THE ANCIENT HUNT

LET ME BUY YOUR TALENT

Lebby has been thinking about expanding her influence in the palace, she wanted to be a force of her own not someone relying on the king so she wanted people who are like minded and will also be of big help to her. She has been noticing and studying Morgan for quite sometimes and saw that she doesn't have a gang with other palace maids, she is always on her own and does her duties diligently so she decided she will be the best pick for all her atrocities

"You look so much like me and that makes me so interested in you, do you want to be my head maid?" Lebby asked and she stood there trying to process the offer she just heard from the queen

"You mean I should be the head of all the maids in your quarters?" she asked blinking continuously and Lebby shook her head

"I mean you should be the head of all the maids in the palace" Lebby replied and she bowed immediately at her feet making her smirk.

"So are you bowing to agree or you are bowing to show the fear that you will disagree?" Lebby asked looking down at her

"Who am I to refuse your command My Queen? I will diligently serve you" she replied lifting her head briefly before bowing down again

"You agreed to the deal faster than I expected" Lebby remarked rolling her eyes

"that's because I don't want to upset you my Queen and I also want to serve you to the fullest to prove myself worthy" she responded and Lebby gave a satisfying smile before telling her to rise up and come closer to her

"You are not only beautiful and diligent, you also talk so well. You gave me the perfect response and that's all I need. You are mine remember, as of today, you answer to no one but me" Lebby told her and she nodded continously before bowing again

"I will send out the announcement and it is to take effect immediately" Lebby added before sending her away

By evening, she had sent out the decree that Morgan is now the head of all the maids in the palace making everyone shocked because they didn't expect someone as new as Morgan to be the head maid except she had done something worthy.

Chepi left what she was doing when she saw the announcement and ran to meet Morgan who was changing her room to the head maid's own since she has been declared one.

"What's happening Morgan? you were still talking to me about freedom few days ago but what is this about being the head maid? is that the freedom you crave?" Chepi asked as soon as she entered the room

"Are you here to congratulate me or to question me, if its neither of the two then are you here to show your jealousy?" She replied sharply and that made her friend raise her eyebrow in confusion

"I'm just here to express my surprise at the sudden change of status, I'm not jealous or questioning you and also I'm not congratulating you until I know the real reason why this is happening" Chepi lashed back

"I think you will spend eternity looking for that then" she responded coldly

"You! you know you have been weird ever since that night right? you have changed and even the looks in your eyes is now colder and deadlier, I know how much you want to leave here but still Morgan, let's not do anything shameful, let's not do anything that will make us question our humanity" Chepi said with concerns written all over her face

"If you are here to give lengthy lectures then I'm afraid you have gotten the wrong person" She stated and Chepi just stood there in shock.

Morgan's reaction to her only meant one thing, she had made up her mind but she still didn't want to conclude that her friend has ulterior motive, she wanted to trust her at least

"What should I help you with?" she asked looking around, the room was almost set with everything in place but she still wanted to lend a hand

"I have to bring in a table, can you help me with that?" Morgan replied and she nodded before they both went out to bring the said table inside the room

*****

The governor's son was not joking when he told Shael that he will make her stick with him like a leech. She was with him all day attending to all his ridiculous and petty needs but didn't complain because it was still enjoyment compared to what other maids were doing. She went to her room to rest for the day, laid her bed and was just about to roll on it when she heard a tap on her room's wall. He had told her previously that it will be his signal if he needs her immediately and she has to reply. She hissed and grumbled as she heads out of the room and went back into his room

"What do you need me for in the middle of this night My Lord" she asked sarcastically as she opened the door to see him sitting on the floor

"I can't sleep, no matter how I tried to sleep, it's not just working so what do you suggest I do?" he asked looking at her while blinking continuously but that was only making her mad the more, how can he call her over just because he couldn't sleep?

