Chapter twenty seven: The talks

Salsa jumped when harsh footsteps reentered the Queen's bed chambers. She looked up to see Mei standing over her glaring down at her. Salsa frowned staring up at the girl waiting for her to speak.

" Here, " Mei grunted glaring at the girl with anger and hatred. She couldn't believe the Queen made her serve the girl again.

Salsa swallowed and reached out to take the small bowl only to miss because the girl moved it away. She watched in horror as the bowl tumbled out of the girl's hand and crashed to the floor. She quickly looked up at the girl her eyes wide with fear.

" Oops! " Mei exclaimed with an overly innocent look. " Guess we have to tell her highness that you didn't want to take your medicine, and that you knocked it down to the floor. "

Salsa's eyes widened further in dismay.

" But I... didn't, " she tried to protest.

Mei smirked at her with a wicked glint in her eyes. She bent down until she was eye level with the blonde.

" But who is she going to believe? So why don't we play it like this... " she started like she is in charge, her malicious smile in place.

Salsa stared at the girl with dread wondering why the girl doesn't like her. She hasn't done anything to her, yet she treats her like she is the enemy.

" So you are going to tell the Queen when she asks that you took the drug. "

Tears gathered in Salsa's eyes. She didn't want to lie to the Queen and her back was beginning to hurt again. If agreeing with the girl will stop her from messing with her, then that is what she will do.

She nodded mutely.

" That is my girl, " Mei patted the blonde on the thigh like she is a dog. " One more thing... she got to her feet and stared down at the girl, a scowl deep between her brows... Tell the Queen that you are fine now and will like to go back to the servants building. "

Salsa nodded meekly with her eyes to the ground, controlling her tears. She didn't know if the tears was because of her back or because of the thought of leaving the queen. She remembered the kiss and her heart leaped in joy.

" Stop day dreaming Salsa is never going to happen again, " she scolded herself.

" Did you hear me?! "

Salsa jumped at the other servants loud voice. She had totally missed what she said but she nodded her head anyway.

" Excellent. Our queen doesn't need the likes of you hanging around her. You are trouble, and I will not stand by and watch you be the Queen's downfall. "

Salsa's stomach grumbled as if to protest the other servant's words. Salsa flushed red all over, hiding her face from the girl.

" Oh! you are hungry? " Mei asked in a pretend kind voice.

Salsa looked up with an eager look and nodded.

" Do you know where the kitchen is? "

Salsa shook her head, her expression falling.

" Of course not, we have been serving you like you are some lady, well it ends now, " Mei growled. " Now you start acting like your station. A servant and nothing more, " she snarled.

Salsa nodded and tried to get up from the bed. Her back protested but she ignored the pain and pulled her gown over her head.

Together she and Mei left the Queen's chambers.

Outside, Salsa walked behind Mei with her hands wrapped around her body to ward off the morning chills.

Mei skipped ahead with a smile on her face. Hopefully her little chat with the blonde will teach her to know her place and she will stop bothering her Queen.

Salsa kept her head down as they passed the other palace servants. It wasn't long before they got the kitchen.

The place was like a mad house, smoke everywhere

As soon as she entered most of the servants stopped what they were doing to look in her direction.

" Is she not the Queen's pet, " one of them murmured.

Another spoke up.

" I heard that a man died because of her. "

" Well I heard that she is a witch and had bewitched the Queen. "

Salsa's heart tightened as most of the servants talked about her like she wasn't there.

She was tempted to run from the smokey kitchen but her feet got rooted to the ground.

" Maybe she is the Queen's doll. Her formal master before he died said something about the Queen you know... " the servant that was speaking used her hand to gesture the rest of her statement.

" What!!! " the other servants surrounding her gasped.

" I can't believe the new Queen is like that. I have a cousin of mine who have been to foreign land. She said she saw people like that. Disgusting, " the servant that spoke squeezed her face like she ate something bad.

Salsa's heart started to pound in her chest she couldn't breathe.

