CHAPTER TWENTY ONE 'Expand'

Violet ate lunch together with the healer on the dinning table in silence.

Something she hadn't done with anyone in some time. It kind of felt.. Weird. And the voices in her head reminded her of that, constantly mocking her to bring her down. 

But she only listened, neither responding nor reacting. She only ate with Lady Demi in silence. 

Days passed and Violet's routine was simple.

Eating, taking tonics, receiving advice aka Therapy from the healer, learning about herself and why she was the way she was.

Her life would have continued like that until one morning, Violet was summoned by the queen into the palace. 

Violet did not know what to expect from this new queen.. Even though they were acquainted in the past, Dinah did not leave a huge impression on her.

She worried that the queen would hold her responsible for the late queen's death but at the same time, she did not fear death. After all, she'd already died and resuscitated back to life by chance.

After the hell, she'd went through, she did not fear any situation nor person. It was just that.. This new queen was young and might see her as a threat and try to get rid of her. 

She could fight back but she wasn't sure if she wanted to live any further. That was a decision she would have to make but there was no time to think, the queen's call for her was urgent and couldn't be delayed.

The only thing that helped her make a decision was Dinah. That old soul had choose to keep her alive even though her mother had called her a disgusting freak who wasn't worth living.

There was another chance for her since the heavens decided not to kill her. 

She chuckled, suddenly feeling curious to what the new queen would say to her. 

With that, she stepped out of the comfortable room Lady Demi had given to her and walked to the garden where she was patiently watering her plants. 

Violet chuckled, “Healer, healer, why bother watering the plants? You can ask others to do it for you.”

Lady Demi did not turn to look at Violet, instead she continued watering the plants. 

“Have you made up your mind? If you are not ready to face the queen I can request an audience for another day.”

“I have made up my mind. I am going to see the new queen, I'm a bit curious to know what she wants to say to me.”

Lady Demi finally turned to face Violet. She sighed, then held her by her wrists firmly.

“I'm afraid she might not have very good plans.”

Violet shrugged the older woman's hands off, “I don't care about that. Only I can decide to die or live. I just want to know what she's really thinking. Does she also blame me for the late queen's death?”

Lady Demi sighed loudly, “No, you're wrong, Violet. Even if you think only you can control whether to die or live, think about others. You're not alive only for yourself but others. You have a purpose, Violet.”

..even if I might not be able to see it.

“A purpose? I no longer care about that. In all lives that I've lived, it's been filled with restrictions and a whole lot of pain. Now I can finally decide my own fate. Whether to be cruel or evil.” Violet smirked, giving into the cruel words of the voices in her head.

“Even so, in this life, your purpose is to love and receive love.”

Violet turned to Lady Demi, anger clear in hat eyes. 

“You don't get to make predictions about me, even though you saved me Lady Demi.”

Lady Demi exhaled, “I truly don't mean to offend you, I just.. I.. I had a whole dream regarding you.”

Violet shrugged.

If it had been in the past, when she was truly tuned to her godly powers she would take dreams seriously but now.. She no longer really cared about things like that. She would create her own world no matter what.

“It might be weird and feel weird but please trust me on this one.”

“What should I trust you on exactly?”

Violet decided to give Lady Demi at least a listening hear.

“Love. Give love a chance this time even though it seems out of your comfort zone.”

Violet nodded, “Okay okay! Since you saved me, I'll listen to you and give love a chance. If the queen is kind to me, I'll show her love alright? Are you happy now?”

Lady Demi exhaled, “Love everyone including yourself. Don't ever be cruel to yourself nor others.”

“Whatever. I'll go to the palace now.”

As Violet turned to leave, Lady Demi let out a small smile, “Wait, I have a little present for you to take with you to the palace.”

***

Violet swayed in the short purple dress that showed off her long legs that had a lot of scars and marks on it. She was absolutely disgusted with herself but she was too prideful to show it.

“Why don't you give me a better dress, healer?”

“What do you mean? This dress is really pretty. The old queen requested for me to give this to her but it was too pretty I refused to give it away.”

Violet tssked, “And you preached love to me but couldn't give that to the past queen.”

