Chapter 7 Queen Zoiraiba and the Power of Darkness Part 1

Planet Nee 60 years ago.

ZOIRAIBA'S POV

This was the day when I first saw King Vamuz X during his inauguration as the new king of Andromeda. King Vamuz IX was already old and ill, so the throne was passed on to him.

At first glance, I fell in love with King Vamuz X. I was grateful to myself for seemingly preparing for this day and making myself look beautiful. I squeezed my way through the crowd to get to the front and see my prince charming up close.

And when the crown was bestowed upon him, I was the first to shout:

"Long Live the King!"

And everyone joined in: "Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!"

No one noticed me except for the former King Vamuz IX. Afterward, the former king stood up and addressed the people. He said many things, some of which were expressions of gratitude for the guests.

I felt disheartened and weakened, almost losing hope, as I listened to the subsequent words of King Vamuz IX:

"Of course, my son cannot remain partnerless. You all know what I mean, beloved Andromedans."

The crowd cheered and swooned, but I was annoyed and frustrated. King Vamuz IX looked at me as if intentionally teasing me.

It is only fitting that a king marries a true-blooded royalty individual and not just someone loitering on the street corner, right, Andromedans? And of course, his future queen should be beautiful and intelligent," King Vamuz IX continued while looking at me disdainfully.

The crowd erupted in cheers once again, deafening me. Their joy felt like a physical ache to me. Their shouts were painful to my ears, and I felt like I was drowning but I don't know why I feel this way.

"Are you all that eager?" King Vamuz IX asked.

Every word he uttered was a stab to my heart. Each sentence he spoke was met with cheers from the crowd. Their shouts and screams felt like poison to my soul. It's sickening. I feel like being engulf by the world and I cannot move but I have to run away. I don't want to be involved in this joyous celebration anymore. I am in sorrow and I can't do this.

Do you want to see who will be the partner and queen of your new king?" King Vamuz IX asked again.

The pain I felt was overwhelming, and I felt like I was about to explode. I wanted to curse them all, for my suffering to end. I couldn't bear to hear the noise anymore. I didn't want to see the face of the future queen, so I pushed my way through the crowd. I ran away from the place where their voices were no longer audible. I kept running until I had no strength left to walk, and I collapsed.

I was the first time I saw my prince charming personally but also my first wound, first pain, first defeat. So I cried and shouted in the wilderness.

"Waaaa!"

"Haaaa!"

"Wrrrrrhh!"

screamed and screamed until I was hoarse, crying uncontrollably in those moments. Covered in dust, I slapped my cheeks. Then, I remembered that I had a dagger given to me by my father. I felt around for it, forgetting whether I had placed it on my left or right hip. I searched, but the dagger wasn't there. It was actually tucked behind me.

I looked at the five inches blade and then buried it in my heart. I felt that pain and I vomitted blood and my sight becomes blurry till it gets darker. Blood keeps pouring from my heart as I felt it's warmth on my body and dyeing the ground purple. I laid unconscious not knowing someone was watching all my actions.

I was so afraid when wake up with a creature standing guard over me, dressed in black, its face indiscernible except for its burning red eyes. It felt like Death itself, and perhaps I was already dead.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Call me Master, and I will assist you with anything you desire,"the man replied. His voice seemed to come from beneath the ground, an otherworldly tone.

"Really?" In my mind, I was convinced that I was already dead at that moment.

Master simply nodded.

"Okay, Master, I want a delicious bowl of rice porridge," I said, my hunger becoming was unbearable.

"Are you getting too comfortable? I'm not your servant!" the man's voice was irritated.

"But you said you'd help me with anything I wanted," I retorted.

"Well, I want rice porridge."

"Fine," Master replied. He raised his palm, which I couldn't see because his long sleeves covered it. Suddenly, a steaming bowl of rice porridge appeared over his hand.

Wow! Is that true?" I immediately took the bowl of rice porridge from Master's palm.

"It's true!" I began eating.

"I'm still alive, I didn't die," I added. Now that I can still eat food I'm really convinced that I didn't die and this master has save me.

"Do you want more?" Master asked. "Perhaps you'd like some meat, fish, eggs, worms, vegetables, fruits, crustaceans, shells, colored water, or anything else you desire?"

Before I could even respond, everything he mentioned appeared on the table. With each food item he mentioned, it materialized in his hand. Impressive. That's the moment when I truly admired Master.

Master, what did you do to me? How did you heal my wound?" I asked while chewing on the meat.

"Wait, is this meat? and from what animal?" I inquired.

"I permanently altered your appearance, even fixing your hair, and I also replaced your heart with a more powerful one," Master replied.

"Huh! Is that even possible?" I asked in surprise.

"As for the meat, it might be a trendy choice," he added. He fell silent as I continued eating.

"Truthfully, I simply healed your heart wound, closing it up like a zipper," Master said seriously. "By the way, why did you try to take your own life?"

I wish I were dead, then you wouldn't bother me," she said sadly.

"Everything happens for a reason. Take this leaf, for example. Why did it end up here?"

I watched as Master tapped the leaf being carried by the wind. It was colored red and very similar to a maple leaf 🍁

"What does that leaf have to do with me?" I replied while still eating.

