Chapter ~ 12

Zylith.

I have a habit I’ve been harboring for years; When I’m wrong, I pretend to be air. And when I'm right, I am sarcastic.

Most of the time, I am like, ‘I may be wrong, but it’s highly unlikely’, so as you can see, I'm pretty reluctant to acknowledge this habit of mine, but at dire times like these, I’m forced to. And then I like to pretend to be the invisible air, transparent to all and be as quiet as a fiddle.

Reuben raised his irritated eyebrows at me and asked, “To what do I owe the honour of this bright handprint, my Queen?”

I was still trying to be invisible, and hence I attempted to ignore him so hard that he would start to doubt his own existence. But King Reuben(Edward Regalious the III) was not one to let a person off the hook so easily.

He raised his brows higher in enquiry and said, “Do you want me to force you to speak, My Lady?”

I still ignored his threats. It’s not that I was not scared, its just that I was willing to take a gamble that he wouldn’t execute me over such a trivial matter now that I’ve married him, and also, I wanted to see what he would do to make me talk; Curiosity really kills the cat if I might say so myself.

“Alright then, from this day on, I hereby shall revoke your freedom of speech. You may not open your mouth in my presence at all, in fact, in anyone’s presence at all. You may only speak if I deem it fit for you to speak and I_”

“Alright, alright! You win Your Highness.”

This damned Mummy! Did he want me to be a mute for life?

“I’ll talk…. But you sure you want me to speak the truth? I highly doubt you’d like to hear what I have to say.” I mumbled the second half in a low undertone, suggesting him to rather choose otherwise.

“Of course, I wouldn’t want anything but the truth.” He nodded in consent.

“Well, you asked for it.” I too nodded as if I had mimicked him. “You see, Your Highness, not that I am repulsed by you or anything like that, but you must understand that I was rather surprised when I was woken up to an erect little brother on your trouser, so I must implore you to forgive me for my hand slipped in the heat of the moment.”

I'm glad I didn’t tell him that I wanted to hit the erect tent off rather than his abdomens to make it limp, because Reuben’s face gradually wilted like he had just swallowed a fly, and soon his face was so flushed that it was radiating heat like a hot pan. You could have cooked a three-course meal on his face to tell the truth. He looked somewhere between severely constipated and extremely embarrassed. I only feared he wouldn’t leave town after casting off his identity if he felt he’d never live this down.

So I, being the empathetic soul that I was, blurted out words of empathy to remedy the situation, “There really isn’t anything to be embarrassed about My Liege, it is but just a natural phenomenon. I’ve seen my cousin being hard in the morning so many times that my eyes have become accustomed to a hard crotch since a long time ago.” Firstly, watching my cousin getting hard in the morning was totally gross, and secondly, whatever came out of my mouth was utter bullshit, but can you blame me? Reuben looked like he wanted a blackhole to swallow him up whole, and I couldn’t really tell him that his little brother actually had such reaction because of my #innocent hand, not because of the morning natural phenomenon of men around the world(Please don’t try to pin the blame on my #innocent hand either, if you have to pick a culprit then blame Reuben for taking off his clothes). So I said whatever BS came into my mind to appraise the poor man.

However, his already red face took an about turn for a daunting black one and I comprehended that some things are better left unsaid, which I generally seem to realize right after I’ve said them.

I don’t know what he was thinking about, but it didn’t look to be anything good by the way his face morphed into that of a conniving devil.

“….. Is that so?” His voice was surprisingly soft to the ears, and it was easy to miss the threat in his tone. But you see, I was a very smart individual, pretty sharp if I might say so myself. So, I recognized the slight hostile tremor in his smooth voice and detected my impending doom if I were to stick around any longer.

So, very cleverly indeed, I slipped away muttering some gibberish like we ought to be late for the Queen Dowager’s blessing ceremony if we don’t start getting dressed for the occasion soon; And quite sleekly ran away to hide in the bathroom.

When I finally came out after washing up, I saw Lord Gilbert was attending to a solemn-looking Reuben. His face was utterly expressionless and none of his mannerisms gave off his inner disposition. Which seemed scarier to me for there was a saying, ‘Beware of those who don’t show themselves in their bearings’.

