Sweet Waters Throne

Chapter 38: Chapter 3

Even after being raised to standards as Lady Kholin and being stripped off her duties as a kitchen wench in Mrs Gibilis’s kitchen, Aurora kept going back because that’s the only place she found a piece of mind. When she baked it’s like she’s been transported to another world where she’s stress free and she doesn’t think about Artemis or the crown.

Aurora feared her own thoughts would swallow her whole and take her hostage. Hence in order to have a clear mind, the kitchen was the place for that.

Mrs Gibilis found Aurora all alone inside the kitchen and as usual she was making breads. The sun hasn’t even risen yet although the good cold morning breeze was blowing it’s way towards the inside of the kitchen through large open windows.

“Good heavens child it’s too early to be awake. You are not a scullion anymore...” said Mrs Gibilis while holding herself using a heavy fur coat. The mornings in Maldonia were as cold as the ones in Prophis. “It’s freezing child”

“I couldn’t sleep Mrs Gibilis”

“How long have you been here?”

“An hour or so... You should go back to bed. It’s not so wise being awake at this time”

.....

“How can I sleep when the candles are burning inside my kitchen?”

Aurora smiled and held Mrs Gibilis’s hand softly “I will put them off once I’m done, I promise”

“Oh Aurora... you are just like your mother”

Right there, Mrs Gibilis’s words caught up Aurora’s attention. She placed the bread dough inside a pot, smeared it with yeast and covered it with small pieces of hot coal stones. This was the ancient way of baking, or at least that’s how Maldonians used to bake.

Then Aurora turned to Mrs Gibilis eager to know more about her mother. “Tell me more about my mother, I don’t remember much of her. The memories come in pieces and the pieces aren’t perfectly lined up together”

“How could they? You were so young when she left with your grandmother. Huyan of House Guyana was a kind hearted woman with a spirit of the gods, I remember her to this day”

“My father told me she died”

“That’s what he thinks child. But I know she’s out there somewhere, probably far from here so she can keep your grandmother away from you”

“Why would she want to desperately protect me from my grandmother?” Aurora asked with worry and curiosity. At that time only Mrs Gibilis could provide the answers she needed.

However their time was cut short when princess Sansa walked inside the kitchen looking for something to stop her craving.

“Am I interrupting?” asked Princess Sansa.

Both Mrs Gibilis and Aurora bowed softly “Of course not my lady. Did you want something?” asked Mrs Gibilis.

“Yes actually, some... lemon cake and pastries from last night. The leftovers”

“Let me get them for you my lady”

Mrs Gibilis walked to her store in a hurry leaving Aurora with Princess Sansa. These two have never met before or be properly introduced. They saw one another in functions and during the ball but they never spoke.

“I don’t think if we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Princess Sansa from Lazica kingdom and lady of Nemphis. My husband, Lord Balon is the hand of the king...”

“I am well informed my lady”

“Oh are you?” Princess Sansa made a joke. “What about you? I hear you are to be the Queen of Maldonia, the ruler of us all”

Aurora shied away and placed her eyes down. Mrs Gibilis came back with the lemon cakes and pastries and that was the end of the conversation between Princess Sansa and Aurora.

Princess Sansa walked with care, she was tiptoeing back to the room she slept which wasn’t in the palace she and Lord Balon lived. Later on Aurora grew suspicious and she asked Mrs Gibilis “Why would Princess Sansa be in the palace at this time? Her husband’s palace is a ten minutes walk from here... or perhaps she hasn’t slept in her own bed?” and they all grew suspicious of Princess Sansa’s presence.

It turns out Princess Sansa was having a secret affair with a servant who worked the gardens and the horses stable. He was a young man in his early twenties known for his impeccable timing and snatching of royals. His name was Saigon and his reputation as a womanizer was well known all over the kingdom.

Saigon fashioned himself as the “ladies man” and he constantly talks of his charms and beauty which no woman can resist. He was tall, sexy, his red-brown skin was different from others as he displayed the same look as people from Doha, that’s because he was from Doha. He was light skin but not white, his hairs were long and he always tied them back using a black ribbon.

Even though Saigon was a servant, one may never know what he is because of the way he dresses, he speaks and present himself before the royals especially women he plans to take advantage of.

He was an overseer of the work done by fellow servants so he never worked. His job was to make sure the grasses are cut, the floors are shiny, the horses are well fed and the king is happy. That’s why he had his own chambers in the main palace resident close to the servants quarters.

And that’s where Princess Sansa spent the night cheating on her husband. It wasn’t their first time, nor the second, this was actually the third time in a row Princess Sansa found herself inside Saigon’s chambers ever since her husband left with the king.

Lord Balrus was always somewhere spying, and he saw the princess walking inside Saigon’s chambers in her shift carrying lemon cake and pastries. He smiled and walked away.

In order to cause a rift between then two married couples and to send Lord Balon away from Maldonia, and back to his penniless farm in Nemphis. Lord Balrus crafted a well worded letter explaining of the night intimates Princess Sansa and Saigon have. He didn’t disclose his name and he signed it with “Mr well wisher” and made sure to send his servants to the House Iron Falcon where the king was.

“Make sure it reaches the Hand of the king” Lord Balrus gave the instructions to his most trusted man. This was the next day early in the morning at the market, and so it turns out Princess Sansa was also at the market.

“I will my Lord” replied the servant and took off in his horse.

The market was crowded with the locals and it being the capital, as usual people flooded from the villages to the city bringing their goods. From grains to slaves were sold at the market.

Princess Sansa decided to go to Lord Balrus when she saw him standing across a woman selling mangoes and grapes “We need to stop meeting like this my Lord” said Princess Sansa adjusting her dress and smiling. She was walking with a male slave who held an umbrella to protect her from the sun.

“If we are to stop I’m afraid we wouldn’t meet at all my lady”

“Lord Balrus...”

“My princess, how have you been?”

“It’s been two weeks without my husband. I fear I may lose my mind”

“Oh I’m sure you’ll be just fine my lady” replied Lord Balrus with a smile.

Princess Sansa suddenly stopped smiling, she had a curious look on her face. “What do you mean by that my Lord?” she asked with ease but her facial expression betrayed her, she was worried.

“I meant you have Saigon to keep you warm for the time being it shouldn’t be so hard”

Lord Balrus took out two coins and handed them to the woman who was selling fruits and bought the grapes. He started to eat the grapes one by one as he walked, Princess Sansa had no other choice but to follow him.

“Please... can you keep this a secret?” she pleaded.

“I do not truly understand the make up of a human genitals and their... pleasures since I don’t have any. Perhaps that’s what differentiate me from all of you, unlike you I do not make mistakes based on my lust”

Princess Sansa begged “I promise you I will not go to him again. Please don’t tell my husband...” she cried.

Lord Balrus suddenly stopped walking and turned to Princess Sansa. He slowly held her hands and touched her right cheek “My dear, believe me my lips are sealed. But your nights at your palace have grown shorter and I am not the only spy in Blackmount” he said and let go of princess Sansa’s hands knowing fully well he has already written of her wrong doings to Lord Balon.

According to Lord Balrus he did that for the crown. Lord Balon was an outsider who had no knowledge nor experience on being the Hand of the king, he rooted for his friend Lord Angun to be the hand when Lord Balon returns to Blackmount and find the scandal of his wife’s adultery is over the palace.