"This leaf is me, not you," he said.

I fell silent, pondering who I was if he was the leaf.

"Someday, you'll understand," Master said.

Master, do you know how many days I was in a coma?" Master asked after I finished eating.

"I don't know," I replied.

"More than a year," he said.

"That long?" I was surprised, so I stood up immediately and wanted to go to town to catch up on news about Vamuz X. I quickly left, and Master asked where I was going, but I didn't have time to answer.

I hurriedly left and ran towards the town.

After half an hour, I finally reached the town. I was out of breath and leaned against a barrel for support.

"You know, there's someone who orders a bowl of rice porridge on the store but it was serve, the bowl of porridge was gone." said an old man.

"We've also lost the fish and meat orders." Told the of an old woman.

"Even the water was gone" complained the Youngman.

"What's going on with us, Who might have done it?" asked a middle agedman with a mustache.

I remember Master, this is how he was able to give me foods using teleport technique. It's amazing because he can teleport anything he wants as far as the city.

So master robbed foods to feed me. It was cool and I have ate much of it because I felt so hungry.

I continued to travel by foot until I reached the palace main entrance gate.

I apologize, Captain. I was just carried away," the soldier respectfully replied.

"Alright, take her to the palace," the captain ordered.

"Understood, Captain,"

He helped me into a small shuttle, and we flew towards the palace. The shuttle had only one seat in front for the pilot and two seats in the back for passengers. It could accommodate up to three people. This was the common mode of transportation on Planet Nee. In the sky, you'd often see these flying vehicles.

The speed of the shuttle was incredible, and within a minute, we arrived at King Vamuz X's palace.

I couldn't contain my mixed feelings of joy and nervousness as we reached the palace of my prince charming. I didn't even know why I was here or what was happening. Why did the soldiers bring me to the gate? I was trembling with anticipation, and Corporal Vienne noticed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing my nervousness.

Don't worry, miss. I assure you that you will be chosen by King Vamuz X.

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.

"Have you forgotten? Today, the king will select six out of twelve servants to personally attend to him. The queen prefers that the king's servants not also serve her, as they might become too tired from serving both the king and the queen."

The corporal's explanation boiled down to two words in my mind: servant and queen.

The queen—the one chosen by my prince charming. His true love.

Servant— Being a servant was my only reason for being here. To serve, so that every day I could see the queen and king happy, loving each other, while I suffered. This is not reward but this is a punishment.

Servant? I asked.

"Why? Did you come here for a different reason? The corporal also seemed curious.

"N-no," I replied.

"Don't worry. There's a high chance that you'll become the king's concubine. With your beauty, he's sure to like you," Corporal Vienne said seriously.

I guess that's better, and I hope what the corporal said comes true.

As we reached the palace hall, I felt a mix of nervousness and slight embarrassment. I saw many people there – all the Elders of Andromeda, generals from Planet Nee, and generals from other planets within Andromeda. In front of the king's throne stood eight young women. I knew they were the candidates for the position of the king's personal attendants. We continued walking down the escort's hallway. I heard the crowd's admiration and the whispers of the eight women in front. The throne was vacant. To the right sat an elderly man, probably the prime minister, and to the left was a woman. She wore a beautiful crown adorned with precious stones, and the Andromeda star symbol – two curving rays of light connecting one after the other, was prominently displayed. Four women served her: two fanned her, and the other two sat on the floor near her feet. One held a bowl of fruit, and the other had a plate of food. Occasionally, the queen would pick a fruit from the bowl and chew it.

"Look at her. She's even more beautiful than the queen."

I heard a young man's voice from the audience, pointing at me. Then he was told to keep quiet by the others.

I don't know how I look right now, so I can't compare myself to the queen. I really want to see myself in front of a mirror.

We reached the throne, where the eight women stood.

"The King has arrived!" shouted the guard at the door. Everyone stood up.

I was extremely nervous and excited to see my prince charming up close. I didn't even know why I was here or what was happening.

When the king entered the hall, my heart leaped with joy. I bowed as a sign of respect.

In just a few moments, a hand gently touched my face and lifted it. How could that be? Did he teleport? I just saw him entered the hall but I knew who was responsible for this. And when I saw my prince charming up close, my joy nearly overwhelmed me.

"Miss, may I know your name?" the king asked.

"Ah, ah, eh, eh…" I stammered, my tongue tripping over itself.

"Its okay" he reassured me. "What is your name?"

"Ah, ah, o-okay," I managed to say, still stumbling.

I wanted to hear him speak more, to listen to his beautiful and resonant voice. To me, his voice was like a love song that I could listen to endlessly as my favorite.

He continued to gaze at me, waiting for my answer.

"Z-zu-zoi-rai-da," I finally said, my voice still faltering. "Zoiraida, my beloved king."

"Soldiers bring him to his room" ordered the king that shocked all the audience.

"Dear king, the selection has not officially begun."

The minister spoke.

"It's okay," he suggested.

"But dear king, there are still three participants and they are not here yet" the minister continued.

"From today on, no one else will deliver me food, bathe me, dress me and no one else can give orders to Zoiraiba and only me and me alone." He said as he pointed to me as I approached the door out of the hall.