Lady Dinah smiled, “That is when I was young. Thinking about it now, I was a bit fickle minded. I loved the dress but didn't have the confidence to wear it but I couldn't give it away either. Spending some time with you, I decided it is fate that brought you to me. You're the best person to wear the dress and I hope that you'll have the confidence to wear this dress.”

Violet stared down at her feet, “It's not that I don't dare to wear the dress. If it were the old me, i'd definitely flaunt the dress. But my scars..”

“Embrace it. They're beautiful. They look like tattoo marks that were carefully carved out and painted to link another lovely pair of lightning marks.”

Violet blushed.

She had lightning marks that were evident in her inner thighs. They weren't as dark or blue as the other marks. The lightning marks were white, imprinted on her legs. She saw it as a flaw along with the other marks on her body but the healer saw it as beauty. It was quite flattering.

But today, she wasn't quite ready so she wore leggings underneath the dress along with a pair of transparent sandals. 

Lady Demi did her hair and her face, the only clear part of her body and made her wore beautiful ornaments.

With that, she was ready to go to the palace. And she did. On a horse, she rode down the road, ignoring the many stares in her direction as she headed to the palace. No guards from the palace came to collect her and the murmurs from the sisters that were going about their normal business gossiped.

Violet used to be a very bright girl with potential but now, she had so many scars and her mother had rejected her. No one knew the real reason why but they concluded that it had to be her fault because her mother was the seventh keeper of the valley. She wouldn't punish anyone or her daughter mercilessly if she didn't do something incredibly bad. 

***

Violet swayed in the short purple dress that showed off her long legs that had a lot of scars and marks on it. She was absolutely disgusted with herself but she was too prideful to show it.

“Why don't you give me a better dress, healer?”

“What do you mean? This dress is really pretty. The old queen requested for me to give this to her but it was too pretty I refused to give it away.”

Violet tssked, “And you preached love to me but couldn't give that to the past queen.”

Lady Dinah smiled, “That is when I was young. Thinking about it now, I was a bit fickle minded. I loved the dress but didn't have the confidence to wear it but I couldn't give it away either. Spending some time with you, I decided it is fate that brought you to me. You're the best person to wear the dress and I hope that you'll have the confidence to wear this dress.”

Violet stared down at her feet, “It's not that I don't dare to wear the dress. If it were the old me, i'd definitely flaunt the dress. But my scars..”

“Embrace it. They're beautiful. They look like tattoo marks that were carefully carved out and painted to link another lovely pair of lightning marks.”

Violet blushed.

She had lightning marks that were evident in her inner thighs. They weren't as dark or blue as the other marks. The lightning marks were white, imprinted on her legs. She saw it as a flaw along with the other marks on her body but the healer saw it as beauty. It was quite flattering.

But today, she wasn't quite ready so she wore leggings underneath the dress along with a pair of transparent sandals. 

Lady Demi did her hair and her face, the only clear part of her body and made her wore beautiful ornaments.

With that, she was ready to go to the palace. And she did. On a horse, she rode down the road, ignoring the many stares in her direction as she headed to the palace. No guards from the palace came to collect her and the murmurs from the sisters that were going about their normal business gossiped.

Violet used to be a very bright girl with potential but now, she had so many scars and her mother had rejected her. No one knew the real reason why but they concluded that it had to be her fault because her mother was the seventh keeper of the valley. She wouldn't punish anyone or her daughter mercilessly if she didn't do something incredibly bad. 

***

When Violet arrived at the palace, the guards led her to the throne room where the queen was seated elegantly, patiently waiting for Violet's arrival.

Upon hearing Anya's words, informing her that Violet was in the palace and would soon enter the throne room, Anya fixed her look and cleared her throat.

Soon, footsteps approached and she saw a familiar cute face enter the throne room.

She leaned over and smirked as she saw the annoyed look on Violet's face as she entered the throne room.

“Your majesty,” The guards bowed.

Violet looked unbothered as the guards greeted Dinah politely. Instead, she looked around the palace and it hadn't change. In the past, she would mindlessly roam into the throne room to play with her aunt but now..

“How dare you stand in the presence of the queen? Hurry and Knee!” Anya said, irritated.

The guards looked amongst themselves and quickly tried to force Violet to kneel but the queen restrained them.

“You can all leave. I'd like to talk to my old friend in private.”

