Satisfied with the right amount of stain on the bed she used her bloody gown to stain the white inner wear she had on.

When she was done implanting the evidence of her night of pleasure with the King she cleaned the sword of every evidence and returned it to the box and then came back to lie beside the King.

She has to wait for the servants to come in before she can leave.

She stared vacantly counting the seconds and minutes before the servants will come knocking.

It was a nightmare watching the clock tick by like a slug but finally, the sun rose fully in the sky bringing with it the servants she has been waiting for.

She heard them before they got to the door and quickly shut her eyes close and deepened her breathing, pretending to be asleep.

The female servants that walked looked at their King and Queen and thought them to be asleep and so began to gossip among themselves.

" The King's new bride is very beautiful, " one of them said.

The other three nodded.

" Quite unfortunate that she had to marry the King, " another commented gathering a sympathetic nod from the others with a look of pity in their eyes.

" She is so young, " the first servant stated .

" They are all young, " the third servant said shaking her head.

" How long do you think this one will last before, you know the King... " she demonstrated the rest of her words by running her hand across her neck.

" Who knows, she may last longer than the last Queen who was killed after a year of not giving the King an heir. "

The others nodded as they continued to pick up and tidy the room.

" Maybe the King is the problem, " the second servant blurted out.

" Shush!!! " the other three quickly hushed her casting a fearful glance towards the sleeping couple before turning to the woman with are you crazy look.

" Do you have a death wish? " The first servant asked

The woman shrugged her shoulders. She was being honest.

Onyx who listening in on their conversation opened her eyes to see the servant that had spoken out against the King. She was looking to get people on her side and the servant was the kind of people she was looking for.

Brave people.

Though she also has to test her loyalty before recruiting her.

The second servant was the first to notice that she was awake even though she has been for a long while.

" Your Highness! " the servant cried bowing her head, her heart racing in her chest with fear. She wondered if the new Queen overheard their conversation.

The other servants gasped in shock at her greeting, fearful guilty look on their faces as they two bowed in the Queen's direction.

Onyx sat up from the bed her face blank not revealing whether she heard their conversation or not.

The second servant went on her knees before the Queen and helped her into her boots before she got up and stood by the side with her head bowed.

The King continued to slumber showing no sign that he was going to awaken any time soon.

Onyx stood from the bed and made her way towards the window in search of nothing in particular but with the sole intention of revealing to the servants her stained underwear.

And she wasn't disappointed.

She heard their gasp even though they tried to mask it.

The four women in the room looked at each other with variable emotions.

Most were happy that the new Queen was a virgin and that the King is on his way to another heir while some were wry on behalf of the Queen knowing where it will all lead.

Her head on the pike.

Once she was satisfied that the news of her successful night with the King will be spread all over the palace, Onyx knew it was time to get the hell away from the room.

She was almost feeling claustrophobic in the room and in much need of fresh air.

She called the second servant over and tasked her with helping her get dressed.

While the servant helped her Onyx studied her.

She had the face of someone that is hard working and honest at what she does.

" What is your name? " she asked the servant.

" Jingyi, " the servant mumbled in a slightly terrified tone, wondering why the Queen was asking.

Onyx nodded and allowed the servant to dress her in silence.

When the servant was done, Onyx swept out of the King's chamber with her servants outside the door on her heels.

She headed back to her Chamber.

The morning was a little chilly not that Onyx felt any of it.

The servants on her heels remained outside while she walked in.

Mei and Sally were nowhere to be seen so Onyx headed towards her inner Chamber knowing they will join her shortly.

When she got in, the sight of the blonde servant on her bed made her stop and stare in her direction.

The blonde's face glowed under the morning sun pulling her towards the blonde.

She stood silently above her watching her sleep.

Her attention was snagged by the innocent beautiful face of the blonde.

Her gaze went from watching her face to her lips.

They looked small, like that of a kid, but so full and pink.

Onyx's hands tightened by her side as she fought the impulse to bend down and kiss the blonde.

Instead, her eyes continued to track down the blonde's frame.

She watched ensnared by the slow rise and fall of the blonde's chest and then frowned when the blonde's breathing grew erratic.

The blonde's looked to be in distress which alarmed her. She reached out to wake the blonde but she beat her to the gun and jumped up before she could touch her.

Onyx's heart tightened when she saw the fear in the blonde's eyes.

" Was it a nightmare? "

" Are you alright? "

She reached out to touch the blonde but her hand hung mid-way. She was wry about the feeling the blonde arouses in her.

The blonde opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted when Mei walked into the room.

" My Lady, " she said with hesitation casting a fleeting glance at the servant on the bed.

Onyx turned waiting for her to finish her words.

" Your parents are outside. "