The 14th Concubine of a Harem King

The Queen's Authority

Sayra

I stumble into Lorora's house. Yalise is holding and rocking Javelle as she cries uncontrollably in her arms. A couple candles are lit in the sitting room. I hear Harlym weeping in another room by himself.
"I'll take Javelle," I say. "We need to get the swords."
Yalise passes the weeping child into my arms.
"Where's Rory?" She asks.
"Did she not come back yet?"
Yalise shook her head. "She must have gone to Porchelle's to see Malyke and Twila."
"Harlym is crying in my room, he wants to go see his mother but I told him to wait until everything calms down. Why is your house on fire?"
"To create a diversion. Ulishi will have to take control of the fire before it spreads," I lie. I did it to destroy planted evidence but Javelle doesn't need to know that. Yalise runs outside and returns in a few minutes with a pile of swords.
"Take one," she says. "And I'll take the best one. Then hide them under the couch so no one else can use them."
I nod. Put Javelle down on a soft chair and take the prettiest one. Yalise frowns and tosses me a plain one sheathed in leather with a black hilt. She picks up the biggest one and lifts it effortlessly with her giant arm. Tearing her dress skirt to her knees and her sleeves off her shoulders with the sword she looks like a shield maiden, prepared for battle. She puts her hair back and adopts a stern expression. Harlym appears in the room, snot running down his chin and his big eyes bloodshot.
"Where's my mom?"
I go to him immediately and take his little sticky hands. "It's alright, Harlym. Listen, we need to hide you for a little bit. Just until everything calms down."
"I wanna see my mom!"
"Sayra, hide him in the cellar," says Yalise. Shouting and gruff voices are faintly drawing nearer to us. Ulishi is wasting no time. The first thing she will do is eliminate Harlym, the only competition Malyke has. If Malyke is disqualified because his mother's crime's uncovered, she must get rid of any other option for the throne but her son. Her next target will be Twila. I hope Kyri gets there in time. I shudder. Swooping up Harlym and rush to the cellar.
"I'm coming!" Javelle announces, rubbing her eyes as she takes a shuddering breath.
"You aren't in any danger," I shake my head. "You don't need to hide."
She stomps her foot. "I'm not letting my brother hide away alone!" She picks up a sword off the ground, the pretty one, and puts her lip out. "I can protect Harlym too from whatever this is!"
The voices get closer. Yalise and I exchange glances. I sigh.
"Alright, hurry up!"
Javelle heaves the sword in her little arms, panting hard. Harlym sobs. "It will be okay, Harly, I'm here," she says. "I'll stay with you." My heart breaks inside. Ulishi, just wait, I'll kill you myself.
We reach the cellar and I spy a big flour barrel that's nearly empty.
"Heave!" I say and put the sobbing blubbering Harlym into the barrel. There's a half empty shelf beside it holding some preserves and meat. I point to it to Javelle and she curls up in the corner. I shove some other barrels against the wall to hide her feet, blow out the candle and rush back.
"It's.... okay, Harlym. I'm right here....sob...I'll protect you..."
"Open up in the name of the queen!"
I return to Yalise's side and pick up my sword, the others are gone. Yalise nods for me to go hide so I sneak behind the couch. With only one candle lit and in her hand, Yalise opens the door, her sword in her hand behind her back.
"May I help you?" She says. "My mistress is not here, I'm afraid."
"We are looking for prince Harlym. He needs to be with his mother at home. We were told you are keeping him here, from his mother," says a gruff voice.
"The prince already left to return home. Perhaps, he lost his way as that rascal has a habit to do. He might have slipped into the fish pond again," she says.
"We will search this house!"
He forces his way into the house, lanterns lighting up every corner of it. I stand to my feet before the light reaches the sitting room.
"The lady Sayra! What were we supposed to do about her?" There's about 7 of them looking at each other. "I thought she was already dealt with."
"No, we're supposed to take her into custody."
"I thought she died in the fire?"
"She's here isn't she?"
"Okay, we should take her."
"But the prince!"
"My house caught fire and I was trapped. I only narrowly escaped, why must I be taken into custody?" I say in a firm voice, my head erect as I've seen Ro do many times.
"You must come with us! You are the prime suspect in the murder of the king! He was recently found in his palace in a closet by a maid. We must find anyone who could be involved," the first soldier says. He has a low voice, looks about 40 and wears light armor with leather.
"Sayra is my lady's dear friend and came to her home. Therefore she is under the princess's protection. If you take issue with that, feel free to discuss it with her highness when she returns," says Yalise, stepping between them and me. My sword is in my hand, concealed behind the couch.
"I'm afraid we may have a problem," he turns to Yalise.