But I was but just a mere fake Lizzy, what could I do even if I was scared. All I could really do was go along with the flow and remember to keep my word vomit in check. My chaotic thoughts were finally quelled by Lord Gilbert’s intervention when he spoke, “Oh Your Highness Elizabeth, I shall call the maids to dress you up according to the occasion today. But you must remember my lady, please do not say anything that might jeopardize your situation. For better or for worse, always remember that His Highness’s fate is now tied to yours. I just hope you can adhere according to the circumstances and not cause any trouble for His Highness.” Lord Gilbert sighed like it was the end of the world.

Alright! I do admit that I tend to be a bit erratic sometimes, but I wasn’t all that bad, was I?

“(Sigh) Learn to improvise Gilbert. I’m here trying hard too, whist I fear her tongue might be cut off one of these days.” Reuben followed Gilbert’s despondent sigh as well.

Wait! Did I hear a threat just now?

But before I could even react Reuben took off to the bathroom and I was taken off by the incoming maids to be groomed into a proper Queen.

I was dressed into what you’d call an attire befitting the Queen of a nation. Glittering emeralds hung to my ears and neck and an extravagant pearl river grey gown donned my body. The fabrics were finer than any fabric I had ever laid my eyes upon, even in the modern times. The glazed clothing looked as if woven from the frail wings of a butterfly, so lustrous and glossy that I feared if I were to move around too much, it might rip. The dress tightly hugged my body, making it seem as if it was custom-made for me. My hair was made into a beautiful updo which looked too complicated for me to even percept. To give it a finishing touch, it was decorated with a lavish golden crown entrenched with luxuriant emeralds which made it look like a profuse art rather than a normal hairdo. Now I feared even moving my head around. What was this? A secret technique to limit my movement in the guise of fashion!?

By the time my intricate make-up was done, the swear words were at the tip of my tongue, but Reuben’s threat from earlier kept ringing inside my head time and again, warning me to shut up before any curses could even escape my mouth.

By the end of it all, I had somehow managed to rein myself in, but I could feel the fatigue from last night and this early morning catching upto me. It’s not like I was a superhuman with unlimited energy, now I just wanted this farce to end as soon as possible so that I could come back to get some sleep into my system.

When I came out of the dressing room, I was greeted by a mummified Reuben in a brilliant kingly apparel. But under the aura of his bandages, he looked even more impassive. Nothing like the playful pervert from last night. Only his beautiful green fray eyes were visible to the spectators and they seemed aloof as well.

I didn’t ponder about his changes much as he seemed almost impossible to figure out. And it’s not like I was much bothered about such small hitches, after all, he was the leader of a country. If a mere fake Lizzy like me were able to figure him out, then he would have been long dead before he even had a chance to sit on the iron throne.

We headed towards the inner palace of the Queen Dowager with Lord Gilbert in tow and none of us said a word to ease the impending tension. It was as if there was a tacit understanding between the two of us, we knew we were not going to really just pay respects to the Queen Dowager as newlyweds, rather to size each other out.

There were two armed guards dressed in red and black armors right outside the chamber of the Queen Dowager, and they didn’t seem very friendly even towards the King. I was very surprised at that, and it vaguely let me realize the real power of the Queen Dowager.

Tautly enough, they opened the doors and let us enter the inner palace chambers and we came face to face with the infamous Queen Dowager herself, with two of her head maids at her service and a familiar old High priest standing stiffly beside her.

She was seated on a long red couch that seemed to have been crafted with gold and silver and gaudy velvet. She looked every bit the Queen she was, shining in a royal halo, making the entire magnificent room look rather bleak under her noble radiance.

“Welcome Your Highnesses. It is truly an honour for me, as you have decided to grace my humble abode.” The Queen Dowager smiled warmly, looking as if she had turn over a completely new leaf. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”

What is this? How did Mother Gothel become Mother Teresa!?

“It is but my honor to have the privilege to visit you, Queen Mother.” Reuben in turn replied in an indulgent tone.

What really is going on here!? How did the prodigal son become the filial son!?

