"Your majesty, what are you planning to do?" Nadira asked anxiously as she saw Maya striding out of the chamber, her face set with defiance and determination.
Nadira rushed after her, knowing trouble was brewing. With the way Maya marched through the halls, she was clearly on a mission—likely to confront the king. Nadira pressed on, reminding herself that all they had to do was endure the fast for today and tomorrow they could return to their meals.
"Don't worry, Nadira. I have everything under control," Maya replied, her pace unwavering. Being acquainted with the castle's layout now, she navigated toward the kitchen, a destination that only fueled Nadira's concerns.
"You're heading to the kitchen? What are you planning?" Nadira asked, struggling to keep up.
"I'm going to cook. Eat. Isn't that the purpose of the kitchen?" Maya inquired, and this time, Nadira halted, hands on her hips, worry etched across her face.
She was torn between loyalty to the queen and the looming threat from the king, she felt stuck. Should she betray Maya and report her intentions, or let her proceed? The choice weighed heavily; she knew the consequences would be severe if the king discovered Maya's defiance.
Nadira was baffled... She recalled Maya's insistence on wanting to be a dutiful wife, which is likely not true now, it seemed like Maya just enjoyed suffering. This path was reckless, and Nadira wanted to scream at her to stop walking into danger.
"Please, just stop, your majesty! Things could escalate worse than last time," Nadira urged, quickening her steps to catch up, knowing she couldn't bring herself to report to the king.
Maya ignored the warning and soon stepped into the kitchen. It was empty, the stillness a blessing as the cooks were busy observing the fast. Perfect; she could execute her plan without interference from the king.
As she surveyed her surroundings, the warm atmosphere of the kitchen enveloped her. High arched ceilings, smooth stone walls, and the rich aroma of a roaring hearth.
Copper pots and blackened skillets hung above a long marble counter, and shelves were stocked with jars of herbs and spices, complemented by baskets of fresh vegetables.
A smirk creased Maya's lips as she turned to Nadira and clapped her hands. "I'm making pumpkin and coconut soup. Are you in, or not?" she asked, her eyes bright with purpose.
Nadira shook her head firmly, "I'm sorry, your majesty, but I can't do this. I can't defy his majesty. I'll be punished, and so will you," she insisted softly, hoping to sway Maya into reality. But there was no backing down now; Maya was committed.
"Then you'll help me, and I'll eat," Maya declared decisively, her mind set as she approached the cabinets, ready to prepare the meal she wanted.
Nadira hesitated, feeling trapped but ultimately realized that refusing Maya would be impossible now. She dutifully moved to assist the queen.
"Uhm...start peeling these and chop those," Maya instructed gently, presenting the pumpkins and onions. Then she offered the garlic. "And mince this. You can handle that, right?" Her gaze bore into Nadira, assessing her skills.
"Of course, I cook at home," Nadira replied, a hint of confidence returning to her voice.
"Good," Maya replied, pleased, and continued gathering the rest of the ingredients. So far, so good. It was just the two of them in the kitchen. And Maya felt no fear of being caught; in fact, she wanted the king to know what she was doing.
As she combined ginger, butter, curry powder, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and more, her resolve strengthened.
"You're quite skilled at this, your majesty. Did you learn to cook before coming here?" Nadira asked, watching in amazement as Maya grating ginger with deft precision—a sight rarely seen among women of status.
Maya lifted her head for a moment, a bittersweet smile crossing her lips. "Where I come from, cooking is essential."
"Eh?" Nadira asked, curiosity piqued, but Maya chose not to elaborate, embarrassment mixing with nostalgia. Instead, she focused on the task at hand.
"We have work to do, Nadira," Maya declared, deftly steering the conversation away from the discomforting topic and the girl didn't press further.
Once the ingredients were prepared, it was time for Maya to take charge of the cooking process. The fire was already crackling as she melted butter, adding onion, ginger, and garlic, letting them soften over the heat.
"I wonder how the king will react to this smell; I can't control it," Nadira remarked, attempting to waft the enticing aroma back into the kitchen to prevent it from escaping.
Maya rolled her eyes, amusement dancing in her expression. That was the entire point—to irritate Leon. "Don't worry about it," she said, fully aware that Nadira remained oblivious to her true intentions.
Then she added pumpkin cubes, curry powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper... letting it simmer for several minutes. Next, she poured in the broth, cooking it down until everything was tender.
Maya then began transferring the mixture into a bowl for blending, beads of sweat forming on her forehead from the kitchen heat. Once blended, she stirred in coconut milk.