"I believe we do! You come in here, demanding things, suspecting people with no evidence and disregarding the princess's authority, we certainly do have a problem!" She is shorter than him, but her stocky build and deep tremored voice sends shivers down my spine.
"You three, go search for the prince! We will apprehend the first concubine!"
"Rule number 1!" I step out, with the sword in my hand. "No one harms Yalise! Lorora's maid!'
Yalise pulls hers out and unsheaths it. "And I will not stand for anyone insulting a guest and friend of the princess's!" She says and with one swing disarms one of them. I run to the man who's tripped and on the floor and smack his head with the hilt of my sword.
"You stay behind me!" She snaps at me.
"You are undermining the queen's authority!" The captain spits.
"You are undermining her highness' authority!" She pulls out a knife from her waist and stabs a guard in the shoulder before he could react, then kicks him in the stomach so he falls against the wall.
"Leave this house immediately or soon you will face the wrath of Ayralia! How dare you offend the princess!"
Two come at her at once on either side. She tosses her knife at the throat of the one and then leans into the other man with all her might.
"Yalise!" I cry. The captain snuck behind her to stab her in the back. I jump in and kick his knee from behind. His blade grazes her side, cutting it, but not fatally.
"Ugh!" She roars, turns around and knocks him hard with her own skull on the head. He crumples to the floor like a leaf.
My jaw drops a little. I knew she was scary but I had no idea she was this scary.
"What is the meaning of this!"
I freeze. It's Ulishi. Over ten fully armed soldiers line up, into the house, the last man in the first cohort falls into his line.
"Sayra! Get out of here! I'll give you time!" Hollars Yalise.
"Go, find the prince!" Says Ulishi to one of the guards. I pick up a fallen knife off the ground and throw it at the man who tried to slip past Yalise. It hits his leg and he falls. I'm still a damn good shot.
"You thought you could get away from me! You crazy wench!" Says Ulishi. "Kill her!" I stab the man I felled with my sword in the back and turn to the next ones but none of them came. Yalise, in a blur of speed slashed, kicked, stabbed, and threw them! Hollering as she went. I'm not sure if she is yelling from pain or rage.
"No one hurts my little girls' woman!" She screams.
More soldiers arrive to Ulishi's side and suddenly a warm, familiar presence appears by mine.
"Ro!" I cry out.
"I went to Porchelle's to talk to her but then your house caught fire so I rushed here hoping you were here. What is happening?" She says, her eyes wide.
"The king is dead," I say softly. Every piece comes together and she nods.
"Stay back Rory!" Roars Yalise. I take a good long look at her and realize she is bleeding, horribly, from her arms, legs, sides. Ro's eyes harden as she assesses the situation.
"Get out! All of you! How dare you hurt my maid and my friend!" She commands shrilly.
"Enough!" Says Ulishi, raising her hand. "My dear, this is not affront to you. His majesty my esteemed husband was murdered tonight and Sayra is one of the suspects. We intended to apprehend her peacefully but your maid interfered," Yalise steps back and stumbles. Ro catches her mid fall.
She raises her head. "You dare come into my house and demand things from my people! I don't care who dies! If I ever see such a sight again Ardan will be razed to the ground on my command!"
Ulishi steps back for a moment.
"Mother..." my heart stops.
Javelle is here.
"Mother what are you doing?"
Ulishi's face twists up before she forces a smile.
"My dear, everything will be alright, where is Harlym, we can all leave this place together, okay?" She says.
Javelle stares at the dead bodies, Sayra covered in wounds and gasping for a breath. Her eyes harden.
"Nobody touches my little brother! Nobody sees my little brother!" She screams.
"Nobody will hurt Harlym my dear, we just need to get Sayra to answer for her crimes and Harlym away from her safely," says Ulishi through her teeth.
"You hate Harlym! I'm not stupid," she snaps, her big eyes trembling. My heart pounds. Javelle picks up a fallen sword from a dead body tossed behind the couch. With both her little hands and arms she raises it up towards them.
Ulishi grinds her teeth.
"You foolish, stupid little girl! I'm doing all this for your own good! Harlym is only a barrier to your brother! You're threatening Malyke's future and happiness for that dirty slut's son!?"
"He's my brother!" She screams.
"Malyke is far more your brother than that crybaby! Your actions today show you have no regard for true authority or family! Lock her up in the dark like she hates and see how defiant she is in a few days."
I step in front of Javelle, there's no way a child is going to be tougher than I am. Yalise stands to her feet heaving and huffing, Ro tightens her grip around her sword and sets her jaw. I've never seen her so angry in my life.
"I will destroy you," she says in a low voice.
"Get them," Ulishi hisses.