Helena Request

Helena had only been shaking her head quickly when Harika kept urging herself to give a correct answer about last night between King Louis and Helena.

"Empress Helena, come on... this isn't funny at all. Did you think I didn't know you must have been crying all night?" Harika kept urging Helena to open her voice.

"What? Does it look like that?" Helena asked, and she ran behind Harika.

A small mirror lying on the table, she immediately took, and Helena examined her face.

Examining the part of her eyes that do look puffy, "Huh... even though I've tried to cover it with thick powder."

Harika again approached the empress, still showing high curiosity. Even though Helena tried to avoid it, Harika still had a chance to talk to her at that time.

"Empress Helena," said Harika, and she took the mirror in Helena's hand.

"Tell me, Empress Helena. Are you and King Louis fighting again?"

"Harika! It's not what you think. It was just the two of us last night, almost... Arrgghh... I can't tell you," Helena couldn't continue her words. She felt embarrassed to tell Harika.

"Empress Helena, this morning everyone in the Palace, saw King Louis coming out of the reading room with a sinister face. Everyone thought that you and King Louis must have had a big fight. To the extent that a King Aarez, would not want to be in the same room with you." Harika began to tell the story dramatically.

Helena, who heard it immediately snorted in annoyance,

"Who made such gossip?"

"I don't know who made the gossip, but... this doesn't bode well for you, Empress Helena if it's true. So, tell me!" replied Harika, who was still worried.

"Moreover, everyone in this palace knows that King Louis gave you a whip punishment. Ah... gosh... lately I haven't been able to sleep well thinking about you, Empress Helena. I've even lost all my appetite, so hurry up and say what happened last night?" Harika drew closer to Helena's face, her gaze still scrutinizing with hope.

Helena was still silent.

In silence, she was thinking about something. "You really want to know, Harika?" Helena teased on purpose, her sly grin suddenly appeared.

"Mmm ... yes, of course. I want to know because right now, I'm responsible for what happened to you," Harika replied, but her eyes already had very high suspicion on Helena's current attitude.

"Then... let's make a pact. You want to know the real story, don't you?" Helena furrowed her brows on purpose, feeling that victory was currently on her side.

"What? Empress Helena, how could you ask such a ridiculous thing." Harika refused Helena's wishes.

"Yeah...it's okay if you don't want to. It doesn't matter to me, Harika. Since I won't tell you anything after this, let you die of curiosity and become a wandering ghost." Helena even chuckled with satisfaction when she said such spooky things.

Helena was already heading towards the exit. She deliberately slowed her pace. Knowing that Harika was in turmoil at that time.

"I'm going... Harika... are you sure you don't want to know?" Helena exclaimed, who was already at the door.

Harika's pair of eyes moved to hesitate as she started to think fast so she could decide right away.

"Ishh... Alright... I hope I don't get unlucky after this." Said Harika had turned her body quickly.

"Empress Helena, wait! Don't go! Fine, I give up. What do you want now?" asked Harika had blocked Helena's path.

Helena's smile widened to perfection. A triumphant look was clear. "I just want to meet the one person I care about the most. I... want to meet my grandmother."

For Helena, her request sounded very easy, but not for Harika, who widened her eyes quickly.

"What?!"

"What... what? Heh?" Helena was confused by Harika's reaction, "Didn't you hear clearly? I... want to... meet... my grandma... So you have to take me out today."

"Empress Helena, that is highly improbable. You are still in mourning, and as a consort of King Aarez, you must have special permission to leave." Harika started to explain, but why did Helena just smile.

"Do you understand what I'm saying? It was so difficult to get you out of the palace? You are the Queen Consort of the King, not a servant who doesn't get special attention like me." Harika continued to explain.

But Harika's statement just now made Helena smile even more. "Hehehe... Harika, you're really smart." Helena put one hand on Harika's shoulder.

There is no limit for Helena because she considers Harika like an older sister. She clung so tightly to Harika, like a sister who wanted something and would be angry at her sister didn't grant Helena's request.

"I know what you're thinking, Empress Helena," said Harika confidently.

"Really? Amazingly, you are very smart, Harika," Helena praised with an exaggerated attitude.

"No, I won't do it, Empress Helena."

"Em... em..." Helena shook her head, with one index finger and she swung close to Harika's face.

"You will do it, Harika."

