Chapter Four

Maya

Nala did her possible best in making us beautiful. She applied make up on Pamela's face but I refused. I wanted to be natural and was not into throwing my beauty caked face on the so called concubines. After being dressed in dinner gowns, Nala led us out of the room and towards the direction of the concubines quarters.

I wasn't dressed extravagantly compared to Pamela who was wearing a turquoise gown that revealed her cleavage, my dinner gown was just a plain armless gown that has a polka dot jacket. We sashayed behind Nala, other chosen maidens with their maids joined us on our way. Then we finally got to a part in the palace that had huge doors and about five palace guards, guiding it. The huge doors were opened to us and we stepped in. A low music was being played as we were urshered in. It was getting dark already, but not too dark. The maids left us alone and we began to look around. This place was different from other parts of the palace, it smells of lavender and peppermint.

Vases of flowers were in each corners, the vases were gold in colour. Everything here looked expensive and really fancy. Now I know why people say the royal concubines live in wealth. I was not the only one who was mesmerized by the environment. Other chosen maidens must have similar thoughts to mine.

Suddenly a loud trumpet sounded, catching me off guard. I looked around and my eyes immediately widened as soon as I saw pretty ladies in beautiful attires standing in front of us. Each one of them has different Jewelries adorning their body. Their skin was as smooth as velvet. They were literally glowing. I gaped at each one of them in shock. They are just ten in numbers.

"Are you here for sight seeing?" One of them asked.

"Come on, there is no time to waste. The rest are waiting for you girls." She added.

I and the other maids followed behind, I bet different questions were running through our minds. We went through a dark hallway and arrived at an opening, it was a dinning room, illuminated with light. I blinked my eyes severally to accustom it to the brightness.

"Wow," I heard other maidens say. A huge table with royally designed chairs surrounding it was placed at the center of the room. I gasped as I finally notice the ladies sitting on the chairs, they were all in a golden attire that sparkled like stars.

"Bow," one of the ladies said. I raised an eyebrow up and did as she said, not fully understanding why we have to bow to them.

"Bow for who?" I heard the familiar voice of Lola say. I turned around to look at her, she was not bowing. Some other maidens didn't bow to, including Pamela. Our eyes met and she rolled her eyes at me.

"We bow to no one except from the King," Pamela said, stepping forward with her head raised high.

"We are going to be concubines like you, but I know we are higher than you. Because we are not yet discarded like you ladies. We are here to replace you, the King won't be needing you again. He is going to be needing us and one of us is going to be birthing the heir of the throne. So let it sink into your used brain, we owe you no respect. Instead you should respect us, because one of us is going to be the queen." Pamela added.

Loud laughters followed, the concubines continued laughing, hissing loudly and doing all sorts of things to mock us.

"Who is she, why is she so proud. We were once in her shoes."

"She has not realized she will be one of us soon. let her keep feeling too much of herself."

"I doubt she is going to last here, she might end up like Carol."

"Of course, she is going to end up like Carol."

"Silent!" A voice suddenly ordered, then the ladies became quiet.

"Don't you know the King favourites are also in your presence, who gave you the right to speak to your seniors that way."

"King's favourites?" Lola suddenly interrupted.

"You will be replaced soon. In a few days, you will stop receiving gifts from the king because you will be of no use to him."

"Look at everyone of us standing here, we are all going to be attending to the King very soon. Each one of us, do you think the King will be able to remember you or even spare you a thought?" She asked, the ladies became quiet as if the truth was just dawning on them.

"I thought the order was to dine with the palace concubines and not to pick a fight with them." A loud voice boomed around the room. I shivered on hearing the familiar voice of the king's most trusted man. Nikolai. I heard his footsteps getting closer but I didn't make an effort to look. We were all to engrossed with what was happening here to notice his presence, none of us was aware when we came in.

"It seems like you have all forgotten your place here, you might be joining them in a few years time, discarded like a used oil or given out as gifts to visitors, warriors or anyone who pleases the king. Be careful with what you say to the concubines, they are still your seniors."

"I wanted you all to dine together with them so you can bond with them, get along with them and probably learn one or two things on how you can please the king."

"You will be discarded like a used rag if you can't please the King, your priority in here is to please the king and hopefully one of you might birth the future king."

"You will be punished tonight for not following instructions, your training is going to begin very early tomorrow morning."

"None of you will be allowed to bath in warm water tonight, you will only use cold freezing water. Make sure you don't freeze to death."

"Settle down for dinner," He ordered. The dinning room was quite, only the sounds of plates and spoons can be heard.

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