30: XHANAI POISON

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...30...

XHANAI POISON⚠️

They stared intensely at each other for such a long time until Hera-Mera was forced to look away from his fiery gaze that seemed as if they were burning her soul, all of it. He turned away from her, frustrated and angry to his boiling point. His brother's woman had been confined to a dungeon, overnight! He was in big trouble with him. He would not let him go scot-free, whether it had been his fault or not. He turned to look at the culprit. He was fast losing it by seeing the culprit's face, at the very verge of blowing out of proportion. He spoke then.

'Lift your head!' he snapped at her. She quickly complied at the sound of his angry voice.

'What made you throw her into the dungeons?' he asked her.

'She defied me,' was her straight forward answer.

'Defied you as in? Oh I forgot, you are affianced to the Emperor!' he denoted with sufficient sarcasm.

'My Munificent Royalty,' she began at his outburst. But, he crudely interrupted her.

'Where is the head of house and the butler?' he asked.

'They are somewhere around,' she murmured. He turned to one of the maids on standby.

'Go and get the mentioned persons for me and do so very quickly lest I have your head for it!' he bellowed. The maid scurried away to do so without a bow. She returned almost instantly with the requested people, making him realize that they must have been close by, watching it all unfold.

'Here they are My Munificent Royalty!' the maid said to him in a very shaky voice.

'My Munificent Royalty,' both of the newcomers -a male and a female said to him in greetings. It wasn't Peter, which meant that the Emperor had taken his butler and left the man present to take over his place for a while. He knew the man. He was undoubtedly Peter's assistant.

'Collins?' he said to him. The lanky man stepped forward, closer to him before he spoke.

'Yes My Munificent Royalty,' he answered him.

'Mainkeina?' he asked again. The woman who had come in with him raised her eyes to his face for only but a brief moment before she returned it to the ground again.

'Yes My Munificent Royalty,' she answered in a timid voice that gave away her fear.

'Who was left in charge of the Royal manor?' he asked both of them with stern eyes.

'It was I My Munificent Royalty,' Collins said after a moment of hesitation. 'The emperor left me in charge of the Manor.'

'You or Princess Hera-Mera?' he asked him with raised brows. Collins hesitated once again. 'Please quickly clarify this Collins.'

'It was I,' he murmured in a panicky voice. He just knew that he was definitely in trouble.

'I asked you a question in a loud voice, why do you reply in such a tiny voice?! Answer me like a man Collins!!' he snapped.

'It was I My Munificent Royalty,' he said in a louder voice.

'What then was the Princess doing in this place when I arrived? Why was she here receiving guests on the emperor's behalf? Why on earth are you letting her, such an unclot lowlife lord over you all?! Why Collins? Why?! Quickly tell me why?! Now!!' Hera-Mera heard the insult, cringing internally at it but being totally unable to do a thing about it.

'She asked us to let her do so,' he stammered. 'No! No! She forced us to let her do so,' he quickly added in clarification.

'And you just did as she requested? You could not refuse her?' he asked him with raised brows. Collins swallowed slightly. 'Collins, you could not refuse a woman?'

'No, no My Munificent Royalty, I just couldn't do such,' he said glancing at Hera-Mera for a moment.

'You could not refuse an ordinary woman. And why is that so?' The Prince inquired from him. He shook visibly with his anger.

'My Munificent Royalty, she is not an ordinary woman. She, My Munificent Royalty, is our Empress to be. How on earth could I refuse her? I could not deny her such My Munificent Royalty.'

'Incompetent!' he snarled. 'The emperor left his manor in your hands and you let a woman run it just as she deem fit?!'

'No My Munificent Royalty. She forced my hands. She kept wedging her title of empress to be against us. Who am I My Munificent Royalty that I should challenge her?' he asked.

'Are you asking me that? Have you no stand as a man?!' he barked at him. 'Do you even realize that this is the Royal Manor? The Lion's den?' He asked him. Collins nodded. 'Since you are well aware, then you shall suffer! You shall suffer for all your blatant mistakes!' he assured him. 'I shall make sure that My brother hangs you in the gallows when he returns! I would have done so myself, but I want to give him the joy of punishing you himself!'

'No! No! No My Munificent Royalty! please do not do so!' he pleaded falling to his knees. The Little Prince Prince paid no attention to him anymore, turning to Mainkeina.