"So what do you want me to do now?" she asked leaning on the door

"I don't know but just do something to make me feel sleepy, that's why you are my personal maid" he whined and she rolled her eyes before settling down

"Should I read for you? books make one sleep faster" she suggested and he nodded

"I think that might work, why not let's check it out first?" he replied with a smile which only made her scorn

She picked up a book from his mini shelf and started to read aloud for him but she was not through with a sentence when he motioned for her to stop, she paused and looked up to see what was wrong

"you are too fast" he stated and she glared at him before resuming and this time was reading the words slowly one after the other before she saw his hands raised up

"You are too slow" he said to her and she bit her lips in anger

"Don't bother to show your anger, it won't make me sleep so it's better you make me sleep so you can sleep too" he remarked with a shrug and she concluded immediately that he was an asshole, he knew that she was already getting angry and he's making her understand that she can do nothing about it until he's asleep

"Selfish swine" she murmured and he paused to look at her

"you say?" he asked stretching his neck

"I said would you like if I sing for you?" she quickly lied before she realized what she just said, she immediately covered her mouth with her hand

"Sing? can you sing?" he asked with excitement

"Sing? no! I can't sing, I'm a terrible singer, In fact my singing will only chase away the sleep" she quickly replied but he was not convinced

"I'll be the judge, you just sing instead" he said bent on hearing her sing and at this point, she knew she has no choice but to sing

She closed her eyes after inhaling and exhaling some air and started to sing, she intentionally made her voice bad and was singing off key but he just kept quiet and listened to her. She was singing passionately with all her heart that she didn't know when her voice adjusted itself and was bringing out sweet melody instead, she was a great singer with awesome voice but she never sings, she prefers to play the instrument instead but her instrument was not with her.

By the time she finished singing and opened her eyes to check on him, he was already dozing off. He clutched the pillow to his chest like a baby and slept on the floor where he was sitting.

"He's asleep at last" she muttered and stood up to pick the blanket on the bed, she covered him up and left the room to hers quietly.

"Finally I can rest my head" she said to herself as she slid into her own bed and closed her eyes trying to sleep but she couldn't sleep, the scenario that happened with the young master was playing in her head

"I wonder if my voice was soothing enough to make him sleep that deep" she wondered as she tossed on the bed

She could not sleep as she thought about the palace, the scene of the king's death and also her beloved Mica. The king might be a brutal beast to every other person but he was her savior, he was the one that picked her up from the market where she plays the instrument in exchange for money.

He was passing through the market one afternoon while she was playing her instrument as always but he stopped to listen to her song. He stayed till the end and sent his servant to drop some money which she took with gratitude and forgot about that day. She didn't go to the market for quite some time thanks to the money but fortunately for her, the day she went there, she met the King waiting

"I have been waiting here all day with the hope that you will come again, I was starting to regret I gave you such a big amount" the King said to her with a smile

"My King, why are you waiting for a lowborn like me?" she asked politely

"You might be a low born but your talent is high class, My head was cleared of all thoughts after listening to you that day and I also slept well in ages, you are such a rare gem" the King said to her lovingly and she bowed

"thank you for the money, I spent it well" she said and the King chuckled

"Instead of me giving you money, why not let me buy your talent?" the king asked and she raised her head to ask what he meant by that

"Buy my talent? what does that mean?" she asked looking around in confusion

"I want you to play for only me, you will live in comfort all your life, everything luxurious will be yours and you will never have to beg again" he explained and she covered her mouth in shock

"But I am not worthy my King" she replied with tears

"I determine if you are or not, You are worthy" he said to her and she bowed at his feet continuously

"Thank you My King, thank you so much, I will make sure to serve you to the fullest" she said with hot tears flowing down her cheeks and the King motioned for his maids to take her

She was brought to the palace, bathed, clothed and given a quarter of her own, the king gave her the most expensive erhu and also Mica was brought to her to be her personal maid, the king also gave a decree that she must never be disturbed by anyone or else they will face his wrath.

She played occasionally for the king whenever he was angry, happy or sad and the King didn't hesitate to treat her well and also provide her with whatever she needed which made her happy. Her only dream was to play for the King till she can, she had never thought of being his woman but the queen was thinking otherwise and started to trouble her but she didn't let that affect or distract her since she had a strong backup which is the king, although he is no more now