Selfish Friend

"What is it, my lady?" Malia asked holding Khalilah, and she noticed she was also trembling, she drew her in closer. "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

"Y-yes," she heaved finally letting Malia go, she swatted her black hair backwards, and almost as if nothing happened, she was back to normal. 

"Your grace?" Malia asked eyeing her suspiciously. "You had a nightmare?" 

"What are you talking about?" She asked with wide eyes, her golden eyes boring holes into Malia's confused face. Khalilah raised her hands to touch Malia's forehead and her eyes widened back in surprise. "You have a fever." 

Yes, she still hasn't fully recovered from last night, he used a lot of force, and some of her internal organs ruptured, she had not fully healed yet. 

"No," she denied. "It's probably from working outside, the sun has fully risen."

Malia was still confused by the sudden change of attitude in her ladyship, but there could only be one answer, this was the doing of his majesty. 

His very essence is evil, he was probably the cause of her nightmare and that is why he had probably erased the existence of the nightmare from her mind. 

"I shall make preparations for breakfast, your grace," Malia said as she backed away from the bed with her head bowed down, Khalilah wondered why her lady of honor was being too formal all of a sudden. She disappeared through the door, Khalilah sighed as wondered why she was still locked up in the room for several days and not allowed to step outside. 

She heard stories about the palace from Malia, Nosferatia is blessed with a lot of beauty and riches, and according to the information given to her; the Star Haven garden that belonged to the former queen and Empress is the most beautiful in the world. 

It is said to resemble the dominions of the gods that ruled the sun and it is blessed with a surplus variety of flowers and butterflies.

Malia also mentioned that the best time to view the garden was at night, she claimed the flowers self-illuminated, and the star gazing from that location would give you access to tens of billions of stars. 

Khalilah felt pumped just by listening to that story and she wanted to see the garden immediately, they had such interesting places to be, yet she was stuck in this room.

Malia came back holding a tray in her hands, her forehead was covered in sweat, and her skin had turned ridiculously pale; Khalilah couldn't help but be worried for her friend. 

"My lady, have some fruits, while the kitchen prepares your breakfast." She set up the table with a small smile on her face. "Also, I brought some flowers for you, I thought it might help the room look beautiful."

Khalilah got up from the bed, tying her hair in an uneven bun, as she stepped towards the table, peeking into the nicely sliced fruits on the plate.

The chief seemed to have a lot of time on her hands, she made the fruits into floral and animal shapes, who the hell do they think she is, a child? She chuckled softly as she picked up the swan-shaped watermelon, stuffing it in her mouth. 

"Are these flowers from the Star Haven garden?" She asked curiously as she raised the vase, admiring the lavender in them. 

"No, your grace." Malia bowed her head softly again. "Slaves like myself aren't allowed to enter into the garden, I would be hanged if I am found even ten feet close to the area." 

What's with this person and their strict laws? 

"Such a shame, I was hoping to see some of those famous flowers you told me about," Khalilah said with a small pout. 

"The case is different for you, my lady. I am pretty sure when you become queen, you will automatically receive access to seventy percent of the palace." Malia explained as she took away the candles from the table and arranged them in the wardrobe. "I heard from the rest of the servants; that the wedding would take place on your nineteenth birthday." 

Ahh, she almost forgot, she was brought here to be a wife, and she would be getting to the so-called circus king 

Olive.

Olive is a beautiful name, she thought to herself, it's a name suitable for a beautiful man like him. 

His ethereal and pure beauty matched the divinity of his name.

What didn't match anything was his outrageous attitude!

He was the most beautiful man that she had ever seen, yet she liked Robert more. 

If it were Robert she was getting married to, she would probably do it with a smile on her face. 

"I still haven't agreed to the wedding you know." She protested stubbornly and the jug slipped and fell from Malia's hands, why the hell was she stubborn? "I am never going to marry that psycho, if indeed my family gave me off to him, then they should know they don't have any right to will me off to a man like this. I am not an animal or a material that can be given away." 

"Your grace! Please!" there was a horrific look on Malia's face, she looked around desperately, before rushing to Khalilah ignoring the jug that fell. "You can't speak about His Majesty like that, ever." 

"He is not my king; I don't have to respect him." Her teeth were clenched as she proceeded to the next line of speech. "How can you bring yourself to even obey someone like him, a murderer like that doesn't deserve your respect or mine, and you don't have to bow your head so low when you talk to me, I am not going to be some kind of a monster queen." 

The expression on Malia's face was beyond baffled, his royal majesty, the king came to her personally and he punished her for the queen's insubordination. 

She understood why he attacked her now, it was because of the story she told Khalilah, and that was the reason why Khalilah was being disrespectful towards him now.

Malia fell to her knees, her forehead touching the marble, as a sharp pain, similar to the previous night seeped into her chest. "My Queen, please, don't speak such vain words about his majesty." 

Khalilah abruptly got up from the chair she was sitting on, surprised that Malia would go to such an extent just to protect the dignity of a man who killed her family. 

"Why?" Khalilah whispered not nearing Malia whose face was buried to the ground. "Why are you trying so hard to protect a man like that?" 

"My queen, I am unable to tell you why right now, but you will understand me one day," She started in a tears voice, and Khalilah felt herself freeze. "I just ask that you trust me, please My Lady." 

"If you want me to trust you, then tell me why you are so afraid?" She asked curiously, unmoving, she noticed that Malia was still trembling even as she bowed. Malia refused to say anything, after a minute or two, Khalilah oddly understood the silence. 

"Did he threaten you?" She asked her voice came and still like the ocean. "I guess that's what happened, I am sorry for being inconsiderate, even though I have a clearer advantage, I keep doing and saying things that would put you in trouble."

That's right, Malia is just a slave, doing things like this would get her killed, and the last thing she wants is to endanger the poor girl when she is only trying her hardest to survive. 

Khalilah's arms flail beside her, she snickered turning back to the direction of her bed, this is probably the reason why her mother always said she was selfish; it was probably true, considering the things that have been happening now. 

She plops on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, tears gathering in her eyes. 

"Your grace you still have to eat breakfast." Malia reminded as she raised her head from the marble floor, still affected by the powers of His Majesty, blood escaped from her nose and she quickly wiped it away before Khalilah noticed it. "Your grace, please eat your meal."

"I am not hungry anymore," Khalilah confessed turning her back towards Malia now, resting her head on the very soft cushion as she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. "I would like to be alone for now, Malia." 

"But your grace, I—" 

She was interrupted immediately. 

"Please Malia, I want to be alone." She snapped, and quietly, Malia cleared the table and exited the bedroom immediately, trying to convince her any longer, would get her hanged. 

She winced as she approached the kitchen, she coughed a few times and then coughed blood, the pain was blinding, and healing was very difficult because she was hit by something sinister. 

That is the power of the King of Death. 

It might take a few days before she completely heals up, she coughed even more blood before she blocked her mouth with the ends of her dress.