Chapter 29

Chapter 29
_Knock! Knock!_

Queen Jasmine who had dozed off while waiting for her coffee, jumped up startled. She was still going through the fright of earlier today.

Thinking the person at the door was there to call her for breakfast.
She quickly looked up to check the little bunny- face- like clock just above her head.
_It's... 5 O'clock?... 5 O'clock!_ She kept staring at the clock, wondering if the battery had gone bad.
_But I was awake before... I drank coffee... Somebody came in.... Cara came in... it was morning, I was waiting for my coffee..._ She placed her hands on her head trying hard to get a grasp on what was going on but she couldn't. It felt like deja vu.

The headache had started again. She rubbed her head against her hands, trying to calm the ache.

Cara who had been knocking repeatedly was beginning to get impatient and worried. She felt the Queen was sleeping initially but with the repeated knocks, the Queen was supposed to have been awake. She knew that Queen Jasmine wasn't an heavy sleeper and by the second or third knock, should have been fully awake. Anxiety began creeping in. She remembered how she had met the Queen earlier this morning and was begining to fear the worst.
She so badly wanted to open the door and enter the room but she wasn't here because she was called or based on her morning routine of reminding the Queen about one occasion or the other. She was here of her own volition and she couldn't just barge in on the Queen. She stood tapping her feet and hoping the Queen would just say something.

Resigning, she turned to leave.
_Maybe, she wants to be alone_ she thought, trying to assure herself.

From the room, Queen Jasmine called out, "Cara is it you?"

Immediately Cara returned to the door. "Yes, your highness, it's me" she responded.

"Oh! thank goodness" Jasmine said heaving a sigh of relief.
"Do come in, Cara".
Immediately, the door knob twisted and soon Cara was in her room.

She stared at Cara's hand and didn't see her with any coffee. This made her even more confused as she had felt she was waiting for Cara to get her another cup of coffee.

_Does it mean, I really didn't wake up?_ she held her head again as she could feel it spinning.

Cara looked at the Queen concerned, "My Queen are you still feeling light headed?"

_Still??_

"Cara , can I ask you a question" asked the Queen quietly. She felt embarrassed at what she was going to ask.

"Yes, your highness", Cara responded looking at the Queen with pity.

"Was I awake before?... Like... I mean... Did you serve me coffee today?... Sorry, I mean... have you been in my room today... I mean..." the Queen continued already getting depressed.

"Yes, your highness, I was in your room before" she said cutting Queen Jasmine off.
"I left to get you more coffee. You had a terrible nightmare and I had brought you a coffee to enable you feel better." She said trying to reassure her.

Oh! she said with so much relief.

"But... But what about the coffee? I thought I had ask for another cup". Jasmine questioned concerned.

"Yes, you did but..." Cara trailed off as she became stuck in a dilemma. She wondered whether or not to tell the Queen all she had heard and decided to do otherwise. She concluded that the Queen was not in the right state of mind to handle something as betraying and disturbing as what she had heard. She decided that she'd come back in the evening but not without debunking the initial idea.

"But what, Cara?", Jasmine inquired.

"But... while I was on my way there... I just decided that... that... She searched her brain for ideas. Anything not to arouse more suspicion from Queen Jasmine.
"...I should check the maidens to know if breakfast was was ready" she added unease.

"Breakfast by 5? Since when? Is there a new development that I am not aware of?" Jasmine asked concerned.

"No, your highness, you know the earlier, the better" Cara said smiling, hoping the Queen would stop with the questions.

She decided not to wait, "So, your highness, I don't think it is a great idea for you to still go to the..." Pausing, she whispered cautiously, "to the Tree Park, since you're not feeling too good".

" You should just stay back and relax" she added slowly, hoping that this statement wouldn't spike up Queen Jasmine's curiosity.

Queen Jasmine who was in no mood to go was more than grateful for this advice. She immediately succumbed.

"Yes, I think so too, thank you Cara". She said softly.

"You really do need some sort of award for always looking after your Queen" she added lightly.

A little pause.

Soon, they bought burst into laughter. Cara felt much better seeing the Queen laughing. She was certain that by evening the Queen would be back to her bubbly and curious self.