Zara took a stroll in the palace gardens hoping to run into the King. She was disappointed when she did not see him there. Stupidly she had listened to her sister. She was into the whole fairy tale idea and encouraged Zara to go to the gardens once more and if she bumped into the King, then he wanted to see her again. Zara wanted to see him, but she did not know why.
She knew it was asking for trouble. She sighed, turned on her heel and walked slowly looking at the ground. She squeaked when she bumped into something. She held her forehead as she looked up. “Your Majesty!” she cried out and jumped backwards. She quickly bowed her head. The King smiled at her.
“You're here,” the King said. He had hoped that she would be there.
“I…I am,” Zara replied quietly.
“Take a walk with me.”
Zara stared at him for a moment wondering if she had heard correctly. The King gestured toward the path and started walking. She followed him but walked a few steps behind him. His retinue walked behind them keeping a considerable distance.
“Walk with me, not behind me,” the King said to Zara.
“I would not dare, your Majesty.”
The King stopped and took a few steps backwards. “Do I need to hold your hand for you to walk with me?” he joked. Zara's eyes and jaw flew open. She tried to reply to him but no words left her mouth. The King laughed. It was so easy to tease her. “Relax,” he said to her as he continued walking.
“Is there something on your mind?” Zara asked, diverting his attention away from herself.
“There is plenty on my mind,” the King sighed. There was always something on his mind.
“How can I help?”
The King sighed. Zara could not help even if she tried. It was up to him to resolve his present issues. For a moment, they walked in silence. The King started telling her about Tiana and Amira. Zara was not sure she should be hearing about them but she could not exactly stop the King from speaking. So, she listened quietly. He seemed rather fed up, which took her by surprise.
“I witnessed their disagreement a few days ago,” Zara said.
“Disagreement? More like the beginning of a war,” the King replied. He slid his hands into his pockets. Zara could not help but laugh. War? A bit of an exaggeration on his part. The King stopped walking and looked at her. It was the first time that she had laughed in his presence.
Chapter 5
“You laugh, but I am telling you the truth. These women drew their swords and the queen has drawn first blood,” the King said to Zara.
“It must be hard on you,” she replied with compassion.
“Don't look at me with pity.”
“I dare not, your Majesty.” Zara bowed her head immediately.
“You are meant to see this glorious, handsome King when you look at me,” the King said flatly. Zara was not sure if that was meant to be a joke but she found herself giggling uncontrollably. “And yet she laughs,” he added.
“I did not mean to,” Zara apologised as she snorted in amusement.
“No, it's good. Be yourself around me.”
“You do not know what you are asking for,” Zara warned the King. He raised an eyebrow. He was intrigued.
“Should I be afraid?”
“No” Zara smiled. “I am joking. I am rather simple.”
The King silently disagreed. She was anything but simple. There was something about her that drew him to her and he wanted to know more about her; actually, he wanted to know everything about her. They carried on walking in the garden. Zara asked a little bit more about the queen and his concubine. She was shocked with what she learnt. She always thought that palace life would be so glamorous and luxurious but it was true, not all that glittered was gold.
One of the King's maids, Alma, approached them. She bowed her head before she spoke. “You are wanted in the office,” she said politely. The King nodded and returned his attention to Zara.
“It is unfortunate but I have to return to the office.”
Zara bowed her head to him. She was not sure how she was to respond to him calling it a misfortune. He rubbed her shoulder before he left. Zara remained on the same spot frozen for a few moments. The King had just touched her shoulder. Actually touched her. She couldn’t understand why he showed any interest in her much less wanted to spend time with her. Her sister was going to love hearing about it.