She was coming back to her senses, frowning, muscles tensing. She was reminded of the physical pain as her body moved. Last night's memories flashed in her mind, bringing back her to the reality.
She had to stay strong.
In that moment, she reminded herself again and again. The floor was coloured in crimson red of her blood that cascaded down from her arm as she felt immense pain shooting through her shoulder. It was not a deep cut but still was enough to make her feel the burning pain stunging through her skin.
She was no match for the assassins in front of her. There were 5 of them and they were all skilled. Only thing she had with her was a mere dagger that couldn't anything to protect her. But still she fought; because never in her life she ever learned to give up.
"She has lot of courage for a woman." one of them commented as he felt his hand aching because of the bruise she managed to give him.
"I wonder how that king handles her."
"Don't be ridiculous. She is still a woman."
"She must have to surrender herself in the bed."
"Completely and utterly helpless."
Their voices followed one by one and all of them chuckled in unison.
Her jaw clenched in anger, feeling frustratsion and humiliation. She was having enough of this. Never she felt this helpless and utterly powerless.
"Ohh, look at her. She's angry now." other one of them spoke while approaching her.
His intention didn't look good to her. Fear crippled within her which she tried to overcome instantly.
He caught her by the hair, dragging her towards him as he made her look at him.
"You have something to say, her majesty?" he scowled, "Spit it out."
Her eyes were fuming. There was burning rage inside her chest that was rising second by second.
With her all might, she fiercely landed a kick on his legs. And the next moment, he was slammed on the floor with a loud thump.
Despite of being injured she possessed strong will. For years, she had trained with her brother. She wasn't the strongest and perfect but was far from being weak. She was strong. Strong enough to protect herself in every possible worse situation.
"You..." another one of them being angered by her action, raged towards her. But he was immediately stopped in the middle by his fellow assassin.
"Don't lay a hand on her. We need her safe and alive." he reminded him,"She is already injured."
Rest of her memories were in haze because of the pain she was feeling. But she was able to remember she was taken somewhere from where they entered the room. They were gotten inside from the pathway below the sofa.
After searching for every possible hidden pathway for a long time she couldn't find one and neither Izana told her. She had no idea how they found it.
Her eyes opened slowly, her hand automatically touched her left shoulder. She could still feel the pain but it was reduced to some extent. She was surprised to see the wound was treated and it was healing. More than that she was surprised taking in the familiarity of the surrounding. She was on the sofa in her husband's office, the king's office. She slowly sat awake and looked around finding someone else presence.
"So you are awake?"
She looked at the source of the voice. Their were two men, standing near the desk, looking through the documents in the office.
Her gaze met theirs, piercing through each other as she displayed strong emotions of rage and anger.
"Just like the rumors. A stubborn and troublesome woman."one of them mused to himself," But still didn't expect you to put on too much of a fight."
"I haven't even put too much of a fight yet."she replied, her face serious.
His eyes narrowed and lips turned into a mocking smirk. "I would very much like to see that."
"In case you don't know, we must tell you who we are." other one started,"We are the previous lords of sui and rid. The ones who should have been the real lords."
Now, she understood what was this all about. They were doing this for taking revenge. People often did something like this when they possessed strong hatred.
"Where is he?"she asked, her eyes held the most serious expression.
They knew whom she was referring to. It was obvious by tone of her voice.
"He is dead." he answered, his face calm as he told nothing serious. He looked rather pleased with his victory.
She wasn't able to comprehend his words. She couldn't accept it. Her expressions didn't phase. She knew they might be lying on purpose.
"You may not believe it but how do you think we got his signature and that royal seal?"other one continued, reminding her.
Her heart tightened behind her rib cage and mind refused to think logically. It couldn't be.
The most horrible thing was yet to happen. They called for someone from outside the office and a man came bringing something which looked like clothes. Placing the clothes in front of her, he left immediately.
As she casted her gaze down at the clothing, her heart shattered. It looked like the same piece of clothing of cloak he was wearing when he left. And horrifically it was stained in the blood.
"Are you going to cry now?"
She heard, before mocking laughter filled the room.
This had to be one of those nightmares she was having. It had to be. It couldn't be a reality.
Even if it was true, there was no way she was going to crumble now. Not now, when she still held the responsibility of the castle. When she still held the position of a queen. Whem she was still needed to perform her duty.
Breaking down now was the last thing she was expected to do. There was no time for thinking about herself, focusing on what she was feeling now. She knew this and that was why she possessed this hostility towards the title she was born with. It only brought endless responsiblities you needed to perform even in the worst situation. You needed to think about the people you need to protect first over everything.
And that was what her husband did. Someone who exactly knew who he was and whats his duties were. He was greatly aware of his responsibilities and burdens that came with it. That's why he was the perfect ruler. There was no doubt he would have been the great king clairens ever had.
She respected him. She had learned to know him. Even if it was very small time fate gave to her with him, she was still grateful.
For him, for the people she needed to protect, for the royal blood she had born with, she would fight. She had to live up to his name and recognition he had earned throughout his life.
She wasn't just his wife. She never was. She was his queen. The one who would follow the path hindering with many obstacles, being always by his side, helping him, supporting him.
She had to stay strong. She couldn't be weak. She needed to snap out of the emotions controlling her and do something. She needed to think by her brain.
She held back the tears that were afraid to escape her eyes. She took deep breath and stood up.
