warning: this chapter of The King's Maiden is marked mature as it contains vivid descriptions of gore, violence and war. viewer discretion is advised.[ IN WHICH SHE IS AT WAR ]War.That is the first thing I wake up to after the supposed "sex dream". A scar of bright light hangs in the bat-black sky as a sea of wounded people run past me while I lay face-up on the sand. A gash of radiant light breaks through the cauldron-black sky seconds after, and it seems as though there's something hidden in the clouds, creating these ruptures of moonstone-yellow lights. The adrenaline rush fills me when I hear the screams of people and creatures running helter skelter. With my brown eyes wide in fear, I quickly hurry to my feet. A teary gasp leaves my lips when I scan round the townsquare. The effluvium of death is all around me now. The entire area where the townsquare and market had previously been has been baptised in blood and the bitter, mordant perfume of corpses emanates from it. A hand
[ IN WHICH SHE IS AT WAR WITH HERSELF ]The war with oneself. It is the worst war one can ever battle in. It is a conflict that takes place inside a person's mind. It never shows on the person's outer appearance, because everything takes place within; it is an inner struggle with self-doubts, a moral dilemma, and it is becoming your own antagonist when you realize your matchmaking decision will do more harm than good, and it is a struggle with yourself as you try to hide your feelings for another. Most do not win this war. I most likely won't win this either, because it already feels as though I am falling through the cracks in the ground. My fists are clenched as I walk through the bloody Kingdom. The snarling and drooling wolves tread behind me, igniting my presence with light and more power. The most powerful warrior, Jacqueline also strolls beside me with her sword dripping with black blood in her grasp. A tempest of lances rasps and keens through the basalt-black sky whilst we
[ IN WHICH SHE PUTS AN END TO A FATAL LOVE TRIANGLE, OR SO SHE THOUGHT ] In the silence, I turn my body in Sin's direction. As a reaction to my movements, several wolves snarl angrily, but I don't let that stop me. With one foot in front of the other, I proceed towards the King of Alkhemi. A look of shock consumes his facial features, and then after, his lips begin to stretch slowly into a smile. His grey eyes peer staight into mine, and for a second, it feels as though everyone else around us disappear into dust.No Kingdom. No war. No Rome. Just us. But it can never be that way; for it is written in the stars that the Lycan King will eventually tug at my heartstrings and get my pulses racing. It has been written in the stars that I will love him as much as I love Sin. It has been written in the stars that I will be torn between the two men when making this decision. And it has come to pass. The Lycan King. My breath hitches as I think about him. The thought of him alone does t
[ THE QUEEN'S CORONATION: FAYE ] It was the seventh hour of the day, and the news of the Queen's coronation had reached the far ends of the Kingdom. Carriages lined every side road of the Kingdom. It was the day everyone had been waiting for. They had all been waiting for a really long time for this particular day, but little did they know that day would mark the beginning of an atrocious era for them. It was the day of the Queen’s coronation. My Coronation.That day marked the beginning of power for me. It was the day I got sworn in as King Sin's lover and Queen. The day I got to be addressed as Queen and not a Maiden anymore. The day that changed the lives of everyone around me for an eternity. If you thought the war between the Grand Alkhemi and Lucian City was destructive enough, my coronation would make blood rain from the beautiful sky. And honestly, I had not expected things to turn out that way, but they did. No one warned me of the trouble I was getting myself into. Not a
[ IN WHICH SHE PREPARES TO BE QUEEN ] The mirror in front of me reflects a clear image of my true self. A Queen. My gaze settles on the shiny, glass surface that has been coated with a metal amalgam. The view from behind is reflected upon it, and I see the maids gathering around me with several clothing accessories in their hands. A surcoat designed with colors has been laid to the side, waiting to be worn by me. The surcoat carries the various colors of Alkhemi's flag, which is green and ivory white, with little smudges of black. The surcoat will be worn when I get introduced as Queen to the soldiers. RIght now, the maids get busy, dressing me in a beautiful, long, lilac dress— almost white, but not quite. Its fabric is soft against my olive skin, and the color of the dress compliments the melanin in my skin. The maids have been working hard since the crack of dawn to prepare me, their future Queen of Alkhemi for the Coronation. They are all excited for today's activities. And it
[ IN WHICH SHE IS HIS QUEEN ] It turns out that the coronation process is easy and simple. The only thing not easy about this ceremony is the fact that Sin refuses to gaze in my direction.Whenever I would turn my head to give him a warm smile, his jaw would harden aggressively, and then, he would turn away from me; rejecting my gesture of affection. By now, I figured whatever harsh feelings he had towards me would have died down, but I guess that isn't the case. But, this is what he wants. He has been waiting for this day, longer than anyone gathered here today. He has been waiting for the day he would claim me as his Queen in front of his entire Kingdom, and now that the day has come, he refuses to hold me in his arms or even look me in the eyes? Sin has proven to be unpredictable over the past few days and hours.Despite this, I try my best to focus on the people who have gathered to celebrate my inauguration; they all welcome me as their Queen in a calm and respectful setting wh
[A Maiden…]Chosen from birth to live beside a powerful King, my life hasn't been a bed of roses. The life of a Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Whilst waiting for the day of her Ascension; waiting for the day she gets owned by a King. But I haven't exactly kept to all those rules, now have I? I have made mistakes most Maidens will never dare to make. I have been touched. I have been looked upon. And I most definitely have experienced pleasure with the wrong people. All those rules I have broken, all have repercussions. And I will suffer the consequences soon enough. But then again, I never chose to live this life. I would rather live a quiet life in a far away land with twelve cats. I never wanted to live in an enormous castle, battling my feelings for two Kings. But the choice has never been mine.[A Queen…]Once a maiden. Now, a Queen. The Queen of Alkhemi. Or should I call myself the Queen of Not
[ IN WHICH HE OWNS HER AS HIS QUEEN ] SIN'S POV: “Sin!” November calls out.I hear her voice over the distance, followed by the heavy pounding of her feet as she chases after me. Despite her harsh and erratic breathing, she does not slow down her pace, neither does she stop following me. “Sin! Please. Don't walk away from me.” Something stirs within me as her silky-smooth voice reaches my ears. So, I stop. My shoulders are hunched up as the tension swirls around that area. My fists are clenched as I fight back the urge to lash out, which might worsen the current situation. I cannot turn around to stare her in the eyes. If I do, I will shatter into a million pieces. The sight of her alone is enough to bring me to my knees; she is still oblivious to the power she holds over me. “Sin?” Her soft voice begs, and I can feel her closer than ever. “Can you please look at me?”I keep my back turned to her. I originally stormed out of the ceremony to save myself from crumbling down in fr