Arya's Royal Revenge

Every part of Arya's body was drenched. The heavy raindrops pelting on her head did not stop her from trudging on. She was a woman on a mission that had to succeed by all possible means. A mission that had been planned for so long. For years, she'd dreamed of the moment when she'd finally meet him, the king of Izteca Kingdom. And if all went well, it was going to happen in a few minutes.

Izteca kingdom was not a big kingdom. It was an small sized island of about 10, 000 square miles and a population of about six million people. It was basically like an average small country with a monarchy instead of a republic.

The universe seemed to conspire with Arya because less than a minute later, a car cruised to a stop ahead of her. It was the very car she had been waiting for, a black Rolls Royce. As she walked forward, a head bobbed out of the window. The plan seemed to be going way better than she had expected. In her drab clothes, she had been afraid he would ignore her. It seemed her informant had been right about him after all.

As she drew closer, she saw a face that was very familiar. None of the pictures she'd seen had done justice to it, though. He had a perfectly symmetrical facial structure. His prominent jaw curved the lower part of his face creating sharp planes. The black hair on his head was neatly combed back. King Armand had to the most handsome man Arya had seen up close but that did nothing to lessen the hatred in her heart. He was dressed so casually in a white polo shirt it was hard to believe he was the king she had seen in pictures, always dressed to kill.

"Hello," he said, lips curving into a breathtaking smile. There was nothing gentle on his face except his smile. "Why on earth is a beautiful woman such as yourself walking in the rain?"

Arya managed a sweet bashful smile and held up a drenched map. "Uhmm I'm new to the island and my first shift at the tea factory was supposed to start an hour back."

She made sure not to look straight into his eyes, aware that the king had a soft spot for vulnerable women. For that reason, she had to appear like a damsel in distress. "I failed to convince the manager to let me work after being late on my first day. I'm trying to find my way out of this place."

"Where are you going?" he asked. "I'll give you a lift."

"Thanks but I don't know you, sir. I'm not sure I can get into your car."

She started to walk and the rain increased immediately. "Stop. Do you really not know me?"

What a narcissist, Arya thought. "No, sir."

"I'm Armand, the king of this island."

She stopped and turned, walking back. "Oh my goodness! I'm sorry I did not recognize you. I recently lost everything and I've been so stressed out I didn't do enough research on the island."

"Don't worry," he pulled out an identification card from his shirt pocket. "If you don't believe me, take a look at my ID."

"No," Arya shook her head as he held up his identification card. "I do believe you but surely I can't get into the king's car. I'm just an ordinary girl."

The door opened. Arya glanced at it then back at the king, appearing as though she was contemplating a decision she didn't have to think about.

"Please," he insisted.

"If you insist," she said and climbed into the luxurious car. It had a warm fruity scent. Welcoming and lovely. "I'm Arya."

"Pleased to meet you, Arya." he said and fired up the car.

"I need to pick something from the palace," he said. "Would you mind if I drove by the palace and then I can take you to wherever you're going?"

"That's okay," Arya smiled, mission accomplished.

According to her informant, a resident who lived close to the palace, the king was said to be nice and kind to people who needed help but his mother was something else. He may have been king but the queen mother was the one in charge, the one who took care of everything and kept him in check. She believed what they said about the queen mother but as for the handsome king, she found it hard to believe his niceness. A handsome rich thirty five year old raised by Oriana couldn't have turned out as nice as his subjects believed. Surely, it was all just for show which made her hate them more.

They came to the palace, a standing out proudly in the middle of Izteca Island. The palace was enormous. The stone walls and detailed pillars were painted brilliant white. Pointed towers decorated the building on all sides.

"Do I have to step out?" Arya asked.

"Yes," he said. "I may get caught up by something and I can't let you stay here by yourself. Muriel will take you to have something in the kitchen."

She turned for the first time and saw a guard in uniform seated at the back. "Hello.'

Arya marveled as she walked through an arched door into the baronial building, welcomed by a butler. It was spectacular and well appointed, a show of their wealth. They entered through an arched door and Arya remembered the room she had last seen as a child. A few things had changed but it was still very familiar. The walls of the room were lined with oil paintings in gold frames and the air smelled of the best flowers which made Arya wish she could stay there forever.

"And who is she?" she heard the voice, distantly familiar. Her voice may have changed a bit but her tone was the same, cold as ice. Arya looked up to see the queen mother Oriana descending the stairs. She was wearing a silvery gown, her neck and ears adorned with jewelry. Her face, now years older had developed wrinkles and even under the makeup, but she was still beautiful.

"She's Arya," her son said, making his way up the stairs. "I'll be taking her to her apartment after I get the documents I need for that deal with the road construction company."

"Who are you?" she faced Arya. The two women were almost of similar height. "No, I don't want to know your name. Where are you from and why the hell are you with my son?"

For years, Arya had ached for a face-off with her worst enemy. She'd waited for the day to finally confront her and let her know that she would take vengeance. But today was not that day. Today, she had to be the meek girl from another island, the girl who'd lost a chance to get a job that'd help her survive.