'And you,' he began staring at the already petrified woman. 'Have you no say at all in this matter? Did you not try to stop Collins when all this was happening? Are you not the woman in charge? Yet they say women are the neck! Neck my feet! You were here when she,' he pointed to Princess Hera-Mera, 'stripped the emperor's woman, had her hit with a poisoned whip and sent her to the dungeons and you did absolutely nothing about it?!'

'My Munificent Royalty it is... It's just that... It's...'

'Oh just keep shut! Shut up!!' he yelled at her. 'Where are her aides?! Where are the Lady's aides? Where is Xiera especially?' he inquired.

'She is in the dungeons with her mistress,' Princess Hera-Mera answered when everyone seemed to be hesitating.

'You put Xiera in the dungeons? You do realize that she is in charge of the army in the Emperor's absence?' he asked her. 'You know right? Or don't you do so?' he continued.

'She defied me alongside her mistress. She was the only one who didn't yield to me. Therefore, she actually started this first,' she said to him.

The maid that Princess Hera-Mera had sent out before only returned then with just Xiera accompanying her. 'My Munificent Royalty, she is here,' she said after curtseying to the Little Prince.

'My Lord,' Xiera addressed the Little Prince, falling to her knees. She looked so relieved to see him that tears began to form in her eyes but they didn't fall.

'Xiera,' he acknowledged her greeting to him. She smiled at him. 'Where is Your mistress? Where is your counterpart?' he asked her. 'Hope you haven't suffered much at the hands of this wench?' he demanded. Hera-Mera snapped her head up to look at him at the curse. Her eyes reflected her bridled anger.

'No My Lord. I fear that it is not I who have suffered at the hands of this wench,' she said using the Little Prince's words. Hera-Mera turned her angry eyes on her.

'How dare you?!' she said to her, looking as if she would charge at the warrior any moment. But, the warrior ignored her totally, going on with just what she had been saying.

(If this was a Nigerian based book, I would have added "Iffa hear pim from you ehn, I fit crack that your skull" as part of the dialogue. How hilarious it would have been. TRANSLATION: If I hear a word from you, I will break your skull. If I succeeded in making you laugh in-between, please tap that star below to vote, the leave a titillating comment and please share my book, will you?)

'It is My Lady who has suffered My Lord.' The Little Prince's eyes narrowed in concern.

'Where is she? What exactly happened Xiera?' he demanded from her. The warrior sighed.

'This wench sent her to the dungeons,' she said.

'Well, I know that. What made her do so? She said that your Lady defied her? What happened?'

'She whipped My Lady with a poisoned two mouth whip all because she saved a maid from her wrath. She asked My Lady to take her place. She demeaned her!' Xiera spat fiercely staring at Hera-Mera.

'She did what?! I thought it wasn't true! I thought she wouldn't dare and maybe it was just aggravated rumours! So it was true?!' he bellowed in fury.

'Yes My Lord.' The tension in the living room thickened at that moment, causing even the ever composed Princess Hera-Mera to be shaken by it. The Little Prince stood, assimilating just what Xiera had just told him. They all stared at him in fear. His actions suggested that the situation was very delicate. This made Hera-Mera's heart to nearly leave her body at the realization.

'So it is true,' he said going to Hera-Mera. 'You whipped the emperor's woman, on account of nothing Hera-Mera?' he asked her in a very soft voice. She swallowed.

'My Munificent-'

'Oh shut up lest I call forward those maidens.' He turned to Xiera. 'Let her remain so until I determine her punishment Octavia,' he ordered his aide who nodded.

'Yes My Lord.'

'Punishment?!' Hera-Mera asked in shock. She was genuinely surprised at the utterance.

'Silence!' he ordered her. She kept mute. 'Not a word from you. Xiera, take me to your Lady,' he said turning back to her.

'This way My Lord,' she told her, leading her to her Lady. The Little Prince followed behind her.

'My Lord!!' Vura exclaimed at the sight of the Little Prince, scrambling to the bars of the cell. The Little Prince's eyes fell on their Lady who was lying on the floor. Her blue dress was bloodied. She lay unmoving, motionless, appearing dead. 'Thank the most high that you came!'

'What happened to her? Why does she look lifeless?' he demanded.

'She is unconscious My Lord. She slipped into unconsciousness sometime this morning. Before she was going in and out. Her fever is too high,' Vura explained to him.

