What She Did

Chapter Eleven

Sheila paused for awhile, still staring down at the book.  She raised her head to look up at whoever was there with a calm, collected face.

She need not be afraid. She was almost there. After all, with a mask on, no one but Lukas would fail to suspect her.

The King and Queen were there. Apparently they were seeing red. 

"The colour of my gown, you mean?" Sheila smiled.

She stood up, pushing the chair back carefully so as not to create any noise. She put down the book and her quill, sliding the mask off with a steady hand.

"Greetings, Aunt and Uncle." She bowed, a smile skirting her lips. Straightening herself, she gave them a disconcerting look. 

"You.. you didn't di-"

"There is no reason to state the obvious, King Chryso." Shae cut his words off, emphasizing the last two words she just said in mock politeness.

"Before you accuse me of anything," Shae tried to wipe a growing snide expression off her face. "Hold the public marriage, or your son may be.. hurt."

*

She need not wear the mask anymore. She was hidden under the veil. She took a side glance at Lukas, his face seemingly innocent and worry free. He had been acting like a child all the time since she arrived. Marveling at his change from two years ago, she gave up trying to focus through the veil.

There was a blurry movement. Then Lukas took her hand and led her into the balcony, where the light was blinding.

She could hear the stupendous crowd cheering. The noise was almost to the point of being deafening.

Her hands were fumbling for her veil. Apparently she had the crowd's attention and their volume decreased rapidly. 

She got hold of the material and literally tore it off.

The crowd went all clammed up with bewilderment. 

"Isn't that the concubine Shae?" She heard someone screech. 

Scrutinizing her surroundings, she saw all royalty of the three kingdoms seated in another balcony opposite them. She saw King and Queen Xeno's faces baffled, nearly all the Chrysos' petrified, and the Vince keeping on straight faces.

"There is no Concubine Shae in the Chryso kingdom." It took all her breath to shout.

She took glance at Lukas, who was staring at her as if he had been petrified too.

"There is a Concubine Coleka, which is sitting there-" She wildly gestured. 

"We look alike don't we?" Shae yelled. "The fact is that we're twins."

She took a deep breath.

"But we're not." 

Shae gasped for breath while giving the crowd some time to comprehend.

"Now look at King Xeno and Chryso." Shae gestured again. 

She swallowed the pooling substance in her mouth.

"All knows that they are twins," She announced in a volume considerably softer than the previous. 

Shae allowed herself a glance at Coleka.

She had her hand over her mouth, tears spilling out of her eyes and cascading down her cheeks. Her eyes met hers. Then she looked down.

"Coleka and Shae are half sisters!" she screamed.