Xandro

At night after having dinner we all retired to our chambers to rest after the day's stress. Ida and Minnie's loud laughter filled the air as usual. They were such happy souls. Mary on the other hand seemed to grow up faster than she should. I wonder what her story is.

"I'm so tired of hearing Flawa go on and on about her young and clear skin," Agnes says, falling into her bed.

"Can you not see her name? She's Flawa for a reason" Rose replies with a sarcastic grin.

"I heard her real name isn't Flawa, she gave herself the name after her husband and children died" Aby remarks with a whisper earning loud gasps from the girls. Mary rolled her eyes at them, they had just started to work in the palace and they already had gossip about everything and nothing.

They are so dramatic

Mary turns to her side "Where even did you hear that from?" she asks Aby, getting slightly annoyed. She hated drama and getting involved with it.

"It's all over the palace, I overheard a few guards talking about it, '' she explains, making everyone gasp for the second time.

"So what's the story behind Eunuch Damien?" Ida scoots closer to Aby quickly tapping her arm.

Aby smirks and lowers her voice. "He's like the king's right hand man, covers up all the king's dirty doings"

Minnie scoffs "What dirty doings could the king ever have, Adder is a nice king"

"Just telling y'all what I heard"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around listening to gossip" Mary says looking directly at Aby. Aby raises her palms defensively.

Ida gasps as if she just got the most brilliant idea on how to save humanity. "So I'd be able to get close to the king if I become friends with Damien?" Mary sighs and shakes her head at Ida.

Ida pouts laughs nodding slowly at her idea.

"What about you green?" Agnes nudges Emerald. "Heard Shuga was called by the king last night" She wiggles her eyebrows excitedly. Emerald chuckles uncomfortably.

"I wouldn't know what went on inside there, I was outside waiting" She defends

"Lies!" Aby exclaimed "I heard-"

"You're always hearing!" Mary interrupted. Aby gives her a glare. She was really beginning not to like Mary, she really was a fun sponge. Aby thought.

"What did you hear?!" Minnie interjected, giving Aby an apologetic look and then to Ida, whose mouth was wide open waiting for the big news.

"I heard that Green was asked into the room, and shortly after Shuga left the room..."

"So that means..."

"Green and the king were alone in the room" All the girls including Mary slowly gasp with their hands covering their mouths as they slowly look at Emerald.

"That's not how it happened -!"

"So it did happen?" Ida cries and Mary scoffs.

"No! Yes!" Emerald stutters trying to get out of this situation. "I mean..."

"Wait..." Aby stops her. "Just tell us what happened in the room while Shuga was gone cos I heard she never came back and you and the king spent the night together"

"Now that's a lie! The king sent Lady Shuga to go get a drink, he just asked me a few questions, nothing more, and Shuga did come back" Emerald explains, she just realized that this is the most she has spoken since she arrived at the palace.

"Emerald you betrayed me" Ida cries dramatically falling into Mary's lap and throwing her hand on her chest. Mary shoves her away. "You know I have a crush on the king and you spent the night with him"

Emerald shakes her head. "No I didn't Ida"

"I curse you..." Ida cries louder acting like she's on her deathbed.

"I swear to God I'm calling Flawa if y'all don't quit it" Mary yells at them.

"Alright Alright we're going mum" Rose speaks up and they all scurried to their beds.

×××××

Athena blows out the matchstick taking In a deep breath to allow the incense in the air fill her lungs, it smelled heavenly. "My queen, there's a rumor going around" Solar mentions quietly.

"What rumors?" Athena says looking at Solar.

"The king had a servant in his room when he asked for Lady Shuga..." Solar trails off. Athena raises a brow waiting for her to continue. "He asked Lady Shuga to leave and he spent the night with the maid"

"How true is this?" Athena asks, staring Solar in the eye.

Solar nods her head. "My source is never wrong my queen"

Athena frowns "Why would he want a maid even with so many concubines" she wonders aloud.

Solar shrugs. "Find out every single thing about her and report to me" Solar nodded and walked out of the door.

Xandro waves at the elderly maids as he walks through the palace halls. Everyone was happy to see him back. Xandro was the most competent and most loved guard in the court. His loyalty to the royal family was unmatched. Xandro's mother had been sick which made him take a short leave of absence from court and return home to visit her.

