The Alpha King's Hated Slave
The Alpha King’s Hated Slave Chapter 34

Now, she understands what the king meant by the unmasking, she thought as she recited the words.

With their permission, she put back her mask on and finally padlocked it.

King Moreh continued his speech and the more he talked, the more agitated she is. From everything he said, she got to understand a few things.

While the Mask Festival is going on in this Royal Court, she’ll be taken to the inner room where she’ll be, and the kings will visit her one after the other.

She swallowed tightly. Suddenly, she wanted to use the bathroom. This horrible impending torture was seriously upsetting her bladder.

“You can go back now, slave.” King Moreh said to her in the middle of his speech.

She breathed a deep sigh of relief as she walked back to King Lucien’s side and lowered herself to the ground in her usual position.

At least she isn’t the center of attention for now, that’s all that matters.

Tears were starting to prickle her eyes and no matter how she tried to blink them back, they seem determined to want to meet her cheeks.

No matter how she wants to be strong, she doesn’t think she can survive this. They look upon her with so much hate in their eyes, these kings.

Why does she have to do through this?

Once upon a time, none of these kings would ever look upon her with nothing other than respect.

Once upon a time, she’ll be sitting on a gold chair instead of the cold hard ground.

One upon a time, these privileged people bow in her presence, and none of them can look her in the eyes blatantly.

Once upon a time, she had a crown on her head….instead of a collar to her neck.

🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵

Baski rushed into the dressing room and stared at Sally. A different Sally.

One look at the girl, Baski already know what she plans to do, and her heart broke.

“No….no, Sally, you can’t.” She said as she took steps deeper into the dressing room.

But, Sally’s mind is already made up. “I can. I will.”

“You want to take her place.” Baski whispered dreadfully.

Sally was dressed in the same exact clothings as Danika. She had a blong wig on her head…just like Danika’s hair. The two women are almost the same height and build, and in a mask, no one would know the difference.

“Oh Creator, you really want to take her place!” Baski gasped.

Sally nodded, staring at herself at the mirror. She looks…different. Wearing such elegant clothes, she looks so sophisticated.

“If they find out, you’ll be in a very big trouble, Sally. You can be executed for this!”

Sally stared at the older woman with a sad smile on her face. “That’s why I sent for you, Madam Baski. I know you can help me…they’ll never find out if you help me.”

“God, Sally it’s too dangerous!” Baski shook her head, “And I don’t want you to do this, do you hear me!? No, I won’t allow this!”

Sally wiped the tears from her cheek. She walked closer and took Baski’s hand into hers. She squeezed it in reassurance even as her own hands trembled badly.

“My princess can’t live like that, Madam Baski. Those kings hate her, she’ll never survive what they’ll do to her. She wasn’t born like us…. She’s no slave, she’s my princess! They’ll break her to pieces, she can never survive that.” Tears pooled down her makeup face.

“And you, will you survive that?” Baski countered softly.

The answer she got was….more tears.

It made Baski’s eyes water. She squeezed Sally’s hands. “You won’t, Sally. You think judt because of the….things you had to do to get us food that you can survive being the object of hateful violence of five hefty powerful kings?”

“You can’t survive that! I’m Remeta’s mother, and I know this with every bone in my body. You can’t do this, Sally, do you hear me!?” Baski said heatedly, shaking her arms.

Silence. Sally could only weep even as a little smile touched the corners of her mouth.

“Please answer this question for me, Madam Baski. If it’s king Lucien in there….and you have the power to save him…would you save him or not?” She whispered.

Baski allowed the question to wash over her. Then, she lowered her head, her heart heavy. The both of them knows the answer to that question.

“And what about sir, Chad?” Sally continued in a whisper, “if it’s king Lucien in such trouble,wouldn’t he do everything within his power to save him?….including dying for him?”

“Oh..Sally….”

“And what about sir Declan?” She whispered tearfully.

Baski clutched her heavy heart at the mention of him.

“He died in Mombana….for his king.” Sally supplied. “And all of you would still do it over and over and over again for him. With a smile on your face, because that’s how much you love and want to protect King Lucien.”

Baski wiped the tears that kept coming from her eyes. She studied Sally’s face carefully. This girl who has her heart…and the heart of every other person in Salem.

“King Lucien was worth it, Sally. He is still worth it” She said softly at last, “Your princess….is she worth this sacrifice?”

“Oh yes, Madam Baski. She’s worth it and so much more.”

“If she finds out about this, it will break her, Sally. What is worse than going through torture is watching someone you care about go through it….for you. You can ask King Lucien about it, he knows it more than anybody. She will never forgive herself.”

Sally stared at the royal bangle again. “Better me than her. This will destroy her dignity. Her very being. She’ll never walk with her heads high again. She’ll look at herself and see dirt…garbage. She’s see a true slave. That is being broken for royalties, madam Baski.”

Silence met her words.

Finally, Baski stepped back, trying to regain her composure. “Then, I’ll help you. I’ll get Danika out, and I’ll keep her out so you can go in.”

“Thank you so much, Madam Baski.” She whispered sincerely. “You have to take her far away from the courtroom… I don’t want her to see or hear…. It’ll hurt her a lot and she might try to stop everything.”

Baski shook her head in sadness, but at the same time, she felt new respect for this young woman.

“You, Sally…you’re the bravest and most loyal young woman I’ve ever seen. You’re not meant to be a slave. Your heart is too pure to have been in this dark world of ours.”

Baski has been curious about this for so long. And so, she asked, “How did you make it this far…? All these light…and happiness…and brightness of yours…how did you have them for so long?”

Sally swiveled her head to the door. “It’s all because of that woman inside that den of lions, Madam Baski.”

“The princess?”

She nodded. “It’s all because of her.”

Baski looked away. “Has she been unmasked?”

“Yes. I heard the shouts from here.” Sally answered.

“Then, now is your chance.” Baski walked closer and helped her put on the mask and padlocked it behind her head.

Sally walked to the table and lifted that bangle. She slid it into her left wrist.

“You walk almost like her.” Baski’s voice held reverence.

Sally beamed at her through the tears. “I’ve been with her for so long, Madam Baski… I know her. My Princess.”

Baski bit her lips worriedly, “A lot of slaves has died behind the front doors of the Royal Court. You might never walk out of that door alive, Sally.”

Sally smiled through her tears. “I know, madam Baski. It doesn’t matter, because I’ve been living on borrowed time, anyway.”