Chapter 19: Chapter 19

**

SARAFINA

We were finally through with breakfast. Terai and Sherry came out to meet me. I stood up and noticed Sherry avoiding my eyes. I sighed as I followed them.

"Ditya is a very irritable princess" Terai suddenly said. We stopped.

"Terai!" I gasped out.

She smiled and looked at me. "Nothing is to be sugarcoated, I just said that to know what you're signing in for"

I rolled my eyes. "What I'm signing in for? Or what the queen is asking me to do"

"You should be grateful at least" Terai said with a shrug.

"I'm grateful, though I would gladly have continued my punishment than work for an irritable princess"

Terai laughed. "You don't mean it, you are only saying it"

"You know me too well Terai" I said with fondness. She ruffled my hair.

"I understand you the most Sarafina" she stated with mock pride.

"Isn't that Prince Jamal coming our way" Sherry suddenly spoke up.

"Our way" I rasped out. Did he see me? Oh no. I moved behind Terai and ruffled my hair so that it covered my face.

"Are you running from him" Sherry asked. It was the first time she talked to me without a scoff or mockery in her tone.

"I guess it something like that" I replied quietly.

"I can help you hide" she said. Terai and I gasped. Did she just say what i heard or is it my imagination?

"Come on" she said grabbing my hands. "Tera we will find our way to Ditya's chambers" she told Terai.

"Be safe girls" Terai said as Sherry grabbed me and we started running.

We were already halfway into the palace when we saw Khan talking with Princess Ditya.

"Another trouble" I muttered, remembering when I mistakenly pushed her to the ground the day before.

"Do you have a case with Ditya too?" Sherry asked.

I scratched my chin guiltly. "I may have mistakenly pushed her to the ground at the welcome ceremony yesterday"

"What!" Sherry whisper yelled. I smiled innocently at her as I tried to move stealthily backwards. But luck has never been good to me because Ditya turned sharply to us.

I froze.

"You !!" She said like she was trying to confirm something.

"We can't run" Sherry whispered.

I'm so doomed!!

.

.

DITYA

I got to his chambers with Inaia, but he wasn't there. "Why isn't he in his room !!" I screamed at the guards standing at the front of his chambers.

"If you're looking for our prince, he just left with his personal.guard" one of them told me. I rolled my eyes angrily and stomped out.

"Where the hell us he now huh!" I said angrily. Insia sighed. "I think I just saw his personal guard, Khan" she said.

I turned to the direction her eyes went and I saw a man standing beside the oak tree. "Is that him" I asked.

"That's Khan, I think the prince is not far from there" With burning rage I gathered my gown up in my hands and marched furiously towards Khan.

I didn't have to call him as I got there because he immediately sensed my presence and turned. "Princess" he said and bowed. I scoffed ignoring his greetings. "Where is Jamal?" I asked.

"The prince doesn't want to be disturbed now, you can see him some ___" I didn't let him finish his sentence before I landed a slap on his face.

He held his cheek, looking at me in surprise. "You dare call my wanting to see my betrothed a disturbance !!" I snickered. "Such insolence, where is Jamal !!" I asked again.

He smiled at me, making me so annoyed. How dare he smile after I just slapped him? Is he sick in the head or something?. "I'm sorry princess, but prince Jamal is not to be disturbed not even by his betrothed" he replied with a polite bow, angering me the more.

I ran my hands through my hair in fury and looked down tapping my leg angrily. Suddenly my eyes caught a pair of legs coming our way and..... That anklet!

I immediately turned to see two girls standing about three feet away from us. I looked at the one wearing the anklet. The structure of her face looked very much like the girl that hit me the day before.

"You??" I said in a question like manner. I studied the movement if her body, she was fidgeting. "Its you right? You are the maiden that pushed me to the ground at the welcoming ceremony huh?" I asked.

"Actually___" she started. I stalked towards her until I was eye to eye with her. "You really think you can get away with what you did to me?" I said

"Sorry princess, but I think youve mistaken her for someone else" the second girl said.

"What! Are you trying to question me or what?"

"I am doing nothing of such manner princess, we are actually the new maids assigned to you, my name is Sherry and my friend's name is Sarafina... If you think she is the one who pushed you down yesterday I might have to argue because we were definitely not at the ceremony yesterday" she replied.

I peered at her skeptically, Is she lying, her face didn't show any trace of emotion and she didn't even bat a lash. "Where were you yesterday then" I asked.

"We went to greet my sick mother" the Sherry girl replied. I glanced at the one called Sarafina... I still had my suspicions about her. "Why is she the only one doing the answers?" I asked Sarafina.

"Well___" I raised my hands to cut her off. "Forget it, do not say a thing again.... Insia take them to my chambers and show them what is to be done.... I will be back soon" I said while Insia nodded and took them inside, leaving Khan and I together. "Show me where Jamal is now!!" I ordered as I turned to Khan.

