"They're coming. The Kulani's are coming." Anthony said. He grabbed his gear and headed towards the doors. I ran down the hallway to Justin's room and kicked the door open just in case it was locked. He was holding his son and looked over at me terrified.
"It's time, Justin. They're here."
He quickly handed Keena the baby and went to the closet to get his war gear and armor. I ran to my room and did the same.
Queen helped me put them on frantically and handed me my swords. "Please, please be careful, my dear."
"I will. I'll return for you, baby." She kissed me one last time and held me tightly. "I love you."
Justin and I came out of our rooms at the same time and we both took off towards the main entrance of the palace. "Go, go!" He yelled and we ran outside, jumped on to the carriage, and was on our way.
The horses sped off into the woods as Justin and I looked around the kingdom.
"You look pissed." Justin said but I wasn't really paying attention to him or anything else for that matter. I had one thing on my mind. Revenge.
"I'll be damned if I let them get to my family. They've already done enough to our kingdom and now they have to deal with me."
Anthony stood up in the middle of us and looked at me. "Your highness, with all do respect, the army won't let them get anywhere near you. If they do in fact get near you-"
"Then they die." I turned and got face to face with him. I stared in his eyes and saw right through him. "Your disobedience won't go without consequences, Anthony."
He looked confused and Justin smiled to himself, knowing my next move.
"I don't know what-"
"Save it for someone who wants to hear it, Anthony. We know you're working with them. Just as soon as this war is over, you're to be executed."
He looked back at Justin, then to me again. "Oh? Who will do it, your highness? You don't know the first thing about execution, pretty boy."
Justin grabbed his knife and in a swift movement, had it held to Anthony's neck. "But I do."
***
Mashika reached her arms up to me and smiled. "Up?"
I picked her up and placed her in the bath tub. From the looks of it, this baby hasn't had a bath in forever. Her hair was braided but I took those out and it hung loosely to the middle of her back. I felt bad and I ran the wash rag over her skin. She flinched a little but relaxed to me after a little while.
"Pretty.." Shika reached up and touched the necklace I was wearing. It was a diamond studded one with a dark blue pendant hanging from it. I smiled and took it off. "Would you like to wear it?" She nodded her head and I placed it around her neck.
"It looks better on you anyways, beautiful." I stroked behind her ear and smiled when she did.
"Thank you, mama."
I reached my hand back slowly and looked at her. She was young and didn't know what she said but I'm sure her sister wouldn't like her to call me that.
"Mashika...I'm not.."
"No, it's okay. She's more fascinated with you anyways." Keena said. I hadn't even noticed her at the door.
"But I'm not her mother, Keena. Taz is definitely not her father...we have to think about this. All of this. Our people only know of one king that was born, not another child."
"Are you saying that my baby sister isn't fit enough to be the child of a king?" Keena said and walked over to us. I stood up and shook my head no. "No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that she can't call me mother without Taz's permission. It's not my Royal bloodline on the line, it's his. Bad enough Justin fathered what was supposed to be his son but now we have another child who isn't even from here trying to be in the Royal family. It won't work like that."
Shika looked at both of us with a smile and reached for me. "Out now, mama. I want to go for a walk."
Keena took my hand in hers. "Take her, Queen. You can give her a life far better than my family ever did. She looks up to you and wants to be with you all of the time. Haven't you noticed that? She loves you and Taz."
I looked back at Shika and her arms were still raised. I smiled and grabbed her out of the tub with a towel wrapped around her. "Would you like to wear one of your new dresses?"
She nodded and held my hand. "Yes, mama. The blue one."
We walked out of the bathroom and I turned around one last time. Keena was grinning from ear to ear. "Boy will Taz get a kick out of this one."
Mashika in the MM 💕👑