'Open this stupid cell now!' he screamed at the prison guards trembling behind him. They rushed forward to do as he had instructed with shaky arms. Once it was open, Xiera rushed in to her Lady. She and Vura fawned over her.

'How is she? Is she still breathing fine?' Xiera asked.

'Why wasn't she treated?' The Little Prince asked, staring in astonishment at the unfavourable conditions his brother's woman was subjected to in that sick condition. God help Hera-Mera that he didn't kill her before his brother was back. If he did, it would be quite better for her because his brother would do worse.

'The wench denied her food and even medication. She is starving and struggling with this poison!' Xiera spat out in anger.

'My Lady didn't help matters too,' Vura added. 'She in turn did not want to be treated, and she didn't want to tell us the reason for that.'

'Let me take a look at her,' he said coming forward and crouching gracefully afore her. Xiera moved aside for him to do so. He lifted his hands and touched her forehead. He withdrew his fingers almost instantly. 'Sweet Lord! She is scalding hot!' he turned to Xiera instantly. 'Quickly! Get the Royal Physician! Go! Now!' he ordered her.

'Yes My Lord.' She bowed and left swiftly at his words.

'Adjust her dress quickly,' he told Vura. She nodded and did as she was told. 'Let's go.' Then, the Little Prince scooped her into his arms and began to take her away. Vura followed behind him, out of the dungeons and to the Emperor's quarters.

When they arrived, the Royal Physician was yet to arrive. He placed the lady gently on the huge round bed and turned to Vura. Vura understood his actions and quickly covered her lady up with the covers. Hyeera came in as she was doing so.

'My Lady,' she said rushing over to the still form on the bed. 'My Lady! Is she alright?' she asked Vura.

'She is,' Vura said. 'She has a very high fever. I think the Princess spiked the whip with poison.'

'Poison?!' she yelled. 'Oh yes! We have to treat her this instant. We have to get the Royal Physician.' The healer was beginning to panic.

'Calm down Hyeera,' Vura said. 'It's not a chronic poison. I think it is Xhanai poison.'

'Oh, Xhanai, Xhanai poison,' she mumbled staring at Vura who only nodded at her.

'The royal physician can take care of that. She just needs medicine. It's the whip lines on her back that I am apprehensive about.'

'The Royal Physician is here,' The Little Prince announced. They both turned in the direction of the bedroom door. Indeed, the Royal Physician had arrived there, with his assistant.

'My Lord,' the Royal Physician greeted the Little Prince who acknowledged him with a nod.

'Where is the Lady?' the Physician assistant asked.

'Here she is,' Hyeera said urging them towards her with a hand gesture. They both came to her.

'She was whipped with a poisoned whip. I think it is Xhanai poison,' Vura quickly explained. 'She is like this because she had had no medication for more than a day and her fever is burning like hell.'

'Thank you for the quick diagnosis,' the Royal Physician said touching her forehead and checking her pulse. 'She will be fine after a few things,' he assured all of them.

'Will she?' the Little Prince asked. He had come to the side of the bed. The Royal Physician looked at him and nodded.

'Yes she definitely will My Lord. But, I am afraid that her owner will go mad if he sees her in this state.'

'True,' he agreed. 'Thanks be that he is not here. He is away but I shall still have to tell him to return lest he chews me more for keeping it away from him. She shall be in a better condition before he returns right?' he asked for clarity.

'Yes she shall.' The Little Prince nodded at his reply.

Then, turning to Xiera who had arrived with the Royal Physician, he said, 'Bring me stationary.'

'There are some at My Lord's table My Lord,' she pointed towards the emperor's writing table.

'Ah, that will do.' He went there and took pen and paper. He wrote a message on the paper. Then, he handed it to her. 'Go, give this to my aide, Octavia. Tell her to send it to the emperor instantly.'

'Yes My Lord. I shall do that,' she said receiving the folded piece of paper with a small bow. She turned and left with the message.

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...OmaPhinaPhire🔥

GLOSSARY

* Xhanai poison: It is a mild poison in the Linamine Empire which causes symptoms like that of mild cold along with a severe headache if one is conscious. It causes slow scabbing of open wounds, skin irritation and itching, pain etc. If it is left untreated, it can eventually lead to unconsciousness, severe damage to the respiratory system or even death. (This is fictional. I didn't have the time to search for an actual poison that is similar. If you know one, you can tell me and I will do my research.)