SAYA

CHAPTER 13

Nabir nods and leaves. Saya takes out one of the books she took from home and reads. It's about war. For some reason that's what intrigues her, even though the sight of blood isn't the prettiest. Saya doesn't know how long she reads but when the door barges open, she quickly slips the book under her pillow. Saya turns around and sees Oma; not again.

"Saya," she says glaring at her

"What do you want Oma?"

"I just came to get this straight. I am accompanying the king tomorrow"

"I know that"

"That means you don't come out of your chambers"
"What? No, my family is coming tomorrow"

Oma laughs and hisses. "That's not my problem Saya. When a woman accompanies the king, the other stays indoors, that's how it's always been done"

Saya's heart clenches when she says this. So she'll not meet her parents after all? "Have a good night Saya"

Wait...it's night already? Saya looks out the window and sees it's getting dark. She turns back only to see the door closing. These hormones are too much for her, she's crying again because she won't get to see her family, and she's tired from just doing...nothing. It's probably the stress of hiding her pregnancy from the king who always gets his way.

It seems like hours go by because Saya is yet to see Nabir or the king. She waits a few more minutes after changing into her yellow satin nightgown before she decides to look for them. She has a feeling something is wrong. She leaves her room and goes up to the king's chambers. "Is he in?" she asks the guards there but they shake their heads.

"Do you know where he went?" they shake their heads again. She sighs and goes to the kitchen to see if there are any maids she could ask. She gets there to find it empty. Her heart starts beating faster, she can't find the king or Nabir. Saya quickly heads over to the maids rooms to ask around. When she gets there, the maids quickly bow greeting her. "Have you seen Nabir?" the princess asks.

"My Lady, a guard had come to get her a few hours ago"

Hours? This isn't right. She quickly runs to the throne room but sees it is empty. Where could they be? The dungeons?! She goes down to the dungeons, a path she'll never forget. She gets to the doors but sees the guards blocking the entrance. "Is the king in there?" she asks

"No, My Lady." Where could he be? She turns around and heads back to the maids' rooms, all of them greeting her again. She faces a random maid and asks "If a maid has done something wrong or is taken for questioning, where would she be?"

"My Lady, she'll be in the dungeons." So the guards were lying? She turns around and heads to the kitchen and grabs a knife heading back to the dungeons, the journey back and forth tiring her out. She hides it behind her and walks up to the guards. "Open the doors, I want to go in"

"My Lady you're not allowed in here. The king is not in h-"

A scream cuts him off. Nabir? Saya takes out the knife bringing it close to her neck. "If you don't open the doors I will slice my throat open." She must be bluffing, they think to themselves. Saya presses the knife to her throat causing it to make a little cut, blood coming out.

The guards panic and step aside opening the door. They had heard about how the king almost punished the commander for just being in the same space with her, what would happen to them if they let her go through with this? Saya walks in quickly, looking through the square holes of each door to see which one houses Nabir.

"My Lord please! I cannot say" she hears further down. She immediately drops the knife in panic and heads towards the door she swore she heard it from. She gets further down and sees two guards standing by a door. 

"Move," she says, glaring at them but they do not budge.

 "I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY!" she yells for the very first time in the palace. 

The door opens to reveal another guard and the king by the window staring at Saya in shock. What was she doing here and how did she find out? Saya, all hot and sweaty marches inside and sees Nabir tied to a chair, blood on her face, her cheek swollen. Saya is mortified. "My Lady what are you doing here?" she asks worriedly.

"My Lord what are you doing?" she asks fear in her tone. The king comports himself and glares at her "I'm here for answers."

"WHY WOULD YOU GO THIS FAR WHY?!" Saya yells, shaking. "My Lady please-"

"No Nabir, leave me be," she says.

The king, frustrated at Saya for yelling at him, looks to the guards and says "If Saya or the maid doesn't say what they're hiding in the next 5 seconds, kill the maid," he says, venom lacing his tone.

"You wouldn't dare," Saya says, her breathing getting harder and faster.

"One," the king counts.

"I won't say a word," Nabir says, her eyes closing, awaiting the sword.

"Two," he continues glaring at Saya who is testing his fury.

"Please don't do this, My Lord please," she begs holding onto his legs.

"Three"

"I'm begging you please!" her tears flowing like a stream soaking her neck and nightgown.

"Four"

"PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU DON'T MAKE ME SAY THIS," she pleads again, standing to her feet, feeling her body wearing out.

"Five," the guard raises his sword, but Saya yells

"I'M PREGNANT!"

"My Lady no!" Nabir yells. The guard drops his sword in shock, the king standing up quickly, his pupils dilated. "Saya," the king calls, stepping forward.

"No, don't touch me," she says stepping back. She feels her body burning up, her breathing not under her control, her head spinning. Before she knows it, her body gives up. She falls to the floor, Xerxes a second late to catch her. She's trying to stay awake, but all she hears are muffled shouts of people yelling her name as darkness overtakes her. 

*AUTHOR'S NOTE*

Thank you so much to everyone reading, liking, following, and voting. I am beyond grateful for all of you. See you tomorrow for the next update! :)