Womanish Lady

Chapter 11:

"Slow it down!" called out the Prince as he walked to catch up with her.

Fuyaiyah continued as if she heard nothing.

"Hey!"

No response.

"Stop - that's an order!" he had to resort to.

Taking two extra steps, Fuyaiyah stopped and sighed heavily.

"You really don't listen. But I only have little patience."

She said nothing as they kept walking.

He sighed.

"I'm only here to tell you a story. You should know a few things about the Royal Family."

"I have absolutely no desire to know the story of you, or any of your kin. I don't want to be involved either."

"Sorry Fuyaiyah. The first moment you introduced yourself to father, you became deeply involved. You're in the Royal Palace now, and you're being watched. Let me give you insight. You're a smart one, so I know you'll use the information to keep yourself safe."

She looked at Prince Kyuni, naturally wanting to know why the Prince who was quick to give her forty beatings cared for her safety, but didn't ask anything.

Prince Kyuni knew her reaction already.

"I don't like loud, disobedient women. But I don't like how my father seems to want to lead you to the same fate as my mother. I won't allow it."

Fuyaiyah had much on her mind already. But she didn't do anything to discourage the Prince from telling her.

"To put it plainly: You're reminding us of the late queen. Our mother, and father's first wife. My father's and mother's goals for this Kingdom were different, so they conflicted a lot. Then she was casted away. Despite that, she did her queenly duties well along with letting the King know when he did or was about to do something wrong. But if he didn't heed my mother, she would go after him and do something to relieve the people from his actions."

"Are you trying to counteract me, woman?" yelled the King after calling Queen Favour in.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb! We have our guests visiting us from a long way. I told the citizens to treat the guests as if they were us; as I told our guests to enjoy themselves. But then you told the people they could close their businesses, or refuse the wishes they have?"

"If you didn't hear: these guests have been very rude and too proud when interacting with our citizens. Just recently, their rudeness almost drove a citizen to be harmed. I only gave the people permission to refuse their service to them if they try to disrespect or belittle them and their hard work."

"Well now, because of you, they're saying negative things about my province. I promised them the best time here."

"They still can have a very good time without disturbing the people."

"I want our, and their provinces, to be on good terms - and I represent the people. Did you even think to consider how it would make me look if you did that?"

"Of course I did, your Majesty. You are indeed the head of us all, but the people make up the rest of the body. Our guests may not be beating the head, but if they step on your foot, or kick your leg, won't that mean they're not truly respecting the head? Won't that still be a form of offense to you?"

The King was quiet. Then, an official arrived to notify the Queen of someone requesting her audience.

"I don't know why you got upset. I thought of you before giving the permission." she bowed, and left.

Prince Kyuni continued.

"With her doing things like that, even though both of them had their own roles to succeed in, everyone could tell how obvious it was that father felt insecure by his own wife. That went on for only a few years."

But then, one summer, the King invited all of the Royal house to go on vacation at the Summer Palace, including Queen Favour, who he had locked away some time ago. And they all enjoyed themselves. But, the last morning of their stay, a huge fire broke out within the Queen's summer palace.

The King's summer palace was more uphill, so, to get to where Queen Favour was took awhile.

The fire seemed to have spread throughout the main part of the palace quickly, but everyone had made it out. Except Queen Favour. The Queen's personal servant was nowhere to be found.

"Where's mother?" asked the young Prince Kyuni while the royal family were running to the carriage.

Their father didn't show any signs of concern. "I don't know. But she's the Queen - of course she'll be fine."