***

An old red car where Harika and Helena are currently.

Throughout the journey, Harika kept cursing to himself,

"I will not survive if anyone finds out about this. Oh... what have I done? How could I believe her?"

Unlike Helena, she sat beside Harika, who was driving her old car. They managed to get past the less stringent guard, maybe it was all because of Harika.

Yes, right. Who would have thought that a servant like Harika could take Helena out of the palace so easily? Is it because Harika is a servant so that no one suspects her?

"Wow... it's been a long time. I haven't felt a fresh breeze like this. I feel like I can smell the scent of freedom. Thank you, Harika. You're the best," Helena said excitedly with one hand, and she reached out of the car window, letting the wind brushed her fingers.

Helena would greet anyone she met on the side of the road, even if it was just a white dog who stared in wonder at Helena's shrill and deafening screams.

"Empress Helena, sit quietly. Gosh..! I shouldn't have made any pact with you. You should have stayed in the palace." Harika regretted her own decision as she continued to drive her car towards the hospital.

"You can't deny it, Harika, because I already told you everything. We just kissed! Me and King Louis just kiss, no more happen last night! Because suddenly, he just left me. Mmm... I try to remember if I forgot to brush my teeth last night? That's why King Aarez just left after we are kissing?" Helena chuckled at the joke she made.

Meanwhile, Harika gave Helena a cynical look for a moment, feeling cheated because the information Helena gave was not commensurate with what she asked for.

"Empress Helena! This isn't funny at all. Ahhh..! we can't stay outside for long, and you must return before noon. Remember, you are still in a night of mourning with King Louis, don't make him angry again!" Harika recalled.

"Yeah... yeah... yeah... I know it. Besides, didn't you say yourself that Louis has a... super... super... busy schedule today. He might come back at night, and maybe If that happened, he wouldn't have come into his room while I was still there." Helena explained.

"But still, we have to be on guard. Ah..! you really put my head at stake, Empress Helena." Harika is still lamenting her decision.

"Come on, Harika. Calm down. Because I'm sure if we'll be fine. And stop being so formal. We're in disguise, so don't let others know that there is a Royal Empress outside the palace." Reply Helena again gave her best advice.

The journey took about thirty minutes to arrive at a city hospital, where Helena's only family was being treated at that time.

It seemed like a long time since Helena had not visited her grandmother, who was still lying weak and unconscious. Helena felt very happy, able to release her longing.

In the silent treatment room, Helena was happy because Queen Revania kept her promise. Even though the middle-aged woman only closed her eyes, it seemed that she was well taken care of.

"Grandma Aleda, can you hear me? Today I came to see you. I hope Grandma recovers quickly. Because there are so many things, I want to tell you. I miss you, Grandma," Helena said sadly, and she held Aleda's hand tightly.

Harika had been silent all this time and stood in the corner of the room. For a moment, she felt touched by Helena's attitude at that time.

"Empress Helena, that's enough. We must return to the palace again." It was Harika who reminded, and Helena could only answer with a sad look.

***

On the way back, to the Palace.

Helena was more silent and no longer chattered like when she departed at the beginning. This thing made Harika feel uncomfortable, feeling that he looked like a bad person.

"Empress Helena, come on... don't act like this. You can't be mad at me. Look what I've done. For your sake, I'm willing to take out this shabby car, I even lent you some clothes," she said and defending.

"Yes, Harika ... I know that. And thanks for your help," replied Helena. Her words sounded insincere, and she didn't look at Harika.

"Don't act like a little girl, 'cause you're old enough not to sulk like this," Harika sarcastically.

"I'm not even twenty years old. Can it be said that I'm a little girl?" asked Helena a little curtly. "If I was little girl, why would King Louis want to marry me?

Harika heard Helena's words could only roll her eyes. Because she knew, if Helena was sulking at her, that didn't loosen the rules she made.

"Harika, look! That's the city of Aidon. You see, there's a busy market there. I used to be there a long time ago." Helena pointed excitedly when she saw a welcome monument engraved with the name of Aidon City.

"Then, what? Don't tell me you want to go there, Empress Helena." Harika just guessed with random.

But as it turned out, Helena immediately gave her a wide grin, as well as a look that Harika recognized very well.

That gaze is filled with high expectations for Helena's wishes at that time, but for Harika, it was a sign that would harm them both.