THE QUEEN'S SERVANT

9

Rocky arrived in the dining room where her breakfast was already waiting for her. Birni and Adama worked harder than they ever did: the table was filled with meat, fried eggs, fruit salads, and bread. It was more than the queen could eat but she was feeling especially hungry and seeing that much food made her stomach rumble. 

She sat and immediately started enjoying her first meal of the day. The different flavors melted in her mouth and made her groan in ecstasy. Her wide eyes looked toward the two female servants standing in front of her.

"Is today special?" She wondered. "Why am I getting such a treat in the morning?"

Adama replied.

"We just wanted to make you happy, your majesty. After all, you deserve all the best meals in the world."

Rocky smiled at that. On the other hand, Raja was fulminating. He was standing behind the queen but his attention was fully captured by the two other servants he considered to be his rivals. He was the only one allowed to make the queen happy, who did they think they were? They sure didn't adore her as much as he did. Heck, they didn't even deserve to be in the same room as her.

With a stiff smile on his face, he filled Rocky's cup with fresh pomegranate juice. His mind pondered on what it would take for him to be the only servant for the queen.

As if she could read his thoughts, Birni glared at Raja. She shivered as she remembered the way he slammed her back against the kitchen wall a while earlier. She could see something was awfully wrong with that boy. She felt uncomfortable every time he was around. 

"Are you still willing to go for a walk in the city, my queen?" Raja asked.

"Yes of course. We can leave right after breakfast. Did you guys eat, by the way ?"

Raja made a move to reply but Birni beat him to it.

"We ate, your majesty. Thank you for asking. But, were you planning to go to the city? I don't think that is very safe at the moment.'

"Why wouldn't it be safe ?" The queen wondered.

Birni ignored Raja. She entirely avoided looking towards him because she could already feel the burning gaze he had over her. That wouldn't stop her from speaking, though.

"There are rumors, your majesty. We don't have much information as of yet but it seems like a body was found not too far away from the palace, this morning."

"A body? As in a dead body?"

"Exactly. I guess we will know more about that in a few hours. For now, I believe it will be safer to stay within the palace."

"Those rumors don't make any sense, Birni," Raja spoke louder than intended, his fists clenching behind his back. "Plus, what can happen to the queen in broad daylight? She will be accompanied by me and a few guards. What in the world would you expect to happen to her?"

His anger was clearly reflected through the way he stood, eyes sending daggers and a vein beating at his neck. Yet, he managed to soften when Rocky turned to look at him.

"Hmm. It's ok, Raja. We can go for our walk another time. We can never be too cautious now, can we? Plus, I have to get ready for dinner tonight. I am inviting a few official ladies and I should give that my full attention. Let's go for a walk another time, alright?"

"Alright." He replied.

Birni hid her smirk behind her hand. It felt oddly satisfying to trigger Raja like that. He was beyond pissed and she was glad it was because of her. Adama tugged at her arm and whispered in her ear: