A grin spread from his lips, his eyes shining with amusement, his fingers impatiently tapping on the golden arms of his throne.
About ten elite knights are standing in front of him, shielding him from anyone who will try to harm their King.
The walls and the marbled floor of the throne room start cracking, from an overwhelming pressure that is coming from an individual standing quietly in the middle of the room.
Surrounded by dozens of knights, all their sharp swords pointing towards her. One wrong move and she can be killed, but... she only stares directly at the eyes of the King, her eyes void of any emotion.
Without even blinking, she snaps her fingers making the knights surrounding her float above the marbled floor.
"Wha-! What is happening?!".
Her mana began to envelop every knight before they were slammed against the throne room's wall hard.
Their screams echoed in the room, she then closes her fist before all knights began gasping for air.
After a few seconds, each knight began losing their consciousness. Their arms dropping to their side.
Silence... the room was enveloped with silence. The elite knights all stand guard, analyzing her next movement, when a burst of laughter breaks the tense atmosphere.
"Hoho~. What an interesting show! What else are capable of? Hmm? Show me what else you got! Prove to me that I choose the right woman!"- the King taunted the woman, his round chestnut eyes glowing darkly.
"..."-
The woman relaxed her clenched fist, her mana starts surrounding her.
Her glowing necklace began humming as her mana continues to circle her, waiting for her order.
Her glossy red lips parted as she spoke, "You are the worst."
Her words echo in the room, the elite knights flinch afraid of how their King will react.
The King's left eyebrow twitches slightly, his grin widens even more.
"Is that all you can say? How disappointing... Queen Shaelyn."- the King said while shaking his head.
The woman, now known as the young Queen Shaelyn frown slightly.
She took a step forward, making the elite knights move, unsheathing their swords.
"I'm not here to please you, King Yosef. I'm here to free the Princess of the Gerban Kingdom and to stop this ridiculous war."- Shaelyn announced in a calm, authoritative voice.
"Ha! What a ridiculous excuse!"- the King said with a sarcastic laugh.
Shaelyn's eyebrows furrowed confused, " What do you mean 'excuse'?".
"Don't pretend u don't know what I meant. You are here on your own, to give yourself to me. Am I wrong ?"- the King said with a playful smirk.
"You disgust me!."- Shaelyn answers, her face twisted in disgust.
"Make. Her. Kneel. To. Me. "- the King orders the elite knight, annoyance showing in his eyes.
The elite knights afraid of what will happen if they anger him followed his order and attack Shaelyn.
The necklace that is hanging around Shaelyn's neck, buzzes excitedly. She felt her mana increases once again, her fingers itching to use the excess mana that is dripping from her body.
She closes her eyes as the elite knights near her, once she opened them a burst of energy exploded around her slamming the knight everywhere.
The exploded energy even hit the King, slamming him hard on his throne.
He coughs up blood, before wiping them away from his lips.
"Not bad, although that wasn't strong enough to kill them."- he commented as he stretches his body.
Shaelyn, her eyes still slightly glowing, began walking forward to him making the marbled floor underneath her crack from the pressure. Once she's only feet away from him she stops, staring intensely at him.
"My mana is not for killing them, I only intended to knock them out. But on the other hand, I don't think I can leave you alive."- she whispers to his ears, making him grin maniacally.
"You are interesting! I should have met you before that bastard did. Then maybe... you and I can rule this world together."- he murmurs while touching the side of her face.
Staring at him with cold eyes she grabs his face, her long nails drawing blood from his cheeks.
"That will never happen... there is no way I will be with someone as twisted as you. You who killed your own family, ruthlessly killing your people. Kidnapping someone's precious daughter, blocking their source of food, and starting a war for your interest! You who killed someone precious to me! I will never forgive you!!"- she said through gritted teeth, she tightens her hold of him as her mana lashes out destroying the floor beneath them and the wall behind him.
The King only chuckles, his eyes full of malice as he stares at her. He pulls her closer to him and whispers, " Then don't forgive me, carved everything I've done inside your mind. Feel their pain and anger and use that to end me. But... let me tell you this, the moment I saw you standing here in the middle of my throne room. Invading on your own with nothing but your power to protect you. I realize that... You and I are the same. Sooner or later you will come to realize how twisted your fate can be.".
