The Queen’s Family

Lela didn't talk on the walk back to the palace and Kimi was worried something was wrong with her. The princess barely had any mood swings so this was new and she thought it had something to do with what happened with the Prince. Kimi herself was shocked that the prince had gotten intimate with her, and in the presence of people.

It was the carriages, noise, and people going up and down at the entrance to the palace that knocked some sense into Lela, taking her away from her thoughts and bringing her back to reality. She watched as three people, a man, and two women got out of a black carriage while maids and guards hurried to get their things off another black carriage behind the first one, and into the palace. Lela noticed people bow to the man and the two women as they passed and thought they had to be important to get that sort of treatment. Out of the two women, there was one who looked to be around Lela's age. The girl proved Lela's thoughts were right as she waved at her, a wide smile on her lips.

Lela touched Kimi's hands, asking the silent question, "who is she?" and Kimi leaned into the princess, whispering in her ears, "that is, Cora, the Queen's niece, The woman beside her is her mother, and the man beside her is her father, the queen's brother."

"She is your friend," Lela turned in surprise to Kimi. The princess had friends? Lela knew she couldn't wave back at the girl so she plastered a small smile on her face and nodded her head at her. The girl dipped her head at Lela and followed her parents into the palace.

There were so many people at the entrance as a result of the queen's brothers coming and Lela was scared of being in the presence of so many people at once, in case she messed up, so she and Kimi decided to wait around in the garden before finally going back into the Palace. Thinking all the noise had died down and the guest had gone to their rooms to rest, Lela and Kimi walked back into the palace and to Lela's room but they were stopped on the way by the Queen's brother.

Lela didn't know how to address the man and Kimi had said nothing about his name so she stared at him, waiting for the man to talk to her first.

"Ah princess, I was overwhelmed with joy when I heard you had woken up from your deep sleep, I wish I was there when you woke up but unfortunately I had other pressing matters to attend to. I brought gifts from my travels for you," the man smiled. Lela noticed that the man had the same eyes and sly smile the Queen had. They were indeed siblings. Lela forced a smile on her face. There was something about this man that she didn't like, but she could place her finger on it. She let out a breath.

She wasn't Princess Solela, but if Princess Solela had liked the man and was friends with his daughter, then she had no choice but to pretend to like them too since she was already playing pretend.

"Thank you so much for these gifts, I'll make sure to use them well," Lela's mouth curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she gave him a small bow. Kimi bowed at the man and collected the tray of gifts from his hands. As the man retreated, Lela didn't fail to notice the smirk on his lip.

"Tell me everything you know about them and the Princess's relationship with them!" Lela ordered Kimi. Not noticing her slip up, Kimi nodded and pulled out one of the chairs around the tea table to sit on, knowing that the princess would subconsciously mirror her actions. Lela did. She sat down on the bed instead.

"Cora was the first person you met the day we came here with the King and Queen, she smiled a lot and promised to show you around. Despite her father being the Queen's brother and right-hand man, the family lives outside the palace, and I think they are here because of your upcoming wedding," Kimi started. Lela nodded her head, urging the younger girl to continue talking.

"The Queen's brother does not like you, that much is clear from the way he looks at you. You haven't had many encounters with his wife, so I do not know what she thinks of you, but she might either like you because of her daughter or dislike you just like her husband," Kimi finished. Lela nodded her head. She hadn't acted too differently from how the princess would have acted, she thought.

"How is her relationship with the princes?" Lela asked. She didn't need to know, but she had to ask everything she was thinking no matter how irrelevant they seemed because they were new and for some reason, Lela thought she'd have to work extra hard to make sure they didn't think anything was wrong with the princess.

"I would not know, Princess. I only encounter her when I am with-" Kimi stopped talking halfway as the princess's attention shifted to the door. Kimi looked from the princess to the door, wondering what the princess was looking at. She didn't see anything.

"There is someone at the door," Lela mouthed, and Kimi's eyes widened in shock. How did she know that? Kimi was closer to the door than the princess, but she hadn't heard anything, no movements, no sounds, so how did the princess know someone was at the door?

"Keep talking," the princess mouthed her order and Kimi nodded. Lela could swear she heard movements while Kimi talked, it had been subtle but it was there, it felt like the person was trying to be extra careful. The sounds were like the person was scratching the door with blunt nails, trying to dig a tiny hole through the door to hear whatever they were talking about but it seemed unfruitful.

It could be that man, the Queen's brother, the sly man she had just met earlier, whose name she still didn't know, Lela thought.

What was his problem? Why was he all up in her business? Certainly, he didn't know anything, he had just arrived, so why wouldn't he leave her alone. Had he been like this to the Princess also? Did she feel weird around him too? All these questions kept bugging Lela until Kimi started talking.

"I only encounter her when I am with you. I have to say, I love her hair and her figure," Kimi changed the topic, with a scowl on her face with how easy the words came to her lips. Kimi didn't know who was at the door if anyone was at the door at all, but the last thing she wanted was to be sent to the correction room based on talking about the Queen's niece. Not that she was saying something bad, but it was better if they heard her saying wonderful things instead.

Lela turned to Kimi with a smile on her face in amusement as she got up from the bed, tiptoeing slowly to the door while Kimi talked so whoever was at the door wouldn't know what was coming for them.

"I saw her riding a horse once, and I was awed," Lela never knew Kimi was an actress because this was the type of performance that could earn her an Oscar.

Lela took a deep breath as her small hands circled the doorknob, then as she released her breath, she pulled the door open at the same time, and watched as a female body fell into the room.

So she was right.