140

The sun was not yet up in the sky by the time Mila woke me up from sleep. Yawning loudly, I glared at her as I sat up in bed.

“Good gracious, Mila. Why have you woken me up this early? Classes with the princess begins after she has had breakfast and that is by 9am!”

“I’m very sorry my lady. I just wanted you to use the bathhouse first.”

“Use the bathhouse first? What do you mean? Is there only one bathhouse in this palace?”

“Yes, my lady, which is why I want you to use it first. The other concubines have their bath by five a.m. and seeing that you’re not yet comfortable in their midst, I woke you up by four, so that you can get clean before them.”

“And why can’t I do it later? You know, when I feel like?”

“I’m afraid not, my lady. Lady Igrith closes the bathhouse once it’s time for breakfast.”

Closes? Is it a shop or something? “And when is breakfast time?”

“By eight, my lady.”

“Just how many concubines are there that they need three hours to dress up?”

“They don’t use three hours to dress up, my lady. They have an hour to bathe, thirty minutes to dress up and an hour and thirty minutes to go to the cathedral for prayers.”

I frown. “Cathedral? Prayers?”

“Lady Igrith says it’s mandatory for all the concubines.”

I sigh. “This Lady Igrith sure sounds like a bitch doesn’t she?”

“My lady, such words are unbefitting for a woman of your status. If Lady Igrith hers suck, she would see to it that you are punished.”

I roll my eyes. “You woke me up to bathe, didn’t you? So go and prepare my bath.”

“I’ve already done that my lady.”

“Lead the way then.”

….

“You can’t wear that,” Mila said as she scrutinized the clothes I had laid out with her eyes.

”Would you prefer I roam around naked?”

“No, my lady, it’s just…. it’ll soon be time to go to the cathedral and it’s forbidden to enter the cathedral as a female wearing that.”

“Why? What’s wrong with my jeans?”

“It’s unladylike and unsuitable. Lady Igrith will not approve.”

I scoff. “Who the fuck is this Lady Igrith and why are you making it seem that it’s important I act like the sun shines out of her ass?”

“She’s the head of the royal wombs my lady. The royal family has put her in that position and it would be a crime to go against her orders.”

“I see. She must be something for the royal family to put her in charge.”

“She’s the Crown Prince’s first concubine my lady. It’s only fair if she’s accorded that respect.”

Crown Prince’s first concubine huh? Now I really want to meet her.

“I don’t care about her approval Mila. I would wear what I like. The queen has given me the permission to do so.”

“The queen?”

“Yes. Now make something for me to eat. I’m hungry.”

“You can’t eat before the prayers my lady.”

What the…. “Hello? I’m pregnant which means I’ll eat whenever I like.”

“But my lady…”

I sigh. “Mila, I know you want me to be religious and abide by Lady Igrith’s rules, but if you don’t get me something to eat, I’ll skin you alive. Now go.”

She scurried out of the room and I quickly dressed. I’ll wait for her in the dining room.

…

It’s been two hours and Mila is yet to show up with my breakfast. The hunger is eating me alive and if I don’t get some food now, I might die.

The door creaks open and I stare at it, waiting for her to come through. She does and I’m surprised to see her without food.

“Mila where’s my breakfast?”

“My lady, I…”

“So, she’s the one who sent you to get breakfast.”

I turned to the direction of the voice and standing by the doorway was a female Icelander, wearing only a robe, made out of silk sheets.

“And you are?”

She laughed. “You come into my palace and pretend not to know me. How rude.”

I roll my eyes. “First off, this ain’t your palace to begin with. Secondly, I am not pretending. Now, how about you stop judging me and leave?”

“What?”

“Huh? Have you gone deaf? I said leave.”

She glared a me “Not only did you go against my rules, you dare insult me?”

”I only said you should leave. Not my problem if you took offense.”

“You little…”

I glare at her. “Call me little one more time and I’ll cut you in half. Mila, where’s my breakfast?”

“My lady, I…”

“Look, I don’t know who you are or who brought you in, but trousers and anything of the sort are not allowed in the palace. Also, no concubine is permitted to have breakfast before prayers.”

“I know and I don’t care. Mila, my breakfast now.”

She looked between me and the stranger before taking a step toward the door.

“Mila, if you leave this room, I’ll have your legs broken,” the stranger threatened.

I turned to my handmaiden. “Mila, if you do not leave this room, I’ll rip you to shreds.”

Mila looked between us again, lip trembling. I was surprised when she fell on her knee before the stranger. “Lady Igrith, please forgive my mistress. She has only gone against your rules because of her ignorance. Please don’t hurt her.”

Lady Igrith? So, this is the Lady Igrith? And here I was thinking that Ruarc had fine taste.

“Mila, get up at once,” I ordered, ashamed. How dare she?

Mila however didn’t move a muscle. “Doesn’t seem like she’s ignorant. You dare lie to me?”

Mila threw herself on the floor. “My apologies, my lady, but my mistress has the queen’s approval to wear what she likes.”

Igrith cocked a brow. “The queen’s approval? I will confirm if this is true, but for now, she’ll be punished for disobeying the rules.”

I’m getting bored. Is she not tired of exaggerating her authority?

“My lady, surely you wouldn’t punish a pregnant woman?”

She rose a brow. “Pregnant? Your mistress is pregnant? For whom?”

“The prince, my lady. Prince Nasia Lancaster, the fifth prince of the Icelands.”

She eyed me. “So, you’re the she-wolf. I can’t believe you’re pregnant.”

“The prince believes, and it is his belief that matters. Please let me know when you’re done acting, so I can have my breakfast.”

She glared at me. “So mannerless. Mila, take your mistress to her quarters and prepare her for the prayers. We will leave for the cathedral in a few.”

“No.”

She turned to me. “No?”

“You heard me right Igrith. I will not change my wardrobe for the likes of you, and I certainly won’t be going to the cathedral.”

“You dare challenge my orders?”

I roll my eyes. “So what, you’re going to hurt me for expressing my opinion? How ridiculous! Now look here sissy. You might be the Crown Prince’s first concubine, but I’m his mate. Lay a finger on me, and you will face his wrath.”

She glared at me. “Prepare for the cathedral.”

“I won’t do it. I don’t know how ‘those prayers’ would benefit me, so I won’t waste my time going on a long journey just to pray with a bunch of fools like you. If I’m to go there, it’d be when I’m in the mood. Now, Lady Igrith or whatever you call yourself, those stupid instructions you call rules, don’t apply to me. And if you dare try to enforce them on me, I’ll show you the stuff I’m made of.”

I didn’t wait behind to know if she understood. I pushed her out of the way and left the dining room, Mila hot on my heels.