What do they mean that she is the Queen's doll. Was it what last night was about. The kiss. Her eyes widened in fear, and before she knew what she was doing she was racing out of the building with tears streaming down her eyes.

Mei who have been enjoying the servants talking bad about the blonde froze when the topic changed to her queen. Her fist tightened in rage when she heard what they were saying. She ignored the blonde when she ran from the building and focused on the servants talking bad about her mistress.

" What did you say about the Queen, " she growled.

The five servants who have been gossiping all jumped in fright with a guilty look on their faces.

" Nothing, " one of them dared to deny.

Mei turned her furious eyes on the servant that said her Mistress was disgusting and picked her out with her eyes.

" So you think the Queen is disgusting? Why don't you tell her that, or maybe I will tell my lady that you lazy fools don't have enough work to keep you busy, that you still have time to run your mouth about things that are not true and let's see what she will do. I heard that the last person to get on her bad side found himself dead. "

The servants shrank back, their eyes wide with fear.

" We are sorry, please we didn't mean it, " they began to beg.

Mei stared down at them with her face hardened. She was not going to let anyone talk bad about her mistress. She bent down so that the stupid servants will hear her clearly.

" I am going to let this go, but the next time I hear you talking about the Queen again, I will... " she moved as if to smack one of the girls.

" Ah!!! " the girl shrieked in horror, falling back on her ass.

Mei smirked darkly when she saw her message have been well received.

" Bye, " she waved at them with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. She thought about the blonde and where she could have gone to but she really didn't care. It was her fault that people talking bad about her mistress. If she like she can fall into a ditch somewhere, it will be better for everyone, Mei thought going her way.

Salsa continued to run with tears streaming down her face with no direction in mind. She just wanted to leave this place.

" What about the Queen? " her mind reminded her.

" It will be better for her she wasn't around, " Salsa answered herself. Maybe Mei was right, being here was making the Queen look bad and the last thing she wants is to cause trouble for the Queen.

Salsa mind returned to reality when she collided with something that sent her flying back and would have crashed to the ground if not for the hand that reached out to catch her.

" Hey! where is the fire, " Sally teased with a smile holding the blonde servant steady on her feet. She lost her smile and looked concerned to the blonde when she saw the tears streaming down her face. " What is wrong? " she asked softly.

Salsa shook her head hiding her face as her tears fell harder.

Sally felt compassion for the girl. She knew that the palace might be overwhelming especially for someone like her, whom all these things must be new to her.

" Come, " she said taking the girl to a hidden corner where eyes will not be on her. People have been staring in their direction and it will not be good for people to see the blonde crying in the public.

Salsa continued to sob as she was laid away.

Sally settled the blonde and then took out a knit hankie from her gown and gave it to the girl. " Here, " she offered kindly.

Salsa looked up at Sally with her tear stained face and shook her head. " I don't want to dirty it, " she mumbled softly, her crying ceasing.

" Don't be silly, take it, " Sally chuckled lightly.

When the blonde still hesitated, Sally arched a brow at her.

At the other servant insistence, Salsa had no other choice than to take the hankie from her. She used it to wipe her face and the tears on her cheeks, and the ones running down her nose. She cringed when she saw the stains she left on the beautiful light pink hankie.

" Is washable you know, " Sally teased again when she saw the look on the blonde's face.

Salsa whispered a smile, staring down at the bird on the hankie. It looks so real.

" Did you make this? " she turned to Sally with an impressed look.

Sally blushed nodding her head.

" I wish I can knit, " Salsa murmured to herself. Her mother had tried to teach her but everytime she pricked herself more than she knitted. After several trials her mother gave up.

" I can teach you, " Sally offered with a kind smile.

Salsa shook her head. She hadn't said what she said to put the girl on the spot. " I can't accept, " she told the girl softly.

Sally frowned.

" Why not? "

" I don't want to trouble you. "

Sally shook her head at the blonde.

