MY KILLER

CHAPTER 48

I walked between the short trees and into the gardens, the gardens that would soon get a new owner. With my head high, I looked further down to see the concubines seated on their fancy tea tables.
I had remembered once upon a time I had spied on them during one their very many tea parties. I had shook my head then, admired their fancy clothes but hated their boring disgusting life and the roles they played in the palace. One of insignificance.

Concubines.
Eww.
Could never be me.

I scanned the tables until my eyes rested on her. Her seat was the closest to the empty chair that was soon to be mine and a mischievous smile ran across my now delicate face. The treatment was working, and fast even. I had begun going for treatments for everything, my body, my scars, my hair, my being and even my soul. I was on a journey to a good place, a place where all I'd do is flourish.

They were engrossed in their discussion and although she had the look of inattentiveness, she seemed to be listening to every word they were saying and as expected, it was about me, about my new position.

Yara standing a few steps behind me, cleared her throat to get their attention when we were a few feet away and they looked down at me, from the shaded pavement they used as their tea party spot.

They stared at me, expecting me to bow or show some kind of respect.
It was another who spoke.
"Shouldn't you at least show us some acknowledgement?"

I looked from her to the agreeing faces of the rest of them. She was the only one not fazed one bit.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding here. You're the one to acknowledge my presence and not the other way around."

Another of them literally jumped up almost upturning the contents of the table and huffed at me. "You're the Sultan's new and favorite concubine doesn't make you higher than us. Our ranks as seniors still far surpasses yours."

I let out a loud laugh. If I wasn't taking classes on Etiquettes of royal Ladies, I'd have taught her a big lesson for calling me that which I hated the most.
"I do understand that all you do is hold tea parties and gossip but even if you live under a rock, you'd still know of the news that threw the whole of Arabia into a turmoil. I even heard you all discussing it here a moment ago."

"Don't be too full of yourself, The Sultan hasn't even said anything to us," the first one said.

"Of course not, he wouldn't. You're not worth his time," I said with disdain in my voice.

"How dare you..." another jumped at me.

"I would dare, Nafiza, I would dare," I said calling the name of the one I knew. "Sahib even said I should command Ameena to give you the order but I insisted on doing it myself. I mean, you all deserve some sort of last respect after all."

"That is enough, Sahiba," she spoke at last. "I won't have you here insulting us. Ameena called this meeting, not you."

"You don't understand now do you," I said staring at her right in the eyes. "Ameena ordered you here because she is above you all. But that Ameena gave that order on my command. That means that until I'm done talking, none of you have the right to speak."

"What the hell," another said as they all boiled in rage.

"I have guards positioned at every section of this garden safeguarding me. And if I'm disobeyed or disrespected, I won't care if you are ladies, I'll let them in here and under my command, they will spill all your bloods here, all in a second and Sahib wouldn't even bat an eye."

They were silent.
"You wouldn't dare." She was staring into my eyes with the same spite as always.

I took two steps closer to her. "After everything you've done to me Jadwa, cutting you down here in a second will be my way of showing you mercy. Don't aggravate me, you very well know what I'm capable of."
I saw the fear in her eyes and I was glad. I looked at the rest of them and saw the same fear.
They had finally been subdued.
I was really getting a hank of this leadership of a thing.