Queen of lords, p.3
Queen of Lords, page 3
“I don’t know…” I glanced down at my feet, feeling the coarse sand shift beneath my feet.
“And that’s okay… to not have life figured out yet. You are young.”
When we reached the inn, Liones turned around and enthusiastically waved to indicate that Kale and Ray were also making their way back. Tenia eagerly reached out and lovingly grabbed Kale’s arm as he approached. He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing with ardor.
Liones waved to Tenia and I. “Nice meeting you ladies!” He began to walk off as Kale and Tenia headed back to the inn.
Ray turned to go in, but I grabbed his arm. “Ray.”
“Let’s talk inside.”
“I want to talk now,” I demanded. I rarely spoke to him like this, but I felt I needed to or he wouldn’t hear me out. He stared at me defiantly and crossed his arms, but he stayed put. I took a deep breath and mustered up the courage. “I’m tired of waiting.”
I felt Ray’s intense gaze as he lifted an eyebrow and looked down at me with his icy eyes. “Sentia, I do not have time for this—”
“I see that!” I couldn’t contain my frustration, and my voice came out nearly in a yell as I spoke to him.
He pointed a stern finger in my face. “Lower your voice when you speak to me.”
“Ray!” This time, I did yell. “I’m. Tired. Of. Waiting. Do I have to go and try to kill the princes myself? Should I do that? Huh!?” I couldn’t stop my words as they flowed from my mouth, as if I had been waiting to get him alone just to rant. Just to ramble. Just to get everything heavy off my chest. “Am I just going to stay a concubine forever? Hidden from my enemies? Wasting away in the palace? Should I just go ahead and enact my assassination so that you can hurry up and execute me?”
“Sentia!” he warned, his voice filled with urgency.
“What do you think I should do? Cause at this point I’m sick and tired of everything. There is this burning hole in my chest. I can’t breathe sometimes! You want to know what my nightmares are about? I dream that they take turns on me, and I can’t move… I can’t speak… I can’t use my powers. I am useless. Every moment I’m anxious,” I gestured my body wildly, before he had the chance to interrupt, as I continued, “and sometimes I feel like I’m slowly wasting away with no purpose to my life other than revenge. I don‘t mind if you think I’m a monster for killing my entire kingdom, but just don’t let me waste away. At least give me something. Give me purpose. Give me an order. Just knowing those two exist in this world makes me want to puke.” I took a shuddering breath, suddenly unable to breathe. I backed up, but Ray grabbed my upper arm to steer me back toward again. As I fought against him, my hand swung out and unexpectedly landed on his face, the sharp sting of the slap lingering in my hand. As he turned back to me, he paused and scanned me from head to toe, his astonishment evident in his expression. His hands gently grabbed my cheeks. It seemed as if he was attempting to express ‘that was not acceptable’ in his own unique way.
With his eyes closed, it seemed like he was trying to calm himself before he released my face, angrily whispering as he pointed at the door and stared into my eyes with a threatening look, “Get inside.”
“I won’t listen to you until you give me an answer,” I said, tears welling up in my eyes. I took a step back, and another step… and another.
It was many more before I could comprehend the fact that I was running away from him.
I could hear him calling my name.
CHAPTER 3
I felt the gentle breeze caress my hair as I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with fresh air. I just needed to get away for a second and escape. As I worked myself up, my heart raced, and my palms grew sweaty. Ray was doing his best to balance his princely duties, my presence, and all the responsibilities that followed. I already regretted getting angry at him.
“You ever swim before?”
With a quick motion, I turn my head and found myself face to face with Liones. He smiled and sat next to me. I sighed, shaking my head. “I’ve never seen the ocean, remember?”
“Ooh! That tone… are you upset? What’s the matter?”
I was silent for a bit before I said, “You ever know you’re doing something completely wrong? Not in a physical sense… but like a living sense? You know your purpose is different from what you’re doing, but you are doing the opposite, anyway. Like being reborn, but choosing to do something heinous at the expense of a second chance?”
