Chapter 8

The wedding had already begun, the lively chatter and the excitement from the guests had brightened up the place. The top executive saw this as a good chance to begin his speech. The guests became silent in understanding as they saw James arrive at the front of the hall. After James had recited his speech, he planned on introducing the King and later on the Queen. 

...

The Queen and the King looked at each other, they were behind the curtain at the front of the wedding hall. James had organized a rather dramatic entrance for the two of them. After he would give his speech, he would then open the curtain and reveal the King and later on the Queen. The Queen thought this whole entrance was pretty pathetic and that the executive's idea was somewhat embarrassing even for the Queen herself. The King awkwardly stood there, he felt even more pressure when he realized the Queen had been staring at him this whole time. 

'Nervous?' The Queen said, she smiled even more when she saw the King's face go red. 

'Not at all, it's just...' AWKWARD! The King yelled inside. 

The Queen knew how uncomfortable the King must be, she was not stupid, she knew how overbearing she could be and in fact, she was doing it on purpose. They both stayed silent waiting for James to finish his speech and the awkward silence suddenly came to an end when James opened the curtain. However, instead of the King coming out, the Queen pulled back the King and walked out in his place. 

She found it stuffy and uncomfortable and wanted to come out sooner. Arisa hated all the rules and etiquette she had been forced to learn since a child. She knew in royal weddings like this, the women would always have to be saved for last. Never, should the women, even if they were a Queen, were to be presented first. 

The Queen found this notion ridiculous, so what if I came out first? It's not a big deal. The Queen thought to herself as she walked out from the curtain. 

...

James was used to the Queen's rebellious behavior. Seeing the Queen leave the curtain first surprised him surely but he thanked god that's all it was. However, despite being used to the Queen's ridiculous pranks, the others in the hall weren't. Even if the lady was a Queen, it's always been a custom at weddings for the husband to be presented first. James was aware of how people took traditions seriously and observed his guests. Sure enough, they were shocked. Most of the people invited were kings and princes from various kingdoms, quite respectable people who had witnessed this. Even if it wasn't a bad thing necessarily, it just felt wrong to the people who had lived long in this world with their never-ending traditions. James was struck for a moment but pulled himself together immediately. There was no way the Queen was ruining this for him. 

The executive pulled the other curtain, revealing the King also. He smiled and saw the look of shock quickly turn into confusion on the guests' faces. He held the Queen's hand in one of his and the King's in his other. Pulling their hands up, the rest of the guests collectively understood and got up with their drinks and cheered. Even if this was shocking, most of the Kingdoms were aware this 'wedding' wasn't going to be the least bit normal considering the Queen's reputation and so they had decided to ignore it. 

James shot a look towards the Queen and saw her cheeky smile. Her eyes were filled with thrill and mischief. This Queen truly had no fear. Once James let go of the King and Queen, they began their wedding rites. Normally, in tradition, the men would cut themselves and plaster their bloody hands on the faces of their women as a mark. It was a meaning that held such significance as it said the women belonged to the man. It was an awful tradition, the King himself hated it. Why should he have to cut his beloved hands? Preparing himself for the pain beforehand, he took a deep breath. Just then, he noticed the Queen smiling. She pulled out the blade meant for him and cut her hands instead. She continued to smile seeing the shock on the King and the executive faces. 

James was greatly angered, he had barely just calmed the guests down earlier for her unexpected entrance. This was just absolutely unordinary, for the women to act in the place of a man's. The guest was shocked and many muttered their disbelief under their breath. However, they all remained seated and carried on their roles as spectators. The Queen walked closer to the King, making Edward feel panic. However, he stood still. His pride got the best of him, there was no way he would embarrass himself in front of a crowd. 

The Queen put her hands on the King and everyone including the King was holding their breath. The blood trickled on his face and she looked at him, her smile growing bigger, quite an insane look. She felt pretty pleased with herself and then looked towards the guests. 

'Thanks to many who have come to celebrate this Queen's wedding.' She bowed and some of the rest of the guests responded in awkward cheers. 

...

The wedding had come to an end. The Queen was immediately sent to the royal doctors and they attended to her hands. The King had stayed with his three concubines and he bid his farewell to his mother. Although the King was a man, there was still a difference between both Kingdoms and therefore he was going to be permanently living with the Queen. One of his concubines had been chattering non-stop. The King noticed his other two had remained silent the entire time except for this one. Eventually, one had enough and yelled at the concubine. 

'Kira, how long are you going to gossip? Especially in front of the King?' 

Kira turned in shock, she hadn't realized the King was listening. She looked at the King and apologized.

'Sorry, I wasn't aware you were here.'

The King looked at the innocent look his concubine was displaying. Her honest true nature was what attracted the King. She was also extremely pretty. The King liked how nervous the concubine looked when being questioned by him. This is how a woman should act in front of a man! He thought to himself. Being able to talk in the same manner as a man was a luxury in itself, however, the Queen was beyond disrespectful, she even had the nerve to make the King fearful. Where did she hold this much confidence? The King was lost in thought and all three concubines noticed.

Just as one was about to ask, a servant had appeared.

'Your Majesty, the Queen is calling for you.' The servant bowed her head in respect. 

The King's heart darkened at the mention of the Queen. The King had started to make his way but the servant remained still. The King noticed this and turned to the servant.

'What's the matter? Speak at once, I do not have the time for this.'

The servant bowed down to the floor at once, she hadn't realized she upset the King by being forgetful. 'Your Majesty forgive this lowly servant... the Queen also wants you to bring along your concubines.' 

The King had remembered earlier when the Queen questioned him about his concubines. The King felt annoyed, where did this random attention for his concubines come from? 