It was obvious that keeping her here they had some kind of motive. It seemed obvious they were using her as a bait. If king was dead then capturing the queen, no one in the castle must had left with any option except surrendering to save her life. They might had been taking advantage of everything they could get from the castle. Everything from money to any other valuable thing, anything they wanted. This was the worst case. She couldn't let them use her to acquire their goal.
She looked at the lords in front of her as they looked back at her in confusion.
Was she going to fight in her condition? And bare handed ? They wondered.
But nothing like that happened. Instead, she walked towards the bookshelf in the office and started scribbling through the books.
"What are you doing?" they asked, cluelessly.
"It's not that I loved him."she stated calmly,looking at them sideways. "And I am even injured. I can't do anything. Do as you please here, I don't care."
Only she knew how much heavier her heart felt. But it was the only way. Her only chance.
"So you are acoward then. "one of them remarked,"So unlike him. He fought until last breath of his life." he added, his words stinged like a poisoned needle.
Her hand stopped and placed at the middle of shelf. She gripped the one book tightly. Taking it out from the shelf, wasting no time she quickly tapped inside of the shelf.
The lords instantly felt something was up. But before they could even react, she found what she wanted. A hidden sword.
[ Meanwhile on the castle grounds ]
"This shouldn't be happening." one of the soldier hissed in annoyance, not believing the situation they were in.
They were standing doing nothing. They were unable to do anything while all the money and goods were being taken by invaders through the secret pathway only few people had access to.
Surprisingly, the assassins invaded the castle weren't in few numbers. They were many. At first, some of them got inside the castle along with current lord of sui. They were disguised as servants and soldiers from the sui. As the lord had permission to stay in the castle so no one inspected with suspicion. And again, other of them entered the castle when they got access of secret pathway from inside the castle.
It was a still big question how those deposed lords managed to pull something this big. On top of that, they claimed they killed the king which was still huge shock for everyone.
No one behind the castle walls had clue what was happening and no one had permission to go outside and come inside. Because their queen along with the marquees were taken as hostage. So they had no option but to just wait and watch and follow the orders of those lords.
"If we can't fight right now, what's the use of us being soldiers?"
"We are not this helpless, are we? "
"That's right."
"We need to do something!"
"Please give us order, commander. "
The soldiers pleaded one by one, helplessly, desperately.
Commander in charge stood there in completly hopeless condition. He stomped his sword on the ground furiously. His blood boiling with uncontrollable anger. Despite of the power he held, he was truly and completely helpless.
If they fought, he knew those assassins wouldn't even hesitate kill the queen and the marquees. It was the risk he wouldn't want to take at any cost. Now, they were only depended on their fate.
"Commander!"
His gaze quickly turned into the direction of incoming voice.
A soldier came and stood in front of her, opening his mouth in a hurry to inform, "Her majesty...she escaped and is now fighting with those assassins."
His eyes widened grasping the news. Without wasting any time he lead all the soldiers with him inside the castle building.
The sounds of clashing of metal against metal were horrifying the office walls; along with the painful screams echoing in the surrounding.
Few soldiers came as soon as they got aware what was happening. They were keeping watch on the situation from aside as they couldn't do anything. They were helping her to fight the assassins who were taken control of the office.
She had seen people get killed because of someone's selfish desire. She had faced the harsh reality when you need to kill someone even if you didn't want to. She had seen it before and she hated all of it.
When the fight ended, she felt horrible, seeing the bodies of fallen soldiers lying on the floor along with those assassins.
Despair.
Pain.
Failure.
She could feel, all of it.
If she couldn't protect her own people there was no use of her being queen. The expression in her eyes were darkening moment by moment like she was seeing some sort of nightmare. She was more than disturbed seeing the insides of the office painted in stains of blood. They were going to pay for this. She promised herself.
When commander in charge entered the office along with other soldiers, he was shocked by the sight.
As he saw her, he stood in front of her, his hand automatically curling over his heart as he bowed deeply, "Your majesty..."
He was absorbing heavy shock at sword in her hand colored in blood. He didn't expect her to fight herself. On top of that, the indescribable darkened expression in her eyes was enough to speak the words she couldn't. She wasn't herself.
He looked at his other side where he witnessed only one of the deposed lord. He was injured. His one leg was wounded terribly by the slash of sword that pierced his skin. She would have killed him but she needed to inquire all details of their plan from him in its entirety.
Meanwhile other soldiers which came in the office helped their fallen swordsmen, carrying them immediately to the infirmary.
"Find each of those assassins along with that other lord. They should be killed." she spoke tonelessly.
"But..."he said and paused, gaining her attention" ...marquees and his daughter are still captured by them." he told her urgently.
Her body tensed as she felt more anger flowing through her body.
"I'll lead one unit of soldiers with me to rescue them and take rest with you to find others."she decalred.
He had to stop her. He couldn't let her fight this battle. She was already bleeding from the injury on her shoulder.
"I can't let you do that. It's dangerous." he finally spoke, opposing her orders.
"What could be more dangerous than the situation we are in?"
The expressions in her eyes were more than just deadly. Different than anything he had seen before.
"Order all the gates of the castle to be closed. Not a single one of them is leaving!" she ordered, literally screaming on top of her lungs. "And send a message to wilant to the prince zen, informing the situation we are in."
He was looking at her in daze, rooted to the spot without any movement.
"You have any problem with my decisions?"she snapped, her eyes
darkened more than they already were.
That expression was enough to frighten him to the core.
"No, your majesty!" he instantly replied as loud as he could.
Do tell me how do you feel about this chapter.
