Chapter 42 - Awful Assistance

Martha received Michael into the chamber with a hug and a big smile. Michael became suspicious. Maybe she heard his conversation with Julia.

"Your maidservant was just here and she seemed more than a maid to me" she said excitedly.

"Yes, she should. I bought her with five thousand gold coins" Michael replied boastfully. He made his hand into a fist and beat his own chest.

"We heard in Harvey. Five thousands gold coins is a groundbreaking amount to buy just one maid" she laughed loudly.

"It seems you like her?" Michael asked indirectly.

"Of course, she is good at what she does and wise if you could be telling her all she knows" Martha had obviously gotten some information she wasn't supposed to know.

"All she knows? What did she know?" Michael was curious. He was expecting to be surprised.

"I heard what you were talking about and I think I got what you were really doing together. She is working your way to the throne" Martha kept smiling excitedly like she had just received a joyful piece of information.

"Why would you think that?" Michael was going to deny. She was not supposed to know.

"Because it is obvious. It is something I would do and you are already doing it" she laughed again.

"No. We are not doing anything of such. The kingdom of Darnley is a very peaceful kingdom and the palace is also peaceful" he said strictly displaying some traces of wrath.

"I would have suggest some help but now that you are not doing anything like that. I should just stay out of your affairs" she said and moved slowly away from him.

Her words had made Michael confused. It seemed she was what the Alpha King deemed her to be.

He had to confirm if she did not have other hidden intentions by sharing his chamber.

"I know you were attacked. But you refused when the King wanted to take you back home. Is there something you have to do here?" he asked.

"No. I have nothing to do" she walked back to him. She was staring at him with curiosity. "This is the first time some people would make an attempt on my life. Do you know how scary that is?" she asked sadly. She must have realized Michael was doubting her.

"You are safe here, Martha" Michael mumbled softly but he still didn't trust her.

"I can't entrust my life to anybody else except my father and that is why I want him to come and pick me by himself. He is the only protector I can trust" she continued sadly.

"Your only protector, but he isn't here right now?" Michael giggled. He believed she was just blabbing and not thinking deep.

"Besides my father. You are the only one I believe can protect me again" she seemed to be flattering him.

"Why me? Why not James? You didn't get the groundbreaking news of how he faced and defeated two hundred enemies?" Michael countered her.

"We heard. To protect, to guard. You need strength, boldness and wisdom and the ability to blend the three into use at a time" she paused.

"James killed them but the news did not forget to tell us the real reason why the sorcery behind it was destroyed" she made known to him.

"Okay. No harm will come to you" Michael assured her.

"I'm sure that is enough to clear your doubt about me. I have no hidden intention of being here" she had obviously discovered what Michael was trying to get from her.

"When the last of my men took me away from the scene. I didn't know where we were exactly. A sword had just nearly made its way through my chest. An arrow almost got into my eye socket. I fell off my horse and was rolling down the path" she broke into tears.

"The only thing I remembered was I told him to get me down here because I believed I can trust the people here. But it is so saddening you people can't. I remembered the way the Alpha King and the Queen exchanged glances. They were thinking I am evil and I have brought......" she started wailing loudly.

"Stop crying. I am sorry we doubted you but we also just got betrayed by a friend" Michael grabbed her head and put it to his chest. He cuddled her to console her.

They were wrong to think that about her. She wasn't a stranger to them. He regretted allowing his father to pollute his mind against her.

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Julia snuck back to the door of Michael chamber. Something like a voice in her head kept telling her Michael was in danger and the danger was Martha.

She put her ear to the door. All she could hear was muffled cries and Michael seemed to be consoling with soft words.

She couldn't make meaning out of it. She noticed a point on the door where she could steal a peek into the chamber.

Michael had Martha within his arms on his chest. He was cuddling her. She wondered what had happened. Michael just told Julia he wasn't interested in her.

Martha must be doing something to get close to Michael and she was obviously doing that for a reason.

Martha got out of Michael's arms. She moved back and stood aloof like she was avoiding him. Michael just kept looking at her like he didn't understand what she was up to.

"Thank you" Martha appreciated him. "But we don't need to be that close" she turned slightly away from him.

Julia thought she must have wanted the opposite of what she was saying. That was the only reason she had emphasiszed that.

"We are already too close than that" Michael chuckled. "You said you have a way to help me, you remember?" he asked.

It seemed they had discussed a lot of things in the little space of time she just arrived. Everything just kept making Julia believed she was really dangerous as she thought.

"And you said you are not doing anything like that if I remember fully" she rolled her eyes in their socket. She was definitely taunting him.

"I really need your help now, My Lady" Michael bowed to show respect.

"It isn't something that serious, just something that will make you his choice. Nothing would convince him to change his mind" she boasted.

They must be talking about the Alpha king. For her to offer to render this kind of help, Michael must have told her a lot.

Michael would be making the same mistake James made by keeping Julia at her side. And what a gullible fellow Michael was. He ought to see that Martha was a trap set by somebody or herself.

"Is there something like that? He will just choose me over everybody else?" he found it unbelievable.

"You shall see with your own eyes" Martha flashed her eyebrow.

Julia was angry, she had gotten over the edge. She wanted to barge in and get Michael back to his senses. She couldn't do that.

She would wait till she had a better chance of instilling sense in his head.

"And one thing again" Martha pointed out. "That your maid, you should stay away from her. She could hinder your progress. You should do better in that aspect" she lectured Michael.

Julia breathed heavily. Thet was painful but what could be more hurting was how Michael would reply to that. She waited opening her eyes and giving an unwavering attention in expectation of what he would say.

"Julia?" he asked smiling. "Let us leave her alone. Let her be" he withheld what was inside him.

"I'm afraid you don't know much about what you wanted" Martha said quickly. She obviously didn't like his response.

"You have to discard her before your relationship with her will turn......." she couldn't finish before Michael interrupted her.

"She will remain. No matter what happens. She will remain by my side" Michael said sternly.

"I know how you might be feeling. Maybe she had done some things that make you think you owe her. Loyalty, or something like that. She is your maid. She has no choice than to obey you" she pressed further.

She really wanted him to leave Julia. She was serious with it.

Julia felt better by Michael's response. She heaved a sigh of relief and mistakenly hit the door with her hand.

"Who is that?" Michael screamed immediately.

Julia moved away from the door. She started walking away slowly for her footsteps not to be heard.

She moved faster as she had gotten far. She didn't want any one of them to see her. She would have felt worse if Michael had said something else.

He loved her and that was an enough reason to make sure she would deliver him from Martha's clutches.

She must find out what Martha really wanted. She couldn't be working for James. She wouldn't get any benefits from that.

She would need to dig her past history with Darnley to get that.