WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 80

Marlon

A dark carriage with several carriages in convoy reached the castle. The beautiful queen had finally arrived. Smiling contentedly, Marlon hurried off to greet her appropriately. The castle itself seemed a bit chaotic. Everything was cleaned and prepared for the big funeral.

Marlon impatiently pushed servants out of the way as he walked down the aisles. He couldn't wait to see his bride. The thought amused him. Three years ago, he thought he was marrying her stubborn daughter. The queen was the better deal. She already possessed the power he wanted.

When he hurried almost clumsily out of the gates of the castle, he almost ran over the queen. Snorting contemptuously, she looked at him.

"Have you forgotten your manners in grief?", she grumbled.

"Excuse me, Your Highness." He smiled contritely. "Welcome. The other guests will certainly come soon. You are the first."

She nodded and hooked on his arm. "The funeral will take place in the catacombs?"

"Right. Traditionally, the tombs of our kings and queens are located there."

"Interesting. I'd like to see my room first", she said.

But before Marlon could reply, the council members came to meet her with a dignified welcome. After that, they instructed servants to take care of the queen, her luggage, and her staff. Something Marlon hadn't thought of. However, he was not ashamed. Was all this a task? No.

The funeral, as Marlon had suspected, was terribly boring. The absence of his sister was regretted, but they did not want to delay the celebration any longer. The coffins of his parents were embedded in a stone tomb and sealed with inscribed and gold-decorated plates. As a final greeting to the dead, the blood of a young animal was spilled over the new graves. It stained the stone dark.

The prince laid black roses on the graves of his parents and said goodbye on his knees, as tradition demanded. The guests bowed their heads. All of them, except for Queen Agathe, watched over the events sublimely. No one held it against her. After all, she was a 'stranger'. A guest. Marlon, on the other hand, was secretly and unnoticed amused by it. He would have liked to do the same.

The guests went to the ballroom to celebrate their farewell. For the most part, the funerals of the vampires were joyous celebrations. The celebration served the wish of the living that their abiding time on earth would be happy. The past stayed the past.

There was cheerful music, sparkling wine, blood, and small canapés offered by servants on golden tablets.

Queen Agathe sat on a low tribune with the councilors and Marlon. Marlon stood up, bowed to her, and held out his hand to her. "Your Highness? How about a dance?"

The whole thing was well-planned. It was used for demonstration. He showed the guests that the kingdom was in good spirits. That their relationship with the queen had not been damaged in any way.

"Of course." Agathe smiled and let herself be escorted to the dance floor. As they danced, she whispered some surprising news to Marlon: "I have something for some of the soldiers. Bracelets that are enchanted. They will protect the soldiers from the manipulation of the centaurs."

"Really?"

"Well. They still need to be tested."

"And that's what you want to do here?" Marlon nodded. "Last year, it rained a little more, even in the steppe, but some of our farmers are still getting attacked by centaurs. Often the soldiers do not succeed in stopping them. Only if they are faster than the centaurs can manipulate them. Your soldiers are really beneficial. A great help. Magic gives us a greater chance."

Agathe sighed. "The bracelets will improve the situation. And they allow us to subjugate the centaurs."

"This day is getting better and better, my beauty!" Marlon whispered to her.

The queen smiled flattered. "Your beauty?", she asked. "That's interesting."

Julia

Rasmus' family was very friendly. His eldest son, Cedric, was from the centaur's first marriage and already had a family of his own. Brea, Rasmus's second wife, was one hundred years old, 270 years younger than the tribal elder. Their son, Caius, was 25. Just like his mother, he had very dark skin, while Rasmus's skin and Cedric's were more the color of dark caramel.

Brea was a loving, albeit commanding, hostess. She wanted to know everything about Julia's experiences so far. Therefore, Julia talked about her adventurers at dinner. Cedric and Caius were engaged in their own conversation, but Cedric's wife and their young daughters listened with interest.

The next morning, the group made their way back. A hundred centaurs, all experienced warriors, accompanied them. They brought weapons, provisions, and tents with them.

But if Julia wanted to defeat her mother, she needed many more 'soldiers'.

Lea

Five applicants showed up for interviews at the workplace in the laundry. Chloe sat next to Lea during each interview and asked questions as well. They had agreed in advance on what questions they wanted to ask. Lea watched closely how each applicant reacted to the servant.

After five hours, the talks were over. Applicants would find out by mail whether they got the job or not.

"And? Did you particularly like anyone?" Lea asked her unofficial adopted daughter.

Chloe nodded. "The last applicant. He was very kind to me."

"The last one? Are you sure?" Lea frowned. "He was the least qualified. Young and inexperienced. When it comes to suitability for the position, the first applicant is the most highly qualified. But we won't employ her. She didn't want to answer your questions and seemed visibly outraged by your presence. The second applicant was very friendly."

Chloe shook her head. "She always looked at me with narrowed eyes. It doesn't have to mean anything, but I didn't like her."

"Good. What about the third and fourth applicants? The young woman and the elderly gentleman?", Lea asked. "The young woman spoke of wanting to start a family soon. Therefore, no. The Man?"

"The elderly man couldn't remember my name", Chloe grumbled.

Lea smiled. The old man had always called Chloe Kora. "That must have been due to age. He was otherwise very friendly towards you. And he has already run a laundry. That was a long time ago, unlike our first applicant, but it's worth a lot."

Chloe nodded. "That's right... But the fifth applicant. He seemed so friendly. And kind."

"A little too kind, perhaps. What if the employees don't take him seriously?", asked Lea. She planned to let Chloe decide. Therefore, she went through everything with her that had to be considered in the election.

Chloe frowned. "That would be... bad?"

Lea nodded.

"And if the elderly man dies next week? He is sixty-eight. And a mortal", the elf replied. "The fifth applicant was only twenty."

Lea nodded proudly. "Right. But he has never been in a leadership position. He only worked in a small laundry for two years."

The fifth applicant, a young man named Badu Sandig, had helped his grandfather in his laundry for two years until the grandfather died, and the family could not keep the laundry. The young man had only gained experience in cleaning laundry. But he was confident enough to apply for this job.

"I still prefer him over the old one", Chloe said in a firm, determined voice.

"Good." She gently stroked Chloe's light hair. "Then we'll give him a chance to prove himself, shall we?"

"Yes!"

(c: sasi)