Shaelyn felt shivers run down her spine when she heard this. She slaps the King's cheeks while gritting her teeth.
She indeed invaded the Baroom Kingdom on her own. Blinded by her grief and anger, she uses a teleporting crystal ball that exploded earlier for being used in such a far distance from where she came from.
She defended herself from the knights attacking her and knocking them unconscious. She never harmed any servants, as she made her way to this room where her target is located.
—
Earlier that day~.
Shaelyn pushes everything back in the corner of her mind. She decided to start working again, she is now constantly communicating with her uncle regarding the ruling of the Lockser Kingdom and she is also communicating with General Simon regarding the condition of the border.
Aside from that, she is trying to communicate with the King of the Gerban Kingdom. To try to lessen the bloodshed that is happening on the border, she is trying to reform their alliance with them.
Sometimes she surprised herself for how well she can do her job. She never learns this kind of work for years unlike the others, she only learns how to handle politics for only two months. She's thankful that she is a fast learner, if not she will probably only ruin the kingdom.
"Your majesty, Sir Jasper is here to see you."- a voice said outside her office door, as he knocks softly.
Shaelyn without looking up from a document she's reading answers, " Let him in."
The door opened gently as Jasper enters the room holding another pile of documents.
"Greetings to your majesty, the Queen."- Jasper greets the Queen as he bows his head.
"Jasper, you don't have to be so formal all the time."- Shaelyn answers as she glances at him.
Jasper stands up, fixing his posture while pushing his glasses upwards.
"I have the documents you've asked for, your majesty."- Jasper said ignoring her words, before placing the documents above her desk.
"Thank you as always Jasper. Right, did you have any news regarding.... you know?"- Shaelyn asks shyly, hiding her face behind the document she is holding.
Jasper stares quietly at her before shaking his head.
"I'm afraid the situation is still the same, your majesty."- he said carefully while analyzing her reaction.
The situation he is talking about is the situation of Atlas's journey. Not long ago, they have received a report from Luther that they haven't heard from the King the moment he first entered the Forbidden Land.
Shaelyn mutters a small disappointed 'oh!', before gently putting the documents back at the table.
"I see... keep informing me if anything changes. And do you mind finding someone to send this letter to the headmaster Asha?"- Shaelyn said before opening a drawer and grabbing a sealed letter inside. She gave it to Jasper who put it inside the pocket of his jacket gently.
"I will make sure no one opens this letter, your majesty. Then do you still have anything to ask of me?".
Shaelyn taps her fingers above her desk, as she stares at the mountain of documents in front of her.
"Well... can I —".
"I'm afraid that's not possible, your majesty."- Jasper cut her off that made Shaelyn frowns.
"Come on! Jasper! I've been stuck here all day! Let me at least take a breather!"- Shaelyn protested as she lay her head above a document.
She's been trying to escape the mountain of documents she's working on. Because she was bedridden two weeks ago, the documents have piled up.
Jasper shakes his head not even surprised by how she acted. The two have grown closer during their time working together. She treated him like an older brother and Jasper treated her like a little sister. Unlike the way she acted around Luther, she felt much more open around Jasper, thus she can act childishly in front of him.
"Jaaassspeerrrr...." -
"..."-
Jasper sighs before looking at his pocket watch.
"Since it's a fine day, your majesty should be fine taking a walk around the Rose Palace's garden."- Jasper said as he picks up the documents that have fallen down the carpeted floor.
Shaelyn immediately looks up and fixes herself before clearing her throat.
"Y-yes!— I mean, ahem! That's right, it will be a shame not to take a walk on this fine day! I should also visit Princess Sierra... Jasper get me Hana and two maids."- Shaelyn's voice rose higher than she expected as she tried to hide her excitement by clearing her throat.
Jasper hides his smile, he bows his head before saying, " As you wish, your majesty."
===
While taking a walk around the garden inside Rose's Palace, a servant came running towards her.
"Your majesty!! A letter has arrived from the border!"- the servant shouted as he continues to run towards her while holding a sealed letter in one hand.
"Slow down, we don't want you tripping down and injuring yourself."- she said, making the servant blushed in embarrassment.