Liones hummed, “Hm, if that’s the case I think you should do it anyway.” He smiled at me. “Think about it. Say the gods gave you a second life, you choose to do horrible things—do you think the gods didn’t see that coming? Especially if your first life was horrible the first time around? In fact, maybe the person needs to do the heinous act in order to realize what a blessing it is to be reborn? It might be a painful reminder… but it’ll work.”
We sat together for a while before Liones broke the silence by offering a hand, his excitement evident in his voice as he said, “Let me show you something!” He lifted me up, pulling me away from the beach, and I followed him to the left of the village, venturing deeper into the dense forest. Just before we went deeper, I tugged my hand gently, causing him to halt in his tracks. My heart was pumping in my chest—I had never had a good experience with any forest I’d been in. He looked back at me with a questioning expression and then gently intertwined his fingers with mine as a smile formed on his face. “There’s nothing scary about this forest.” Once I nodded, he firmly grabbed my arm and pulled me through. I remained near him as we ventured deeper in, and as night fell, I began to anticipate Ray’s impending lecture for my prolonged absence. It wasn’t until we were nearly a mile in that he gasped, causing us both to quickly crouch down behind the trees.
Before us stood a majestic buck, its black fur contrasted against the vibrant green of the surroundings. Its antlers emitted a mesmerizing glow and were adorned with black roses, swaying gently as if they had a life of their own. Glowing birds fluttered around the flowers, sipping nectar from the delicate petals, while the buck shook his head, filling the air with the sound of his antlers.
“Beautiful, isn’t he?” Liones leaned in close and whispered softly in my ear.
I could sense a tingling sensation running down my spine, a mix of excitement and nervousness. I turned towards him, and his smile lit up his face as he shifted his attention to the majestic buck. We watched it walk away, taking slow and cautious steps as we stood up.
“You know…” he started. “Good people do bad things all the time just to survive. Wrath is as dangerous an act of violence against ourselves as it is those we enact it upon.” He turned to me, directing my attention toward him with my shoulders. “Your anger is valid. But don’t let it consume you.” The second he said those words, my eyes filled with tears, and they started to flow uncontrollably.
“Come, I have to show you one more thing.” He paused, fingers gently lifting my chin, forcing me to meet his intense gaze. “But… you have to smile first. I haven’t seen you smile since you came here.”
A feeling of unease washed over me as I stepped back from him, my eyes fixated on the trembling of my fingers, but I forced my lips into a contorted smile, causing a single eyebrow to arch in surprise.
Liones shrugged and laughed, “Good enough!”
We walked further into the forest until we came across a tall hill with an illuminating blue waterfall going down the rocks. Many of the animals were there drinking water, from tigers to boars and deer. I was baffled and hid behind Liones, causing him to laugh once more. “Our main source of food is fish, so the animals here do not fear us since we do not hunt them. Diaul thinks that the forest is a sanctuary from the gods, so we do not wish to hurt anything here.” He snapped his fingers and guided me to sit on the cold grass. “Can you sing?”
“Uh… I…”
“Sing anything!”
Flustered, my mind raced as I searched for something coherent to say. “I don’t know if I sing well… and no one ever really taught me any songs. But there was this one thing I would hum in my head that comes to me… naturally.”
He nodded and gestured towards the animals. “Try it.”
I inhaled deeply, and the familiar melody of the song I used to sing while cooking escaped my lips. Naturally, I found myself engrossed in it, and to be frank, amidst all the chaos happening around me, I’d completely overlooked the fact that it was once my favorite way to spend my time.
The animals abruptly shifted their attention towards us, their curious eyes locked onto our presence. They inched closer, causing a momentary pause of hesitation within me. However, Liones reassured me to continue with a subtle gesture. As we watched in awe, the animals took their places before us—a majestic tiger, two gentle deer, a powerful boar, and even a group of birds finding refuge on their backs. The moment I ceased humming, a silence settled over the surroundings, and the animals remained motionless.