" You will not be troubling me. I offered, remember. "

Salsa smiled and nodded her head in acceptance.

" Now that we have that out of the way do you mind telling me why you were crying? " Sally's voice was soft and compassionate, there was no judgement in her eyes.

Salsa looked down feeling sad and embarrassed, the sparkle in her eyes that appeared with Sally's kind gesture dimmed. She kept silent not knowing how to tell the other servant what was wrong.

Sally stayed calm beside the blonde waiting for the blonde to speak at her own time.

Some seconds passed before Salsa decided to speak.

" Do you think I am trouble for the Queen? " her words were spoken softly, but that didn't hide the pain in them. Salsa felt her heart tighten in her chest at the thought of the other servants agreeing with everyone.

Sally was mildly shocked. Where was this coming from.

" Did somebody say something to you? "

There was this protectiveness in Sally's voice when she asked the question. The blonde was like a younger sister to her and she wouldn't allow her to be bullied.

Salsa kept quiet. She didn't want to admit to Sally what Mei, and the other servants had said.

Her silence was enough answer for Sally. Her eyes darkened in anger.

" Who? " she growled.

Salsa shook her head, with her gaze downcast. She didn't know what Sally will do if she learns it was Mei. She might take her side.

" It doesn't matter, I just want to know what you think, " Salsa looked up at her.

Sally sighed sadly at the vulnerability and insecurity in the blonde's eyes.

" You are not. I believe the Queen likes you. "

Salsa shook her head again, this time a lot harder. " I wish she didn't, " she mumbled underneath her tone.

" Why? " Sally implored softly staring down at the blonde.

" Because... " Salsa trailed off unable to finish her words. Saying them was very difficult.

" Because what? " Sally frowned. She didn't see anything wrong in the way the Queen treats the servant. She was aware that her mistress cared for the blonde very much but there is nothing wrong in that. So what was bothering the blonde?

" Because it is wrong, " Salsa blurted out, pained to voice out those words. Her heart squeezed as if something was sitting on it. She didn't want to believe that what she feels for the Queen was wrong but in their kingdom it is and everyone will think so.

Sally's frown deepened. " Why will you think that? "

Salsa looked up sharply. Could there be someone that doesn't believe it to be wrong? she looked at the other servant with hope in her eyes only for it to be dashed to the ground when she realized the servant had no clue as to what she was talking about.

" Forget that I said anything, " she said in a dull tone, looking sad.

Sally wanted to push but decided against it.

" Is going to be alright, " she patted the blonde gently on the back, then withdrew her hand quickly when the blonde flinched. She had totally forgotten about her injury.

" Hey! are you still in pain? " she frowned.

Salsa nodded.

" Did you take your medicine? "

Salsa kept quiet.

" Did you? "Sally insisted.

Salsa remembered Mei's words and nodded her head but she wasn't convincing.

" Come with me, " Sally commanded flying to her feet.

Without asking any questions Salsa stood and followed her.

Together they went to the storage and Sally got out the herbs the palace doctor had given them for the blonde and took it back to the kitchen and boiled it for the servant.

After it was done she took it back to her. Salsa had been waiting outside.

" Here, " Sally gave her a bowl filled with the hot medicine. " Easy, it is still hot, " she told the blonde kindly when she wanted to drink it.

Salsa nodded and blew on the medicine before drinking it. She made a funny face at the bitterness that coated her tongue.

Sally laughed at how cute the blonde looked. The blonde's action made her think of her younger sister back home. She sighed missing her little sister. She came back to reality just in time to catch the blonde as she swayed.

" Are you alright? "

" Just dizzy. "

Sally frowned.

" Have you had anything to eat? "

Salsa shook her head.

" I will get you something. "

After her meal, Salsa was left alone while Salsa went to take care of some business. She decided to stroll around. When she came to a pond she stopped and decided to feed the ducks there.

She laughed at their antics before losing herself in thoughts.

She jumped when someone spoke behind and turned to see the Queen standing there looking so beautiful.