Emerald's Pride

CHAPTER 9

Emerald St. Clair POV

It's been two days since my accident in the bathroom, and the swelling of my right ankle was healing nicely, though I needed to use a walking stick whenever I had to work, so I didn't put so much pressure on my injured ankle.

I just finished taking a bath with the help of Naima since the poor woman insisted on helping me. After all, she said she doesn't want me to have another accident because she's really afraid that their brute king would never let her off the hook if this happened again.

I sighed deeply, remembering the last two days when doctors were constant visitors in my room, checking my injury from time to time. They made me feel that my sprained ankle was far more serious. I have a feeling that it was all Al-Farsi's doing about the doctor's unwanted visit to my bedroom.

Just I was about to get my phone on the bedside table to call my twin when Naima rushed back to my room, trying to catch her breath.

"My lady..." she started, closing the door behind her. "...His Majesty wants you to join him for tea at the private garden in the south wing of the palace right now."

"What?"

Naima bit her lower lip. "The king is requesting you to join him for a tea right now."

I blinked at the woman in front of me. Okay, I didn't expect that one coming. It's been two days since my misfortune in the bathroom, and since then, he never bothered to show up here in my room again after bullying those kind-hearted doctors who looked after me, which suited me just fine not seeing his annoying face. I am sure he was busy entertaining his future bride-to-be.

Now he was back irritating me again. So much for my forty-eight hours of stress-free life here in Saqr, and the ruffian king decided to end my peaceful life now.

I noticed that Naima was waiting for my reply patiently. I exhaled a loud sigh and looked at her. "Tell him that I am busy."

The way Naima looked at me was the kind of look as if she probably thought that I had lost my freaking mind. "But..." she started, looking at me unsurely, "...he's the king, my lady. No one can reject his invitation just like that."

It took every ounce of my self-control not to roll my eyes at her. "Of course, I can reject his invitation. I don't want to be seen with him outside, not when his bride-to-be is here. I don't want to create unwanted gossip around here. Tell him that I am not feeling well. That the doctors forbid me from walking that long."

Naima paled, "My lady! I cannot blatantly lie to His Majesty just like that. It could be grounds for treason."

I smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't be ridiculous. Just tell him that I am not well. I am sure Al--I mean, the king will understand my reason."

The woman looked at me for a moment and gave a slight bow in my direction before going out of my room again to deliver my refusal to Al-Farsi.

I unlocked my mobile phone and dialed Ruby's number. I frowned when my twin was not answering her damned mobile. Why is she so damn busy when I need her?

Naima was back in my room with her shortness of breath after trying to call Ruby's number for the fourth time. She was trying to normalize her breathing while placing a hand over her chest. "M-My...lady..." she said, looking at me with worried eyes. "I already informed His Majesty about your regret to join him for tea..."

"And?" I asked a little impatiently when she trailed off her sentence as I gave up calling my twin sister, locking my phone again.

She took a deep breath before answering. "He said, and I quote, 'If she doesn't come here as I requested, I will personally fetch her or better yet, we'll just have this tea in her room if she prefers' end quote."