2 It started with a crown (1)

'THWISH'.

An arrow was released. It flew straight towards the target ignoring everything else. It then ruthlessly slammed itself into the deer which was running away. Deer gave a loud cry before it collapsed.

"Ha-Ha, it was an excellent shot your majesty" the guard captain boot licked. Successful hunt resulted in an incredibly merry mood.

"Let's head back" the king ordered. All the people of the hunting team packed their belongings and began to march towards the capital of the empire.

During the way back they entered a small village in order to spend the night. The king and the members of the hunting team descended from their horses and entered the inn. The innkeeper rushed towards the king and he bowed down. "Rise", the emperor ordered. Innkeeper slowly stood up. The emperor told him to prepare food, wine and some women for their team. All the members of the hunting team were extremely tired, seeing the food they became excited and began to devour everything as fast as they can.

After eating a large amount of food and wine the members of hunting team were completely drunk. They didn't even realize, when their eyes became sleepy. They tumbled upon tables as well as floors and commenced snoring. But the innkeeper did not dare to wake them up. Emperor happened to be very famous for his tyranny and his lustful nature. So were his guards.

Next day, the team set off towards the capital. During their way back they encountered a dense forest. All the guards became vigilant. They initiated a look out for wild animals and started to clear the road. When they were passing a giant tree, a red colored snake dropped from the tree-top onto the emperor. He bared his fangs and bit the emperor. Emperor unsheathed his sword and cut the snake into two parts.

Alas! He was already bitten by the snake. The poison began to course through his veins. "Call the medic, quick". Captain of the guards shouted anxiously. Guards dashed towards the medic and presented him in front of the emperor.

It is a red viper, my lord. Medic glanced at the snake and replied. "It is poisonous but the strength of the poison is quite weak. We don't have the antidote with us as this is a very rare snake. There is a village near us we will be able to find the anti-venom there. Till then, I will apply the first aid".

The emperor became furious, " What use do you have then? Hear our command, behead this ingrate". Medic was soon beheaded.

The team began to hurry. Soon they reached a village. The name of the village was 'Wealdstone'. It was a tiny village made up of roughly 100 households. All the Guards ran towards the nearby houses and asked the people whether they had the anti-venom for red viper.

The emperor was resting in his tent feeling agitated. Slowly his eyelids grew heavy and he fainted.

Soon the guards found a female doctor. They sent her to the emperor's tent. Seeing that the emperor has fainted, she hurriedly injected the anti-venom in his body. After the emperor's condition stabilized, she went home.

Emperor rested for an entire day. When he awakened, he found that his poison was cured. He felt ecstatic. He rose from his bed and asked his servants "fetch some water for us to take a bath". The servant bowed and began to prepare for the bath.

After taking a bath, emperor called his guard captain and asked him about the person who tended him. We wish to reward that person, he said.

Soon the girl was summoned to his tent. She entered the tent timidly and knelt. Emperor clasped her shoulders and raised her. "You saved our life, from now onward we exempt you from keeling in front of us". As the emperor held her shoulders, she trembled. His reputation has spread throughout the empire, he was a tyrant and very lustful. She didn't know why she was summoned, she thought that the emperor wanted to do 'that' stuff to her.

Emperor looked at the girl, who was standing timidly and obviously flustered. She kept staring at her feet. Emperor was amused at the little kitten in front of him.

She had black curly hair, tightened into a bun. The emperor asked her to raise her head. He was stunned by what he saw. What's your name, he asked. A.. Amayra Royce, your majesty she replied. Her black eyes looked anxious, she began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt. Her dark brown eyes were filled with innocence and anxiety. Her thin red lips complemented her milky white skin. Her long legs looked extremely graceful. Her dress was quite simple but still it was not able to hide her elegance. She had pair of large breasts. As soon as the emperor saw them, blood rushed towards his private part. His eyes were greedily staring at her breasts. Amayra peeked at the emperor's face. When she saw the look on his face, she got scared. She knew it was over for her.

"You know, you are extremely beautiful", emperor spoke after a long time. Here it comes, Amayra thought. "When we saw you, we liked you instantaneously. We, in fact, had the thought to ravage you here and now". It's over, Amayra was now sure. Today she was going to her chastity and was going to be thrown away like a used object. After that, no one will ever marry her. She will lose her everything today.

"The fact still remains that you saved us, and we don't want people to say that we mistreated our savior. Originally we wanted to reward you. So we have decided that you will be our new concubine, or we will silence the entire village. We give you two days to decide. You can go now", the emperor ordered.

