Chapter 16 My Queen.“ Your majesty, Lady Annalise is here” An eunuch announced to King Treven who was getting ready to sleep. He had a tiring day at the court assembly and with Meisi playing a dangerous game in the palace. The court was thrown into an uproar immediately after the news got to them that the royal consort had bore a princess instead of the Prince they announced in the morning. The entire situation gave him a headache but he controlled his court with his normal intimidating and cold attitude. They knew better not to mess with him.He had his eunuch search for Annalise before he remembered that she had taken his permission to travel to Ruqgu two weeks ago and he had granted her even though she never told him why she wished to embark on the journey. She only mentioned with an emotional tone that the journey was important.But she is back now in the middle of the night requesting an audience with him. He wondered why because she had never requested such from him. He asked
Chapter 17- Petty Wetty Flamingo?.Annalise slept beside me after our conversation because I couldn't go back to sleep alone and so she had to read me a book before she fell asleep herself. I wondered how she could because Nayaki women were illiterates but she. Maybe the king allowed her because of their relationship.She woke up and woke me up so early that I would have dished out a grave punishment if a servant ever tried that with me in the Gattar Manor. Such an ungodly hour to be awake in the morning. The sun wasn't even up yet. The slightly chilly weather did not help at all and I did not want to be separated from the blanket but she forced me up telling me we needed to be at the palace before sunrise. Did we even sleep after our conversation at all? It was still dark and I was very close to throwing tantrums.The two maidens helped undress me as they prepared a bath for me. They even put more effort than the previous day and the water was warmer with a lot of fresh flowers whic
Chapter 18 - blooming“ Wait you?”Recognition flashed across his face as he gazed at the woman from the shabby inn now standing before him. She had transformed since the night he first laid eyes on her. The fatigue that had marked her face was gone, replaced by an ethereal radiance that left him spellbound. The scars that had marred her neck and body were no more, the first things he had noticed about her back at the inn.He struggled to keep his composure as she moved closer, stealing his breath just as she had on that fateful night. He should have been angry, should have sought retribution for her boldness at the inn, but instead, he found himself inexplicably drawn to her presence."What is this feeling?" he wondered silently, bewildered by the sudden urge to hold her close and never let go. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "I am the King of Nayak, immune to the charms of any woman."Annalise sensed the tension thickening in the king's chamber and couldn't help but w
Chapter 19 - His desires.“ My lady please open the door” Annalise knocked again for the umpteenth time but I refused to open the door. Ever since we returned to her house, I looked myself in the guest room and refused to utter a word to anybody. I didn't say anything in the carriage on our way back too. I was too distraught to even open my mouth. I had gone right from hell to the personal Chambers of Hades himself and it was not colourful.I left my home and my everything to marry a man that doesn't even want me. He spoke as if I was his mortal enemy from his past life. He even mocked my infertility unintentionally, I shouldn't have believed the fairytale Annalise weaved to me, I could have just stayed in Ruqgu at least I would have Eria's comforting spirit around me now I don't know what to do, I'm stuck in the middle of an ocean while standing in a thin iceberg, if I stay too long, the ice will break and I will drown but there is no way to place my legs except the thin ice. I can
Chapter 20 - InsaneAfter helping Marilyn change into another dress, Annalise gathered all her personal belongings and instructed the maids to handle them with utmost care. The King had commanded Annalise to bring his queen to the palace, signaling the imminent start of the marriage rites. While Marilyn had been lost in her thoughts, a formal announcement had already echoed throughout the entire kingdom, declaring that the King had found his true queen, and the marriage rites would commence soon.Nayak City erupted into a frenzy of celebration. People reveled to the point of intoxication, performances filled the bustling market square as they celebrated the arrival of their new queen. They had initially believed that Natalí was furious at the King for taking consorts without waiting for his queen, but it appeared she had been searching for the right one all along. The temple's sealed door remained untouched, a symbol of hope, and they knew their queen would soon unlock its healing pow
Chapter 21 - The HaremI couldn't sleep. Why? Because of the hot-headed royal charmer who nearly kissed me when I mentioned another man in front of him, despite assuring me he'd never spare me a second glance in that direction. That man confuses me greatly and I would be lucky if he doesn't drive me nuts. Even the plush bed I reclined on within the secluded women's pavilion felt oddly uncomfortable as my thoughts swirled around the enigmatic ruler of Nayak.But what if Patrick were to attend the coronation ceremony? He was among the rulers of Ruqgu, so he would typically be present at such a grand celebration. I could simply feign ignorance, right? If Eria's plans unfolded smoothly, I was already dead to everyone in Ruqgu. I couldn't help but wonder if they had a grand funeral for me. Did my father attend? I doubted it; he had turned his back on me after my third year of marriage without a child. He embraced my stepbrother and stepsister and disowned me. He even turned a blind eye to
