Rebecca quickly adapted as a palace servant. One day when she had finished preparing dinner in the kitchen, Maya stopped her.
"Zahra told me to wash the hallway curtains" she clicked her tongue against her teeth "I told her I have to take the food to the king but she didn't listen. Please can you take it?"
"Is it allowed? I don't..."
"Don't worry, I gave you the order. Have you seen me every day preparing the record like this?" He nodded "Great, so you know what to do. I'll leave it up to you. Just be careful"
"Be careful for what?"
"There are rumors that the king is killing the servants. And the thing is no one has ever found their bodies" she kept from laughing, telling this lie to bait Rebecca, but it was enough to make the girl shiver her legs in fear.
"Then why are you sending me?"
"Because I trust you" she said putting her hands on her shoulders "I'm in a hurry now so I'll see you later"
Maya quickly left the kitchen to start pulling down the curtains and Rebecca went to the counter. She looked at the cupboards that Maya usually opened and tried to make dinner as she did "I don't want to die, I'm too young to die" she cried to herself.
She took the tray, trying to keep her hands from shaking in fear and walked over to the door knocking "Come in" she heard a male voice and walked in "Υ-Your Highness... I brought your dinner"
"Leave it on the table" the voice came from the screen. He approached the table and left the tray there. She looked around and saw a carved inscription on the wall "Veni, Vidi, Vici" she whispered reading "I Came, I Saw, I Conquered"
"You know Latin" the figure that came out of the screen snapped her out of her thoughts. Fear took over her body again and she stepped back. The man in front of her, the king of Jerusalem, is the man in white clothes and wearing a mask. The man Zahra said never to talk about, let alone go to his room.
"Your Majesty... You... I mean... I..." Just as she stepped back, she went to fall, but he caught her by the wrist and waist, lifting her up. She heard him laugh under the mask and let it go.
"There's no need to be afraid. I'm not going to do anything to you for your knowledge. But I wonder how you learned. I thought women in Jerusalem didn't get that kind of knowledge."
"My father was a teacher and had many books at home. His sister was a nun and taught reading and writing to the children in my area. They taught me to read Latin."
"I see"
"I'm sorry I came today. Maya had an obligation and..."
"You don't need to apologize" he raised his hand, stopping her "You may go"
Rebecca bowed and almost ran out of the room. She ran down the hall and leaned her body against a pillar. Her heart was beating non-stop.
The maids were sitting in the back yard, washing the curtains on the boats
"Maya, wouldn't you take food to the king?"
"I gave it to Rebecca to do"
"But why? It's none of her business"
"To leave, of course" she said with a wicked laugh
"I told her so many scary lies about the king I bet she'll be scared to death of her" she started laughing and the others did the same "She'll have already asked Zahra to leave , rest assured"
"Stop the chatting and get back to work" Zahra came out into the backyard "Maia what are you doing here? Where's Rebecca?" The maids began to look at each other, laughing. Rebecca appeared behind Zahra as she stepped out into the courtyard.
"I took the disk you asked for, Maya" he said and Maya opened her eyes wide, knowing she was betrayed.
"Which disk?" Zahra asked, looking at Rebecca and back at Maya.
"Maya asked me to take the king's dinner to his room because she had work"
"So that's it" she looked at Maya, who had turned white as a sheet and was shaking
"Zahra, I can't believe you believe this fifteen year old girl who knows nothing about the rules"
"No, she doesn't know, but you should have taught her. Starting today, your roles change. I will speak with Princess Sibyl, you will no longer be in charge of King Baldwin."
"But, Zahra!" She went to excuse herself but Zahra stopped her "You think I haven't heard those stupid rumors you tell the servants about our king? You were given the honor to serve him and you bit the hand that fed you. You're lucky I'm not kicking you out because I knew your parents and how loyal they were to the forgiven King Amoris I"
"Thank you very much" she bowed and could hear the other maids whispering something and laughing. She was eventually destroyed by her own poison.
"From now on you, Rebecca, will serve King Baldwin"
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, but I cannot accept it"
"What do you mean;"
"It's been months here that I serve the princess Sibyl, I cannot serve anyone else without the princess herself giving me permission."
"You are right as you think. I will speak to the princess and depending on her decision, you will act accordingly"
"Thank you" he said and bowed as Zahra left for the interior of the palace.
In the evening, Baldwin sat in the fireplace room, reading one of his Latin books. Sibylla entered the room, sitting on the couch across from him.
"Today there was some ruckus with the maids. It seems that the Maya we trusted so much turned out to be a viper that backstabbed us. They were secretly working with the rebels, she confessed all."
"Will you execute her or banish her from the palace?" The young man asked."I'll execute her. She deserves it, anyway. She'll be a good example for the rest of the rebels to follow."
"Do as you wish" said Baldwin and turned his gaze to his book "Anyway you know my point, to unite all the people of Jerusalem under the power and love of God and not under the fear of my reign"
"I know. But not everyone believes in the same God" She sat thoughtful as if she wanted to say something "And one more thing. Zahra wants one of my maids to serve you, in Maya's place"
"Really? Which one?"
"Rebecca" Baldwin was speechless and stopped reading "Why didn't you give her the order then?"
"Rebecca herself doesn't want to. She said she wants our decision first to change masters" Baldwin thought about it and looked at his sister "Then leave it to me. I'll give the order"
"Do as you wish" she said and stood up from the couch heading for the door "Rebecca although new she learns fast she is worth keeping as my maid" These were her last words before she closed the door behind her.
YOU ARE READING
Golden Face
Historical FictionBaldwin was the son of Amarlic I, King of Jerusalem and Agni's of Courtenay, daughter of the Count of Edessa. He was the only son of the house of Anjou, while he had an older sister, Sibylla, who acted as his mother until the end of his reign. His m...
