Bravery is the second name of Aesira Nehemiah, the widowed Queen of the Great Therondya Kingdom, who adorns courage as her Crown. She is water, soft enough to cajole and powerful enough to drown, passing through every dangerous storm clenching Victories.
She is a Queen who doesn't need a King to Rule. She doesn't fight to survive, she fights to win and one such fight lead her to Godric Casiuss, the young King who recently ascended the throne of the majestic Encheldian Dynasty.
Hailed as the ruthless and cold hearted emperor, Godric screamed power. The one whose name tremors down the spine of his opponents, too has a fear deep down under his heart and when he came across Aesira, he got everything he needed.
She knew, if she had to survive, this is her only way. There is nothing more important to her than exacting revenge, she wanted to everything in her hand to end the Beast, not just due to the Oath she has given to the Royal Throne of Vrishnya, but also due to the hatred growing within her with each passing minute for the vicious beast.
Arthea looked attentive as the long-tailed woman spoke.
"You may be the darling Princess of Vrishnya Kingdom, yes you are chosen to be the Prospective Bride of our Majesty, but Dear your number is 379"
Arthea looked puzzled, she couldn't get what the weird creature meant.
"What does the number say?" Arthea asked composing herself.
"The number assigned to the woman who is chosen to be the prospective bride of Majesty" the long tailed woman ended her answer with a smirk.
Arthea's ja touched the floor… the number 379 kept ringing in her ears.
'How cheap that Beast can be? Did he marry those many people? How shameless he is'
She is disgusted even to spare a thought on the number count.
"Then why am I chosen when he has 378 brides?" yelled Arthea.
"Alora Darling, you need to know that you are not the first one here and who knows you may or may not be the last one. Hence, all you need to do is to abide by the orders of the policies laid out by our Majesty or face the Punishment"
Her words sounded straight, unapologetic and even scary. For a second Arthea felt mixed emotions of pride and hurt. Pride for taking the place of Alora and helping not just the Princess of Vrishnya but also for saving her friend from the woes.
Hurt for being a part of this clownery, where every creature is intimidating her and she lost the count of time.
"You are not the first person and no way o we think someone soo arrogant like you could match up to the throne, so all we have is barely ten days, so we rather agree on the same terms"
Arthea's eyes glowed as he heard ten days.
"What is it about ten days? Will I be sent back? Is this any way to chose the bride or something?" Arthea felt immense excitement building up as she quizzed.
All of the women assembled at the place giggled except the Witch. It didn't go unnoticed by Arthea that the woman who dragged her until here, commanded everything have suddenly gone entirely silent. Not a single word escaped her lips.
Though occupied with the creatures, Arthea's concentration was on the Witch, her instincts have been working to find out people who are against the Beast.
If someone could work against the Vrishnya Kingdom and sell the secrets, Arthea is sure she would definitely find at least a few with whom she can team up.
All she needed is time to settle down, time to grasp things, but this place has not been providing her any sort of time to settle down, rather throwing shock on her face.
"Aww, you want to go home? You stupid mortal remember that coming here is a one way thing and the only exit from here is death"
Arthea gulped hearing the woman speak, its not like she feared death or other but she is not ready to die in the hands of a Beast.
"Can you at least brief e things? Why is myy number 379? Why these many brides?" Arthea asked in one go.
"This is not your Kingdom and here all you will get is orders to which you are supposed to abide. Keep it in mind" was the answer Arthea received.
Before she could come into terms with the strikingly unbelievable information, she was commanded in a louder tone
"Now without wasting one more second Strip, or else we will have to"
Arthea looked at all of them, different coloured eyes, she knew she had no option except stripping. She feared about the Dagger she has been hiding, she knew no way will she be able to hide it from their view.
None paid heed o Arthea's rejections, she felt defeated for the first time without facing a war.
She felt a cool metal hit her shoulder and turned to see the edges of a sharp knife dancing dangerously near her cleavage, she knew if the knives goes deep, she would be discarded of any garment.
Arthea breathed pumping her lungs with oxygen as her hands fisted the gown tightly, before the knife can go any deeper she was surprised hearing a voice.
"STOP"
Arthea immediately looked to her right and surprise would be an understatement for what she have felt as she witnessed the Witch taking her side.
Arthea looked at her with wide eye, just like others.
"What are you doing? Why did you stop us?" others asked baffled.
"This woman is putting on our nerves, I will tackle her in the right way… Leave" the Witch announced.
Looking at one another, others assembled in the room hesitated to move an inch.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" roared the Witch.
"But Majesty…" they hesitated to speak as none can go against the rules framed.
"I am the Leader of this group and Alora is my candidate, I can look after Bride no 379, you may leave"
Her voice and her acts have left both the group of other women and Arthea surprised.