Chapter 22 - final rite.She said nothing as she stared into my eyes, her face mirroring mine due to the black and white makeup. My breath hitched in my throat as I took in her appearance. Dressed like a celestial being, her whole body was covered and her sleeves were large, Her eyes held a vibrant color of emerald and a tear slipped from her eyes, I raised my hands like a reflex and caught it. I felt a surge of electricity coursing through me as she gave me a warm smile. The colors disappeared right after her as I finally recovered myself.Strange enough the people carried on as if nothing happened. I couldn't have imagined that right? That was Natalí and she appeared to me. And gave me her tears, my head went fuzzy as the stone went back to normal but it wasn't blue anymore but green. The shade of emerald green that I love so much. Does that mean I'm kind of powerful now?People stared at the stone in shock at the color change, even Annalise couldn't keep the shock off her face. Sh
Chapter 23 Final Rites pt2.The lanterns of the spring palace were lit for celebration for the first time in ten years. The once deserted palace was now bubbling with celebrative activities. The past kings of Nayak, often threw parties at this palace with their ministers a night before their wedding and Treven had followed suit with the tradition. The wide spacious hall was decorated with various types of flowers as a symbol of growth and fertility. The monsters and members of the king's court were all seated according to their ranks.A big table was placed in front of them with a big, barbecued whole cow accompanied by different sorts of exotic side dishes. There was too much to eat and drink, Most of the high-ranking ministers had their table to themselves while the servants served them dishes and wine from the big table.At the center of the hall was a group of performers who made the occasion lively with their wonderful dance performances and beautiful melodies from their musical
Epilogue..He hated everything about this little island. The people were nice and their lifestyle was peaceful and colourful. He hated the harsh sun that was always harsher to him because he was always wearing black. He wished to go back to Nayak as soon as possible and have his mother pampered with sweets from Ruqgu. In his entire seventeen years of life, he has never for once stepped out of Nayak but his father had sent him to Holcomb after his elder sister who was getting married to a nobleman from the island.He doesn't get along with Princess Aria, she was always self-centered and a little bit bitchy even though his mother warned him not to address his elder sister like that. He prefers the company of Princess Estella since they were raised together with his immediately younger sister Nabi. The three of them were like triplets. Estella is the brainy one out of them but often ignored by their father the King which makes her lack a little bit of self-esteem, she is also clumsy and
Chapter 53 Baby Nasir.A few months later.Childbirth hurts like a bitch! How I wished someone warned me. Well, they did but I couldn't imagine that it would be this worse.“Push!” The midwife encouraged me but I almost slapped her face in rage. I was doing my best, why wouldn't she see that? Will I have another child after this? Yes! But I don't want to go through this kind of pain in my life ever again. I felt like my insides were being ripped apart.“ Please a bit more Your Majesty, I can see the head of the baby,” The woman said softly, beads of sweat forming on her forehead mirroring the one on mine. I took another breath and I pushed harder with all my strength.After minutes of pushing and praying to Natalí for the thousandth time to ease me of this pain, and hours of Treven running around like a headless chicken while threatening to kill the midwives if anything happens to me. That man and his dramatics, Baby Nasir finally came to this world. Treven almost collapsed from joy
Chapter 52 Scares.“ Your majesty, I'm thinking we should make a camp here. We have been Riding non-stop and we can just continue our journey by dawn” Valtar said with a tired voice after the passed the Lu fortress and the king didn't even stop the horses.“ You all can rest here or go back to Lu Fortress, I need to get back to the capital as soon as possible. My Queen is waiting” His Majesty said grabbing the little tear orb dangling on his neck. While riding the horse forward, he already imagined how he was going to scoop his Queen in his arms and kiss the lips he missed so much.“ You need the rest also, you won't even allow us to pull out the arrows,” Valtar said but Treven continued riding without minding his only friend. He increased the pace and rode away from the whining bodyguard. He doesn't mind the pain anyway, his Queen would heal him with her gentle hands. The pain in his body was nothing compared to the pain of longing that he was feeling. He had fallen for her without