“Why do they do that?” I asked.
Liones leaned close to me. “Because they love it. It’s why we call it a sanctuary from the gods. The gods love music and lullabies. They love when we humans make songs for them, music in their honor. These animals are the same.”
Our eyes locked in an intense stare, neither of us willing to break the contact. It felt like an eternity before our gaze shifted, but when I finally broke away, I chuckled. “Thank you for this. I really do feel so much better.”
“Say… Sentia… you have a lover?” When he saw my face, he quickly corrected himself. “I mean, you got angry at someone, right? So, I figured you fought with a lover, seeing how frustrated you were.”
My attachment to Ray wasn’t love. It was loyalty. But there were days where I hated the way my body felt without seeing him. There were moments where my eyes needed to just lay upon him to feel less anxious. I didn’t know what to call it. I felt animosity whenever Ruella got close to him. But it wasn’t like we’d been together for long, if anything, we still barely knew each other. Even if it was just lust, I was probably too attached to him.
“N-no. But I… assist Prince Ray... Like a maid,” I fibbed. “He’s just… bossy.”
He nodded. “I see,” then paused for a second before saying, “Is he abusive to his maids?”
I blinked and then sighed. “N-no… no… he…” I could barely find the words.
“I get it.” Liones looked up to the stars. “It’s complicated. Nobles can be quite rude to commoners, expecting us to do the most with what we have, which is often nothing.”
“H-he is like a mentor too… I guess. I’m trying to find myself and who I am without him,” I blurted out, unexpected to even myself. “I want to be able to do things without his approval. Without failing him, too…”
Liones nodded. “Well, if you ever need someone to talk to… if you ever desire to figure it out with someone at your side. Even if it’s for a short period. I am here for you. If anyone knows about complicated… it’s me,” he chuckled, pointing to himself.
I smiled, and it came unexpectedly naturally. “Thank you, Liones.” As I reclined, Liones joined me, and together we marveled at the vast expanse of stars twinkling overhead.
“Don’t you ever—EVER—disappear like that again, do you hear me?” Ray growled, a hand gripping my upper arm. I averted my eyes from his intense and furious stare. I could sense Liones’ unease as he stood behind me, his lips tightly pressed together.
“You didn’t chase after me… must not have been important enough,” I sassed. The anger in him was evident as his eye twitched.
Liones and I had returned after accidentally falling asleep under the stars. By the time we opened our eyes, the sun was already shining brightly overhead. We’d hurried back as fast as possible, but Ray was standing outside of the Inn, his face twisted in irritation when he caught sight of me. Ruella, Triaya, Tenia, and Kale were also outside. While Ray scolded me, Ruella couldn’t help but smirk.
“Your highness, I apologize. We were out sightseeing, and we got sidetracked with the time,” Liones stuck up for me. “It’s my fault.”
Ray’s piercing glare faded away, and he adjusted his posture, never releasing his firm hold on me. While Liones remained clueless, he was the only one who knew why I’d vanished. Ray took a deep breath and closed his eyes before looking back at me and letting me go.
“From now on,” he said sternly, “you will inform me of your whereabouts.” When I didn’t answer, I could feel the pressure as he lifted my face, eyes piercing into mine with intensity. “Do you. Understand me?” I nodded silently but Ray was not satisfied. “Use your words,” he demanded.
“Yes, your highness.”
As he released his hold on me, he cast a glance back at Kale, who responded with a shrug. I could see the worry in Tenia’s eyes as she looked at me.
Ruella approached Ray smugly. “She’s already acting naughty. You sure you don’t want to give her a big old-fashioned spanking?” Ray ignored her and she sighed. “You know she is going to walk all over you.”
“Young princes.” We turned to see the village head Tribel. “I have to thank you for coming again. Shall we proceed to the docks?” He turned to Liones. “Come with us, you can steer the boat.”
Triaya frowned. “Boat?”
