The moon cascaded over the palace, its light missing the dark aura of the meeting room.
Undikai had been sitting on her designated throne for a while. At least an hour. She sipped her gossip, the feeling of pain leaving her fingers and neck. She passed the time by reading a transcript of ancient writings from the forming days of Zelania—the corrupted ones.
"Gossip is a form of alcohol. It's highly addictive and dangerous. Few are able to stand the chemicals and contents of gossip. If the user cannot contain the contents, their body will shut down without proper medical care. Like the action, the drink is harmful, fatal, and murderous. It causes the pain hormones in the user's body to deactivate, resulting in painless moments. This is a common way many Zelanians will use to end their lives in a painless way."
The transcript's lettering was frayed and worn out over time. Undikai rolled her eyes, pushing the writing aside, before taking another drink of her goblet and tapping her fingers against the silver-painted porcelain. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on the painting of her mother. Abame knew this very well, as did the other servants and castle-indentured slaves.
Undikai resented her mother. Her mother was the spotlight of Zelania. But all the woman held for Undikai was shame and insanity. Especially for taking on a masculine role, her mother would constantly degrade Undikai. Well, she did before she passed.
But now, the young ruler was in control. And it gave her an ego boost to know she ruled even better than her mother and father, all on her own.
A young female servant rushed into the room and kneeled at Undikai's feet. Undikai quickly urged the young one to stand on her feet.
"Stand, Kime. Why have you come?"
She spoke to the servant. The servant rushed to speak, huffing as if she had run all the way up the palace stairs and back.
"Your Majesty, Abame's mother is at the gates!"
"Oh? Please usher the poor lady in; it's raining."
Servant Kime quickly moved to carry out the orders of Undikai. But then it hit Undikai.
If Abame wasn't with her mother, where was she?
•~•~•~•~•~•~••~•~•~•~•~•~•
Luckily, Abame's mother only needed to pick up something from her daughters. But Undikai was worried and sick for the rest of the night. The Ruler had been close to sending soldiers in search of her wife.
Undikai constantly paced around the palace, worrying and worrying, her anxiety rising to the stars.
"She could be hurt! Or worse, stolen."
"Ruler, we found your wife in bed with a man."
"EXCUSE ME?"
Undikai whipped around, facing the messenger that had arrived.
"I refuse to believe my flower would do such an act!" Undikai exclaimed, quickly rising from her seat and grabbing her sword.
"You're lying!" She exclaimed once again, half of her praying that the messenger wasn't truthful.
"I'm sorry, your highness... We caught Lady Abame in the act."
The messenger said, bowing his head in reverence to the woman he "called highness."
Undikai's pupils narrowed as the news truly set its weight upon her. Her face grew pale; the terrible truth dawned on her soul, but this was different. It felt like this ending had been staring her in the face for a while now.