CHAPTER FOUR: MY MIRROR OF BEAUTY.

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Queen Elizabeth was astonished and frightened because she wasn't expecting anyone. Not at this hour, and how the knock came was so calm and collective.
The knock was suspicious, but she couldn't fathom Who would be knocking on the door at this hour and time.
"Laila" Queen Elizabeth finally spoke, please see who is at the door.
"Yes, your highness" Laila replied.
On getting to the door, she opened the door carefully. Laila was shocked and startled by the face that was staring at her.
"Your Highness" The latter replied with a trembling voice.
Frederick strode into the room elegantly and nobly. "Laila what are you still doing in my wife's chambers, at this time of the night.
" Your highness, I just finished attending to her Majesty, and I was about to return to the servant's quarters."
"That's alright, you had better be on your way to the servant's quarter, right away," Fredrick spoke in a very icy tone.
Laila bowed and left immediately, and afterwards, shut the door.
Frederick saw his wife sitting by the dressing mirror, he quickly strode towards her.
My wife, my mirror of beauty. How are you faring? You look bothered, is there any problem?. He looked with great concern.
The look on Elizabeth's face was not colourful at all, because the latter was so surprised and did not expect her husband, to come into her chamber this night.
"My husband, I was just feeling a little bit of headache, so I requested for Laila to make me some  black tea to calm my nerves down." Elizabeth tried to compose herself.
"Is ok my dear, I understand now. I was beginning to get worried when I saw the weird look on your face." Frederick stated.
"Nothing to worry about, my dear I will be alright. How was your day today? Hope you had no troubles today?." Elizabeth stated.
"My day was endowed, my dear, I just had little state issues to attend to. And I later went into the dungeon, to see that unruly daughter of mine."
"Hmm" she chuckled in amusement, Hope Zainab didn't say anything bad to upset you? Elizabeth retorted.
"You know that daughter of mine is very evil, how I wish I could just make her disappear. The sight of her alone disgusts me."
"Earlier on, when I got to the dungeon, I was expecting her to apologise to me, and also to Lincoln for portraying such an attitude."
" What did Zainab  do?" Elizabeth asked!
"Though, she didn't say any insulting words directly to me. My resentment is because that princess of mine, wasn't remorseful or regretful, in any way."
"I was expecting her to apologise to me, and also to plead guilty to her crimes for beating my son to a pulp."
"Can you imagine, Zainab was talking to me with such enthusiasm, saying that I didn't hear her side of the story. That I have not been free and fair in my judgments and decision"
"My wife, if only you were there to see the audacity and boldness, Zainab portrayed right before my presence. I'm very sure you would have done far worse than I did earlier on."
"My husband, you shouldn't let such an issue bother you at all." So what exactly did you do to her afterwards, I would like to hear the whole story." Elizabeth spoke further on!.
"Of course, you know exactly the capability of your husband."
"I called Gaius to do the needful."
"I don't entirely understand you, My lord. What exactly did you do to her?"
"Hahaha," Frederick laughed!" So you still don't get what I did. I told Gaius to give her twenty-four thrashes."
"And you know, how ruthless and mean Gaius could be. He exerted so much force on the task. That our most arrogant princess Zainab collapsed into unconsciousness." Frederick burst into an uproar of laughter as he spoke.
"My lord," his wife spoke in a gentle and flat tone. "As your wife, I would always see to it that you do things in the right way and manner."
"The way we treat Zainab, must not get to the ears of the people. In the presence of people, you must pretend that you are the most caring father in the whole of Persia and its environs."
"You must come out as a clean and caring father, in the eyes of your people. No one situated from the castle walls and barricades must ever find out about it."
"If not, your enemies from other, kingdoms around, will use them against you."
"Believe me, my husband, there would try to use it as solid and concrete evidence in taking your kingdom away from you."
"Come to think of it, the people might even decide to look for your younger brother, Callum whom you exiled, years ago from the kingdom."
"And you know, that the people seem to prefer him more than you. There will in turn give him all their assistance in ensuring that the throne is being taken away from you and given to Callum."
"Just think of the splendour, wealth, luxury and power you are enjoying today my husband. Would you like to lose all that in a blink of an eye?"
"Of course not, my wife," Frederick spoke hastily.
"Now you are beginning to behave like the most powerful and domineering king I know. That was the very reason why I fell in love with you and agreed to marry you" Elizabeth curved up her lips with an evil smile.
"One good aspect of life is to hold power, but the most of it that needs great concern is to be able to keep that same power."
"So your highness, if  I were you. I will make sure of it that no one gets the knowledge of how Zainab is being treated in the castle, it should remain a top secret for our  good."
"My wife, this is the more reason why am so lucky, to have you as my companion. " Frederick curved up his lips in a sinister smile.
"You see, apart from the fact that you are so beautiful and physically endowed."
"You are a beautiful woman with brains, you know the right things to say. And you say it at the appropriate times as well."
"That was the more reason, why I chased away all the mistresses and concubines that I was having the moment I married you."
" Because I know that you will give me, what those so-called mistresses can never give me in this life or the afterlife." As Frederick spoke, his wife could see loving care and tenderness in his eyes, this, in turn, made her face red in embarrassment.
***
Back in the dungeon, It was already late in the night, and as usual. Lydia knew the princess must have been starving by now.
Lydia also heard from the gossip around the castle, that the princess was thoroughly beaten by Gaius. And the latter couldn't bear it but collapsed into unconsciousness.
At this point, Gaius came into the dungeon, he came to confirm if the princess had woken up. To his greatest surprise. The princess was still in the exact position she was and had not yet moved at all.
Looking at the princess on the floor, he moved further to shake her. But there was no movement at all.

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