Chapter four: Will I ever be free like the bird?

Speaking with her mother was the last thing Onyx wanted to do at this moment. She already has enough on her plate with the wedding being forced on her to add her mother's incessant nagging to the list. She sighed dramatically causing her servants to let out a low chuckle.

" Here, " she told Sally relinquishing her hold on Mei to her.

Poor Sally stumbled slightly when all her friend's weight fell on her.

" Easy! " Onyx reached out to steady the two women when it looked like they were crumbling to the ground.

" Is alright my lady I have got her, " Sally told her with a faint smile sounding breathless.

Onyx stared like she didn't believe her wanting to confirm this herself. She watched as her two servants took a few unsteady steps and continued to watch them until she was sure they could handle walking by themselves.

Sally feeling concerned for her mistress looked back to shoot her a worried look. Her mistress mother is not an easy woman to deal with. Most often than not after visiting her mother her young mistress always comes with a sad angry look in her eyes. Those two are like oil and water. The servant didn't think there is anyone who could get along with the Madame of the house.

Onyx smiled weakly at the sight of her servant's worried look.

" I will be fine, " she mouthed in her direction and then chuckled, shaking her head when the young woman stumbled slightly. She stood in the courtyard until her servants were truly out of sight before she turned to make her way towards her mother's building which was located on the West side of the house.

She looked around and sighed when she realized she was the only one left in the courtyard. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh flowery scent of the peach tree in the courtyard.

She took a moment to admire the beauty of its leaves, smiling in wonder as the petals fell majestically to the ground. She reached out and caught a single petal in her hand. She stared transfixed at the petal lost in thought but not thinking about anything in particular.

A bird soaring over the roof of the building caught her attention and she couldn't help but watch it fly with a lot of envy wondering if she will ever have freedom like this bird.

The fact that her desire felt like a piper's dream made her feel sad, and the reminder that she has to speak to her mother worsened her bad mood.

On her way to her mother's, Onyx nodded at the servants bowing their heads in greeting.

When she got to her mother's the two female servants at the door courtesy with blank looks on their faces held the door simultaneously for her. Onyx nodded her thanks and walked in.

A servant ran out from her mother's chambers sniffing strongly, with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was so blinded by her sorrow that she nearly collided with Onyx.

" I am so sorry my Lady, " the servant cried with so much fear and alarm falling to her knees.

" Is alright, " Onyx bent to her waist to help the servant up.

The servant gave her a weak smile that didn't reach her sad eyes before hurrying towards the door like she couldn't wait to get away.

Her speedy and not-so-stealthy exit didn't inspire confidence in Onyx to face her mother. On good days her mother is difficult to deal with, in her worse moods then she is a nightmare.

Onyx took a deep breath and braced herself with a stoic expression she headed towards her mother's inner chambers.

Keeping a blank expression in Infront of her mother can be a very difficult task because if there is anyone in all of the kingdom who knows how to press Onyx's bad buttons is her mother, but then losing control because of that is so much worse. Her mother has always had this uncanny ability to read people so in dealing with her Onyx has learned not to carry her emotions along.

She walked in to see plenty of servants fussing over her mother's hair, the scared expression on their faces as if fearful to misstep or doing the wrong thing.

" Mother, " Onyx greeted coldly.

Her mother didn't acknowledge her greeting and continued to admire the head jewelry on her intricately and painstakingly packed hair.

Onyx stood with her hands on her back, her legs spread a little apart, and a patient look on her face. The game has just started and she was ready to play. Having been subjected to her mother's annoying mind games Onyx has learned the maze steps of her games.

Her mother didn't look her way until she was good and ready and when she did it was to sniff her nose at Onyx as if she smelled something bad.

" Will you please stand properly, for goodness sake you are a lady! " her mother spat at her sounding exasperated like she couldn't deal with her anymore.

Onyx rolled her eyes in her mind, knowing that will be one more thing for her mother to complain about if she sees it. She also wanted to ask how a lady stands but then she will only be wasting her time, and will only get a snort or a glare as a response, so she tried to stand like a lady, and for the life of her she couldn't figure that out so she settled with standing rim rod straight with her hands to her side.

" Where were you this morning? "

" I thought that should be obvious, " Onyx took a look down at the riding clothes she was still wearing. Riding wasn't the only thing she had done this morning, she had also gone into the woods to practice her swords since her mother has forbidden her from carrying or swinging a sword she had to resort to doing it in secret. She avoided mentioning that.