The guards bowed and started retreating out of the throne room. 

Anya glared at the arrogant look on Violet's face but restrained from saying anything just yet. 

“So you're not that cruel, huh? You even know to refer to me as an old friend.” Violet smirked, taking a step towards the throne room.

“How dare you speak to the queen like that!”

Violet ignored Anya and stood directly in front of Dinah who was sitting cross-legged on the throne room.

Anya was about to make a move as Violet leaned closer to the Queen.

Dinah held out a hand and Anya stood still, unable to do anything.

Violet caressed the side of Dinah's hair and whispered, “Why did you summon me? I want the truth.”

Dinah smiled, “Why are you so impatient, huh?”

“I know you're not normal. You learnt well under my aunt's teachings. It's no wonder that you're all about trades and transactions.”

Dinah exhaled, “What do you expect? I am my mother's daughter after all. This time though, I called you here to offer you a better life. I found out that your mother imprisoned you and I felt really bad. How could a princess like yourself be stripped of your title by your own mother and be forced to suffer a gruesome punishment all by yourself?”

Although Dinah's face was filled with empathy, her eyes screamed the opposite — Apathy.

Violet scoffed and moved away from Dinah's ear and scrutinized her face.

“I'm not a fool. You're trying to control me but it's unfortunate, I'm incapable of falling for dumb tricks like yours.”

“Since you know that then, why don't we strike a deal?”

“Which is?”

“I know that you're capable of extraordinary powers.”

Dinah stood on her feet. “I've always had a dream since I was little which is to expand Thestryn and make it become the most powerful and influential in the world.”

“Really?” Violet stood upright, “From what I remember, you didn't seem bright enough to dream that big.”

“You just underestimate me like the others. No one asked questions of what I wanted to contribute while you were asked multiple but look at you now.. The brightest child reduced to nothing for nothing.”

Violet clenched her fists. 

“I can offer you anything you want as long as you promise to help me fight. As for the other things, you don't need to worry about it.”

Dinah placed a hand on Violet's shoulder. “I know you've had this thought to. To make Thestryn bigger than what my mother made it.”

“She deliberately made us stay away from the worldly entanglements. Expanding territories will make us a target for all. Thestryn cannot afford a blow right now. Even though you're now queen, you are not close to the countries your mother were close to. If you can try to get close to them, they won't trust you because you haven't prove your worth.”

“That's why I need you. I've been waiting for you, Violet. Even though I am queen, the council makes all of the decisions. But if I have you by my side, I'll feel relieved.”

Violet scoffed, “Why me?”

“You understand what it feels like to be taken advantage of. I want to prove to everyone what I am capable of.”

A thought appeared in Violet's head.

“Fine. I'll help you but I have three conditions.” 

Dinah forced a smile.

“Anything.”

“One, I want my own manor.”

“Agreed. I will even fill it with twenty specially trained warriors.”

“Second, I want a rank that will enable make decisions for Thestryn.”

“Agreed. Besides me, I'll give you power above anyone else's. What's the third one?”

Violet smirked, “I want you as my plaything every night time.”

Dinah eyes widened in surprise and she fell into her throne in shock. Unable to control her disgust, Anya appeared in front of Violet and punched her on the face. 

As a result, Violet fell through the cascading staircase and landed on the floor with a thud.

A bit worried, Dinah looked at Violet who quickly picked herself from the floor then she let out a sigh of relief and turned to glare at Anya. 

“Your majesty, You can't give into Violet's request. You'd be giving your power away. If Violet finds you at your most vulnerable state, she will definitely take advantage of you and betray you in future.” Anya whisper-yelled to Dinah.

Violet chuckled and dusted off invisible dirt from her dress. “It seems we do not have a deal. I'll get going then!”

Violet started turning to the door and Dinah eyes widened. She couldn't let this opportunity go!

She'd worked hard to groom Violet to become this powerful. If she gave up now it would all be in waste. Besides, if she gave Violet her body, it'd be easy to manipulate her to do whatever she wanted.

“Violet!” She yelled as Violet was about to step out of the throne room. “I agree! But for the last one, you won't have access until we've at least expanded our territory past Lagsu.”

Violet smiled, then turned around.

“Then it's a done deal.”