Chapter 4 The New Andaruni Woman

Areza almost stood frozen. She wished to be a lowly slave rather than to be included in the Andaruni of King Severo. “How could I escape from the merciless hands of this tyrant King?” she thought, her limbs weakening with every passing second.

“Come, woman. I will present you to the Chief Black Eunuch of the Andaruni.” The second-in-command to General Daedon approached Areza and freed her hands from being tied behind her back.

Princess Areza silently followed the soldier through the grand corridors. They entered a massive hallway and turned left, where she was greeted by a marvelous, giant wooden door. Two heavy guards standing by the entrance pushed the doors open automatically as they approached.

As they stepped inside, Princess Areza almost gasped. She saw a wide, elegant hall with pretty beds lined up neatly on an elevated platform, accessible by three stone steps. Nearby, four polished wooden doors led to special private rooms reserved for favored concubines.

On another side of the spacious hall was a grand dining area. Two long wooden tables lined with chairs filled the room, while a charming round table with four chairs sat right in the center.

Further to the right, at the far end of the hall, a luxurious three-seater Victorian-style chair sat strategically upon a thick, artistic carpet.

Some women were resting peacefully on their beds, while others sat on the stairs. A few stood in small groups, whispering and chatting with one another.

Princess Areza and the soldier were greeted by a tall, bulky black man standing alongside a slim, elegant woman.

“Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca, she is all yours—a new recruit for the Andaruni,” the soldier announced loudly, his voice echoing across the room so that every woman present could hear. With that, he formally entrusted her to the two high officers.

Hearing his words, nearly all the women in the hall turned at the exact same time, shooting Princess Areza curious and assessing glances.

The Chief Black Eunuch, also known as Chief Belevey, stood beside Lady Dianca and inspected Princess Areza from head to toe, scanning her up and down.

“Hmm, I have a good feeling about you, young lady. What is your name, by the way?” Chief Belevey asked smoothly.

“Are. My name is Are,” Princess Areza quickly answered, gracefully bowing her head.

With that simple, refined movement, Chief Belevey and Lady Dianca suddenly exchanged a brief glance, both of their foreheads furrowing in quiet suspicion.

“You seem to have a very noble bearing, young woman. I wonder, what kingdom do you come from?” Lady Dianca asked, her sharp eyes filled with deep curiosity.

“I do not belong to any kingdom. I was once a free woman living in the wild mountains, hunting animals for survival,” Princess Areza lied, keeping her head bent low. She knew she was not a good liar and did not want these two keen officials to read the truth in her eyes.

Chief Belevey and Lady Dianca nodded slowly, though a faint hint of doubt lingered on their faces.

“Come, Are. We will show you to your quarters,” the Chief Black Eunuch said, turning to walk ahead.

“Are, this will be your bed. You may place your bag beside it,” Lady Dianca instructed, pointing to a neat bed at the end of the hall.

They stood before a dainty bed draped in soft pink covers, complete with two plump white pillows, placed neatly in the last row.

Areza glanced at Chief Belevey and Lady Dianca, then nodded respectfully. “Thank you,” she murmured with polite grace.

“Be good and learn to cooperate with the other women here. Your official training to become an exquisite Andaruni woman begins tomorrow morning. Do you understand, Are?” the Chief Black Eunuch said, a faint, encouraging smile touching his lips.

Once again, Princess Areza nodded gently. “I understand, Chief Belevey.”

When the Chief Black Eunuch and Lady Dianca walked away and left her alone, Princess Areza slowly approached the bed. She sat down on the edge, testing its softness, and could not help but smile faintly. The mattress was cushioned and comfortable, giving her comfort that she would at least sleep well tonight.

When she looked up, she was surprised to find a group of about eight pretty women gathered nearby, all watching her closely. Some offered warm smiles, while others inspected her with cold, calculating eyes, assessing her as a potential rival.

Princess Areza forced a warm, friendly smile onto her lips, addressing the group gently.

“Hi! We heard your name is Are. I am Glena, nice to meet you!” said a sweet-faced woman with curly blonde hair. She was of average height with a slender frame. Overall, she was very pretty, though not quite as striking as Princess Areza.

Princess Areza stood up immediately and extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Glena.”

Glena smilingly accepted her handshake. In that simple gesture, Areza knew she had found her very first friend inside the King’s Andaruni.

“Is it true that you committed a terrible crime and were about to be executed, but luckily His Majesty felt pity for you and made you an Andaruni woman instead?”

A tall woman with long, straight blonde hair, a fair complexion, and a voluptuous figure stepped forward, her eyebrows raised mockingly as she interrupted their greeting.

Princess Areza controlled her temper, keeping her composure in front of the chesty woman. She could easily sense the cruel intention behind the question.

“I did commit a crime,” Areza explained calmly, keeping a polite smile on her face. “I shot the deer that the General was targeting with my own bow and arrow. I was told I hunted in a forbidden area and disrupted the soldiers' hunting trip.”

Hearing her story, several of the surrounding women gasped in total awe.

Glena even clapped her hands in excitement. “Wow, that is amazing! You really did that, Are? Does that mean you met the handsome General in person?”

Princess Areza nodded with a small smile. “He was quite angry with me, actually. That is why I was captured and brought here.”

“Oh, goodness! You are so brave, Are!” several women chimed in together, looking at her with genuine admiration.

However, the tall woman who had asked the malicious question merely sneered, her frown deepening with obvious disdain.

“She still committed a crime against the kingdom, and there is nothing awesome about being a criminal,” the chesty woman snapped, glaring at Princess Areza fiercely.

Princess Areza wanted to sigh at this moment, but she controlled herself again. She did not want to have an enemy—not when she had a divine mission to accomplish inside this palace. An enemy was the last thing she needed; what she truly required was a strong network of allies.

But looking at the tall, smirking woman in front of her, Princess Areza could feel that she had just made her very first rival at this early stage of her mission.