Episode 23
Salem
Elena freezes and blinks at me twice, she looks at Erin who nods and she looks back at me. She releases her hands, she's flustered and she bows, makes excuses and runs to where I assume is her room.
"Should I be afraid every single time you open your mouth?" Paula scoffs.
Erin tries to go after her.
"No, let me" I stand to go in the direction Elena disappeared. He looks at me suspiciously, I roll my eyes at him.
"Believe it or not, she's my favourite person in Rale, you included, I am not going to hurt her." I run off to look for her.
I am about to enter her room when a young girl stops me.
"You are not permitted to go in there, there are other girls to pick from, she's not one of them." She pouts her mouth as if to say I'm not worth the trouble.
I mutter under my breath about the damn disguise. "I just want to say a word or two to her,I'm not interested in well ... I'm not interested in her that way."
She catwalks my way. "Please who wouldn't want her, you are handsome, I could consider taking you in for the night. I might not be as fair as Elena but I make it up in experience and skills." She plays with my hat seductively.
I grin at her, "Skills and experience Huh, what is your name?"
"I am Diane to you" she winks and takes my hands in hers.
"Such long and slim hands, I would have thought you were a lady if not for its texture, a swordsman I presume; I see, a member of the King's guards. You must have practiced really hard for your hands to be like this. I saw you with Karan. Not bad for someone of your size." She checks me out.
I take a good look at her, "you are observant, cunning and witty. I'm guessing you run this place."
"No, not me, it's Madame Claudia" she points at a mature lady ordering girls around.
I scoff "Well, if you say so Diane, why don't we pick this up another time? I just need to apologize to the lady for my behaviour, that's it."
She lets go of my hand and sighs. "It looks sincere, It sounds sincere and so it must be sincere. Go ahead, if you try anything funny, I will have your head."
I smirk "Being funny seems to be more of your talent than mine."
She chuckles and catwalks away, I know by instinct she's going to be my friend.
I open Elena's room to see her sobbing, she looks at me and looks away.
I sigh "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you, it just turned out that way."
"You are apologizing to me?" She sniffles.
"Yeah, I did a bad thing and almost played with your heart, no one should do that to you or anyone else." I sit beside her.
"B.. but I am sleeping with the Prince, your husband, well was as of today. Wait, he hasn't been here since he came from Roelum, I swear, apart from that one time." She almost starts crying again.
I pat her back "Breathe Elena, breathe. I don't blame you when it comes to Erin, I can't change the past but I can decide what to do about my present. Besides how can I be mad at someone who gives me such delicious meal?" I wink.
She chuckles and blushes. "You are nicer than I thought you would be."
"What did you think?" I laugh.
"I thought that you weren't pretty or nice because Erin came here immediately he returned from Roelum .." she covers her mouth with her hand in shock.
I'm amused, "relax, I am not unreasonable."
She looks at me and starts crying again, I am confused and I hold her close to comfort her. "Wh..what did I say again?"
She looks at me "nothing, it's just that you are a woman which means you can't accept me, what am I supposed to do now?"
She sniffles and takes my hands in hers. "Princess, Can't you like me too? I know there's this business with me sleeping with your husband, that will never happen again, I swear it."
I laugh so hard that it hurts, Rale is somewhat a strange place, I think to myself.
"It's okay Elena, I like you too. If I was a man, I'd have accepted without a second thought. Erin holds no candle to you." She stares at me and looks serious.
"My heart still beats fast even knowing you are a woman, why do you think that is?" She asks me innocently.
I think for a minute then I lock her door and remove my hat, then let my hair loose.
"Do you feel better now?"
She stares at me for a minute then bursts out laughing.
"I must have been an idiot to think you were a man. A beautiful woman, how is your hair so curly, is it natural or did you use ..." She comes close and touches my hair in wonder.
"I have never seen hair like yours in Rale, it's beautiful, you are beautiful. Wait, how did you learn to fight like that?" She moves me to the couch excitedly.
I look at her amazed at how she can go from one extreme mood to another.
"Simple defense skills" I take her hands off my hair and fold it back into the hat, I'm amused at how disappointed she looks.
"Is...is it okay, I mean can we still be friends? I know it's a lot to ask but can we?" She asks me shyly.
"Of course Elena, you can't tell anyone who I am though and don't call me Princess, my name is Salem, please call me that. I mean it." I tell her and she brims with Joy.
"Whose room is yours connected to?" I ask pointing at a partition at the wall.
"Diane's, she serves here too, she's kind to me." She still stares at me intently.
"Hmmmmm, stop looking at me like that". I scratch my ear consciously.
"I'm sorry, I'm just overwhelmed."
Someone knocks at the door, and Erin voice comes through, Elena opens for him.
He looks at the both of us and relaxes.
"Should I go and leave you two to yourselves?" He grins at us.
I stand to go, Elena grabs me again.
"Will you come here again? Visit me I mean, I'll have the chef cook you more Rale specialties, I can even find out if he knows Roelum snacks and food. Is there anything you want in particular?"
Erin blinks and I chuckle, "Yes, yes I will come again. Hmmmm I especially liked the chicken soup, the spicier, the better." I grin in mischief knowing how Paula can't stand spicy food.
I leave with Erin, getting to the room beside Elena, the one that's Diane's, I signal to Erin to keep quiet, I take a pin from his cloth and break into Diane's room.
Diane looks at us in shock, as I see that you can see through the wall to Elena's room, you can also hear everything that happens.
"I'm guessing you are the Queen's spy." I say to her.
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