The Vicious Queen

t w o

"You look stunning as ever, Eraya!" Daliah beams while she continues to pluck more Ash roses into my loose bun.

Daliah has been my best friend since day one. No matter how many times people told that me that a princess cannot make their personal maid their closest friend, I denied.

The royals say 'these humans' are 'little creatures' that cannot be trusted because we are different. I get it. We are different by how much power we hold but that doesn't destroy our friendship, right?

Dozens of maids keeps rushing in and out of the room doing this and that.

"Oh my god Eraya, do you know-" she continues blabbing but then she suddenly stops mid-sentence and bows. I turn around to see my father entering the room. The King.

I rise but he indicates me to sit back down. The maids steps back as he walks towards me. He softly pats my shoulder with a proud smile as we stare at my reflection in the mirror.

"My love, you look exactly like your mother."

That hits me with déjà vu of my mother, Queen Serophina. She was betrayed by a person still unknown to this day. She was poisoned and my ten year old self had to watch my very own mother choke to death right in front of my eyes. I still remember every inch of that dark memory.

I grab her shoulders with my hands and shake her as if it could save her. She continues to choke to death and red blood splatters out of her mouth.

"Mother! Mother!" I cry out loudly. She clutches her chest with her eyes red. I reach out for her once again. "Mother!" she looks at me with blood shot eyes. Despite of how painful her eyes seem, I can still feel her love.

"Eraya, my darling." She mumbles in pain. I wail. "Take care of your sister." I nod through snot and tears.

She smiles weakly and a shaky hand reaches out to stroke my cheek. "I love you." She whispers and then suddenly her arm drops to the ground with a thud.

"Mother!" I scream.

But she won't respond because her breathe is gone. I watch as the maids carry her out while my mother's blood is on my face.

"I love you too, mother." I mutter to myself.

The memory still burns me. I squeeze my eyes shut. My father's grip on my shoulder tightens.

"Eraya, today you are going to marry the son of most powerful man of the country. You must be strong, my dear." He says while looking into my eyes.

Yes, Today is the day I tie souls with the man I loved for years, Prince Desmond. This is the day we both have been waiting for many years. He is the man I would give my blood, sweat and tears for. I can definitely guarantee that. I'm ready to cross every sea, every world, every universe for you, my love.

My father plants a small kiss on my forehead and says "I love you."

I smile softly. "I love you too, father."

A few minutes after he leaves the room, Bella enters. She has a red velvet box in her hand and the hair pin of our family heritage rests in it.

It's a long white Chinese hair pin with the symbol of our family, the black snake at the edge.

Apparently, a few generations back, a king from our family married a Chinese princess and since then the hair pin is handed over to the next crown princess of Onryx.

Every kingdom has its own symbol and anyone is able to recognize a kingdom with it's symbols.

Bella flashes me a soft smile as she hands Daliah the hair pin. "You look so pretty." I smile.

"Final step..." Daliah murmurs to herself as she sticks the pin into my loose bun. Then she pulls out two dark curly hair strands onto my face.

I get onto my feet and spin a little making my long puffy black gown twirl with me and the long gloves feels tight on my arms. Meanwhile, Daliah cups her rosy cheeks and smiles while her gaze is on me.

"What?" I laugh.

"It's just that you- you're so beautiful and I'm so, so, so proud you!" Her eyes twinkle.

"Aw I love you I swear." I say and we hug each other.

"Wow, you don't look like the cow you actually are." Someone snickers behind us and Daliah and Bella steps back and bow.

I immediately recognize who that is by her comment. It's my younger sister, Vanya. She enters the room tossing her blonde hair away from her shoulder. Her long sliver silky dress brushes against the floor and it glistens under the light of the diamond chandelier.

"I have the same comment for you." I spit back.

"Yeah, right." She cracks up.

I'm totally lying. She has always being so pretty and girly. She's no warrior. She never took fighting classes. She took the ballet classes every girl took. We may have our differences but we still care for each other no matter how many times we deny it.

"So how many nephews you're going to give me?" I chortle at her comment. Even Daliah and Bella giggles quietly. "Just don't break the bed on your first night."

I laugh in disbelief. "Look at her mouth at seventeen."

"Eraya..." she shakes her head sarcastically. "You're only twenty one yourself."

"Older than you though." I shrug.

She opens her mouth to say something when a maid enters the room with her head low. "My honor, the ceremony is about to get started."

My heart jumps in excitement with a bright smile. It feels like a lightning bolt in my heart. Like a river bubbling in my veins.

I quickly grab my flower bouquet of Black and Silver roses and pin my sword to the side of my dress. Then I look at Daliah.

She gives me an encouraging smile and murmurs "you can do this." I smile back and rush out to the Great Hall with my sister and the maid.

We stand in front of the door of the Great Hall waiting it to be opened with my other bridesmaids. Vanya gives my hand an encouraging squeeze. Little did she know how much I needed that.

The massive door opens from the inside revealing me to the Great Hall filled with many royals that I recognize with a heart beat.

There are many chairs lined with black clothes covering it and a little white flower bouquet is attached at the back with a gold ribbon. The pleasing music of the violins fills my ears.

A long maroon carpet spreads across the aisle and gold globe string lights hang from the ceiling. There are many roses everywhere and it's beautiful.

But the thing is...when I look at the guests, none of them look happy like in all the weddings I have attended. They all look so...tensed and worried. My enthusiastic smile instantly disappears.

I continue walking down the aisle but when I look forward, I don't see Desmond up on the wedding canopy.

What? My eyes become wide and I unknowingly stop at my tracks. Tension takes over me and I helplessly start to sweat. What happened to him? Is he alright? Is my husband okay? Where are you?

My thoughts are interrupted when Vanya worriedly whispers to me as she pushes me forward indicating me to keep waking. "Where's Desmond?"

"I- I don't know..." I mutter anxiously.

I reach the wedding canopy and the second I'm about to climb it, I hear someone running into the Great Hall with loud steps. Desmond, I think.

I imagine him running into the Great Hall wearing his black suit, with his usual grin and shining eyes ready to embrace me into a tight hug. With happiness and hope, I spin around.

But it's not Desmond. It's the same maid that escorted us to the Great Hall a few minutes ago.

She runs into the room yelling out of breathe. And it makes my whole world fall apart.

"The prince! He's gone! He has ran away!"