“Ah! You have such a sweet tongue. Come here, both of you. My darling Elizabeth, I haven’t officially introduced myself yet, have I? I am Queen Beatrice Brikenhead the Regalious, 31st Sovereign Queen of Reveldron, come sit by me dear.” The Queen Dowager Beatrice beckoned in a voice filled with such warmness to one’s ears that I felt I could wrap myself up in her voice and sleep more soundly than a baby. There seemed to be no underlying hostility or deception in her demeanour, only earnest sentiments. What was going on here? Was she the same queen dowager who declared I should have died along with the old pedophile just days ago? How did she seem like a completely different person today?

I felt as if I was pushed into a confounding tempest without the slightest heads-up and now, I was left with nothing to cope with but my wits alone.

This bastard perverted mummy didn’t even bother to explain the nature of his relationship with the Queen Dowager before bringing me to her. At times like these, I really felt like he assumed me to be a psychic and know all his thoughts without him even bothering to open his mouth.

Burning in my inner angry thoughts, I forgot to respond to the Queen Dowager’s words, and as a result, was crudely hauled towards her by a grim Reuben.

“I… I’m sorry Your Majesty, I beg for your forgiveness for being rude just now. I am a bit nervous and so I failed to perceive your words. I beseech for your mercy.” I bowed my head as low as I possibly could, as if I was very remorseful for my lack of behaviour. I really was not though, but in this world, I learnt somethings like; if you want your opponent to underestimate you, you gotta act like you are the frailest soul on the face of this planet who could be manipulated any way they wanted. In other words, act like you don’t have a backbone and you are set for life.

“Oh dear, don’t worry about it at all. Treat me as if I am your own mother, after all, you married my eldest son.” She smiled so brightly that my eyes took an instant hit. She really gave me a motherly vibe, but I was suddenly reminded of her capricious behaviour the first time I met her, and I had to give it to her, this woman could act.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall do as you say.” I bowed my head even lower to hide my inner thoughts when I realized she really was not as simple as she looked. I guess, she wasn’t the final boss for nothing.

She actively took my hands and pulled me to sit by her side, the smooth rich velvet of the couch offered me a pleasant sensation, but it didn’t sooth the unease that I felt being in the clutches of the predator.

“My! Such a beautiful bride, I have to say dear Reuben, you’ve procured yourself a gorgeous wife.” She smiled like an angel at Reuben. Yes, I could finally see it now, she really was the Queen of vipers, the Viper Queen! Such adroit two-facedness could not be sported by an ordinary person.

“I couldn’t agree more, mother.” Reuben said in a satisfied grunt.

“Hm, now then, shall we start the last ceremony of the Royal wedding?” She said while signalling the High priest beside her to begin the ritual.

Both I and Reuben, got down on our knees before Queen Beatrice and folded our hands in a praying gesture while the high priest chanted holy incantations of royal matrimony.

When I heard that the king and his newly-wedded Queen had to get on their knees in front of the Queen Dowager to ask for her blessings, I was very shocked that Reuben was even up for such a ceremony at all, but now it seems like this guy had no problem in the least with hiding his fangs.

What I thought would last for a few minutes, didn’t seem to know it’s ending even almost after an hour. I had to wonder how the old priest could still keep going without taking a break.

Before long, I was so tired that I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I distinctly felt my sleep deprivation catching upto me and as a result, my dogged eyes shut themselves off after much perseverance; And I, without the slightest of worries in the world, drifted off to a laidback dreamland.

My sloppy posture was shaken awake by a stern cold voice, “…My Queen, even though I’m happy that you seem very dedicated, the ceremony is long over. I wouldn’t recommend you groveling on the ground any longer than necessary least you might catch a cold.”

All my drowsiness flew out of the window owing to the frosty voice that whispered in my ears, I could tell Reuben was angry and I was scared shitless of his cold tone that promised many bloodcurdling threats.

Heck, I was so scared that I didn’t even dared to open my eyes to face the guy, but I knew that I couldn’t keep my eyes closed forever. However, what excuse could I give for this unintentional disparage of the Royal customs! I wondered if it would be okay to say that the perverted mummy kept me awake the entire night yesterday. The guy wouldn’t hang me for vilifying him, would he?

After much toiling over my series of pathetic excuses, I slowly raised my head and said in a very sombre tone, “In Jesus name’ I pray, Amen.”

Reuben, “……..”

Queen Beatrice, “……..”

The high priest, “……..”



To be Continued………