Play king

In the spacious great hall also known as the throne room a young man with long white hair was seated on the throne his body lax like he was meant to be seated there.

Behind him were large ceiling-to-floor windows with a view of the entire royal city. During the day the bright sunlight would bring warmth and light to this cold hall and at night the dazzling moonlight and candlelights from the stone buildings gave the great hall a romantic feel.

A cool breeze swept through the great hall and the burgundy banners on either side of the throne fluttered.

Within the flickering flames in the cauldron fire pits and candles, a group of women and two guards walked into the great hall. In the forefront was the great mother of Odasal, the grand Oracle or as most called her, Queen Rhea.

She stood underneath the skylight with the moon rays shimmering on her porcelain skin her expression that of a doting mother.

"Roan dear... how could you sit on the holy throne when your father isn't dead?" she said as she stretched out her hands beckoning him over. She had acted like the doting motherly figure after his mother fell into a deep slumber that no man could cure. Well, the only people who could save her were long dead all thanks to his father.

Roan rubbed his bottom lip with his index finger before saying, "Let's not pretend like Kian doesn't come in here and play king while ordering his servants."

The smile on her face froze stiff but she still regained her composure and hurriedly replied, "How can you compare to Kian the second when he is still a child?"

"So according to you Rhea, a sixteen-year-old is a child? At that age he shouldn't know right from wrong or the rules of the palace?" he said the disrespect in his voice apparent.

The maidservant beside the queen sneered coldly before loudly scolding him, "Impudence!" She was not just an ordinary servant but the right hand to the Queen. Her background was tied to the current commander-in-chief of the royal army so she could speak like that in defence of the Queen but the person she scolded this time was infamous for not respecting familial ties or backers.

Roan's eyes darkened as he sat up. The tension in the air intensified with a biting chill crawling up the servant's spines. Like a beast lurking in the darkness stalking its prey, he emerged from the shadows and walked down the stairs each step as overbearing and overpowering as that of an immortal.

With each step he took, the servants took a subtle step back. They were meant to protect and serve the queen but this was also the crown prince of Odasal, a man rumoured to have no conscience.

Roan's steps paused right in front of the queen and looked down at her like he was looking at an insignificant thing. Her coming into this position was at his mother's expense and no matter what his father said he knew that it was no coincidence. This woman was a witch clad like an angel.

Without a word, he grabbed the head maidservant by the neck and squeezed tightly. The woman who didn't expect him to be this brazen widened her eyes in horror as she tried to free herself from his grasp.

"I give you as much respect as you give me. That has always been the understanding we have between us," he said and Queen Rhea raised her head with no trace of fear in her eyes. She appeared unshaken but her body was tense and sweating bullets. She clenched her fist trying to fend off the urge to break her soft and holy mother persona.

Roan sneered coldly as he turned his gaze to the red-faced woman who was fighting to live. "You see. She doesn't care for you. She only cares about herself and her image," he said tightening his grip. The head maidservant's struggles weakened as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

Unable to bear it the queen with reddened eyes yelled, "Roan!... Let her go."

Roan smiled like a devil finding this very amusing. He pushed the woman away and she fell a few feet over. Without looking at the queen he said, "If she dares open her mouth in front of me again it will be in my every right to execute her on the spot and I am sure the commander-in-chief won't be too pleased about it," before walking away his strides as overbearing as before.

It was only after she left did the queen release a breath of air her body quivering but she managed to control it. The servants had rushed over to hold her up while the others helped the head maidservant to her feet.

"Your majesty," they called out but she pushed them away her mask completely ripped off leaving behind a villainous woman. With an ugly expression, she said, "Pick her up and call the physician," before walking out.

An hour later she had calmed down greatly but the aura surrounding her was still as dark and hostile as before. She gazed into the distance watching the flickering lights with a crystal glass in her hand.

Her thoughts were in disarray. She couldn't fathom why Roan was so hostile towards her when he didn't know the secret of his and Queen Nova's illness. If he knew the truth then it would make sense but he knew nothing. He didn't even know that this strange illness was man-made so why was there so much anger towards her?

She took on the role of mother when he recovered from his illness but every day she was met by that cold icy gaze as if she owed him something. It was unfortunate that the mother and son pair survived though in Queen Nova's case, she was as good as a corpse.

Everything hadn't gone to plan as promised by that mysterious shadow but she couldn't find her anymore to complain about it. She could only rely on herself to finish off that brat and finally put her predecessor out of her misery. Her son wouldn't have any more competition and she would rule Odasal through him.

A soft cough brought her out of her reverie and she turned to look at her maidservant who appeared extremely weak like she had suffered a great tribulation.

"Yo, your majesty," whispered the old woman as she struggled to get up but Queen Rhea rushed over and pressed her down gently.

"Ahh ahh shh lie down and rest. Roan was too heavy-handed," she said her eyes brimming with compassion.

The old woman stared at the queen with tender affection that was a bit more than a servant should show to their master. "*cough *cough... I can tell my brother to *cough finish him and ma *cough make it look like an accident," she said but Queen Rhea grabbed a cup of water and helped her drink while coaxing her.

"Now don't be impatient. If he dies Keres will burn everything to the ground. There won't be any kingdom left for Kian to rule. His marriage to Isabella is the only key and it would even be better if she has a child... Now rest because when the selection of the crown princess begins you will be very busy," she said before removing the rim of the cup from the woman's lips.