Chapter two: Where is she?

ZHANG HOUSEHOLD

A tall beautiful slender woman with long flowing jet black hair and the most amazing hazel eyes is seen making her way elegantly towards the east side of the household where her only child resides.

A lot of female servants followed behind her with their heads bent to the floor.

Today her daughter becomes the new queen of the kingdom and she was overflowing with excitement at the thought of how much their family status will rise. She will be known as the Queen's mother.

Her slender shoulders puffed up at this glorious thought and the prestige that is sure to follow once her daughter marries the King. No one will dare look down on her family.

A sly smile twisted her face at the thought of how far she has come. Looking at her expensive clothes, jewelry, and a lot of servants that she doesn't know what to do with no one will ever believe she was once a village bumpkin, not that anyone knows that about her, not even her husband of many decades.

She had run away from her house when her drunk bastard of a father tried to sell her to the slave market just for a few nickels of gold that he will squander in no time in bottles.

It had not been easy making her way, being a female and a young at that, but she had been lucky to have been picked up by a woman who was the wife of a merchant. They had no children of their own and had offered to adopt her which she had readily agreed.

She had met her husband when he came around her town on the King's business. She would have loved to say it was love at first sight but that would be a great lie. The man was reached, one of the King's ministers. He had what she wanted, money and power and she made sure she got it and soon she will have more power.

The woman's hazel eyes glowed with greed as her long legs lengthened a little faster trying to get to her daughter's room.

The servants in the hallway all stopped to courtesy when she passes.

At the door of her daughter's room, she pushes the door open with Force.

" Onyx are you rea.... " the words trailed off when she found the room devoid of her daughter and only her maidservants present the room.

Her sudden entrance startled the two young women so badly that the clothes and jewelry cases in their hands slipped and crashed to the floor.

Their eyes momentarily bulged out in great fear with a quick look in the woman's eyes before they flung it to the floor, their slender frame trembling badly.

" Madame! " they gasped, their voice quivering, knees shaking making their courtesy awkward.

The woman's eyes narrowed in great anger at the servants. " Where is she? " She barked, glaring at the servants.

The harshness of her voice made the two servants cower before her, their bodies trembling like leaves.

" We... don't... know, " they stuttered trying to protect their young mistress. The madame of the house hates for her daughter to go out riding especially unescorted which is what their young mistress had done.

The woman hissed like a snake, her ire building. She knew the servants were lying to her and she has a suspicion as to where her errant offspring might be. Since she wasn't here to bear the brunt of her anger, her servants will do nicely.

She stared down at the servants wondering how to punish them for letting their mistress leave their sight and that is when her eyes saw it.

A look of disbelief flashed through her eyes at the audacity. She couldn't believe they would dare.

" What are you wearing? " she hissed at the servant who dared to put her daughter's clothes.

" Me! " the servant in question blurted with wide eyes pointing at herself.

The woman didn't bother acknowledging her obvious question with an answer, but rather stared darkly in her direction.

The servant swallowed forcefully, as the feeling of foreboding gripped her soul.

Their mistress has always allowed them free reign over her clothes she no longer wears. Yesterday the king's men and servants had arrived with loads of boxes containing wedding gifts for their mistress and her parents and when the gifts arrived in her room their mistress had stared at them scornfully with no interest in ever touching nor wearing the dress. This morning they couldn't resist the temptation of the beautiful clothes and decided to try them on.

" Eh...Em..I... was... trying..... " the frightened servant stuttered trying to find a good excuse for her blunder this morning. She looked at her friend for help, but the other servant refused to look in her direction. A dejected feeling fell upon her.

Irritated by the servant's floundering attempt to lie to her, the woman blew a fuse.

" WILL YOU SHUT UP! " she yelled and reached over to slap the servant hard on the cheeks. " How dare you put on your mistress clothes on that filthy body of yours. " The woman looked back at her servants. " Take her to the courtyard to be lashed with twenty strokes of the cane, " she ordered with a hard look on her face.

" Ah! " the servant gasped in disbelief before she broke down in tears.

" Please, Madame!!! " she cried as the madame's two servants approached to take her. She began to struggle while begging for mercy but the hard look on the woman's face remained unshaken at the tearful pleadings of the female servants.