Her mother's smooth forehead wrinkled into a heavy frown of displeasure.

" Don't be smart with me young lady, " she barked at Onyx glaring at her.

" Sorry, mother, " Onyx forced out looking contrite. She must have sounded remorseful enough because her mother let it go easily enough. Usually, she would have gone into an epiphany about how rude she is and how she never seems to pick up on the manners she has thought her.

Onyx usually scoffs at that one. Her mother has never thought her anything growing up, except to complain and nag at everything she was doing wrong. The only thing her mother has ever done for her was push her out through her vagina after that she was passed on to the servant unless there is something the family wants to do.

" Did you forget that today is your wedding? "

" How could I? when is all everyone could talk about, " Onyx mumbled underneath her voice.

The last queen of the kingdom, the fifth passed away a few weeks ago. Rumors had it that she was beheaded because she couldn't give the king an heir, but the palace says she died from a deadly illness. The kingdom mourned her death for three days with the king looking so sorrowful which Onyx knows must be faked and after that, he was out hunting for his sixth wife. The last queen isn't the only one to have a mysterious death in the palace.

How unlucky is she that she was chosen for the horrible honor of being the king's sixth wife? A man as old as her father. She wasn't chosen because she knew for a fact that her father was the one to make that suggestion. Being one of the king's close advisors he must have found a way to convince him to take his daughter as his wife. Her parents have always been greedy for power.

Her low mumblings must have not been so low because her mother shot a deadly look shortly after her words.

" You should have been getting ready for your wedding instead of running around the whole kingdom with that horse of yours. You know that the wedding procession will soon be here and you are yet to get ready, " she snorted sounding exasperated again, like she couldn't understand why she was cursed with a child like her.

Onyx hardly thinks riding into the woods is the same thing as galavanting around the kingdom but she was sure her mother wouldn't see her point, and she can't seem to understand her mother's problem with Majesty, her horse. Her father had gotten her the horse when she was little. The hatred seems to be mutual because Majesty never likes her mother getting close to her.

Onyx tuned her mother out as she continued to barrage her for her uncouth attitude. After long minutes of the ear blistering scolding, she was finally granted release and was free to leave.

As she walked out of her mother's chambers Onyx thought that the silver lining to her marriage to the king would be finally escaping her mother, but compared to what awaited her in the palace, her mother seems to be the friendlier evil.

Halfway to her chambers, the sound of chattering and giggling reached her.

" God not now, " Onyx moaned scowling.

Heading towards her were her three sisters, Jade, Daisy, and Willow. They are technically not her sisters but half-sisters, daughters of her father's concubines. Jade and Daisy are real sisters, daughters of the first concubine, while Willow is the third concubine's daughter. Her father has three concubines, the second is yet to give him a child.

" Onyx!!! " they screeched like some packs of parakeets.

Onyx tried to pretend she didn't hear them but that is difficult when they are coming ahead of her. She forced a polite smile on her face as she continued to make her way in their direction.

" Hello sisters, " she greeted.

The words sounded acidic in her mouth. She has never gotten along with her sisters, nor has she ever been close to them. Her sisters are exactly what her mother wants. They are like the perfect daughters for her mother, elegant, feminine, and well-mannered to everyone except Onyx. She had seen on numerous occasions what a two-face bitches that can be.

" Oh my god, you are not dressed! " Jade exclaimed dramatically as if the world was about to collapse.

" I was slightly delayed, " Onyx answered through a tight lip.

" Oh, I hope there is no problem, " Willow asked with a fake look of concern.

" No there isn't. If you will excuse me... "

" I can't believe you are marrying the king, a man old enough to be our father, " Daisy said with her hand to her lips hiding her mocking smile.

Onyx glared.

" I can't believe it too, now if you excuse me I need to get ready for my wedding, " Onyx forced out coldly and walked away.

" Can we help?! " Jade screamed after her.

" Thanks, my servants have everything under control, " Onyx threw back without turning.

" I can't believe that someone as beautiful as her will end up with an old man, " she heard Willow say and her sisters laughed.

" Be glad that is not you, " Jade said amidst their laughter.

She heard Willow scream at Jade for trying to curse her. Onyx's fist tightened by her side, anger and sadness gripped her as she walked the rest of the way to her chambers.