Chapter 11 : Forbidden Land

Unaware of the events that are happening back in his kingdom, Atlas and his knights are currently in the royal ship they borrowed from the Lockser Kingdom.

The reason they borrowed a ship from the Lockser Kingdom instead of using their own is that the boats made from the Lockser Kingdom have been constantly being rebuilt and upgraded. It is done this way, for their ships to suit the harsh water beyond the boundary of the coral reefs. The water beyond that point is already harsh due to the influence of the Forbidden land.

The Lockser Kingdom has constantly been trying to find a way to sail past the harsh water, to be able to get closer to the Forbidden Land. With their constant experimenting on ships, they have managed to build a ship strong enough to sail smoothly across the harsh water. They build it using a very unique tree that only grows on their territory.

"Your majesty, are you sure about this? Even though the Lockers have managed to sail near the Forbidden land, they didn't manage to even land on its shore because of the suffocating energy surrounding the place."- Luther, the vice-captain of the royal guards, said.

Luther is the son of the General of the royal army. He has light brown hair and grey eyes. With a lean body, tall height, and handsome face, he is one of the most popular bachelors in the kingdom.

Atlas stares at the thick fog in front of them, thanks to the unique lanterns the Lockers have given them, they can see past the thick fog.

"The only one who can get past that energy is a person who has high mana in their body. That is precisely why I'm here. I can easily pass that energy barrier."- Atlas explained to him.

"Then.. are you going alone there, your majesty?"- Luther asks in concern. It is still his job to protect him, even though he hasn't accepted him as Shaelyn's husband.

"Yes, I'm putting you in charge here while I'm on the island. I'll make sure to return as quickly as I can."- Atlas replied, for some reason he has been feeling weird ever since earlier. He can only hope nothing has happened to both Shaelyn or his little sister.

==

Thanks to the information the Queen of Lockser Kingdom has given them, they finally have a way of defeating the soldiers of the Baroom Kingdom.

Shaelyn has given an order to send the army to the border and mage knights to the Laxis' territory, along with some resources and weapons.

The assassins in the main palace have been taken care of and the mages have been gathered in the main hallway. With Jasper's help, they secure and lock away the four mages that have helped the assassins. Shaelyn personally made some changes to the main palace's barrier. She also has put an extra guard to secure the Princess's safety.

General Simon has been sent to lead the Royal Army in suppressing the enemies.

"Shae— I mean, your majesty. Are you alright?"- Clara asks Shaelyn in concern.

The two of them are the only ones inside Atlas's office. Shaelyn's office is currently being clean by the maids because of the assassin's blood that has stained her carpeted floor.

"I'm alright, and just call me by my name when it's just the two of us."-Shaelyn replied while plopping down the sofa in the room.

"Well.. ahem! Shaelyn you should not plop down like that! What would happen if someone else saw you? Do you want to hear Norie reprimanding you for hours again?! What about your dress! Look it's already wrinkled! Do you know how long it took me to choose that dress!—"- Clara began talking non-stop while walking back and forth around the room.

Clara is the one in charge of managing her articles of clothing, pieces of jewelry, and her other belongings. Norie is the one that keeps the conduct and duties of all the servants under control and punishes them. She is also in charge of helping to manage the Queen's palace. Hana is the one in charge of the meals and medications of the Queen if ever she fell ill.

Hana is the daughter of Count Bellwood. She has dark brown hair turn into a bun, dark brown eyes, and freckles on her face. She is about the same age as Shaelyn.

Lastly, the one in charge of social matters, like serving guests, managing gatherings and invitations is Jaya. Jaya is the second daughter of Duke Fraitchell, who, unlike her father, is very fond of Shaelyn. Her father protested on her becoming a lady in waiting, but she forces her way out of their house and becomes the Queen's lady in waiting. She has a lighter shade of brown hair which she always wore into a braid, light green eyes that always shine with sincerity.

Shaelyn rolls her eyes at her and fixes her sitting position, before taking a sip of the chamomile tea that one of the maids prepared for her along with some sweets.

"Clara.. just sit down here and eat some sweets with me."- Shaelyn said with a sigh. The tea helps her to calm down after the stressful preparations for war.