"I'm Arya from Rion island. I came here to start a new life-"

"I have time for your life story," Oriana's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

"Your son found me in the rain and offered to give me a lift. He had to come and pickup something so he suggested to come with."

"My son is very kind man and I don't like everyone taking advantage of it to get close to him," the queen mother asserted.

At that moment, the king started to descend the stairs.

"Armand."

"Muriel I told to get Arya some food and dry clothes so why is she still here?"

"This woman needs to get on her way because she has no business in my palace."

"No mother," the king patted her shoulder. "Let her stay and have something to eat first."

"Wait," he said as an afterthought. "One of the maids quit last week. If Arya wants, she can take over so we don't have to look for someone else. She really needs the job."

Arya was starting to think that King Armand was actually different from his mother. Maybe it was actually possible that a child raised by the evil woman could turn out to be a good person.

"No interview, no background check. I'll not hire anyone just like that. You cannot trust anyone immediately after meeting them, Armand."

"Let her be on probation," he suggested.

"I will not allow it."

King Armand leaned down and whispered something in his mother's ear.

"Fine," the mother said. Now it was clear that he was up to something and if Oriana approved, it couldn't be anything good.

"So what's King Armand like?" Arya asked. She was seated with two maids in the small garden behind the kitchen. Hours had passed after she had been hired and oriented.

"He's really nice," Mercy said, biting into a gigantic piece of red velvet cake, leftover from the princess who had hosted a small party the previous night. "But his evil mother has a lot of influence on him. It's a pity."

"Be careful of what you say about the queen mother, Mercy." Ann, a model-like beauty said. She was a maid of honor to the queen mother. It was clear she was very protective of her boss.

"Why? Are you going to tell her I said she's evil?" Mercy asked her colleague, raising her well defined I think she already knows that and she likes it."

Ann sighed, defeatedly. She must have realized that there was no point in defending the undefendable. "Whatever."

"I'll go to my room," Arya stood up and walked to the servants' quarters. The living area was a little dark since night was approaching. As she looked around for a switch, she felt a sudden movement on her left and before she could turn, something hit the back of her head. A searing pain assaulted her and she turned to see a hooded figure running out.

Clutching her head, Arya staggered towards the nearest couch and slumped on it. Her head hurt as she pondered on the attack. Now, she was completely sure that something was up. Did the royals know who she was? Had they always kept tabs on her while she was living faraway? Did they know she was back for revenge?

They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Was that what the royals were doing? What had king Armand whispered to his mother?

Suddenly the lights came on and Arya turned to see Mercy walking towards her. "Why are you seated in the dark?"

"Someone-"Arya stopped, realizing she shouldn't tell anyone about what had happened. Ann might ask too many questions and she didn't want any of that. "I've got a strong headache."

"There's a medicine cabinet in the bathroom," Mercy informed her. "You'll find pain killers in there."

"Thanks," Arya stood up, her head becoming worse. Slowly, she padded towards the bathroom and searched for the pills she needed.

After getting what she needed, she went to the kitchen and swallowed before proceeding to her room which was on the first floor. Once there, she rummaged her handbag for her phone then stood up. Walking around, she inspected the room for hidden cameras and recording devices. Using her flashlight app, she checked under the bed and table. There was nothing visible to the naked eye but she couldn't be sure. These people were capable of anything.

Not far away from the servant's quarters, her father had been murdered in cold blood by the queen mother herself. Arya, only seven at the time had seen her father walk into the building, later followed by the queen mother and a guard.

An hour later, the queen mother and guard came out. Arya in the woods behind the palace had waited for her father to come out so she could give him a message from her mother until night fall. She had returned home, to the small house they lived in. Her father's body was found in the river two days later.

The queen mother herself had paid Arya's mother a visit and the next day, her mother said they were leaving the island. Arya never knew the truth until three years later when her mother confessed in her deathbed. Her poor mother who had been so sad and heartbroken for a long time because she was not able to get justice for the man she loved. Arya had decided she'd get justice but wasn't sure how. Until she met Kalen.

Sitting on the bed, she unlocked her phone and saw she'd missed seven calls from Kalen. She couldn't talk to him in this room and going outside was out of the question. The only option was to send him a message.

Opening Whatsapp, she typed in 'Safe at the palace' and put the phone on the table. She then removed her shoes and lay on the bed, placing her head on the pillow. It had been a crazy first day. Arya wondered what awaited her in the palace which she couldn't wait to turn upside down. By the time she was done with them, the royals would only be shadows of what they were at the time.

***

A man looked up, a mixture of blood and tears cascading down his bruised face. "I promise on my daughter's life that I'll not say anything, Queen mother."

The queen mother, a youthful beauty in her early thirties laughed, giving her head a slight shake. She rose and took a few steps towards the man who was on his knees. "I don't believe you, Peten. In fact I think that you'll go running to the police the moment I let out you out of here."

"I give you my word."

"What good is your word?" The queen mother questioned with a slight laugh. "Your friend said the same thing and I let him go but he betrayed me. Little did he know that the person he confided in was loyal to me. I had no option but to get rid of him and now you know everything too. I can't let you go because I do not repeat my mistakes."