When taking the servants away became difficult for the two servants they looked towards their colleagues for help and two more came and joined them.

Finally, they were able to drag the screaming servant out of the door, her terrified wail could be heard all over the household.

" YOU! "

The other female servant jumped and then looked up at the madame fear glittering in her eyes.

" Find your mistress from whatever hole she crawled in and bring her back here to get ready for her wedding, " she barked at the servant.

The woman was aware of how much her daughter abhors her upcoming nuptials to the King but she will learn to love the King after all she was going to be the most powerful woman in the kingdom.

" Yes, Madame, " the servant jumped to her feet and was out the door before the woman could blink. A satisfied sly smirk curved her lips. Always good to keep the servants in their place she thought sadistically, with a haughty lift of her nose. She turned on her heels and walked out of her daughter's room with her brood of servants hot on her heels.

The terrified servant raced through the connecting hallways towards the outer courtyard mumbling to herself about where she was going to find her mistress. The young woman always goes for a ride in the wee hours of the morning with no clue where she goes.

So lost was she in her head that she wasn't mindful of her surroundings or where she was going until she crashed into someone causing her to stumble backward.

" Hey, " a smooth soft voice muttered as two long slender limbs reached out to stable her.

The servant widely dilated brown eyes flew up in alarm which immediately receded at the welcome sight of her mistress.

" Oh, my Lady, " the female servant crumbled to the ground and began to weep, all the terrifying emotions inside her came pouring out in rivers.

Twin amazing rich brown eyes narrowed in confusion as the tall young woman stared down at her sobbing servant. She didn't understand her tears.

" What is it, Sally? " She asked calmly reaching out a hand to her servant's shoulder in an awkward attempt to comfort her. Being affectionate has never been a strong suit of hers.

The servant could barely get herself under control, her mistress mother had scared the living daylight out of her. She used the back of her hand to wipe her tears before attempting an explanation.

" Mei... your mother... big courtyard... " the servant pointed behind her as her words came out in jerky sentences that made no sense to the tall brunette.

The young woman could hardly make tails nor heads of what her servant was saying but if her mother is involved then there is trouble. Her mother could be a bitch sometimes. No make that most times and always treat their servants poorly, especially her servants.

" Come, " she told her servant softly before walking towards the courtyard in question, her steps determined and hurried.

The servant's troubled mind calmed now that her mistress was here. She always protected them from her evil mother. She was only too happy to follow.

As they drew closer to the courtyard, the sound of a cane as it came down on flesh could be heard along with a painful scream of a woman.

The young woman steps lengthened as her blue eyes blazed with so much fury. She could recognize the painful cries of her servant. The servant behind her shook with fear as her friend's screams continued to reach them.

Finally, they made it to the courtyard and the sight that met the young woman caused her slender tall frame to stiffen with so much rage, and her fist to clench beside her.

" STOP! " she yelled with so much anger.

The hand of the female servant handling the whip froze mid-air at the yell from her young mistress. Everywhere grew silent and only the sniffing cries of the servant lying on her stomach across the flogging block could be heard.

The female servant and everyone in the courtyard turned to look at the madame of the house who was engaged in an eye battle with her daughter.

Her hazel eyes were blank and cold as she stared at her daughter, she could barely hide her disgust at what the young woman was wearing. She had on a man's riding attire. Though the clothes looked amazing on her tall trim figure, that is hardly the point. It is embarrassing to have the next Queen of the kingdom parading herself around like some bumpkin. She could only blame her husband for this. He had allowed their daughter so many privileges.

The young woman in turn refused to back down from her mother's challenging stare. She had learned at an early age how quickly her mother could sniff out weakness and exploit it. In dealing with her mother she has learned to stand her ground.

The female servant holding the whip looked at her mistress asking with her eyes whether to stop.

The older woman's eyes left her daughter to the servant and she nodded her head.

The young woman didn't spare a second before hurrying towards her servant, with Sally hot on her heels.

The sight of her young mistress brought peace and calmness to the hurting servant. Despite being in pain her tears dried up. She had prayed that her mistress will come and save her and she did.

Sally and her mistress helped Mei down from the block. As they were heading towards their building they heard the Madame's voice.

" Onyx I would like to speak to you. "