Audrey squatted down pulling out the withered flowers still annoyed by Levy, on the other hand .... her maids were worried to death about her, first of her weird angered attitude and secondly because the Queen is personally doing a job which the maids were supposed to do. "Your Majesty, please let us do the task, you should go and rest over there" said Celine worriedly pointing at a golden bench, it was some few steps from where they were. Chika nodded like a rattle supporting Celine "Yes your highness we can do this".
Audrey lifted her head facing them, they both swallowed and to see how angry she was, and .... and the red strands of her hairs ... Wow! they were awed.
"You two ... can I ask you a question?" she deadly serious "Anything your highness" said Celine, Audrey let out a deep breath still on her squatting position "Where does your loyalty lies to?" she knew even if it weren't to her the two won't admit it at her face .. she just wanted to know, her eyebrows lifted up a bit waiting for an answer.
"Of course it's with you my Queen" Celine blurted wondering why they were suddenly having this loyalty test with thier Queen, must be cause of her anger, she thought. "Since were serving you my Queen.... our loyalty is with you and you only, we engraved that to our hearts the moment we were chosen by Maria to serve you" explained Chika calmly unlike how Celine did, she was the most sensible one amongst the two of them and so she had to cover for her naive friend ...Celine.
Even so even she couldn't help but wonder why their Queen was asking such questions, one would start to worry in fear of maybe they've wronged her ladyship.
Rey got up persing her lips, "Right! ..." she paused narrowing her eyes "Now I want you to tell me what kind of person is lady Acine?" their eyes widened with gasps, the two never expected such question from her, its like their Queen was trying to dig their graves by mentioning lady Acine, they didn't even serve her highness long and now they have to get thier heads at stake for this. Audrey didn't miss their frightened faces and frowned, Anyone else would be shocked as well, who would dare to talk about the King's favourite woman unless they are tired of living on earth. Sensing the terrifying looks she sighed for nth time, she was expecting this, it looks like lady Acine is the most feared woman in the castle, she has to be a bad person for them to fear their fellow breathing creature this much! there is no other way about it, how could they worship her this much? she concluded. She turned back dissapointed "Yoh don't have to say it, just forget about it!" she continued what she was doing with the garden.
Celine and Chika looked at each other, one biting her lip while the other one her nails, until they came to an agreement without saying a word to each other, its like they spoke with thier eyes, "Errm.... your highness, so .... lady Acine is a very ....b.. b..." Celine started but couldn't bring herself to end her sentence, the words stucked at the 'b' making Audrey turn to look at her without saying a word, the poor Celine continued with her attempts "So .. b...b..." she stuttered, Audrey shook her head and tried to help her find her words "She is so ... b.. what?" she was really running out of patience with her. Celine gulped, Chika tsked as she looks at Celine with a dissatisfaction "Aaaah! just shut up already Celine!" blurted Chika, Celine gave her a look as if trying to tell her 'You say it if you can then!' Chika faced her Queen "She is a very bad person your highness, stay away from her at any cost" she finished the sentence and Celine let out a breath of relief, "A bad person? How?" even though she could see how much scared they were Since they started it she wasn't planning to let them go with it until she get a satisfying news about Acine.
"So errrm.... to put it simply, she us different from you, she doesn't treat her maids like you do my Queen, instead she gives out a cruel punishment if they even drop a spoon by a mistake, she even had maid's head sliced because she couldn't find her piece of jewelry, she suspected her for a thief but found it later under her bed, the poor girl was already gone, she once had maid's hanged for talking ill about her" Chika was confident as she spoke with no hesitation, you could see the pain as she spoke of those poor maids who couldn't survive and die while serving the evil lady.
Audrey got up with a deep frown "What? she is too cruel then!" she felt bad for the deceased even if she didn't know them especially for those false accusations.
No wonder every maid was so scared of her, they must be living without any sense of freedom around her, she was indeed different form her! "And you better not cross paths with her my Queen, she is is good with accusations, she won't think twice before doing something bad to anyone since she has the King backing her" Added Celine who mastered her courage to talk now, their Queen is totally a different person, she is a good person so the least they can do for her is return her kindness. Audrey bitten her lips, so she is more of a bad person? Why wouldn't I cross paths with her? I am not afraid of her at all!' she thought within her, In fact! she thought of teaching her a good lesson if she ever trip in her lane. All of a sudden she felt her anger dissipating. "Let's plant new seeds now before winter!" she said with twinkling eyes and a wide smile, surprising the two. Just how could she switch emotions quicker than a released arrow, they couldn't help but to chuckle, hopefully now the Queen allowed them to help help her out, cause if Maria were to find them standing standing idle while the Queen is doing the task... it would be a murder case.