"I'm right here" I heard Jamal's voice behind me. I turned swiftly to him and I gulped hard as I almost collided into him. He took a step back. "Jamal" I whispered.

"I heard you have been throwing tantrums around the whole palace like a little kid because you won't respect my privacy" he said calmly throwing me into a fit of embarrassment.

I look down as my cheeks reddened in abashment. "I just wanted to see you, you didn't acknowledge me at all yesterday" I reminded him.

"I thought you would have matured since the last time I met you, but only your age has changed you are still the whining fifteen years old teenager I knew"

"Jamal !!" I gasped. How can he say all these in front of a lowly guard. "Can we talk somewhere else?" I said to him. He scoffed.

"You still don't get that I'm not in the mood to talk with you Princess Ditya" he replied.

"But Jamal____" I started.

"Khan, take the princess back to her chambers, I need to rest" he said, completely ignoring me. My eyes widened in surprise, is he really doing this to me. "Why are you doing this! Are you seeing someone else !!" I yelled at his retreating back.

He stopped and then turned to me. "Even if I am seeing someone else, there is nothing you are going to do about it" he stated icily and walked away.

I gasped as tears gathered in my eyes. "Jamal !! Jamal!!"

"We should leave now, princess" Khan said as he tried to touch me.

"Don't you dare touch me" I yelled at him and plodded away.

***

Naja sighed tiredly as she entered Zedora, her disguise was already fading off as she got to the cave at the entrance. She slipped down and closed her eyes. At least she can rest a bit since she has already passed the entrance guards.

Naja placed her head in between her feet, promising herself not to give up until the whole battle was over. She was already dozing off when she felt a hand clamp over her mouth. She kicked and tried to scream but it only came out as muffled groans. The last thing she heard was her abductor muttering "bitch" before she finally slipped into unconsciousness.

•••••

JAMAL

After I left Ditya, I made my way to the maid working area, hoping to see Sarafina. It has been two days since I last saw her and I was starting to forget how I feel anytime I do.

Ditya's arrival has actually made me understand two things — I still can't feel which means my curse has not been broken and staying with Sarafina can be a temporary cure to my curse.

I got to the working area and my eyes scanned the workers, they were all busy with their various works that they didn't notice me. I cleared my throat to draw attention. They turned to me subsequently. They all moved back, bowing their head in courtesy. Some trembling visibly.

"Where is Sarafina" I asked the maiden closer to me. "Sarafina?" She asked with a raised brow.

"I don't repeat myself" I replied her curtly.

"Sorry my prince" she said, shifting back and bowing her head in fake remorse.

"Sarafina has been assigned to work for the princess" a maiden chipped in from the rear end.

I stilled. "What !? —When?" I paused when I noticed I was acting a bit to frantic. I sighed and started walking hurriedly towards Ditya's chambers.

Why will Sarafina work for Ditya, Ditya is of no good at all and she is sure going to make Sarafina's life a living hell.

°°°

SARAFINA

We got to Ditya's room with Insia few minutes later. I was still a bit flustered after what happened with Ditya. I can't believe she almost caught me, if not because of Sherry. Though I'm still a bit surprised that Sherry of all people helped me.

"Isn't there supposed to be a kind of introduction?" Sherry said as we entered the chambers.

"Introduction? I know your names and you know mine, what's more to introduce?" Insia replied.

"Whatever" Sherry muttered. "What are we to do?" She added.

Insia looked at her with a cold expression. "I don't like you, Sherry" she concluded. Sherry cracked a bit, cocking her hips to a side. "I don't like you either Insia" she replied.

I stared at the both of them and shook my head. "Are we here to work or what?" I finally said. The Insia girl looked at me as if scrutinizing my appearance, she then brought out a scroll and placed it before us.

"Those are the rules and regulations you should follow if you ever want to keep working with princess Ditya, and her schedule is also stated there, your work for her is inside too... Go through it and make sure you master it.. There are no rooms for complaints"

I picked up the scroll, Sherry snatched it from me. "Rules and regulations huh!" She said with a scoff. "Very typical of a princess like her" she rolled the paper and dipped it into her gown. "We will study it later, what are we to do now"

"Cleaning the whole chamber and clearing away the old bed covers" Insia replied. I sighed and picked up a broom and started sweeping.

"Want to leave a good impression on the princess huh" Insia said mockingly. I rolled my eyes as I stood up... I don't know why she has taken a sudden dislike to us. "Newsflash Insia, I don't work to please" I replied her and continued my work.

I could hear Sherry's silent chuckle and I smiled. "Aissh, princess Ditya should have just brought her own maids from home" Insia muttered angrily.

I rolled my eyes again, she is just as irritable as her princess. Few minutes later we were finally through with the cleaning of the room. "Shouldn't we take our leave now?" I said as we got back from emptying the last piece of trash.

