The dungeons stretched out before us, cloaked in a suffocating shroud of dust. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling like tattered veils, obscuring the flickering torches that cast eerie shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the smell of damp stone and decay, and every cough echoed through the chamber.
Nyssa, once a regal queen but now reduced to a hapless victim of circumstance, huddled close to me, her eyes wide with fear.
"Aaaa!" A startled shriek ripped through the stagnant air as a mouse sprang onto her, a tiny creature that seemed to vent its fury at the intrusion into its long-guarded sanctuary.
"Be careful, Nyssa," I whispered, my gaze fixed firmly ahead, refusing to turn and confront the consequences of my actions. The burden of guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders, a relentless reminder of the havoc I had wrought upon our once-thriving Dominion.
'I did this!' The guilty conscience hit me in the gut.
It wasn't just my life that had been upended; it was the lives of every soul within the Serpent Dominion. The enormity of my choices pressed upon me like a vise, a relentless weight that threatened to crush us all. Many had perished, and countless others bore physical and emotional scars. Families had been torn apart, children left fatherless, and women left to mourn their lost mates. The war had left a trail of devastation and heartbreak in its wake, leaving behind a community shattered and reeling.
The werewolves showed no mercy, their cruelty and lust was on full display. They pillaged and plundered, leaving nothing behind but ashes and despair. Women were forced to endure their torment, their bodies and spirits broken.
I was aware of it. I could hear the wails and pleas along with the whispers, dripping with disdain.
"Look at her seducing that ruthless Alpha! I wish I could kill her with bare hands. She still thinks she can command us. Served her right to become that arrogant and ambitious wolf's prized possession," the voice hissed, laced with bitter resentment that sliced through the oppressive darkness.
I strained to identify the source, a lone voice in a chorus of fifty or so maids who had ventured into this forsaken abyss with us.
"If it were in my hands, I would have tucked her in his bed myself! She deserves this. Hope, he'd get over his obsession and see how ugly she is within. No wonder Emperor Agustus washed his hands of her. She's no longer his bride. She belongs to the Alpha now. Makes her an equal enemy, doesn't it?" The retort held an escalating indignation, as though they reveled in their audacity to speak so boldly.
A callous affirmation reverberated, "Poor Emperor reduced to a mere province in a Dominion of forty he once ruled! This woman is a curse, through and through. Like mother, like daughter!"
Each venomous word bore the weight of their scorn, weaving a twisted tapestry of resentment and bitterness. It was a stark reminder of the fractured loyalties and fractured bonds that now defined my world.
My footsteps paused, resonating with the collective pain and suffering that hung in the air. Up ahead, Keira, who had been leading us with determined strides, turned to me.
"Not now, Your Royal Highness. I'll deal with them later," she declared, her voice carrying a quiet strength that offered solace.
I nodded, swallowing my tears, and then I noticed it! My gasp echoed through the chamber. "No, this can't be!"
"Keira? Where is your pandante? Your...your mate...?" I asked gently, my voice laden with empathy. Keira didn't need to utter a word; her eyes remained fixed on the floor, silently recounting a tale of loss and heartbreak no words could capture.
At that moment, vulnerability hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the ruthless Alpha who had torn our lives asunder. Resentment simmered within me, a silent protest against the injustice that had befallen us.
"Why did you do this to her?" I wanted to shake him on the shoulder.
"We must keep going." Keria fiercely turned around. Every step she took was a testament to her strength and determination, a vow that she would not succumb, no matter the trials that lay ahead.
It gave me strength. And so, I pressed on through the dusty, forbidding passages, bearing the weight of the shared suffering.
The dungeons whispered stories of those who had tread this path before us. In the depths of despair, everyone clung to a glimmer of hope, an ember of resilience that refused to be extinguished.
"I'm sorry to… fail you again! I couldn't be the Empress you deserved." I managed, my voice barely more than a breath of air. It was a feeble offering, drowned out by the cacophony of battle cries and the anguished wails of our violated women. The exit was close.
Kiera had been my steadfast companion since my tender years, thrust into a world of treacherous politics and sinister motives. I could vividly recall the day her innocence was cruelly shattered by my father's malevolent wisdom to possess as many women as was serpently possible. Her mother's untimely demise left her vulnerable and exposed.
I was helpless then. I was helpless now!
"It isn't your fault!"
It was! Throughout the years, Kiera remained a reserved presence. Her unwavering dedication to her duties had elevated her to an indispensable role in my life. I often wondered if I would have navigated the treacherous waters of Empresshood without her guidance.
And what did I manage to return?
"I could have stopped it!"