"I-I apologized your majesty."- he said as he gave her the sealed letter.
She stares at the seal, it's the initials of Count Roswell.
"It must be about Clara!"- she excitedly said.
Two weeks ago, she permitted to send Clara to the borders to help and observe the situation there. Clara is the one who volunteers for this task.
Clara wants to help lessened Shaelyn's worry about the situation there, thus the reason she volunteered. Although Shaelyn protested, Clara is more than determined to help.
Because she is worried about her, she ordered the Count to send her letters regarding her safety and a summary of everything they need on the borders.
She tore the envelop open and read its content. But...
"What does this mean?... "- she mutters as she rereads the letter once again.
"Your majesty? Is there a problem?"- Hana asks in concern.
"I'm... going back to the main palace. Send the food we brought to the Princess's room. Hana, come with me."- the Queen ordered them as she starts walking away from the garden.
—
The door of the magic tower burst opens as the clacking of heels echoes.
"Wha-! Your majesty! Is there something we can help you with?"- one of the mages asks the moment they see the Queen walks in, inside their tower.
The magic tower is located in one of the main castle's twin towers. Since the Mage's association is still new, they were given the twin towers as their temporary base.
"Bring me a teleportation crystal! Now!"- she ordered as she looks around the room.
"B-but! Your majesty! The crystal balls are —."- the mage was cut off when the Queen glare at him.
The mages frantically search for the only two teleportation crystal balls available, with pure concentrated energy inside them, and gave them to her.
The crystal balls were discovered in a mining cave a long time ago. Up until now, they haven't tried to find more since.. they found out how dangerous it is to use it.
Shaelyn stares at the teleportation globes.
"Tell Jasper, he is in charge of everything while I'm away. And give this to him as proof."- she said as she throws the mage her medal in which the mage catches.
"P-pardon?! What's happening, your majesty?!"- the mage asked in confusion.
Shaelyn didn't pay any attention to him as she whispers a spell in one of the crystals, it lit up before enveloping her in white light. When the light faded, the Queen is gone.
====
She stares at the cold body laying in front of her. Her once cheerful-looking eyes, her once cheery smile, and her once warm voice... all gone.
She clenched her fist into a ball, her mana circling her.
".. who did this?"- she asked through gritted teeth.
The soldiers around her all looked down in shame, the Count is shaking in fear hiding behind his pregnant wife.
"Lady Clara went to the battlefield after hearing that the head healer fell ill. She volunteered to help until a new healer arrives. But... we didn't expect that the King of the Baroom Kingdom, himself using a mage. He teleported to the battlefield... to observe the situation. Then he noticed... lady Clara and commanded his soldiers to k-kill her."- a soldier explained while kneeling in front of her.
===
"Why?... why did you kill her! Tell me! What's the reason behind that!"- Shaelyn asks while shaking him.
The King only stares at her, still grinning.
"She was right, you went here on your own because I killed her."-
Shaelyn froze hearing his answer, for some reason she felt like she knew who he was talking about.
"What do you mean by that?!"- Shaelyn's shoulders start shaking, she can feel a weird feeling stirring inside her.
A different emotion showed up in the King's eyes, but it faded quickly.
"I'm sure you know who I'm talking about since you and I have the same fate."- he whispers while staring directly at her, a glow of light swirls inside his eyes.
A blurry memory flashed inside her mind making her head throb.
"You are talking nonsense!"-
"Am I? You know full well what I'm talking about. You are just denying it. To think that, the reason why she wants me to conquer that kingdom was just to meet you. Ha! What kind of mockery is this!"- the King pushes Shaelyn away from him. He stands up and proceeds to walk down from his throne.
He stared at the grand chandelier hanging above him, he raised both his arms while spinning around and laughing insanely.
"Have you completely lost your mind?"- Shaelyn stared at him, completely baffled by his action.
He stops spinning, still looking up he grins ever so widely.
"You don't understand how exhilarating this is! Come let's dance! I want to see it in my own eyes, how strong you are!"- the King said as he picks up one of the knight's swords, pointing it towards her.
Shaelyn raised her right hand, focusing her mana on it. Her mana began to take the form of thin light, sharply pointed sword.
===