"You are waiting on a princess so you can't leave until she asks you to" Insia said.

"What!!, so we are going to keep standing here till your so-called princess returns?" Sherry exclaimed.

"Obviously" I replied with an humorless grin.

Suddenly the door to the chambers swung open, I moved back in fear thinking it was Ditya, only for me to come face dab with Jamal as I was the one standing by the door.

"Ja.... Prince Jamal" I almost called him without the title but I quickly corrected myself. We lowered our heads in courtesy. "Prince Jamal, are you here to see the princess?" Insia asked grinning from ear to ear.

He stared at her icily and then turned to me, I immediately avoided his eyes. "I'm here to see Sarafina" he said.

My head snapped up. Insia gasped. "What!?!" I moved back, blinking my eyes innocently. This is beyond imaginable. Why will he ask of me in his betrothed's chambers.

As if the shock of the moment wasn't enough, Ditya chose that time to walk in. "Jamal" she called, surprise clearly lacing her tone. With the expression on her face it seems they both got off on a wrong foot.

"Are you here to see me" she asked, batting her lashes seductively. I rolled my eyes. If only she knows that Jamal would not understand all her stupid gestures because he can't feel.

Jamal kept quiet not answering her questions, his gaze still fixed on me. "You all should leave us" Ditya said to us.

We nodded and we were already walking out when Jamal held my hand. I stilled, my heart already beating frantically beneath my chest. Partly because of the fear of what is to come and partly because of the sweet sensational feeling if our joined hands.

Ditya's eyes traveled down to Jamal's hand on mine and back to him.

"Jamal what's the meaning of this?" Ditya asked agitatedly. I tried to break my hands free from his grip but he held on to it tightly. I sighed in defeat, looking everywhere but at Ditya as I tried to avoid the murderous glare coming from her.

"I am not here to see you Ditya. I am here to see Sarafina" Jamal finally said.

There was a deadly silence of shock as Ditya took her to time to process what Jamal said. I was already trembling visibly.

Ditya eyes shot up, glint of fury obvious in her eyes. Nobody expected what was coming as she pulled my hand away from Jamal's hand and furiously landed a slap on my face.

"Ditya !!"

•••••

﹏

SARAFINA.

The force of the slap sent me flying to the ground in no time. I blinked rapidly as tears stung my eyes. She came at me again and I closed my eyes expecting the hit but I got none.

I peeked through the corner of my eyes and saw Jamal holding her hands up, his eyes a dangerous gleam of fiery red.

"One more hit on her and you might not live to see the setting of the sun" Jamal said and I gasped.

"Jamal!!" Ditya screamed angrily as she freed her hands from his grip and moved back. I stood up from the ground and silently tried to leave.

"Don't move an inch, Sarafina" Jamal said without looking at me. I stopped, how did he know?. "He grabbed me and with one last glare at Ditya, he pulled me out of her chambers.

" Jamal, Jamal wait" I said with an hysterical edge to my voice as he kept pulling me out not minding the prying eyes of the palace workers.

"Sarafina, just keep quiet and follow me" he replied me. I gulped and bowed my head following him sheepishly.

﹏﹏﹏

DITYA.

I can't seem to control my fury as the image of what just happened keeps replaying in my head. Jamal holding her hands. Jamal threatening me because of a maid. Jamal stopping me from unleashing my anger on the maid.

I walk sluggishly to my bed and slowly sink down on it. I don't want my mind to wander that far, yet I can't seem to stop my thoughts from reaching that possibility.

What if?

What if they are in some sort of relationship? What if Jamal is in love with her. I shake my head as if shaking it will push away my stray thoughts.

"Jamal can't stoop that low" I tell myself. But deep inside I know it's a lie, I am only trying to convince myself of something that is clearly obvious.

But no! Hell no will I allow myself to loose like this. I have waited for this opportunity for ten years. No maid would snatch away what rightfully belongs to me. Never!

A smug smile form on my lips as I picture the perfect way to get Jamal.

Insia walked in at that moment. "My princess" she says bowing her head. I smile at her and fold my legs.

"Here you are, Insia" I say, she looks at me strangely, I can't skip her look of questioning.. Her eyes are asking if I am perfectly fine. She has no idea that I am way more than fine.

"I'm really sorry about what happened earlier princess —" she starts to say but I click my finger to cut her off.

"Forget about that Insia and also make sure that Sarafina girl keeps working for me" I replied.

"But princess.. It's not like you to give up this easily..."

I throw my head back in laughter. She thinks I'm giving up... Poor Insia, she sure as hell doesn't know what is on my mind.

I'm going to get Jamal and deal with that commoner. All I need is a perfect and powerful ally. Someone like Maximus.

"I never and will never give up, Insia" I replied her.