Chapter 45 - Duoble Deceiver

Julia rushed to Michael's chamber. This was an opportunity for her to have a conversation with him. She just saw Martha going out of the palace.

She barged in, into the chamber. She couldn't see Michael. She looked around everywhere.

"Always look over your shoulder" Michael said from behind her. She turned back to see him standing close to the door.

"Why are you looking for me in such a hurry?" he asked.

"I don't have much time to spend here" she moaned.

"There is no law that stated that, Julia. It is your decision or assumption or let me say declaration" he said slowly.

"I can't say this in her presence. She is dangerous. She only wants to hurt you. I am very sure of that" Julia warned. She kept looking at the doorway with her ears opened to know if anyone was approaching.

"You mean Martha?" Michael asked unnecessarily. He should know already that she was talking about her.

"Her intentions are not pure and she is luring you" she added.

"Luring me? Or seducing me?" Michael insinuated.

"Yes. She will do everything she has to do to get you" she couldn't explain as she wished. She just wanted Michael to believe but he would not, easily. That was the kind of man she knew him to be.

"You should have used the word, seduce. Have you been spying on us, Julia?" he asked smiling. He had definitely suspected she had seen them cuddling.

"Yes. I am only trying to protect you" she groaned and let air out of her mouth.

"You are not trying to to protect me. You are just trying to be jealous" he giggled. All these must have seemed a joke to him.

"Jealous or not. She is dangerous to you. Do not make the same mistake James is making" she advised.

"She is dangerous, can you prove that?" Michael inquired.

"I am very sure of it. She wanted you destroyed. I can feel it" she described.

"Your feeling is not a prove. You can feel anything and what you are feeling right now is jealousy, you felt cheated. That is it, Julia. Good news for you. She will leave soon" he said assuringly with a smile and dashed out of her front. He had clearly become tired of the conversation.

"She will definitely leave after she would have completed her mission" Julia said sternly.

"Her mission?" Michael chuckled. "You are even saying that with utmost confidence. What makes you so sure of that?" he asked again.

"I am sure. Have I ever been inaccurate with my feeling?" Julia implored.

"And you always have a solid evidence to back your claims except now" Michael argued. He was not going to believe her.

Julia realized she had to find something to support her claims if she wanted to save Michael from Martha.

"I will find proof to show to you" she replied weakly and headed outwards. She felt sad for Michael not believing her. He didn't even attempt to have a rethink about it.

"Julia!" he stopped her from leaving. "I have had my suspicions about her. The King also did and now it is you. I will just advise you stop seeing her as the villain so that you will see how much kindness resides in her heart" he advised her.

"You mean I should close eyes and pretend she is a godsend" she smirked and shook her head. "Why will I do that?" she inquired.

"Because the last time I suspected her with my foolish instincts. I made her sad and that still hurt my conscience" he revealed slowly.

"I understand" Julia replied without care. She wouldn't expect Michael to criticize her. Martha had already had him within her control.

"It will do you a lot of good. Seeing people as bad makes us distance ourselves from them and we miss a lot of promising experience that we could gain" Michael had been completely overwhelmed and convinced that Martha was a friend.

Julia just shook her head. There would be no point in arguing with him now. Not until she got proofs to show him the real person Martha was, an enemy.

"James is leaving the kingdom to an unknown destination" she spilled quickly as she remembered. The thought of Martha had almost made her forget.

"I don't think we need to worry about him right now. He is broken like I told you" he replied. He wasn't bothered at all.

Julia hoped Michael was not already becoming careless. That would be the worse that could befall him.

Julia was about going out once again when she started hearing footsteps coming towards the chamber. It was very close.

If that happened to be Martha. They would collide at the door. She felt bad. She didn't want to be up close with her since their last encounter.

Martha walked into the chamber and Julia doubts were cleared. She was thinking it could be someone else. Martha's steppings was not at all lady like.

Julia was dimbfounded. She didn't know what to do when she came upon her. She was frozen and staring at the ground.

"Martha!" Michael voice was melodious.

"Michael, this must be her" Martha asked with a big grin like she was happy to meet Julia. She was such a great pretender.

"Yes, the maid" Michael winced, it seemed he wasn't sure why she asked the question.

"She is beautiful even in this piece of tatters" she held Julia's clothes with tips of her fingers. She stared at her with disgust.

"Michael, you got a maid at that amount and you let her walk around in rags?" she stared at Michael angrily.

"Actually, she is no longer mine but I will see to that" he responded in a way she obviously wanted.

"This is Martha!" Michael introduced her to Julia. "The only princess of Harvey. Do not mistake her. She is very kind and friendly" he lauded her.

"Isn't that normal?" Martha asked rhetorically as she giggled.

Julia looked at her face briefly and their eyes met.

"Your Highness" she bowed her head quickly out of fear. It was the same Martha that scolded her the last time. She was only friendly this time because of Michael's presence.

"Should I tell you something, Michael?" Martha asked again.

"You can tell me anything" Michael replied eagerly.

Julia knew it was obviously going to be about her. She just wondered what she was going to say.

"You know she will make a very good queen by your side" she chuckled.

"And what makes you think so?" Michael asked.

"You should be able to recognize her elegance and magnificence. If not you wouldn't have bought her" she moved round Julia to check her out.

Julia kept gasping. Standing so close to her was overwhelming and daunting. She could hear in her head how she had addressed her when they fírst met.

"The position of a queen is not just based on looks. Looks can be deceiving. There are a lot of criteria to consider" Michael delved in deeper

"The criteria that I'm sure she will meet easily to your satisfaction" Martha tapped Julia on the shoulder. "Or won't you?" she smiled at her.

"Yes, My Lady" she replied breathlessly while Martha laughed cynically.

"The marriage of a king should be made with a fellow kingdom to get alliance and become stronger, invincible" Michael emphasized. It seemed he didn't want to agree with Martha.

"That's not a laid down rule and as far as I can remember. You do not like living by the decisions made by others" Martha shook her head to confirm.

"Are you soliciting for her, trying to make her my queen?" he inquired.

"No. I am not into any soliciting, I am only encouraging what seems to be going on underneath" she walked away from between them.

"All that is only if I become the king which I am not" Michael was even playing her games.

Julia remembered what she heard them saying previously about Martha helping Michael to attain the throne and now they were hiding that from her.

"I told you kindness lives in her heart" Michael said to Julia in low tones.

"Of course, she is the kindest person I have ever met" Julia smiled broadly, she pretended not to hate Martha as she had also pretended.

"You have believed that right now?" Michael looked confused. He was obviously not expecting Julia to have fell for her quickly like that.

"Isn't it obvious? She is very convincing" she wanted him to continue in his confusion.

"But that was fast" he quickly added.

"Do you except it to take longer?" Julia asked.

"Actually, you didn't speak very highly of her few minutes ago" he reminded her.

"You said when we see some people as bad we tend to miss the kindness that they elicit" she also reminded him what he said earlier.

Michael let her be. Julia walked outward immediately. The next thing would be to find a way to prove to Michael that Martha was a danger.