A slave's chance

Astrid can't seem to find her sleep tonight. The events from earlier still play through her mind over and over again.

She sighs, opening her eyes. It's pointless to try and fall asleep now, the sun will be up in an hour or two anyway. She makes her way to the balcony, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders.

The cold air cleans her mind, at least a little bit.

Why was she so bothered anyway? She told herself that it’s because she was worried about something bad happening to Lanna, but she knows that's a lie. And Lanna was so happy. She even smiled at Astrid once the party was over and she was rushed to be prepared. She will become a favorite, doing nothing but making sure she looks pretty all day.

And Astrid is happy for her friend. Astrid should be happy for her friend. But earlier, when the king locked eyes with her from across the room, she felt something.

She shakes her head. Everyone telling her she was somehow special to the king must have gotten into her head. And she didn't want to dance for him anyway.

She came here hating him, wishing to be dead rather than in the same house with him. And she wants to cling to that feeling now, but it's hard. In the last two weeks, she was able to go to the library with Tamara and spend all day there, they even got out of the palace at some point; taking a walk around the city. She heard the stories about him. She read his proclamations, his speeches, his new laws. It's hard to hate him, no matter how much you try.

The sun is slowly starting to rise from the sea. It's beautiful to watch from there. To see the city beneath starting to wake up.

Astrid closes her eyes. And simply sits like that for a while, letting the warmth erase everything from her mind.

Suddenly, a weird sensation pulls her out of the brief moment of respite. She feels watched.

She looks behind, and a flashback from the dream when that maid came to kill her strikes her like lighting. But there's no one around.

The guards down in the garden seem unbothered too.

She then looks up. She didn't realize that Lady Tamara's balcony faces the Imperial bedroom. She also didn't realize that the king is just feet away from her.

She panics, as he doesn't seem to do anything. He just watches her. Also, wearing nothing but his nightgown. She, too, is in a very see-through night dress.

He smiles, seeing her panic, and nods his head. She remembers that she should bow her head.

"Are you awake, my king?" Astrid hears Lanna's voice ask as the girl comes on the balcony. And while the king is distracted, looking at his new favorite, Astrid takes her chance and rushes back inside, with her heart still racing.

The rest of the morning passes by in a blur for Astrid. She wakes Tamara up, helps her dress, brings her breakfast and cleans up the room a bit.

"What happened?" Tamara asks when Astrid's shaking hands drop yet another pillow on the floor.

"Nothing. Why, did something have to happen?" Astrid asks, fluffing for the third time the same little pillow.

"I would ask you to sit down, but you seem to be ready to explode. So if you want, you can go down to the favorites' floor and help arrange your friend's room." Astrid looks at Tamara unsure and the princess rolls her eyes. "I am sure you want to find out what happened and that pillow doesn't need more abuse. Go!"

Astrid doesn't wait for Tamara to change her mind, so she jumps out the door.

A few other girls would have offered to help, as probably everyone is curious about what happened, but since Astrid was sent by the princess, no one says anything.

"Maybe he was strong and dominant!" One of the girls whispers to another a bit too loud and they all start giggling.

"Maybe he was kind and attentive!" Another answers and a new round of laughter fills the room.

"Maybe we will find out! And then we will have a room like this instead of sleeping all together." The first one sighs as her friend playfully hits her shoulder.

"Are you tired of seeing my face?"

They joke around.

"Hey, you. Are you mad the king lost interest in you?" One girl asks Astrid to which she just sighs. She got used to the taunting. They've been throwing small hits at her since day one.

"I am just glad my friend will have a nice room, as I do. Are you mad you have sleep in the common room?" Astrid hits back with a smile and they turn their back to her.

"Aren't you a bit cocky, Astrid?" Lanna asks as she enters the room. Astrid ignores her question and jumps to hug her.

"Are you ok?" Astrid asks, looking at Lanna. Of course, she was ok, she even heard her in the morning, but she still was a bit worried.

"Why wouldn't I? The king is such a sweet and wonderful man." Lanna says with a dreamy expression on her face as the others gather around to hear more details.

"What did he say?"

"What did you do?"

"Does he look as good without clothes?"

"Better!" Lanna answers with a naughty smile and everyone goes red. "But I want to rest. I've been up all night. Astrid, go to the kitchen and get me a raspberry leaf tea. It's good for fertility."

"Lanna, you just met him and you want kids..." Astrid answers, worried.

"I am the king's woman now. It's my purpose to offer him an heir. Are you jealous you can't?" Astrid looks shocked. "Then get me the tea. Now."

Astrid leaves the room without another word. What happened to Lanna?

"She tasted power and now she is scared to lose it." Tamara answers a bit later when Astrid relates the incident to her.

"Bust she was such a sweet girl. I've known her for years!"

"She may still be, but even the sweetest act mean when they are threatened."

"Threatened by what?"

"By the fact that the king first showed interest in you. She just became a favorite, her position is still unsure. So if the king remembers you and forgets about her, she becomes a shadow forever." Tamara explains, knowingly.

"The king lost interest in me. Maybe he never really had any to begin with." Astrid says, but the smile on the king's face when they looked at each other in the morning comes to her mind.

"If you say so." Tamara sighs.

"Lady Tamara?" A eunuch comes in.

"Yes?"

"The king invites you to dinner." The eunuch says, handing Tamara a small piece of paper. "He also mentioned you can bring company."

After the eunuch leaves, Tamara gives Astrid a mischievous smile.

"If you are so sure the king has no interest in you, then you won't mind to accompany me to this dinner, will you?"

She trapped her, but Astrid doesn't protest too much. In her heart, she is curious about the king too.

They spend the afternoon getting ready. Tamara tries to joke around with Astrid, to taunt her a bit, but Astrid is too nervous to feel playful.

She is  too nervous to even try to argue with Tamara when she pushes a grey and blue dress into her arms and asked her to try it.

"It looks fantastic!"

It really does. It's not too much, like Tamara's other choices. It's simple but beautiful. The colors bring out Astrid's eyes, which she never liked before, but this time, it really looks perfect.

"Are you ready?" Tamara asks.

"It's not me that has to get ready. I am not the guest." Astrid answers.

Tamara gives her a knowing smile and they leave together.

The Golden Path really lives up to its name. The halls that lead to the king's private chambers are fretted with golden fire. Long silk curtains hang in every corner, perfectly matching the glittering diamond and gold mozaics on the floor

"It's not called golden because of the walls," Tamara explains. "But because any woman that passes it has a golden future."

It really looks like the stuff dreams are made of.

At the end of the Golden Path, two huge doors engraved with the names of all past kings stand alone, guarded by two warriors. Lady Tamara shows them the little note that she received earlier and they nod, opening the doors.

"Welcome, Your Grace. The king is waiting for you."

When they step inside, Astrid holds her breath. She doesn't understand why, but her entire body feels electrified.

"Sis!" A familiar, hoarse voice reverberates in the room and makes Astrid's heart skips a beat.

"Brother!" Tamara giggles and jumps to hug the king.

They greet each other and exchange a few words, until the king clears his voice and invites them to sit down for dinner. Astrid takes a step forward, trying to follow Tamara closely, but the king grabs her hand.

"You sit next to me." He orders in her ear. The feeling of his warm breath on her neck makes Astrid lose all her senses. She can only nod and follow the king.

The night has just begun.