With the reports that have arrived just in time after talking to her mother, they have found out that there are not only a thousand soldiers waiting at the borders but there is also a whole army of soldiers marching away from the Baroom Kingdom on the way to the Caswell Kingdom.

Thankfully, her mother will send reinforces to help them win.

"Is this okay? I mean, for me to eat these sweets?"- Clara asks despite already grabbing sweet.

"Seriously? Eat whatever you want, we are the only ones here. Besides, I'm the Queen, no one will stop me from allowing you to eat."- she replied as she also grabs a sweet from the tray.

This is the only thing she fully enjoys as a Queen, the fact that she can eat whatever she wants without anyone stopping her.

"Yeah, you're right."- Clara answers before grabbing another plate of sweets.

Shaelyn watched Clara as she eats a mouthful of sweets before sipping her tea.

"I hope things will stay like this, with you by my side Clara."- Shaelyn spoke softly while looking warmly at Clara.

Clara glances at Shaelyn before smiling at her.

"Of course! Where else am I supposed to go? Besides, what will you do without the beautiful me by your side?"- Clara burst into giggles after saying those words.

Shaelyn also laughs at her childishness as she took another sip of her tea.

'Yeah, what will I do without you by my side?'- Shaelyn thought to herself.

—

"Yeah what will you do without her? Dear Shaelyn?"- a feminine voice giggles as she watches the two from her crystal ball.

Her golden locks bounce at her every move, her see-through wings fluttering softly from behind her. While her silver eyes shine with mischief, her pointy ears twitch slightly as her gaze flick towards another crystal ball. A figure of a man slowly landing on the shore is being shown on the crystal ball.

"Fufu~. How interesting! I knew their story is going to be different than the ones I've meddled with! It is worth staying behind here in the human world, just to play with them. "- the fairy giggles while watching Atlas signaling the ship.

"How should I play with you? Dear future Emperor~. I know! How about trapping you here until the empire has been established? Ooh~ that's a good idea! I'm going to turn Shaelyn into a cold-hearted War Queen!"- the fairy wiggles excitedly on the throne chair she is sitting in.

She is currently at the throne room of the Fairy Castle located in the center of the Forbidden land. Fairies are small creatures with wings, but they can also transform into their human form with their features still the same.

She is the only fairy left in the Forbidden land, the rest of the fairies have already fled back to their world. The reason for this is because the Forbidden land's magic energy became toxic almost killing all the magical creatures... except the last fairy and other dangerous creatures that were left behind.

The Forbidden land was once a paradise-like land that was full of life, flowers, trees, and different herbal plants are growing everywhere. Magic energy can be found anywhere on the land, giving a healthy life to all creatures and plants living in it. However, things have changed one day.

The fairy has learned to survive the toxic energy along with the other creatures. In exchange, they became twisted and dangerous losing their sanity. The fairy, on the other hand, learned to gain back a bit of her sanity by using the human's wishes.

"Come my dear beast~. I have found a toy for you~."- the fairy, summon a mythical beast about ten meters tall and six meters wide. Its head reached the ceiling of the castle which is a few centimeters tall than the beast. It's still a young beast with fangs as sharp as a sword's blade. The mythical beast can age until a thousand years old.

It can produce poisonous saliva that can melt any metal. It has a combination of white and black fur, standing on four legs, and have almost the same features as a saber tooth tiger.

The beast's sharp eyes eyed her with excitement, as its long strong tail wagging left and right.

The fairy pat the beast's head before grinning.

"Just make sure not to eat this toy okay? I still need him alive, keep him busy until I ask you to bring him to me. You can go and greet him now."- the fairy let the beast run out of the throne room's door, making a huge hole in every wall of the castle he went through.

"Oh my~ what a naughty beast! Getting too excited and breaking parts of my castle! But.. I can easily fix it anyway."- and with just a flick of her hand, the huge holes the beast created immediately got fixed.

"I wonder~. What will happen if I help the Baroom Kingdom a little bit. Since I don't want things to end quickly... Aha! the King and Queen of Lockser Kingdom! It seems I have to remove you two to prevent you from helping my dear Shaelyn. I'm sorry but you will have to be separated from your parents once again dear Shaelyn~."- the fairy giggles maniacally as she watches the scene in the crystal ball changes to the image of the King and Queen of the Lockser Kingdom, talking to one another inside the King's drawing-room.

