Queen's Play

9. You don't know me?

Ima

He leans over the stone railing and looks towards the colosseum in the distance. Loud cheers and sounds of swords vibrated in the air.
It was a privilege being this high up and seeing the kingdom from this level. It made me realize how different the world of royals and commoners were.

"You think they enjoy it?" The prince asks.

I look towards the colosseum as bright light flashed and cheers rang. "Enjoy being prisoners?" I scoff. His mind was too sheltered to understand.

"They get paid"

"Their money goes to the king." I challenge.

"They are vulguar. Vile. Brash" he speaks it as if it is face instead of opinion.

"Oh? Is that so?" I smiled. I would have fun with him tonight.

"It is fact. The spit of one girl is still in my mind"

"Oh really" I sit on the edge and watch him. He comes to invade my space, placing both arms around my body as a barrier. "What was she like."

"Rude. Arrogant with a hard temperament.
Her eyes? Memorizing but wild. I would know her from anywhere."

"Anywhere? Even though she had a helmet?"

"Anywhere" he smirks, staring into my eyes.

"Even if she was next to you prince?"

"I could not mistake her!
That vile girl.
I would give her a piece of my mind."

"Would you?" I tempt him brashly. I pull his collar and wrap my arms around him, staring into his soft brown eyes.

"Pretend that I am this, vile gladiatrix. What would would you say to her?" I make sure to stretch every syllable. He lifts a finger to my lip and caresses it, tempted to taste a morsel again.

"I would say: you are vile and—" but he was distracted and kissed me instead. We smacked carelessly as the sounds of the colosseum sounded behind us.

"Vile and...??" I break away, watching him carefully.

"Vile and...brash and —" he snatched my jaw once more, kissing me even more passionately this time.

We separated and he smirks. "You don't know me?" I whisper, wrapping my arms even tighter so he could stare.

"Know you? You won't even tell me your nam—"
Clarity quickly filled his mind as he looked into my eyes.

"You!! It's! You!" He fumed. He pushed my arms from around his neck and backed away.

I smile wiping off my lips as he stared. "I could not mistake her if i saw her!!" I mock him devilishly.

"It's not you! You're not her!" He refuses to face his reality.

I lift up my dress and show him the ankle that was wrapped. It was the very reason we had met in the first place. There was no denying it now.

"I must clean up nice?" I smile. He glared at me walking away. Embarrassed
Good! But I was not done yet.

"Wait! Don't go prince" I chuckle before wrapping my arms around him to prohibit his departure.
"Tell me more about my rude temperament and even ruder demeanor." He continues walking but I jump into his arm, trying to stop his path.

"You look different without your armor and disheveled attire."

"Hmm, clean clothes and a bath does a woman good"

"I guess my father put you up to this?
What did he say? How much did he give you" he glared.

"Nothing." I lied trying to claim my innocence.

"What did he say?" He crosses his arms, waiting for my truth to come out. He knew I was lying from a mile away.

"Nothing. He just dressed me nice and said to come to this party. Free clothes free food. I could not pass on the offer prince"

Theo

Her eyes were a rich brown. She was vulgar but her beauty was unmistakable.

Ima

"And he promised me the ring" I lie, pointing to the ring on his finger. That was the lie I came up with on the spot. It was the very opposite of what he asked me to do.

My task was clear.
I was set to reject the ring from the prince by any means. His father didn't tell me why but he said if I was successful with the task, I would gain my freedom.

"It's worth more than gold" he says.

"If you give it to me? I can buy my freedom"

"We'll, you're not getting it"

"I will, eventually." I giggle.

He looks annoyed snatching my jaw.
"You speak with so much courage.
Why?"

"Am I supposed to shrink in fear?  Because of my lowly status?"

"You have no status
No peers.
You are nothing!"

"Was I nothing when you were smacking lips with me prince?"

"Last time i checked, you were enjoying it to?" he pulls me into his arms, forcing my lips to be close to his.
Closer and closer our lips draw but just before we could kiss a blonde woman walks onto the balcony and stares.

"Theo!" she runs into his arms pushing me aside.

I cross my legs and lean against the wall, watching with bemusement. She clings onto his arm and sizes me up.

"You look dismayed girl. Didn't know his heart belonged to another?"

"I am only sad that I am present. Me being here gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself and
introductions deem a person more important than they actually are,don't you think?" My tongue was quick. My tolerance short.

"I am important" she adjusts her posture, standing up straighter to show her importance.

"You're not, but I will let you have the satisfaction of telling yourself that."

"How dare you!" She scoffs, walking up to challenge me. I held my hand to her face to stop her blows. There was no fight to win nor would I exchange words with her.

"Let me guess. You are Theo's most favorite whore ?
The whoreiest in the land. He's been f**ing you for 3"
"Four" Theo corrects me instinctively but realizes his folly once catches the blonde girl's glare.

"Thank you prince. Four years and because of this I should grovel at your feet?"

Her mouth drops. Theo tries to hide his smile.

"Theo are you going to stand there and let her talk to me like that!"

I push off the balcony and depart. I fought lions more lethal than this girl. Theo breaks  from her and holds my arm. " I didn't say you could go" he says in a determined voice.

"I mean...You don't have to go. I didn't say I wanted you to go" he says through an impatient whisper.

"But what about what I want prince?" I coo before taking his lips into mine. I pull the back of Theo's short curly hair, running it through my fingers.
We kiss violently, passionately, before breaking once more.

"What was that for?" He whispers against my forehead.

"Ima"

"Ima?" He repeats after me.

"That's my name. You said it must come out eventually, did you not?" He stares into my eyes with curiosity. I pat his chest twice before making my way back to the party.

"Ima... wait!" I ignore him look at the girl,  pushing past her and leaving them both alone.