Chapter 4. Rachel

DOVE

A sharp knock on the door interrupted my deep reading afternoon. Clarisa’s disturbed face made me understand that something bad was happening. I jumped, dropping the book that had trapped me for hours. I had been reading a lot since I had access to the largest library I had ever seen; I could read what I wanted, and that made me very happy.

I straightened up to see Clarisa, who had a face as pale as a sheet of paper.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I didn’t mean to scare you,” the girl apologized, lowering her head. She had a steaming cup of coffee with milk on a silver tray, along with glazed pastries. My stomach growled with force; I had lost track of time.

“Oh, I’m starving,” I said, forgetting my scare completely; I was starving. I took one of the pastries and took a sip of coffee. It was perfectly sweetened.

“Your Majesty… I must inform you of something,” Clarisa said, sitting on one of the sofas in my room. It was so big it looked like a house with incredible luxury. “Something terrible has happened.”

“Don’t worry,” I reassured her; she looked very disturbed, and nothing could be so bad. At least that’s what I thought.

“A woman has come to court.” Her voice was fading from fear. At that moment, I got chills and a bad premonition. I didn’t know if I wanted to hear what she had to say. “She’s an important lady, the daughter of a prince, Rachel.”

“Yes, what does she want?” I urged her, despite having a bad feeling. Anxiety was also killing me.

“She’s pregnant.” The girl looked at me with saddened eyes. “She claims it’s from King Jacob. She claims the right to inherit the throne and must also marry him.” There was a commotion outside of people losing their minds.

“What?” Her words paralyzed me; I couldn’t believe it. He was my husband; he couldn’t also be someone else’s.

“That’s what I’m saying. She came with a real escort. Even the prince arrived, demanding that his daughter be respected, accusing the king of horrible things…”

“Has the king said anything?”

“Nothing. He’s just in his room and doesn’t want to see anyone. Lady Katherine says you must respond on his behalf.”

“Does she want me to respond to my husband’s supposed illegitimate child? Has she lost her mind?” My patience was running out; I hated them getting involved like this. It was my pride that was going to be trampled.

“Yes, I’m very sorry, Your Majesty.”

I jumped up; the last word wasn’t said. I wouldn’t be easy to defeat; I was not a rag to be thrown away. My husband was mine and no one else’s; they’d have to make a lot of effort to get me away from this castle. I knew it boiled their blood that I was a commoner, a girl with no title at all, and they couldn’t stand seeing me on a throne.

I opened my wardrobe, which was filled with dresses that had been made for me before I arrived. I chose a red one, so beautiful that it dazzled me, with gemstone settings and gold filigrees. I looked magnificent, marking my waist and making my bust stand out.

I curled my hair until it was neatly ordered in harmonious curls, and I made a high hairstyle so that it would stand out. My makeup was subtle but provocative and elegant at the same time; Clarisa helped me with it. When I looked in the mirror, I saw the imposing and beautiful queen inside me; anyone could mistake me for someone of royalty. I was very beautiful.

I arrived at the main hall, where all eyes turned towards me, and some whispered things behind my back. I didn’t pay attention; I walked straight ahead with my high heel shoes firmly. They couldn’t see me as weak. My husband wasn’t there; he probably wouldn’t receive these unwanted guests and would feel ashamed. But I would talk to him when there was time.

I spotted the prince; he was from the city next to ours, a handsome man with an unfriendly face. I also spotted Rachel, who was about six months pregnant. She was blonde, with a curved nose and intense blue eyes that were almost squinted; you could barely see her eyebrows because of her very light hair. She wasn’t particularly beautiful, but her gaze was challenging.

“Queen Dove will receive you; welcome to the castle,” said Lionel, who was standing, guarding my throne.

I was alone, sitting there in front of all the spectators’ eyes. Shame sometimes got the best of me and turned into nausea. I overcame it so I wouldn’t vomit in the middle of the meeting. People settled near the thrones, looking at my husband’s empty seat and snickering.

“I have summoned the presence of King Jacob, not his maid,” Rachel said disdainfully, looking at me with repulsion.

How could she dare to say something like that in front of everyone?

“That’s correct, sir,” the prince looked at Lionel as if giving orders. “Tell your king to come immediately.”

I took a deep breath; I wasn’t going to let them get away with it. I couldn’t stand their looks lowering my person with so little tact. I was the queen; they owed me that respect, and I was going to make them know it.

“You are speaking with the queen,” I said while looking at them firmly. I was not afraid of them, nor did their ridicule affect me. “If you don’t want to speak to me, you’ll have to come back another time. We do not have any free rooms, so you will not be invited to stay.”

My words caused an uproar. I did not tremble as I said them; on the contrary, I felt stronger.

“The king must take responsibility for his son.” The prince was annoyed. His face revealed his fury. It was obvious that they wanted to make me look bad in front of the court so that their daughter could shine.

In my mind, I didn’t know what to think. Could this be my husband’s son? Had he been with that woman? I didn’t have the answers.

“I will need proof of what you’re saying,” I replied, head held high. My throne was impressive, decorated with red jadeites.

The two of them laughed openly, confusing everyone. Another bad feeling invaded my body, bristling my skin.

“Dear, don’t make a fool of yourself.” Rachel approached my place, looking down at me with superiority. “Everyone has seen how we entered the bedroom together on Christmas Eve.”

The looks of the people around me confirmed her story; it was completely true. I swallowed saliva; her story was real, and my crown was slipping from my head. My husband… How could he have impregnated another woman before our marriage?