“Yes,” Tribel replied. “If you would like, you are welcome to come! As I have told the princes, we have had issues with the fish disappearing. We think it could be a serpent, but we are unsure. It’s best if the princes are aware of what we are talking about.”
The sound of our footsteps echoed as all six of us trailed behind Liones and Tribel, making our way down to the docks, continuing beyond the ports where Tenia and I were first brought by Liones. The village men were engrossed in their work, diligently repairing boats of all shapes and sizes in the bustling harbor. A paper caught my eye, its presence jarringly contrasted against the weathered stone walls. I turned to it and began to read. It was quicker than usual, but I still took my time, unaware that the others had noticed my pause.
Wanted
Man dressed in black
Stealing
Dead or alive
“Yes, if you happen to see a man dressed in all black, please report him. He has been stealing from me and distributing the wealth somewhere. I think he is giving it to the villagers. It’s quite horrifying,” Tribel started.
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“It is the taxes that they owe.” Tribel’s voice deepened. “If villagers can’t pay it… then that is on them. Stealing is prohibited!”
I blinked, one eyebrow raising. “Taxes?” I’d read about taxes in one of the books we were told to read. I didn’t quite understand the idea of it. “And what are you doing with these so-called taxes? Shouldn’t you put it on hold if you are going through a crisis?”
Tribel scoffed, his voice filled with disbelief, while Liones couldn’t help but conceal a smile, glancing down at his feet. I continued, despite Ray giving me a quizzical look, “If you’re not actively involved in handling these supposed taxes, perhaps you’re the one responsible for the theft, not the thief.”
“That’s enough out of you,” Ray demanded. I slyly rolled my eyes, trying to hide my frustration.
Tribel huffed and fixed his clothing in irritation, grumbling, “What an attitude!”
As we started moving, Liones stealthily retreated beside me and whispered in my ear, “I concur.” I turned to him and smiled. When I caught Tenia’s eye, she responded with a mischievous twinkle before redirecting her gaze ahead.
We approached a medium-sized boat with two older men working on it. Liones hopped on the boat, the wooden planks creaking beneath their weight, and laid the ladder down for everyone to board. With a gentle touch, he extended his hand to assist each person onto the vessel. I arrived last, glancing down at the tumultuous water below, and unexpectedly lost my footing. Right before I slipped between the wall and into the water, however, Liones grabbed hold of me, keeping me safe. “Be careful.” With a beaming smile, he effortlessly scooped me up and gently placed me on the firm deck of the boat. As I landed, I could feel the solid ground beneath my feet, providing a sense of stability and security. My attention shifted unknowingly to Ray, whose narrowed gaze bore into us. I swiftly withdrew from Liones, my actions driven by an unconscious reflex, and looked in another direction.
“Liones! Take us out!” Tribel yelled out.
The boat was rocked by the relentless crashing of the waves. As I leaned over, I could hear the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the boat, harmonizing with its rhythmic movement. As I looked up, I saw Liones skillfully stabling the foresail, securing it against the wind. Gathering around the others, he hopped down and settled into their midst. I hurriedly approached to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“So, this is where we usually fish. We don’t go out further than this because the waves get pretty rough. However, there are days where we see the fish, and there are weeks that go by when the fish and all aquatic life are nowhere to be seen. It is normal for us to sometimes miss them, but it is not normal for days to pass without seeing at least one,” Liones explained.
I turned and walked over to the edge of the boat, leaning over to peer into the abyss of the deep waters. True to his words, there was not a single fish in sight, even though the water was exceptionally clear up to a certain depth.
“Triaya and I are here to help assess your situation, as our kingdoms are near the ocean as well. We know about serpents more than anyone,” Ruella noted. She folded her arms and continued, “It is unlikely a serpent would come here, could be something else.”
Tribel protested, “But there have been sightings of a monster!”
“Could be another type of sea monster, but Ruella is right. It is highly unlikely a serpent would come to this shallow area. Fish aren’t the only things they eat, and even so, most serpents are herbivores.”