He walked over to the servant and stopped to where she bowed. He rested his feet and pushed harder on the servant's back. Even if this servant didn't belong to his Kingdom, what could a lowly servant do to a King?

'Why didn't you say that earlier?' the King pushed his leg into the servant's back harder. 

He moved his leg to look at the servant's face. Her red face was filled with tears. She sobbed but continued to bow. 

'S-Sorry, Your Majesty, this lowly servant deserves to be executed at once!'

The King huffed in arrogance. 'At least you are aware.' Oh, how he despised weak people, especially beggars and servants. 

The rest of the concubines had held their heads down in fear. They were aware of the King's temper and did not want to get involved. One of the concubines was about to intervene, but was pulled back by the others.

'Kira, there is nothing you can do for this servant. If you say something you will make matters worse.' One of the other concubines whispered. 

'Get up.' The King said coldly. The servant got up and brushed away her tears.

'Your Majesty, let this lowly servant show you to the Queen.' 

The King and the concubines followed the servant to the Queen's room. Once they had arrived, another servant at the door had opened it. The King walked in with his concubines and they stopped to look at the Queen. What the Queen was wearing... the rest of the concubines including the King looked away. 

'Sorry, I forgot to get change.' The Queen was wearing her undergarments; a thin dress that highlighted her delicate figure evidently, to be wearing this casually in front of the King was despicable! The King thought to himself, even if he was married to the Queen... it just felt wrong!

The King and the three concubines seated themselves opposite the Queen and bowed their head in respect. The King then spoke.

'Is there a reason you have called us.' 

The Queen didn't respond and the King had noticed. He looked over at the Queen and noticed her eyes were on something else. 

'Yara, what's wrong?'

Yara? The King wondered to himself. Who is this person the Queen is referring to? The King turned himself around and realized who the Queen had set her eyes on. It was the servant he had bullied earlier. To be calling her servants by their names had to be a joke but to be filled with so much concern for a mere servant was something else! The King had thought this queen was the strangest woman he had ever met. 

'Your Highness, nothing is the matter.'

Everyone's eyes were on the Queen. One of the concubines, Kira, observed the Queen's facial expression. Kira was well aware of how unruly this Queen was but to see her like this. Her soft gentle eyes, her lips slightly opened... was it possible the Queen cared for this servant as much as to completely ignore her guests. 

'Yara come here.'

'Your Highness, please don't do this, we have guests.'

'I don't care!' The Queen stood up immediately, and the King and his concubines widened their eyes in shock. 

The Queen walked over to her servant and noticed her precious servant's eyes were filled with tears. She held her servant's face gently and looked at her with a different expression than the servant herself had ever seen. Yara knew the Queen cared for herself and the rest of the servants deeply, but to be this worried over her crying, Yara truly felt ashamed. She had tried to keep in her tears but the King had frightened her and the pain from his shoes daggering into her fragile back was extremely painful. 

Kira looked at the Queen with a confused expression. This was the awful terrible Queen everyone had spoken about? Kira had known of the Queen's abnormal pranks and was shocked overall at how the Queen was able to commit such unruly acts. Two years ago when the Queen brought in prostitutes to the banquet, Kira was curious of the Queen even more and couldn't stop herself from thinking about her. Kira already had an image of the Queen and she imagined what the Queen was like in person. Someone who had ruined her own Kingdom repeatedly was clearly a crazy person. So why was it that this evil person she had imagined in her head was completely different? 

This insane Queen who had malicious intentions was so caring and gentle with her servants. The concubine felt her heart warm up seeing this pure interaction between the Queen and her servant. Never in her life, had she seen such love and warmth from her King to any of the servants that served Regin's Kingdom. 

The King was shocked to see how the Queen acted. However, he wasn't afraid. Even if the Queen was to find out the King had harmed the servant, there was nothing she could do. After all, the girl was just a servant and he was a King. 

The Queen suddenly looked at the King and spoke. 'Could you guys leave.' 

The King stood up in shock, even he couldn't remain calm. His concubines all stood up, following the King's action. 'You're telling your husband to leave?' The King spoke, his eyebrows raised. 

The Queen returned his response with her cold dark gaze. She looked back at her servant and asked again.

'Yara, is there a reason for your tears?' The Queen had never seen Yara like this before, it genuinely upset the Queen. The servant shook her head and spoke, 'Your Highness mustn't do this for a mere servant-

'Nonsense.' The Queen interrupted. 

Yara had been avoiding the Queen's eyes this whole time but once she said that she looked directly at the Queen. Her red eyes were filled to the brim with tears. 'Your Highness, if you truly care about me you will attend to the King... your husband and his concubines and forget this ever happened.' 

The Queen stepped closer to the servant, her hand gently touching her face, 'How could I ever?' 

The King had just about enough and decided to interrupt.

'My dear wife, if you are so concerned about what happened to this servant, I guess I'll tell you what happened.' 

Yara's eyes widened, if the Queen were to find out the King had bullied her, she was afraid the King would not be able to come out of this alive. 

'Your servant made a mistake and I simply put her in her place with a little punishment.' Once the King spoke, he prepared himself for the Queen's rage. Instead, she was quiet. Silence filled the room for a while, this had scared the King much more. No one dared move in the Queen's presence as they were completely frightened by how the Queen might react. Especially, seeing how deeply the Queen cared for her servants. 

'Get out.' 

The King smirked and decided to leave yet he felt his arm being held hard. He turned to the Queen with a confused expression. The Queen then looked at the three concubines alongside and moved her head towards the door. 

'Don't make me repeat myself.' The concubines collectively understood and left at once. Yara also left shutting the doors behind her. The Queen walked over to the doors and locked them. The King stood there as he saw the Queen turning around, looking at him, her eyes filled with rage. 

The King couldn't help but feel terrified.