Wasting no time they squatted down too helping out their Queen.
Levyndrion who just came out of the courtroom with anxious look for disappointing his uncle, his feet halted staring inside the greenhouse through the glistening glasses cause of the sun, what caught his attention was the beautiful woman who was spinning around near the cherry blossoms with laughter, she seemed so happy having the pink petals raining down at her due to the blowing wind. The corner of his lips tugged up smiling from ear to ear involuntary as he kept gawking at her, her floor length dress that was hugging her curves very well,her long black hairs dancing around as she kept spinning around.
Annietta was just on her way back to the Greenhouse since she was sent to bring some fresh seeds so they could plant some new flowers today, she halted as well, creasing her eyes to the two tall figured men standing by the gates, she gasped and quickly covered her mouth not to make a sound "What is this cold King so fascinated about to be smiling like that?" she mumbled to herself in disbelief and gasped again once she followed his sight of view "Oh my god! oh my god! I can't be!" she shook her head, the man was staring at Audrey who was spinning around under a cherry blossoms like a little girl, loud laughters that were satisfying to the ears. She scoffed "Wow! Unbelievable! Just wow! so he actually has such a soft corner for the Queen but act like a thug all the time, Huh!" she smiled pleased by the secret she just found out, she should be rewarded to know such King's secret, shocking her head she walked towards the gates anf cleared her throat "The weather is pretty my King" she said without thinking much "Mhh... it is" she was surprised when the King actually answered her, pfft! he was admitting to Audrey being pretty this man ugh! he doesn't even know what he is feeling, "Why don't you join the Queen inside you Majesty?" she continued , Levy cleared his throat upon realisation, Who was he talking to? "Ahem! there is no need! I was just passing by" even the man behind him couldn't believe what was happening since it happened, and the fact his King was explaining himself to the maid as if he was caught red handed left him speechless, he was never like this.
He left fanning his face, Fene bowed at her and followed the King. She tsked "Tsk tsk tsk, he is cruel even to himself!" she said and entered the Greenhouse with the wide smile , "I'm back my Queen!" she announced her presence while waving her hand as if none of them had noticed her, she held a bucked full of pouches of seeds with his other hand. That's when Audrey stopped spinning around, she staggered back and almost fell down due to slight dizziness but Celine and Chika were quick to steady her, holding her on either side.
She chuckled feeling so happy to experience that short moment of her childish self, "My Queen, you have to be careful not to hurt yourself " said the worried Celine like a worried mother. "Oho! calm down, I am fine" she uttered with her uneven breath and sparkling eyes.
Later on they plated different seeds with aid of their Queen, the two were amazed by her gardening skills for a Queen, they could only imagine how lucky the maids were to have such Princess back at her home, Dillonia. She is a definition of kindness. The two of them told Annie about the morning incident, her leg split was still there inside their heads, Annie laughed at them as if they were some naive creatures, they just saw aeg split and they are already smitten by her "You two better brace yourself for our Queen here is an athletic person since her childhood" bragged Annie and it was the truth, a mare split was nothing to all the scary stunts she pulled back at Dillonia, they received a reassuring smile from Audrey to confirm Annie's words, "Just don't exaggerate Annie" she teased and they all laughed at her angered face "Huh! it's the truth! we both knows how stubborn and mischievous you were Rey!", she defended herself.
Levyndrion on the other side halted by the corridors, he placed his palm on his chest, ' Why would this beat so fast just by taking a look at her?' he questioned himself and let out a deep breath. Fene who was standing behind him with a serious face examined him quietly, he suddenly turned to face him with a serious look "Who do you suggest we assign to be the Queen's knight?" he has to keep his promise to his uncle at least. Fene stayed quiet for a while contempt who will fit the positions amongst his shadow army.
They are all good, mercilessly trained and turned out to be the most fierce army compared to the national army of Ximpton, let alone other forces. "I think Vincent is the most suitable one, he is fast, capable and well skilled although he could be a nuisance at times" he said facing the floor "Mmm....I was thinking of that fool too, what a coincidence! .... Okay then assign him as soon as possible we can't risk Rey's life anymore" he uttered and continued to walk "Yes sire!" he answered following closely behind.
Levy suddenly felt the urge to protect Audrey so that nothing could happen to her, he felt like keeping her closer than they already are, because she was safer beside him, but the guilt hit him, she is always there, it was him who always pushes her away saying she was his sister, she let out a heavy breath and strode even more faster further to the long corridors.