"I swear-"

"I don't have time for this," she turned to the guard standing behind her. "Kill him."

She stepped back as the guard stepped forward and hesitated. "I want to see it."

The frail man tried to stand up to defend himself but he was no match for the well trained dagger bearer who stabbed him through the stomach.

"Lilya," he says as he tumbled down and life seeped out of his body.

After getting permission from the head house keeper, Arya went to her newly rented apartment to pick up her belongings. One of the male servants offered to drive her in a pickup as he had some things to pick up in town. He would go on as she packed up stuff and then would pick her when was done. When she got out, she walked straight towards the building and accidentally bumped into someone. Picking up her phone which fallen from her hands, she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Well done, Kalen." she smiled. If someone was tracking her movements, they'd think this was a random encounter.

"Glad that went well," he breathed. "So, how's everything going? Have you studied the palace yet?"

"Not yet," she shook her head, smiling as if she was enthralled with him. "I'm still settling and I don't want to seem nosy. Besides, someone attacked me yesterday."

"What!" he exclaimed.

She stepped back as Kalen's hands reached out for her shoulders. "I shouldn't have told you that. You'll put us in trouble. The queen mother is very particular on she hires and they could be following me right now. We agreed to act like it's our first time meeting."

"Arya, we can abandon this if you're in danger. Your life is more precious to me than any revenge."

Arya face palmed before saw a man coming from the apartment building. "Ask for my number and call me Arya."

"Maybe we could go out some time," he said, ensuring the man passing by heard. "Can I have your number, Arya."

"Sure, Kalen." she smiled, pretending to admire his face. Not that it was hard not to admire it. She had been seeing it every day for the past fourteen years so she was used to his good looks.

He proffered his phone and she took it and typed random numbers.

"Call me." She yelled as she walked into the building. Kalen seemed hesitant to leave but he took a deep breath and walked away.

He was soft, Arya thought as she ascended the stairs. It was going to be hard keeping him focused on the goal. Growing up, he had been the one who wanted revenge more than she did but as he grew up he became softer she hardened.

Kalen's father and hers had been best friends when they were alive. Kalen was not his father's child but the king's. His mother who worked at the palace had an affair with the king. When the king died, his father had found out and confronted the queen mother who did not like the news. Hence he had been killed before realizing Peten, Arya's father knew about it too. He had also been killed. The queen mother could have killed but she never had the chances as he was always with her son. Peten had helped them escape.

After her father's death, he and his mother had kept tabs on Peten's wife and daughter. When they saw the mother was about to die, offered help and had raise Arya. The two had been inseparable for years and grew up planning their revenge. But Kalen, like his mother, was very kind at heart and crazy in love with her. All he cared was getting her love. Getting his birthrights and revenge had lost its importance to him and that made Arya uncomfortable.

He was strong but his love for her was making him weak and she didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that something so small could make him so vulnerable. She was sure that if the queen mother and king accepted him, he'd run into their arms, forgetting everything.

As she packed her bags, she hoped she was not falling into a trap set for her by the sneaky royals. She had a bad feeling but she concluded it was probably just anxiety due to what she was about to do. Moving into an enemy's house can scare anyone.

She was zipping up a suit case, when her phone vibrated. Checking the caller ID, she saw Kalen's name.

"Yes, Kalen."

"I think you should quit that job, Arya." He shot straight to the point.

"Kalen, I can't do that. I've worked so hard to get where I am and I'm not going to let you ruin everything. If you don't care about getting justice for your father, then back and go back home. I am going to bring those people own. At least you have your mother but I have nothing. I have lost everything because of this people, I have lived a beggar's life and I will not let them get away with it without a scratch."

"I understand but I don't want you to lose your life as well."

Arya wiped her face. "I have trained for this and I can defend myself. Yesterday was a surprise attack. I did not expect it but now I know that the palace is not safe for so I'll be more careful. Besides, I think it was just the queen mother trying to scare me so I can quit the job."

"You don't know that," he said. "I'm really worried. What if we find another job and you still continue with our plans?"

"Don't you get it, I need to be close to them to destroy them. How am I going to destroy them from that tea factory where you work? You know what, Kalen. I thought you'd make me feel better but I was wrong."

She ended the call and switched off her phone. Slumping on the bed, Arya sobbed. Her life was not getting better and things were more complicated that she thought they'd be. She pondered on Kalen's idea of giving up it made her sadder. What was the point in everything she had done?

Through her life, she had been motivated by the idea of revenge. She had lived to get justice for her father. There were many times she wanted to give up on life, on everything. Arya stood up and wiped her tears. She had nothing more to lose so what was the point? She had not grown up among her family and they didn't even know she existed. Her aunts and uncles as she'd seen a few days ago had moved on. Peten, his wife and daughter were forgotten, erased from her memories. She had nothing to go back to.

This revenge was all she had and she didn't intend to let Kalen take it away from her. Even if she abandoned the idea, she would never be happy. She would only be happy if Oriana and her children suffered as much as she had.