Chapter 10: JEWEL THIEF
All the maids gathered in the kitchen as they discussed in whispers, some were weeping profusely while others had a mournful countenance. He was such a good man." A maid said wiping her tears. Oh you cruel hands of death! Another cried. Rouges was dead, it was only discovered this morning, and a maid had met his dead body in the hallway.
The maid was frightened and screamed when she saw the corpse of Rouges, ever since then she couldn't stop crying, she was paralyzed with shock and couldn't shake of the scene she had saw away from her mind. Celin, Tara's personal maid was the person weeping profusely by the corner, she was also the one that had screamed when she saw Rouges corpse, lying cold in the hallway.
This was the sight Linn came to meet, when she walked into the kitchen to get her mistress a cup of hot coffee. She was surprised and asked what happened, immediately she got the news, her heart flinched in shock. Lora did keep to her words, she eliminated Rouges and that too before the break of dawn.
Linn clutched her maid dress in fear, she tried to keep a calm composure but was finding it very hard to do so. She went about arranging a tea set on a golden tray, her shaky hands barely able to grasp the tray firmly. Rosa, Rachel's maid saw this and walked up to Linn. "Linn are you alright? Her voice frightened Linn and she dropped the tray she was holding, which contained the hot cup of tea and it splashed on Rosa's legs.
Ahh, it burns! Rosa shrieked retrieving her steps, as the hot tea which had splattered on her legs, trickled with a burning sensation. Linn was quick to apologize. "Rosa….I..I am so sorry." She said and quickly and made to a corner of the kitchen, she came back holding some ice cubes and wanted to use them to soothe Rosa's wound but the latter was angry.
"Don't touch me." Rosa shrilled in anger, by this time some maids were already clustered around them. "I will do it myself." Rosa said snatching the bag of ice cubes. Linn felt helpless, she was just too careless. Just then another maid walked into the kitchen. "Everyone queen Jia has asked that we all meet at the royal living room " The who had just walked in said.
"How dare they! Jia screamed as she ran her hands through her table and all the things on it came pouring on the floor. Her face was red with anger, and her countenance distorted. Her precious jewelry, her precious diamond necklace the one her father had specially given to her was missing. She wanted to explode with exasperation, as she breathed heavily, commanding the maids to check every book and cranny in the house.
"If I don't find that necklace, you all are going to pay deadly." She hissed as she slightly raised her dress and made her way out of the room to the main living room where she had summoned all the maids. She had a strict countenance and immediately the maids caught sight of her they were petrified.
Your highness! They all chorused as the courtesy, while bowing slightly. Jia scrowled, she scanned each of their face, inching to catch a glimpse of anything that would make them suspectable, but their innocent faces radiated with no inch of suspicion. "My diamond necklace has gone missing." Jia started off, her eyes skimming through the lines of maids.
"I will spare who ever did this if that person comes clean now and speak up." The maids started casting glances at themselves, who just who would steal the queens necklace, did that person want to die!
"But! If the culprit refuses to bear accountability for her deed, then when caught it is punishment by death." Jia's words made the maids gasp, their eyes darted among one another, who could it be?
Meanwhile in Rachel's room she stared in aware as two guards made a mess of her chamber while searching for Jia's necklace. "Who gave the orders that you should search my room? Rachel's sharp eyes had a glint of fury. She felt dis respected, was Jia trying to call her a thief.
"Queen Jia gave the orders your royal highness." One of the guards answered Racheal and she nodded curtly. She was brewing with anger but she didn't show it, her calm eyes were like the blue sea. She simply sat on a arm chair in her room and picked up an apple from a fruit vase on a table beside the chair.
"Let's see how this drama ends." She said taking a small bite from the apple.
"Jia! Selena, the first queen mother of Decreash yelled as she made her way to the colossal living room. As the queen mother she had more authority than Haron's wives, infact as Haron's mother she felt she was the next in line to authority.
Her yellow flowing gown bellowded her from behind as the walked down the double staircase, with her hand etched on her dress, which was slightly raised to prevent her from tripping.
They were two knights armed with sword walking behind her.
When Jia heard her name she didn't turn to see who it was, she could recognize Selena's high pitched voice but today she would not be challenged by any authority. Jia what is this melodrama you are show casing? Selena questioned her totally displeased by the way Jia was handling things. All the personal maids were lined up in front of Jia and their Mistresses needed their services.
