A Tale Of Shadows (Wattys 2023) - REPLACED BY DIVINE ASCENSION

Chapter 13 - The Coveted Realm

Melinda knew very well that her newly established relationship with Malcolm would have many obstacles, and nowhere was it as clear as in the coming months, in which many men from differing ranks and countries smothered her with marriage proposals as a consequence of a culture that wanted no one to rule alone. However, she did not care about the lives of any of them, thus remembering only one. It was George Maguire, the prince of Eade, who would inherit the land upon getting married. If it weren't for his country, she would not even blink in his presence, but being gifted an empire that would consist of all the territories that Obscuria used to have when it was called Xar was a pleasure she could never resist. 

Their first and so far only meeting had occurred in his country, wherein the streets were bustling with life and the most lovely of landscapes could be found. They were walking through a park with cherry trees whose pink and white flowers blossomed in great quantities, radiant as pearls, with doves that rose from those trees and peacefully flew in the air, right above the passengers' heads, with grass that was long enough to reach the ankles of Melinda, who was a rather tall person, as was to be expected of someone like her, and whose scent crept into her nostrils at a snail's pace, soothing her and putting a smile of genuine happiness on her face, with rocks that were stained by the ground many people walked on for decades and would not cease walking on for a long time, with feeble remnants of the harsh winter's snow that Melinda equally hoped would leave at once so that spring could joyfully overtake her surroundings without any obstacles and was sorrowful about the fact that they would have to leave soon due to them decorating the ground like the carefully chosen lace of a dress she loved to wear, although nowhere near as much as it did in the beautiful winter, during which she would always feel as though she were transported into another, much more worthwhile world, having those conflicted thoughts thanks to her loving each season in a different way, although winter would forever remain her favourite. She could talk about the wonders of Eade for hours, unlike she ever could about Obscuria, even during its best days. Thus her heart was engulfed by a desire she couldn't have predicted, and in that trance, she knew that she could not miss the opportunity to claim that realm as hers to rule.

"Mrs- I mean Madam Bellerose... Why are you staring at the distance like that, if I may ask, as long as that question does not perturb you in any way, of course?" George spoke, waking her up from her ponderings.

She turned towards him with a lively gleam in her eyes. "I am in awe of how marvellous the kingdom you are going to inherit soon is. I have never seen anything like it before, and I have no clue as to how such a miracle could have happened even within the near-limitless duration of the universe's existence. Also, do not be deceived by the wedding ring, as my soul is at peace as much as it can be, stifling the sensitivities within me in anticipation of our rule as partners, a rule that will change everything for the better."

"That is quite lovely to hear, Mrs Bellerose," he remarked, starting to laugh.

"Oh, thank you, sir," she responded, joining him as he continued to laugh.

While they laughed, their laughter sounding like little bells, she restrained herself from smirking. The ground she walked on at that moment, the people looking at her and George with uttermost curiosity and admiration and those who did not, they would all become part of her most brilliant scheme. She observed her wedding ring unblinkingly, that lie, that piece of jewellery she wore as a reminder of how far she had come in such a short time and all the things she had yet to achieve, a firm confirmation of the power she had, which burned in her veins whenever it could.  After about a minute, she returned her head to its former position, her neck tense for several seconds before she noticed that George did not find it suspicious at all. Then, at last, he too stopped laughing, well aware of the fact that they had no time to waste.