IS IT FAREWELL MY KING?

CHAPTER 3 - Princess Areza’s Plan

I

Without any recourse, Princess Areza needs to fulfill the condition laid down by the Angel Rashnu; otherwise, she will be living for a year only from the time that she rose from the dead.

So, together with her Queen Mother, they planned how she could easily enter the palace of the tyrant King of Persia.

To enter the palace of King Severo, Areza should be held captive first by the palace’s soldiers and be presented to the King for a verdict would either she would lose her head or she would be the lowliest servant of the palace unless the King had to find something special in her that would catch the attention of the King and he will consider her as one of his bed warmers or women that will be included in his andaruni or harem.

Princess Areza who is now determined to fulfill her mission on earth in lieu of taking back her long life bravely agrees to the plan.

To be held captive, Areza waited for the usual hunting spree of the high-ranking soldiers in the forest, one mountain away from their Carkas Land.

Clad in her worn-out hunting clothing that reveals her sexy flat stomach, with her bow and arrow on her back, Areza waited in the forest during the usual day that the Palace’s soldiers hunt for deer and other wild animals.

She needs to anger the soldiers to get their attention and catch her.

When one of the soldier’s high officials aimed to hit a running deer, Areza immediately got her bow and arrow and hit the deer first before the soldier could even release his own arrow.

“Who the hell did that?!” The high official asked in astonishment.

The soldiers were all stunned. They did not see who sent that flying arrow that hit the deer in the middle of its neck.

Areza got out of her hiding place and ran to get the deer for herself. The Palace’s soldiers looked at her in awe. Everyone was speechless.

Agitated, the high official, who felt embarrassed about what Princess Areza did, shouted, “Capture her and bring her to the palace for judgment for hunting in a prohibited area and for disturbing our peaceful hunting time!”

Immediately, two young soldiers forcefully tied Areza’s hands, who never even tried to resist.

“Who are you young lady and why are you so brave to hit that deer even if you saw that I was about to hit it?” The high official asked Princess Areza with amusement now in his tone.

“Apology, I did not notice that you were also targeting that deer. I am giving it to you gladly. Should I go now,” Areza asked, trying to act like someone who was guilt-free?

“Answer me, who are you?”

“Arez; I mean, I am Are; an orphan hunter. Can I go now?” she replied, almost stammering, and smiled at the soldiers in front of her.

“Didn’t you know that no one is allowed to hunt in this area?”

“No; I am sorry.”

“Young lady, you committed two crimes; first, hunting in the prohibited area of this forest and second, disturbing the peaceful hunting time of the Palace’s soldiers.” The Palace High Official explained, grinning.

“Bring her. We will go back to the palace now.” The same high official of the palace ordered his men.

II

Areza was temporarily put inside a dungeon, located in the palace’s underground. It was dark and small and she could feel some rats running around the premises. She tried to be bold and when she felt her stomach growling with hunger, she decided to get the piece of bread and a small bottle of water carefully put inside her small leather sling bag. She already expected that this situation would happen, so she readied herself for this and made sure that she would not starve herself while waiting for her time to be presented in front of the King, for the verdict.

The next day, together with other criminals, Princess Areza was presented to the young, tyrant King Severo for judgment.

Looking at the King sitting on his throne, Princess Areza was surprised to know that the King is still young and definitely gorgeous. No one could ever tell by merely looking at him that he was such an evil, tyrant, and cold-hearted King.

After the three male criminals had been given judgment by the young King, he suddenly looked at Princess Areza with a furrowed forehead.

“So, what is the crime of this young lady, General Daedon?” he asked the high official who ordered to capture Areza while keenly looking at her.

The man called General Daedon stated the crime allegedly committed by the young lady and King Severo laughed loudly. “What? That’s a shame for all of you. This young lady killed the deer before you even shot your arrows?” he asked the soldiers mockingly.

The soldiers felt totally embarrassed, especially General Daedon, but they couldn't help themselves not to look at the young lady, with flickers of admiration coupled with lustful desires.

Seeing his soldiers ogle the young, beautiful, agile lady in her worn-out clothes, which looked like those of hunters and warrior women, whose tribe they usually called Carkas, the young King smiled secretly. He also finds the pretty young lady with her bow and arrow on her back, so mysterious and thrilling.

“Alright, since I can determine that your crime, young lady, was just very light actually and that you seemed to be a lady of special characteristics, I decided to line you up among my andaruni women. Bring her to my Andaruni and do the necessaries!” Then the King stood up and left the throne hall.

The young king, who was still unmarried, used his status to put the beautiful women he chose in his andaruni. All of these women would be there to bring joy to the King until the time that he chose someone to be his Queen, either from one of her women in her andaruni or princesses from other kingdoms. Then, he can keep up to four concubines from his andaruni thereafter.

The soldiers were disappointed upon hearing the judgment of their king, as they wanted the brave woman for themselves, especially General Daedon, the one who felt embarrassed and offended by Areza.

General Daedon found Areza’s beauty and bravery quite so disturbing too.