My RÕSË

Chapter one

The flower was a name he called me since birth, he almost named me flower.

"I love you too, father" I smile at his chest as he lets go of the hug gently.

"Be careful today okay?" he smiles.

"I will"I promise as I open our small wooden door, climbing the little steps to go up. The street is busy as usual, with children crying, laughing, and playing as people walk past the roadside markets. I couldn't help but just smile.

"Hey Irene"Nimeh, my childhood friend yells from her market stand.

"Nimeh, hey"I walk towards her.

"You're smiling, seems like the gods are on your side today" she chortled handing a customer a bag.

"They are Nimeh, off to the temple first though"I announce.

"May the gods be with you,"  she says as I simply smiled and we shared our goodbyes.

The excitement alone filled me more than a thirsty horse on a journey around the 7 kingdoms. To arrive at the palace for the first time in my life,  my father was thrilled to hear the news at first, I'm doing this because of him. I just love him too much.

I open the 7-foot door of the City temple I strode inside immediately using the scarf I used to shield my armless long dress to cover my exposed vulcanite Black hair.

I reach the Oracle as I place my hands above the fire and pray in our ancient tongue.

"Bless you my child" My prayer is cut off by Darius,  the Temple's priest and a highly respected healer.

"Darius" I smile.

"Orla told me the good news, congratulation, he said with his eyes flickering at me constantly. Darius has always had this eye defect for as long as I can remember, he's an old man but I know that even though his defect, he sees it all.

"Thank you, Darius"I courtesy, no need to be cheeky.

"Soon Irene, you would see that the gods have made you chosen," he says in the faintest voice I ever heard. He always says this to me but I have never understood a word, I have no memory of when I first met Darius but all I know is in every beautiful memory I have, Darius was there.

I simply chuckle and place a kiss on his forehead.

"I'll go now"I announce.

"The gods will be with you, dear".

He concludes as I walk out of the temple with much more excitement than before.

I arrive at the palace gates and it was packed. Guess my father was right about leaving early. To be truthful, the gates to the palace are as huge as anything, it is dazzled with marble and it is decorated with magically ornate garments. I can smell lilies and roses,  maybe from the compound. It's usually a thing every day the community gathers themselves in time for the gate to be opened, wondering why?, there is a whole market in the compound but I've never been inside it, and I have never even been to the gates.

The Bell rings and the gates are opening slowly as men,  women, knights with their horses, and even kids rush in with effect. On getting in......

Woah!

The compound is more than I imagined,  the shops were placed at the end of the two sides, along with two fountains which gave a vast superb flow on all their sides and the floor was splendid, decorated with shiny marbles too. Guards and maids seemed so busy because everyone is moving with decorations here and there, guess there's a celebration. The gods, I am so unaware.
I inhaled the scent of lilies and roses again but couldn't see any garden. Ignoring it, I take the walk from where I stood to the palace main door. I climb the few steps in my way and meet the door open, probably it was always  closed. The inside was better than the outside in every outstanding way. There were decorations everywhere and it's just the entrance.

I walk through the halls by my right and my eyes caught the 7-foot windows, the palace so far is amazing. It seems there's going to be a party,  not sure but everywhere is bedazzled than usual, I guess.

"Irene"  a voice creeps behind me as I turn to see who it was. My eyes caught with a middle-aged woman giving me that smile.

"Orla!"I chortled and pulled her into a warm hug, she chuckles and strokes my hair gently, and I inhaled her middle-aged yet beautiful smell.

"You could have waited a while before resuming"  she pulls out of the hug.

"And miss such excitement, forget it"I squealed.

"She smiles"Alright then, come I'll show you the rest "she whispers as we strode through the halls together,  we walked by different doors and Halls,  my head was spinning, this palace is huge.

We finally arrive at the palace kitchen and THE GODS, it was bigger than I thought. It was built in a Palladian style which was what is used to refer to the very ancient buildings in the far side of Egypt. Water is naturally very important as I sighted a well as the well being dug in the kitchen grounds and...

My wild amazement was cut off by Orla.

"Meet, Hattie, Rory, Lily, and Isla" she gestured to a blonde girl wearing a knee-length armless dress with an apron on it and a hat on her head,  I guess that was Hattie,  the others simply nodded at me and immediately returned to their work, couldn't picture them well.

"Hi, I'm Irene" I finally introduce

"Welcome to the palace, Hattie" she reached for a shake and I replied taking her hands in mine but I was cut off by a sting in my palm.

"I'm so sorry,  I just finished with the boiling water"  she dusted her hands on her dress pouting, feeling sorry.

I simply smiles and she gave me a broader one. Her round face went aglow, she was a remarkable beauty.

"I have to go now,  soon you'll be meeting with the queen, meanwhile Hattie make her feel welcome" Orla coughed, rubbing my shoulders as I smiled and watched her stride out of the kitchen with her hands crossing behind her back. I marveled at why I would have to meet the Queen.

Hattie without wasting time, grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the kitchen, we strode down so many halls,  and she showed me the throne room, event room, quiet room, library, strategy room, guest rooms, and some other rooms I can't remember. The Palace was huge and I could not help smiling all through. She also told me a little about her,  she said she worked in the city of king Cedric" the cruel one" or so he was called, she said she had to work there because of her mother's grave illness but after she got better they both moved to Diera, and Orla did her magic and got her a job in the palace here for 5 years. We finally stop a the six-foot window,    we watched how guards and maids with footmen moved like light, all these in silence.....

"What about the prince and King?"I break the silence as she looks at me with a brow up ....puzzled I guess. I wondered if they were still here because I barely know of any updates from them. Only the Prince's mother died mysteriously and the king took another as his wife. I also heard the Queen was a very cold woman.

"You haven't heard, the prince went to get his betrothed lady Natasha from the kingdom of Arran, he will be back tomorrow and the king went hunting," she said with annoyance written all over her face, guess there was something about the prince or king she didn't like, I wanted to ask why but I threw the thought away, not wanting to pry into another person's business, especially someone who I didn't know. Wow so much, you need to get out more Irene!!

"Ohhh.. okay, so what I'm I going to do here, like my post," I ask almost immediately. Hattie looked at me surprised and I widened my eyes in amusement.

"The Queen decides that you will be told" she replies and I finally get why Orla said what she said.

"Come on I want to show you my favorite place" she chortled as she pulled my arm and we moved ...... again

Hey ❣️❣️ please comment on how this part is and I promise to check everything else in the next, thanks so much 🥰🥰

Oh and vote🤍🤍

#Craving sleep 😂😂😂