"This looks incredible, your majesty," Nadira proclaimed, a wide smile brightening her face.
Maya nodded in agreement. "Want to try it?" she asked, a challenge in her tone.
Nadira shook her head immediately, recalling her fast, but Maya merely scoffed internally before tasting her creation, momentarily breaking her fast without a second thought. A satisfied moan escaped her lips as the flavors danced on her palate. The spices were exceptional—ones she'd never used before due to their price. "So good," she smiled. "I can't wait for the rice to accompany it!"
Just as she took another spoonful, the kitchen door swung open, and two more maids, Grace and Joan, stepped inside, their eyes widening in disbelief. "What the hell? Your majesty, you're not supposed to be eating!" Joan admonished sharply before stammering and lowering her voice, her face twisting with concern.
"You have to try this," Maya insisted, dismissing their worries.
"I was smelling this from outside, your majesty. The king's going to be furious with you," Joan continued as she entered, quickly closing the door behind her.
"We need to start packing," Grace whispered urgently.
Maya's brows knitted together. "I'm not finished yet; the rice is still cooking," she replied, her tone teasingly defiant.
"Your majesty, we need to leave immediately. If he finds out, he'll be furious with all of us!" Joan interjected.
"I hate to say it, but she's right," Nadira added, but Maya was resolute. She would wait for her rice, no matter what.
Ignoring their anxious glances, she continued savoring the soup.
When the rice was finally done, she began serving it and turned to Grace and Joan. "Care for some? Nadira here feels like starving," she teased, a slight frown crossing Nadira's face.
"We can't break our fast, your majesty," Joan said firmly.
Maya shrugged nonchalantly. "Suit yourselves. That means more for me," she chuckled, a hint of madness in her laughter, causing the others to exchange worried looks. This wasn't the Maya they knew.
"Did the king provide any reason for your fast?" Maya asked suddenly.
Nadira, Grace, and Joan exchanged glances, then shook their heads.
"So you just decided to fast without knowing why? Shouldn't the king have explained? Something about bringing peace and balance?" Maya pressed.
"The king doesn't owe anyone an explanation," Joan replied defensively.
Maya scoffed at that. "That's what you tell yourselves," she said, taking another spoonful. "But I bet he's somewhere enjoying a lavish meal and wine while the rest of you starve." She chuckled again, savoring her food as the three maids watched, their mouths watering.
They craved the delicious dish but knew the severe consequences of disobeying the king.
Finally, Grace couldn't hold back any longer. "May I have some, your majesty?" she asked politely.
Maya looked up, a grin spreading across her face. 'Once one was broken the rest were'
"Of course, darling, there's plenty to go around," she teased, and Grace eagerly reached for a plate, desperate to indulge.
Nadira and Joan stared at Grace, wide-eyed. "What?" Grace challenged them, her mouth full of rice. "You know what? Her majesty might be right. We don't really know the king that well. What if he's off somewhere enjoying a feast while we're left here starving? You know how much he despises us," Grace asserted, raising a valid point.
They exchanged glances before diving into the food. "No one tells the king about this, understood?" Joan declared.
"Agreed," Nadira replied firmly as they began to devour the meal. Maya watched them with a triumphant smile, fully aware she had succeeded in breaking their fast and turning them against the king.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and several guards entered the kitchen. Nadira, Grace, and Joan froze, food stuffed in their mouths. "It was her who started eating; she forced me!" Joan pointed at Grace, eager to shift the blame.
"Don't listen to her! She's the one who prepared the meal!" Grace shot back, glaring at Joan.
"Can I have some? I'm really hungry," one of the guards asked, and they exchanged wide-eyed looks before nodding vigorously.
"The queen is here?" the guard asked, noticing Maya sitting confidently at the table, eating gracefully. She smiled at him, and he bowed before filling his plate.
One by one, the guards filed into the kitchen, eager to eat. "The queen made this food, and it's fantastic!" Nadira blurted out. She just told them who made the food— so silly of her!
Then she shot an apologetic look at Maya. But Maya simply waved it off.
"It's fine," she assured them.
The kitchen buzzed with the sounds of everyone clamoring and competing for food, no one bothering to keep quiet anymore. Guards from upstairs had secretly left their posts, slipping in to steal food before casually wiping their lips as if nothing was amiss.
Maya felt a surge of satisfaction. Suddenly, no one was fasting anymore.
Everyone was eating, and she had orchestrated it all. Now, it was time to let the king know.