Chapter 51 His primary assignment.He took a deep breath as he stared ahead, his entire armor was covered with the blood of his enemies. Bodies were splattered around him in the most goriest way ever. Both the human bodies and the wolves, he kept Killing to return the favor of them slaughtering his soldiers. He wasn't tired even after fighting for many hours straight. The back of his armor was stabbed with many arrows, some of which penetrated his body but he barely felt any pain as he continued cutting any threatening flesh as if he was slicing butter.The warriors of Nati fought under his command, they were like demons from hell. They cannot be killed and each time the enemies used the magic of Hwaja, the warriors were not affected, they only kept on fighting under his command. Their wolves already got trapped in the ditch he had his men dug the other day, he only ever wanted to end everything and go back to his Queen. He hasn't heard anything from the hornets and it bothers him a
Chapter 50 The Other Side of Natalí.“ What do you mean you couldn't kill the Queen?!” Princess Cixi barked at the assassins in front of her. They were ten in total they bowed their head in shame. Their faces were swollen beyond recognition and part of their body was too.“ We already got rid of her bodyguards and before we knew it, some bug swarms came out of nowhere and attacked us. There were too many, we couldn't enter the chamber. By the time they were gone, the king was gone too” one of the assassins said while wincing in pain. One of them fell dead immediately followed by another until all of them died before her eyes. She couldn't believe the scene in front of her, whatever killed them was waiting for them to deliver the message to her.Her eyes became pitch black as she roared in anger. Her black veins became visible and covered one side of her face. The black mist surrounding her went crazy.“ Your Highness! The Queen is heading to the temple” Her second in command, the lady
Chapter 49 His Spirit warriors.“ Lyn was poisoned?” He banged his hands on the table at the news from the Hornet. His eyes flashed red but went back to normal immediately the Hornet flew in a circle with a loud buzz. They had made a camp at a place very close to the Silk Valley. The sun was setting already and he was getting ready to attack the Aransas fortress at dawn before the hornet flew in.“ She didn't eat the poison?” He asked and the Hornet stayed still for a while before buzzing around again. “ You stung her maid? That was reassuring at least.” He took a deep breath but his mind was already in shambles at the thought of someone attempting to kill his Queen in his absence. He knows the person, it was the same person that tried to poison him at the inn the first time he met his Queen. It was the same person that was giving the Barbarians a failed hope.The Hornet flew around for a while again with a loud buzz and Treven almost broke the table angrily. How dare that lowly piec
Chapter 48 The Lady in black.I was thoroughly angry as I made my way to the ice palace, Annalise, Eria, and other maids hot on my heels. I understand that Meisi missed her child but she was under punishment for her mistake and the ice palace is no place to raise a baby. I wore a fur jacket on my dress because the ice palace is extremely cold as I heard.The old building lived up to its name, it was really cold indeed and looked unhabitable. Only royal prisoners are kept there without warm clothes and enough meals to keep them alive. It was looking so miserable and lonely and I almost pitied Meisi.“ My beautiful baby” I heard a soft coo as we neared Meisi's room. Annalise opened the door and I stepped in immediately. Meisi was seated in an old wooden chair dressed in nothing but a cotton plain Nayak dress. The top was armless and the skirt barely reached her knees. I could only imagine how cold she must be. The baby was wrapped in a silk blanket thoroughly though so that gave me a l
Chapter 47 Missing Princess.“ Valtar” His deep voice resonates as he stares ahead of the plains surrounding Nayak's southern borders. His heavy armor glinted under the bright sunlight clearly inviting the blood of his enemies. He has grown a stubble due to days of riding forward nonstop without the normal palace grooming. Under his heavy armor was a green pendant held by a golden necklace. It represents his Queen's blessings, he misses her a lot but he is on a mission to fulfill Nati's assignment. At the thought of her, his right hand went to the necklace and he clutched the pendant for a while. It responded to him and lightened up, it didn't stir awake like it would have done under her touch but it still responded to him.“ Your majesty, The troops from Minister Li, Lord Ay, Lord Du, and General Koyam never arrived at the Lu fortress. It seems they have deserted us. We are short of close to three thousand men” Valtar reported immediately. He was also clad in heavy armor similar to
Chapter 46 Belladonna.-Cave of wondersA week later.The woman in black sat on her makeshift thrones as four masked men entered the candle-lit cave. They were part of the king's court and were supposed to meet him at the southern borders with their troops but they deserted their king under her orders.“ Greetings to my Lady. The King has almost crossed the Fleur River”. The old man among them said, raising their heads from their bow.“ He is so far away from his Queen” The woman chuckled, adjusting her hood. Her eyes and nose were covered but her mouth was exposed, and her exposed red-painted lips curled up into a smirk.“ We have withdrawn our soldiers so he is short of at least three thousand men. If the Barbarians were as strong as they claimed, they would crush the king with ease” The second minister reported, that he sounded much younger than the first man. The news pleased the lady as she kept on smiling. Her plans were going accordingly.“ But after all this, who are we goin