As she mourned the loss of her mate—a bond recognized a mere eight months ago—I keenly felt the weight of my own helplessness. I yearned to offer solace, to ease her pain, but the precariousness of our situation forbade it. My own safety hung by a thread.
"I should have..."
"He is not amongst us, and it is no fault of yours," Kiera said. "He is an Alpha wolf with a reputation for being guided by his lust and used to getting any woman he wants. He is a tyrant who expects those around him to obey his every command, which cannot be the case with an Empress who is married. He couldn't see sense and this isn't your fault! Stop blaming yourself, Seraphine. You must stay strong. The worst is yet to come."
At that moment, the cruel irony of our roles mocked me. The protector had become protected. I should've been the one with this resolve and standing!
"They've breached the defenses!" A panic-stricken maid's voice pierced the air. "They're advancing towards the Empress Chamber!"
The next moments were a blur—a whirlwind of urgency and fear. Somehow, Kiera prodded me to navigate through the remaining concealed passages, until we found ourselves at the edge of the cliff overlooking the Namo River.
"Ugh! Rain!" Someone groaned the moment we stepped out.
The heavens were weeping for days, a deluge Dominion hadn't seen in memory, as if even the sky mourned our empire's fall.
"I can't stand this 'men know best' nonsense among the Serpents anymore! Look, where it brought us!" Nyssa's voice, as familiar as my own heartbeat, rang out, full of frustration. It carried the weight of a queen tired of tiaras and tea parties, longing for substance.
"What's done is done. Let's steer towards the future." I turned to her, meeting her gaze head-on. I wouldn't bow before him. "We can't be going like this!"
Destiny craved a fresh start, and I'd make sure it got one.
We locked eyes, Nyssa standing tall and strong, her fiery spirit shining through her emerald eyes meeting my golden almond-shaped ones.
Her jet-black hair flowed in wild waves around her oval face. I loved her natural hair more than my own black hair, which fell down my back in a thick wave.
Her beauty came effortlessly, while my appearance was the result of years of rituals I'd practiced as an empress.
In every way, Nyssa was better than me. She was strong, educated, skilled, and composed, all while embodying true feminism. Despite her royal status, I'd seen her despise the limitations imposed on women in Dominion. She deserved to lead from the front if she wasn't chained by the customs. Even then her voice had echoed across the Serpent Dominion's forty provinces.
"This is a fresh start," I said.
"Don't pretend the Emperor's death doesn't affect you!" Ziva, the General's mate, taunted, still struggling with her grief.
I gave her a stern look, making her tremble. Yet as talkative as she was, Ziva was bound to continue.
"Even now, you look... captivating, even though your husband traded you to the enemy. Remember, Alpha can do whatever he wants with you. Might have to face a tortured death," she stammered, hiding behind Nyssa.
"Why are you so eager to embrace death? Do you miss your mate that much?" I said, trying to soften the bitterness in my tone.
Ziva always seemed to embody the "perfect Serpent female," and that often bothered me. But to be fair, I couldn't entirely blame her.
In the Serpent Dominion, females were held back by their mates' suffocating expectations. Nyssa wasn't the only one who'd been treated poorly by our male counterparts.
Even with my looks and poise, the court frequently overlooked my intelligence, casting me as nothing more than a pretty ornament. They locked me into a gilded cage of fashion and decorum, failing to see the depth of my capabilities. It was a frustrating reality I had reluctantly accepted.
Then, in one fell swoop, it was over. The cursed werewolves emerged victorious, leaving me with a future that could sway for better or worse, though the latter seemed far more likely.
"What is left after them? It's over for us. Life without a mate would be a nightmare. I think we should jump off this cliff and get it over with." Ziva cried totally shattered.
Ziva, unlike Nyssa and me, really cherished her mate for all the special treats that came along with him. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd shield General Griffin, not just for his sake, but to safeguard her cherished car and that incredibly fancy makeup kit, custom-made just for her. It was like she saw them as precious treasures.
Fate did it ugly for us. We knew the harsh reality well, but there was still a glimmer of hope in the confirmation.
"Emperor Agustus gave up, but not me."
Anger boiled inside me. I was determined to move forward, to start a new chapter. This wasn't the end; it was just the beginning of a fight to take back what was rightfully mine.
my stars never quite lined up with my hopes. Or maybe my fate enjoyed playing tricks on me. Because the next second, a loud blast broke the tense quiet, making our already nervous group jump. As the smoke cleared, there stood my greatest fear, smirking and grinning.
"Gotcha!" He winked, casually slinging the formidable weapon over his shoulder.
Behind him, a formidable army closed in around us. It was a dead end. A stark affirmation that escape or concealment were no longer options. I had to confront the truth and...him!