Amayra ran out from the emperor's tent as fast as she can. She began to cry thinking about her fate. She didn't know what to do. She ran towards the lake in order to jump into it and commit suicide, as she had no other option.

When she reached the lake, she got scared of death. She had no courage to commit suicide. She sat on a rock nearby the lake and began to weep loudly. Why did this happen to me? What did I do wrong? Why are gods so unfair? She kept crying for a long time. After a long amount of time she finally stood up and returned to her home.

Her eyes were swollen due to continuous crying. She entered her home. As soon as her mother looked at her face, she had a terrible feeling. She became extremely anxious. She asked her daughter, "What happened? Did emperor do something to you"? Amayra didn't reply. She just kept crying and locked herself in a room. Her mother got scared as she thought that her daughter lost her chastity. She didn't know what to do anymore. Their daughter will now be branded as a w****. News spreads very fast in a small town. Everyone must be talking about her daughter by now. She lost her calm and she too started to cry. She thought about the taunts of the people, their disrespectful gazes on her daughter. She to will be known as mother of a whore. Her head began to hurt due to thinking about these concerns.

Soon she calmed down and began to think how they might be able to migrate to some other town. Living in this town will be worse than hell for them.

Just then Amayra's father returned home from his work. "What's going on? Why are you crying?" He asked. "Our daughter was summoned by the emperor. When she returned, she kept crying. When I asked her what happened, she didn't reply and has locked herself inside a room since then." Father became furious.

He banged the door of Amayra's room. Come out this instance or I will tear down the door, he threatened. Amayra gently opened the door. She came out and hugged her father and began to sob. What happened tell me in details, he asked. Amayra began to weep loudly and started to tell him what has happened to her.

"The king told me that he likes me. So now I have to marry him or else… He told me that he would give me two days. If I didn't tell him my answer, he will, he will…." As soon as Amayra said this, she began to cry.

So this is what happened. Her father replied and he dropped on the floor exhausted. He too didn't know what to do. He began to think what they might be able to do.

Nobody at the Amayra's home slept that day. They were all thinking a way to deal with the situation. Their faces were grim. The father racked his brain the entire night. Finally, he found a way.

Next day he told his daughter, Amayra you have no choice but to accept his proposal but you too know that you will be discriminated in the harem due to your common birth. So when you go to the emperor today, tell him that you are frightened by the discrimination and conspiracies in the harem. Then tell him that you would marry him but you fear that someday someone might conspire against you and you will be punished immediately without being able to prove your innocence therefore you want him to complete your two wishes in future so you might be able to use them to exempt from immediate punishment. That lusty beast will definitely accept your condition.

When you officially become his concubine, remind him of his promises and ask two wishes. First, ask him to pass his throne to the son birthed from you two. Second, ask him that in no case the current prince should be able to acquire the crown, nor should he have any heir as they might fight for the crown. This way your future will be forever secured. Amayra's eyes began to shine. For the first time they were filled with hope since yesterday.

Amayra went to the emperor. The emperor was very happy to see her, he knew what decision she must have made. Nobody in the entire empire was able to go against his wishes, if they wanted to live.

So tell me what decision have you made? Amayra waited for some time to gather her courage and finally she spoke "Your Majesty I am ready to marry you but I fear that I will be discriminated against in the imperial harem. So I hope that you will fulfill my two wishes if they are possible so that I might be able to save myself from difficult situations". The emperor was extremely ecstatic hearing that she was ready to marry him. He thought, what sort of wishes can she ask which I cannot complete. "Fine, we will complete two of your wishes no matter what they are as long as they are possible", he promised.

Now come here. He called Amayra closer to him and then kissed her lips. Then he told her to wait for the good news. "Now that you have agreed to marry me, I would make sure that the wedding is spectacular and worthy for a concubine. From today onward we will start our journey towards the capital. When we reach the capital, we would announce our decree stating that we both will get married. After that I will send my soldiers to carry you to the capital, with all due respect befitting that of a queen". Thank you, my lord. Amayra replied.

The emperor was over the moon, he wanted to get married as soon as possible. So he ordered all the people with him to hastily return to the capital. All the members of the hunting team packed their bags, and they begin to prepare for the return journey. The emperor drove his horse as fast as he could in order to reach earlier. Finally, after three days worth of journey the emperor returned to his capital.

As soon as he reached the capital he went to his chamber and called his ministers. He told them to send some soldiers to Wealdstone village and bring the girl over. "She is our new concubine. Currently keep this matter under wraps I don't want anyone else to hear this", he warned. Yes my lord, the ministers replied, and they ordered the soldiers to bring the new concubine with all due respect.

Soon Amayra was bought to the capital.