Savage Flame

Chapter 5

Two more weeks passed without much disturbance in the court, the king having given up on gifts for a while.

Alaz-Vahşi̇ stood at the mirror in her dressing room, her ladies-in-waiting pulling at her corset to accentuate her fine waist. She brooded at her reflection; she liked her curves, her tanned face that was now dusted in irritating white powder and rouge, the trousers instead of blasted, heavy layers of dress fabric that made her legs itch and arms look bloated. She adored her muscles; they made her feel powerful and strong, instead of weak and meekly like the women in Europe. But here, they were to be hidden and decorated instead of celebrated and honored. A warrior's scars and physique were worn like a victory; the stronger an individual was, the more people respected them for their bravery.

A servant arrived to present her with a bejeweled case decorated with a sapphire blue ribbon. "Sapphires, from His Majesty the King."

She waved a bored hand in dismissal. "Send them back." Her ladies-in-waiting gasped.

"Your Highness, it is almost treason to reject the King's gift!" Alaz-Vahşi̇ stepped off the stool, yanked at the corset at her waist and adjusted her sleeves to reveal her contorted forearms, and grabbed the woman by the chin harshly.

"If I do not wish it," she gritted through her teeth, "It will not be so." The Asian woman let go of the lady and pointed to the door. "Get out of my sight." The female in pink scrambled past the servant and Alaz-Vahşi̇ sighed, turning towards the servant for the first time. "Send it back."

"But, Your Highness-" Her odd green eyes fumed with deadly flame.

"Need I repeat myself?" she growled lowly.

"No, Your Highness! Goodbye, Your Highness!" The servant bowed and scurried away with the box. The Queen then flicked her eyes over the remaining ladies.

"Anyone else want to stamp on my mood?" They vigorously shook their heads. "Splendid."

The Queen was calmly reading one of the large texts in the royal library when an outraged roar echoed through the castle, vibrating through the marble architecture under her feet. Alaz-Vahşi̇ grinned, and cackled triumphantly, her laughter scorching itself into the bound leather texts of the ancient shelves.

As she settled on the bay window seat that overlooked the courtyard basking in the summer sun, the oak doors of the library barged open and the king's infamous knights honed their serious gazes at the Queen, who observed them in an uninterested manner. She was then taken by the elbows and dragged into the throne room, Leoric seated in his rightful place with the Einarsson crown nestled atop his head. His gaze was seething, his hands gripping the throne's armrests with malicious intent. The entirety of his court and counsel surrounded him in a half-crescent arc, glaring ominously at the Queen. His chief advisor, "Aelfraed" as she'd heard the knights jest loudly about in the corridors of the palace, standing at the right of his king, fuming and rod-stiff with rage.

"Disobedience to the Crown is unacceptable! If he offers you a gift, you accept it!" the counselor proclaimed angrily. "You might be his Queen, but he is your king, and you will submit!" The knights of the king walked before her to stand in their place on either side of the throne, while guards grabbed her arms and forced her to her knees before the entirety of the court, Viking eyes lethal like daggers as they beheld the Queen.

A dark flame burned in the Queen's eyes, but she did not resist. Another counselor stood from his place at the half crescent long-table at the left of the king, and ordered, "Strip the woman of her garments!" The soldiers fiendishly grinned and went to work, using a knife to cut through her bodice and shred her dress into tatters until they manhandled the muscular woman, and threw her at the red carpeted steps before the throne. The older counselor then took her chin roughly in his weathered hand and sneered, "What is a woman but a vessel for the king's offspring-"