IS IT FAREWELL MY KING?

CHAPTER 4 - The New Andaruni Woman

I

Areza almost stood frozen. She wished to rather be a slave than to be included in the Andaruni of King Severo. “How could I escape from the merciless hands of this tyrant King?” she thought, her limbs weakening.

“Come woman, I will present you to the Chief Black Eunuch of the Andaruni.” The Second in command of General Daedon, approached Areza and freed her hands from being tied to her back.

Princess Areza silently followed the soldier. They entered a big hallway and then they turned left where she was greeted by a marvelous giant wooden door, which the two soldiers guarded, opened it automatically as they came nearer.

As they entered the door, Princess Areza almost gasped, seeing a big hall with pretty beds lined up on an elevated place with at least three stairs going up there, and then around four doors, which she could say were special rooms.

In another part of the hall is a dining area, where two long tables with chairs and a round table with four chairs in the middle were being placed.

On the right, far end, a three-seater Victorian-style chair with a big carpet below, has been placed artistically and strategically.

There were some women lying on their beds and some were seated on the stairs, while others were standing like they were chatting with each other.

Princess Areza and the soldier were greeted by a bulky black man with a tall slim woman beside him.

“Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca, she is all yours. A new recruit as an Andaruni Woman,” the soldier said in such a pitch that could be heard by everyone around, as he entrusted her to the two high officers of the Andaruni.

With that, all of those women almost at the same time shot Princess Areza with their curious glances.

The Chief Black Eunuch, who is also called Chief Belevey and Lady Dianca, looked at Princess Areza from head to foot, then from down, and upward again.

“Hmm, I have a good feeling for you, young lady. What is your name, by the way?” It was Chief Belevey, who asked.

“Are, my name is Are,” Princess Areza quickly answered and gracefully bowed her head. With this action of Princess Areza the Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca, all of a sudden looked at each other, both with furrowed foreheads.

“You seemed to have a good bearing young woman. I wondered from what kingdom you came from?” Lady Dianca asked with such curiosity in her eyes.

“I do not have a Kingdom. I was once a free woman who lived in the mountains and hunted wild animals for survival.” Princess Areza replied with her head still bent down. She is lying and she does not want these two high officials to see it as it reflects in her eyes. She is not a good liar and she can admit to that without any argument.

The Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca nodded although with a hint of doubt in their facial expressions.

“Come Are, we will show you, your place.” The Chief Black Eunuch said as he started to walk ahead.

“Are, this is your bed, you can put your bag beside it.” Lady Dianca said as she pointed to the bed in front of us.

We were in front of a dainty bed with pink covers and two pillows on it, at the last row of the lined beds.

She glanced at the Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca, then nodded. “Thank you,” she murmured with politeness.

“Be good and cooperate with other women here. You will start your training to be an exquisite Anduruni Woman by tomorrow. Understand Are?” the Chief Black Eunuch said while looking at Princess Areza with a bit of a smile on his lips.

Once again, Princess Areza nodded gently.

II

When the Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca walked away and left her, Princess Areza slowly approached the bed, sat thereon, and tested its softness. She smiled as the bed was soft and she knew she might be able to sleep comfortably. She then looked up and was surprised as she saw some pretty women gathered near her, all looking at her; some were smiling while the others seemed to check on her, assessing her. Some of the women looked at her in a friendly manner while the others seemed to have considered her already as a foe or a competitor.

Princess Areza tried to smile warmly at all the women of around eight in front of her.

“Hi, we heard that your name is Are, I am Glena, nice meeting you Are,” said a woman with blonde curly hair and a sweet face. She is of regular height with a slim figure. All-in-all, she could be called a pretty lady, although not too stunning enough compared to Princess Areza.

Princess Areza stood up and offered a handshake to Glena and smiled. “Nice meeting you Glena.”

Glena smilingly accepted her offered hand and Princess Areza just knew by then that she had found a new friend inside the King’s Andaruni.

“Is it true that you committed a crime and you were about to be executed, but luckily our Highness King felt pity for you and made you an Andaruni woman, instead?” A tall woman, with blonde, straight, long hair, a fair complexion, a voluptuous body, with a raised eyebrow, suddenly interrupted the conversation and handshaking of Princess Areza and Glena.

Princess Areza controlled herself and tried to still be nice to the chesty woman. She could sense that the woman asked such a question with the intention of embarrassing her.

“Hi, I did commit a crime as I hit the deer aimed at by the General with my bow and arrow. As was explained to me, I hunted in the prohibited place and disturbed the peaceful hunting spree of the soldiers,” she explained with a bit of a smile on her lips. She saw that most of the women around her were in awe as they heard her story.

Glena even clapped her hands. “Wow, amazing! You really did that thing, Are? It means you have met the handsome General also?”

Princess Areza smiled and nodded. “He got pissed off actually towards me, that was why I was held captive.”

“Ohh, goodness! You are very brave Are!” said some of the women, almost simultaneously.

However, the woman who asked Princess Areza with malice and disdain smirked and even frowned at her.

“She still committed a crime and nothing is awesome in that aspect,” the same chesty woman said as she looked at Princess Areza with fierceness.

Princess Areza wanted to sigh at this moment but she controlled herself again. She does not want to have an enemy; not when she has a mission to accomplish inside this palace. An enemy is not what she needed, but a friend. But, looking at the tall smirking woman in front of her, Princess Areza could feel that she had just got an enemy at this early stage of her mission.