(Outer Regions- Hidden Location)
(Merean Swamp – The Guldean)
Excited voices filled the private room as the maids inside could not help but gush over their mistress' beauty.
"Princess, you look absolutely beautiful…"
"Gorgeous… let me just add some more make-up!"
"Rumilla make sure that the princess' dress looks perfect!"
Elisa stood in front of a large mirror and looked at her reflection with a gentle smile on her face. She wore the traditional marriage robe of her people.
It was a long black dress that had several brightly coloured flowers woven into the fabric.
A flowery crown had been placed on her head which matched the otherworldly beauty of the dark elf princess.
She was stunning.
A slender figure with gentle curves in all the right places and a pair of full soft lips that were extremely tempting to kiss.
Elisa's crimson eyes took in every detail about her wedding robe and the smile on her face gradually widened.
She lifted up her left hand and the engagement ring on her fourth finger sparkled gently under the light.
The gorgeous ruby in the center of the ring shone with a hypnotic glow and Elisa could not help but run her fingers over its cold surface.
Today was the day.
She was about to be married to her fiancée in a holy ceremony that had never been performed between a member of the dark elf royal family and a human.
It was not that there had never been a union between a human and an elf, but the members of the royal family had never partaken in such romantic entanglements.
However, Claire was no ordinary human.
She was the saviour of the former slaves who were captured by the greedy nobles and members of the Varion Church.
Even the stubborn elders in the tribe had to admit that what Claire had done for them could not be understated.
It was only thanks to her help that so many of her people had been rescued but more importantly…
Claire was the reason why Elisa had chosen not to follow the dark path described to her by fate and the prophecy.
A loud knocking sound came from the other side of the room and the wooden door was opened by a humble looking servant.
"Now announcing the entrance of Queen Bracieth Liadi!" the servant cried out. The maids in the room hurriedly bowed but Elisa remained standing.
The mysterious figure that followed him was a tall dark elf with a slender physique and long black hair that fell below her shoulders.
Her facial features bore a striking resemblance to Elisa, but a vicious scar ran from one side of her face to the other.
This scar did not diminish her beauty but added a sense of ruthlessness to her gentle facial features.
The queen did not seem to care about her daughter's apparent disrespect and gestured for everyone to get out of the room.
The maids glanced at Elisa and the dark elf princess reassured them with a kind smile that everything was going to be okay.
The maids and the humble-looking servant left the room and soon it was only the mother daughter pair that remained.
"So… a human… your tastes really are a bit heavy," Queen Bracieth sneered mockingly as she reached into her robes to pull out a bottle of wine.
"I must thank you mother…. It must have been difficult to convince the elders to agree to the marriage," Elisa replied coldly.
"No need… I mean you are blackmailing me so… what can I do?" Queen Bracieth shrugged nonchalantly and took another sip.
"Still… the only reason why you are so obedient is because you know… the truth about my lifespan," Elisa laughed with an unknown emotion in her eyes.
Queen Bracieth froze in place since she didn't expect her daughter to expose her cards so easily and out in the open.
Maybe it was to be expected….
Queen Bracieth knew that her daughter was quite dangerous and always did things according to her own whims.
"Yeah… those elders are under the impression that once your… human dies… it will only take a few decades or centuries for you to marry a proper dark elf," Queen Bracieth freely admitted.
"Little do they know… you don't have the time… and you want to waste your remaining lifespan with some human bitc…'
The dark elf queen wanted to throw some more insults at her daughter but the shadows beneath her feet suddenly began to move.
"Nerthiur Loceum Plexain!" Elisa chanted darkly as she stretched her right hand outwards.
Shadowy tendrils rose up from the ground and slammed into the queen's body.
The queen did not have any time to react before she was brought down to the floor in a kneeling position in front of her daughter.
Elisa's crimson eyes contained no emotions and sent a shiver down the spine of the queen. It was as though the princess was looking at an insect crawling along the ground.
Mother… I would like to make one thing very clear…" Elisa gently spoke as she caressed the queen's cheek.
"I only have a few decades left… so leave me and Claire alone. You will remain as the ruler of the dark elf tribe… and I will stay out of your business."
"But… if you touch her… or hurt her… I will remove you from your position… permanently."
Elisa's dark words buried their way inside the queen's pointed ears, and she could not stop her body from trembling.
Princess Keya Lidia was a monster and only her mother knew of her true nature that she hid from others.
"Yes… yes…" Queen Bracieth stammered. The shadowy tendrils wrapped around her body instantly disappeared and she could move once more.
The queen of the dark elves left the room with hurried steps and was barely able to maintain her royal demeaner.
The maids outside the room did not hear the conversation that happened inside since Elisa had secretly casted a sound dampening spell.
She closed her eyes and cut off the connection to the spell. An invisible bubble surrounding the room suddenly popped.
"You can come inside now," Elisa softly called out to her maids. The three young dark elf girls ran inside with cheerful steps.
They resumed their task to put the finishing touches on Elisa's make up and appearance for the upcoming ceremony.