Kitanna
Chapter 26: THE TEARS IN HER EYES

Chapter 26: THE TEARS IN HER EYES

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: ORDINARY DAYS~ SUZY]

Axilla held the queen tightly as her whole body shook with tears. It was obvious that a surge of emotions she had tried to keep locked away was now pouring out.

Axilla was also feeling scared with all the subtle threats the queen dowager had passed with her words and eyes, but if anyone had taken the biggest blow, it was Queen Larel. She was allowed to cry as much as she wanted because the palace must have been suffocating for her. Axilla thought to herself.

Larel tried to stop the tears from falling, but the more she did, the more the tears flooded her eyes. She felt her heart race vigorously as she struggled to breathe in between the tears.

Larel thought of how happy she was at home before she became betrothed to the crown prince, now King. All her life, her parents never allowed her to witness the harshness of the world outside. She was allowed to do everything she enjoyed, but with safety precautions, and everyone in their mansion loved her very much.

Larel remembered when she used to be a cheerful being, full of life and energy. Everyone wanted a little of her sunshine. But now she was humiliated to the point that her intimate life with her husband was being screamed about for anyone who cared to listen, and she could do nothing but beg and beg. Each day was a new day for Larel to discard her pride. She cried until she started snorting.

The young queen felt her heart tighten as she could not breathe properly anymore.

"My Queen, you need to stop crying," Axilla tried to comfort her, while trying to hold back her own tears.

"S-she said I am only good at spreading...my legs." Larel’s voice broke as she tried to speak up. The queen dowager had no idea how she lived her life before now, so why would she conclude that all she was good for was spreading her legs?

In her town, Larel remembered when she was made a governess because she was a faster learner than her own brothers. She was not just an elite woman; she was an elite woman with the privilege to learn what women were not allowed to learn. And Khelan was even her first man to bed her, the man she actually fell in love with before coming to the palace, who was her brother’s personal guard and friend, was just an innocent love. They did not take it too far. And here she was in the palace, the queen dowager was degrading her to the lowest point. The whole thought brought more tears to her eyes.

"It’s ok, Queen Larel. I know you are a good person. It’s ok," Axilla continued to comfort her, patting her gently on her back.

After some time, Larel stood up and went back to sit down. She picked up the tea and started drinking.

Axilla rushed to where the queen sat and tried to take the tea. "Let me heat the water for you, My Queen."

Laurel finally let out a dry smile, her eyes looking very dull. "I guess you also don’t know. Below this table, there is a heater that heats the jug, all you do is change the water." She moved her hand to pick up a cookie.

"Then...why?" Axilla did not want to complete her sentence, speaking ill of the royals would only get her punished more.

"Why did she do that? She just wanted to taunt me. I am sorry you had to see that, but there is no need to check if the water is hot. It is always hot. You only check if the coal is enough to heat it, which is what the cleaner maids do every morning," Larel spoke the shocking revelation like it was nothing. She continued to nibble on her cookies.

Axilla clenched her fist, she thought about the princess and when she was going to finally come back to put an end to the insanity of the queen dowager. She knew very well that checking the water was not necessary, so why then did she allow her son’s wife to pour it on her skin? Axilla sighed, she was too young to experience such evil, she thought to herself before she started clearing the table, leaving out what the Queen was eating.

"Are you leaving? Why don’t you stay with me for some time. Sit here," Larel pointed for the girl to sit. She did not want to stay alone.

Axilla looked at where the queen pointed for her to sit. Before she sat down, she picked up a bowl and filled it up with cold water. Then she took a clean towel and sat close to the queen. "My queen may I?" She asked politely, pointing at her hand that was beginning to have a scar.

"Don’t worry, just soak the cloth up, I’ll place it myself," Larel smiled at the girl’s thoughtful act, even though she was in no mood to receive royal treatment, as it only reminded her of her predicament.

Axilla did as she was told, then she sat properly, folding her legs under the table and making sure her uniform covered her legs.

"Feel free around me, tell me your name," The queen smiled, as she watched the girl trying so hard to sit respectfully.

"My name is Axilla, bright flower, Axilla," she smiled, straightening her gown that was folding at the hem.

"Beautiful name, but it doesn’t sound like a Morado name. Where are you from?" Larel asked curiously, as she had read a lot about kingdoms and knew how they named their children. Axilla sounded a little far from the name people of Morado answered.

"Can I tell you where I’m from the next time? I don’t want to lie to My Queen," Axilla knelt down to beg, as she did not want to blow her cover yet. If anyone knows she was from Wahels, they would kick her out immediately. Women from Wahels were only allowed to give birth to future warriors and guards, and they were never allowed to leave their village. What was supposed to be a home for them had become a prison because of the Crown’s greed.

"Sure sure, just make sure you always visit me, so I can have someone to talk to," Larel said. "If you can’t tell me where you are from, then how old are you?" She pressed on, and her mood was starting to lighten up.

"I was born during the red moon of the horse," Axilla answered politely, and her smile was still in place.

Larel took out her ink stone and ground it, before using a brush to calculate the girl’s age on a white parchment. "You will be nineteen by the next full moon! You are almost a grown-up. Why are you not married yet?" She cleaned her hand with a wet cloth.

"My parents asked me to work," Axilla explained. Larel nodded at her reason; most parents preferred their children to work rather than stay in a man’s house where they would gain nothing.

"You can write too? You are awesome, Queen Larel. I hope to learn how to write, but that is an impossible dream for a girl like me," Axilla smiled sadly.

"Who said it’s an impossible dream? Every time you come here, I will use a few moments to teach you everything you need to know about the palace, including how to write."

"Your grace is so sufficient," Axilla said, bowing her head deeply.

"I told you, no need to be formal. We are friends now. I will be your big sister. You can call me ’big sister’ when we are alone."

"Now run along for your duties before your absence is noticed," Larel patted the girl’s head.

Axilla cleared the table, she was very happy to have met someone like the queen. When she was done cleaning, she got up and made her way to the door. "Someone will come, a savior. We will all be saved," she turned to speak to the queen, then she bowed and exited the room.

Larel was shocked by her words. Was the girl a superstitious believer? She asked herself. What did she mean by someone will come? Larel did not want to read meaning into the words; she was just glad she had someone to talk to. And she hoped Axilla would not turn out to be another of Almaria’s spies. Something about the girl made her different from other maids, her heavy accent and her innocent eyes.

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