"Queen mother my diamond necklace is missing, please do not stop me from getting to the bottom of this." Jia was trying to be courteous, her stomy gaze was firm and fixed on the maids in front of her.
"If your necklace went missing then why don't you replace it Jia? Johanna's voice pierced the air as she walked in with two guards behind her. She was wearing a blue coloured flowing gown melanged with flowears, her neck was embellished with golden jewelries that glittered under the ray of the sun coming from the floor to ceiling windows.
Johanna was right, Jia could have easily replaced her diamond earrings, she had all the resources to do so, but know one knew how special that necklace was to Jia it was given to her by her father it was a family amulet passed down in the royal family of Gothenburg. Johanna was the second queen mother and as such Jia also had to accord her respect to this woman.
"Queen mother Johanna, it's not as easy as you make it sound, that necklace is the royal amulet of Gothenburg, my father gifted me that necklace it is irreplaceable." Jia made her point clear but Johanna still felt unsatisfied.
"Well you definitely will have to wait I need my morning tea and only Sarah knows how to prepare it the way I like it." Johanna said signalling her personal maid but Jia won't hear of it. "Not another step! Her voice was laced with strictness, she was referring to Sarah who was about to make her way to where Johanna was.
Johanna felt disrespected. "Jia you dare to defile my orders, have you lost your manners? Johanna clenched her fist. Jia was beginning to make her loose her face In front of her mate, Selena. Selena and Johanna were rivals, they detested each other and never among themselves.
"Johanna your morning tea can wait, I would also like to catch this jewelry thief, it would be best for all of us if the culprit got caught, I don't want any of my jewelries to go missing." Selena caught in indifferently, seeing how important the diamond necklace was to Jia, she wanted the thief to be caught.
By this time Johanna felt totally embarrassed, once again Selena had stepped on her authority and trampled it in front of the maid. Her face was red with anger and she turned to leave but bumped into her daughter Sophia who just walked into the main living room. "Move! She said and pushed passed Sophia making her way to her room.
Sophia was dazed by her mean attitude, she frowned why trying to regain her balance as Johanna has pushed pass her.
"Why is mother so angry? She thought to herself as she gazed as the sight in front of her. All the palace maid were lined up, Sophia furrowed her brows, she had been in her room all morning, so she had been missing out on all the drama.
Haron was out on a meeting with the royal family of Finleyan, so he wasn't here to keep things in check. "Jia why do you have to cause such a fuss? You could have easily replaced your necklace." Sophia said to the displeasure of Jia. She also needed the service of her personal maid.
"Like mother like daughter." Jia hummed to herself sidestepping Sophia's rant. No one was getting in her way today, she was bent on finding that necklace. Sophia heard what Jia had said and became annoyed. At this moment she knew it had to be Jia that offended her mother, Jia's tongue was as sharp as a blade.
Jia had command some guards to check all the rooms I. the palace except Haron's chamber. She was awaiting the guards feedback and had to keep an eye on the household workers while the guards where searching for her necklace. That was why she summoned them here, she had no intentions of keeping them from serving their Mistresses.
We have found the necklace! A guards yelled while quickly making his way to where Jia was. The guard looked proud of himself, he walked to where Just was with his chest out.
Jia immediately turned around to the direction of the guards, her eyes softened when she saw her necklace dangling in the guards hand. She felt elated….."My necklace." She muttered under her breath. The guard finally got to where Jia stood and presented the necklace to Jia, she snatched it from his grip and scrutinized it carefully.
It was indeed her necklace, she breathed a sign of relief. "Thank goodness, I was beginning to think I would spend the whole there waiting for this drama to end." Sophia said rolling her eyes. "You may all get back to your duty post." Selena said referring to the maid.
"Hold on! Jia stopped them before they could move an inch. Sophia looked fed up at this moment. "What now? She muttered under her breath. "I want everyone to be present, when the thief is brought out." Jia said and turned to the guard who had found the necklace.
"I would like to know who's chamber you found my necklace." At this point the guard proudful countenance disappeared, it was now read fear. The guard was silent for a while, but then he knew he had to speak up.
"I found it in queen Tara's chamber." The guard said with his gaze on the floor.
"What!