Gilas stood under the big palace tree, enjoying the warm afternoon breeze. The sun shone brightly, making the place feel peaceful. He leaned against the thick tree trunk, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy the quiet. The sound of birds chirping filled the air, and the scent of fresh flowers drifted in the wind. It was one of those rare moments when he could forget about his duties, if only for a little while. He took a deep breath, letting the calmness settle over him.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached. Gilas opened his eyes and saw Senki, Lady Larisa's maid, walking toward him with a small basket of fruits. Her movements were quick but hesitant, as if she were battling with herself about whether to go through with whatever had brought her here. Her face was flushed, and she held the basket so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
"Senki, you shouldn't be here!" Gilas said in surprise, his voice firm but not unkind.
Senki froze for a moment before quickly dropping the basket onto the ground. She clenched her hands together, her body trembling slightly. "Gilas, please…" she whispered, her voice almost breaking.
Gilas frowned, his confusion growing. "What's wrong?
Senki shook her head, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I came because I had to tell you… I have loved you for a long time, Gilas. I will do anything for you. Just consider me! Do you know how hard it is for a woman to say this? But I don't care—I would shout it for the whole world to hear if it meant you would see me!" she said, her voice growing desperate.
Gilas's chest tightened. He had always known Senki was kind to him, but he never imagined she had feelings this deep. He looked away, struggling to find the right words. "Senki, it's not that…"
Senki stepped closer, her voice trembling. "Am I not beautiful enough? Is that why? Tell me, Gilas!" Her impatience and desperation were evident in her voice.
Gilas turned back to her, his heart aching at the sight of her tearful expression. "No, Senki, that's not the reason…"
Before he could explain further, Senki suddenly smiled through her tears. It was a small, hopeful smile. "That's all I wanted to hear! Thank you for giving me a chance!" she said suddenly, her voice lighter, as if she had won a small victory.
Gilas blinked in confusion. "Wait, I—"
Before he could finish, Senki picked up the basket and hurried away, her long skirt swaying as she walked. Gilas exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples.
"This girl… as usual," he muttered, shaking his head with a small, wry smile. He knew Senki was stubborn, but this was beyond anything he had expected.
He looked up at the tree again, but the peaceful moment he had before was gone. His mind was now filled with thoughts of Senki and her unexpected confession.
---
Kaira walked through the palace garden, her maids trailing behind her like shadows. The sunlight reflected off the intricate golden embroidery of her dress as she moved gracefully along the stone path. The scent of blooming roses filled the air, but her attention was drawn to something else.
She stopped suddenly, causing her maids to halt as well. Her eyes fixed on Gilas, who was standing alone with a small basket in his hands. He looked lost in thought, staring at the ground as if debating something with himself.
"My Lady, is something wrong?" Aurora, her most trusted maid, asked.
Kaira hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No, nothing. You girls wait here. I need to go somewhere."
Aurora's brows furrowed. "No, my Lady! We can't leave you alone. It's our duty to protect you."
Kaira sighed, placing a gentle hand on Aurora's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
"But—"
"It's an order, Aurora!" Kaira said firmly before turning and walking away toward Gilas.
---
"Roarrr!" Kaira leaped from behind the tree, attempting to startle Gilas. She had expected him to jump or at least flinch—but he didn't even react. He merely turned his head slightly, his expression calm and unreadable.
Gilas bowed slightly. "My Lady."
Kaira pouted, placing her hands on her hips. "You could have at least pretended to be scared! I wasted all my effort," she grumbled.
Gilas gave her a small, amused smile. "I apologize, my Lady. How can I assist you?"
Kaira stepped closer, tilting her head. "I saw you standing alone, so I thought I'd come and keep you company."
Gilas hesitated. "I appreciate the gesture, my Lady, but—"
Kaira cut him off, her eyes locked onto his. "There's something about you that draws me in. I don't know why, but I feel like I see my best friend in you. Can we be friends?"
Gilas's heart pounded in his chest. "My Lady, we can't."
"Why not?" she pressed. "I have no one in this big palace. Can't you at least do this for me?" She pouted slightly, her eyes pleading.
Gilas swallowed hard. "My Lady… I don't want trouble."
Kaira smiled softly. "Don't worry, Gilas. No one will know. I really want to be your friend."
Gilas hesitated, but her sincerity was undeniable. He sighed. "Fine, my Lady."
"And please, don't call me 'my Lady' when we're together. It feels too formal."
"I can't—"
"That's an order, Gilas!" she said, laughing.
Gilas finally let out a real smile. "Yes, my Lady."
Kaira gasped, clapping her hands together. "See! You smiled! You actually know how to smile! Oh no!" she said excitedly.
Gilas chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
"The King should reward me for turning his serious guard into a human! I deserve a prize!" Kaira joked.
Before either of them could say anything else, a deep voice interrupted them.
"And what is going on here?!"
Both turned to see King Letuka standing behind them, his expression unreadable.
Gilas immediately bowed. "My King!"
"Your Majesty," Kaira greeted, looking irritated that their fun was cut short.
"Gilas, follow me!" the King ordered sharply, not even sparing Kaira a glance.
Gilas obeyed without question, though he felt the weight of Kaira's disappointed gaze on his back.
As they walked, the King's voice was cold. "What were you doing with Lady Kaira?"
"Nothing much, my King," Gilas replied nervously.
"Good. Keep it that way! I don't want to see you two laughing together again. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my King."
The King clenched his fists. Why had they been laughing like old friends? And why did it bother him so much?
QUEEN MAYANA'S CHAMBER
"My Queen, Lady Larisa is here!" the announcer called out, but there was no response.
Lady Larisa hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. The room was dim, and the air felt heavy with sadness. Queen Mayana sat on the cold floor, her beautiful dress wrinkled around her. Her face was pale, her eyes swollen from crying. She looked so lost, so broken.
Larisa knelt beside her. "My Queen, please don't do this to yourself," she said gently. "I know your pain is great, but you cannot let it destroy you. The gods may bless you with another child. You must be strong. You must find the person who did this and make them pay."
Queen Mayana lifted her head slowly. Her eyes, filled with sorrow, searched Larisa's face. "Do you truly believe Lady Kaira did not kill my child? Please, tell me the truth."
Larisa sighed, a small smile forming on her lips. "My Queen, I do not trust anyone. If you want to know the truth, find it yourself. That is the only way you will be sure."
She stood up and adjusted her gown. "If you will excuse me, My Queen," she said with a slight bow.
As she left the room, she thought to herself, "This tragedy has worked in my favor. I had planned to get rid of that child, but now, I didn't even have to do anything. Whoever did it has saved me the trouble."
Queen Mayana clenched her fists, her body trembling. "I will never forgive the one who did this. I will find the murderer, no matter what it takes."
---
Lady Larisa walked through the palace halls with her usual grace, but inside, her mind was busy planning her next move. The night air was cool, but she hardly noticed. Suddenly, her watchman appeared from the shadows, bowing deeply.
"My Lady."
"Did you find them?" she asked, her voice low and impatient.
The watchman hesitated before answering. "My Lady, Lord Garius has married Lord Zenya's wife."
Larisa stopped. Her heart pounded. "What?!" she gasped, her hand flying to her chest.
Her mind raced. "How could this happen?" She had not expected this.
Anger boiled inside her, sharp and hot. "After everything, he dared to do this?,to his best friend at that!!"
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. A bitter smile formed on her lips. "He will regret this, I will make sure of it"