"Xandro! When did you get back?!"

Xandro turns to hear the sound of his closest friend, John, who also is a guard.

"Just this morning," Xandro answered with a wide smile.

"I'm so glad to have you back, you've missed a lot" John said as he and Xandro headed deeper into the palace.

"What's up?" Xandro questioned wanting to know.

John stops on his tracks and bows as a concubine and her maid; Aby passes by. "Good morning my Lady" John Chimes.

"Good morning" She answers curtly walking past him with her maid following close behind.

"What'd I miss?" Xandro asked curiously.

"Nothing much...except the king's new concubine and new servants assigned to them" John says with a smirk knowing full well that Xandro would be intrigued.

"Oh God! I missed all that?!" He laughs "Wow...so she's a concubine?" Xandro points towards the way that the ladies had walked.

"Yes man, they're all so gorgeous" John continues leading Xandro further into the walls.

×××××

Minnie bursts into the dinning room through the double doors trying to catch her breath. The concubines and maids stare at her in shock. She places her hand on her chest trying to calm down.

"What's wrong?" Minnie's Lady asks from across the table.

"I was just coming from the kitchen and I s-saw the k-king heading towards this place with a few guards. '' Gasps and whispers spread throughout the room.

"Are you sure?" Lady Jessi says leaning in closer with a confused expression.

"...Yes my lady!" Just as she completes her sentence, the door is pushed open revealing the king. Emeralds hitches when she sees him. He looked drop dead gorgeous , in a simple black and white dress shirt with dark pants.

His hair was slicked back in a perfect man bun. Emerald's heart fluttered seeing him but she wasn't sure why.

The concubines stood up and everyone bowed respectfully, as he walked past them. He stopped right before them and gave each of them his warmest smile. "Sorry to disturb you ladies but I'd like to have breakfast with you all" his voice was smooth and low.

"Of course my King!" One of the ladies says. The excitement on their faces was obvious. Lady Shuga pricks my arm with her long manicured nail making me jump back with a loud yelp.

Great. Now I'm the center of attention.

The king looks at me curiously with narrowed eyes, "Are you okay? You seem a bit nervous"

"N-No I'm absolutely fine my king" I say clearing my throat, I'm thankful that everyone seems to be paying attention to him as opposed to me. I see Lady Shuga snicker through the side of my eye.

"So my king, would you like to have tea later?" A concubine mentions in her poor flirting attempt.

He turns his gaze to her. "Why would I do that?"

The color in her face is drained as she realizes that he isn't interested in having tea with her. "Well, no reason your majesty, I guess-"

"Thank you for the offer but I'll pass" he states, causing others to gasp quietly.

Lady Shuga looks over at me with a sinister glint in her eyes. The look she was giving me was of no good. "Emerald, why don't you pass the peanut butter to the king" Shuga says sarcastically with her fake innocent smile plastered to her face. I felt my blood rush to my face, but I controlled myself and followed her command, trying my best to keep my cool.

The king's cold stare never left my face as I put the plate of peanut butter in front of him, the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. The king takes one piece of bread, his eyes still staring at me. I could feel them burning holes in my skin, almost like he could read my mind. I would really appreciate it if he wasn't staring daggers into my face.

"Thank you very much" he says with an elegant tone, he smiles and I nod my head politely.

The whole breakfast was silent and awkward, nobody dared to speak until the king did.

"So you guys just stand there and watch your ladies eat?" We slowly nod. "When are you all going to be having your own breakfast?"

"After they're done your highness" Ida says

"That's bull crap" He frowns and gestures for one of the guards stationed at the door to come forward.

"I need you to find Flawa, ask her to prepare a fine feast for the maids this instant" The King ordered, earning happy exclamations from the maids. Once the guard left the hall, the king turned to the rest of us. "From now on you all should have your breakfast at the same time everyone else is having theirs, have u made myself clear?"

"Yes your highness " We replied in unison.

"Good" He smirks and stands up to leave the dining room. "Lady Shuga, let's have tea later. '' He states before leaving.

"Well that was intense" One of the girls comments.

"Why's he always asking for you?" Another Lady which I assume to be Vanessa whines earning an awkward laughter from Shuga.