Queen of Mean

CHAPTER 32

TORI WALKED away from Duke Luwen Rozenreff without the pent-up disappointment that she used to harbor whenever she spoke to him. As she spoke to Cory, Tori knew that her father was walking a path that he chose. She could even empathize with him since she knew firsthand that Sabina was not the person she portrayed in front of their father. Walking away from them meant that finally drawn the line between friends and foes.

As she stepped outside the buzzing cathedral, every eye was on her but it immediately shifted when a looming figure stood before her. Smiling gently, she greeted him with a curtsy for everyone to witness. "Blessings to the Empire's northern lord, Chief Keiran Arin."

Collective gasps followed by the buzzing whispers resounded around them as Tori and her companions with the newly arrived ragged-looking Chieftain Kieran stood at the middle of the higher echelon's gossip circle.

"Lady Victoria, Prince Yei Lin, and Duke Castaña." The young Chieftain of the North greeted them with a simple which earned him a soft chuckle from Tori. You never changed, Keiran.

"Are you here to offer your condolence to the Marchioness, Chief Keiran?" Or are you here for me? With the blood dripping from the crate that your warriors are holding behind you, I can see that you already took up my challenge.

The talk Tori had with the Chieftain Keiran with Crown Prince Yei Lin as their audience was something that would place the final nail to the coffin. With only three days to prepare everything, Tori needed all her vassals with her. But she was hesitant if Chief Keiran was willing to go down the same path as her. So she asked him to prove it to her before the day would end.

After the talk, the young chieftain briskly left them in which astounded her, but now Tori finally understood why he left. There was no better place to show her that his oath was true.

"What's in the crate? I believe it's drawing quite the attention of our humble audience, Chieftain Arin." Tori remained passive in front of him, in front of anyone else.

Nodding at the warriors, the crate was presented in front of Tori. The clanking metal sound of the crate being opened in one swing thus allowing her and everyone near her to see its content earning another set of collective gasps from the masses.

Four heads, all were freshly cut as the look upon the corpses' faces showed that whoever killed them was a surprise for them. The widening of their eyes as their pupils dilated and their tongues hanging as if they screamed before they lost their lives, truly gruesome death for the four.

"Aren't they the royal knights that escorted Lady Victoria that day?"

"What will the King say about this?"

"Why did he kill them? Is he offering this to the funeral?"

"No, more like he is offering it to Lady Victoria."

You are the king of the north for a reason, Keiran. Tori thanked the veil that hid the devious glint in her ruby-colored eyes as she stared at the corpses of the royal guards that humiliated her. How did he get them? I heard that Prince Allistair detained them after that day.

"What is this commotion?" The stern voice of the newly arrived king snapped everyone's attention including Tori's. She curtsied after she stepped aside to make way, seeing that she was standing at the center of the path to the cathedral. "Blessings to the Empire's Sun, His Majesty, King Elpaim Eckrett."

Tori observed the chieftain's rigid stupor as he gave way for the king, not even bothering to greet the imperial majesty.

The loincloth of animal skin that the Chief Keiran wore, leaving his body bare for everyone to admire, got the king's attention. "And who are you? Why is a nomad here in my capital?" His offensive words matched his glaring eyes towards the surprisingly calm-looking chieftain.