==

That night, a messenger bird flew straight inside Shaelyn's room making her eyes widen in surprise.

She went near the bird and open the paper that was a tie on its claw.

Her whole body started shaking, her fingers barely holding the letter, her eyes blurry with tears as her knees collapse on the red-carpeted floor.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"- her scream echoes into the quiet hallway as all the guards and maids worriedly enter the Queen's chamber.

"Your majesty!!! What happened?!"- they all ask in surprise, especially when they saw their Queen kneeling on the floor with tears streaming down her cheek while also holding a paper tightly close to her chest.

Norie and Clara are the ones who run to her side, trying to calm her down.

"Your majesty!—" " Shaelyn!—"- they both said at the same time, while the knights are securing the whole room trying to see if there are unknown assassins that have managed to enter.

Shaelyn shakily looks up and stares at the space between the two before more tears start falling from her eyes soaking her nightgown.

"... t-they— w-why? I-I don't know w-what to d-do..."- she stutters as she hiccup through her tears.

Clara hug her tightly trying to comfort her dear friend when she noticed the paper she is holding. She slowly removed it from Shaelyn's grip before giving it to Norie.

Norie began reading the letter out loud.

"To your majesty, I don't know how to inform this to you but... our dear King and Queen. Your father, his majesty King Lewis and her majesty, Queen Stella have.... perished."- Norie covers her mouth in shock the moment she read the note.

Everyone who has heard what the letter contains also either covers their mouth with tears in their eyes or hangs their head low.

"H-how c-can that be?! They were alive and well just earlier today! Shaelyn —no her majesty chatted with them this afternoon! "- Clara protested, she can't believe what the letter said. Especially since Shaelyn just told her that she talked with them earlier that day.

"... based on how many ink spots all over the paper, this is written by someone with shaky hands. And—"- Norie pause, staring at the emblem of the Lockser Kingdom at the bird's little bag and the emblem at the paper.

"And what?!"- Clara asks, she is still hugging and patting Shaelyn's back while Shaelyn continues to cry loudly that everyone in the room felt like their hearts are breaking. They knew how their Queen only met her parents recently and to be parted again is incredibly painful.

"There are wet spots stained the paper, it was written while the person is... crying. Nevertheless, we need to confirm if this is true. Jaya, take two knights with you and summon the head mage. Before that, I want everyone here to zip their mouth shut about everything they witnessed or heard in this room. Am I making myself clear?"- Norie announces with authority on her voice as she eye every single one in the room.

They all nod their head and fix their selves. Seeing their Queen in a pitiful position, they made a promise to protect her.

==

"Clara, help me bring her majesty to her bed. And someone, bring me a towel and water basin. Also, bring me a new nightgown for her majesty to wear."- Norie orders the maids on standby as Clara helps her to bring Shaelyn to her bed.

"Hana bring her majesty something to drink to calm her down. And sir knights, please make sure no one else enters the Queen's palace for now. Except if there is an emergency regarding the Princess or the situation at the border."-

"Yes my lady."- the knights began to position themselves as they leave the room.

"What should we do now, Norie?"- Clara weakly asks while caressing Shaelyn's hair.

Norie took a deep breath while looking around the room. Since the Queen is not in her right mind, she along with Jasper has to take in-charge of everything until Shaelyn calms down.

"I... I have to talk to Jasper first, I will take care of everything until her majesty calms down. Clara, just stays by her side until then, you are the only one who can calm her."- Norie said as calmly as she can muster, hiding her shaky fingers behind her back.

===

After the head mage manages to contact the Lockser Kingdom through the crystal ball, Duke Gabriel Alben, the Queen's younger brother, and Shaelyn's uncle confirm the truth with them.

"We don't know what exactly happened but.. the maids have found them holding each other's hands in the King's drawing-room. They are sitting on the sofa, with their eyes close. They thought they were just sleeping but when I enter the room and tried to call to them ... t-they—"- the Duke cut off what he is saying as he bit his quivering lips. The image of their cold bodies is still fresh from his mind.

Shaelyn tightens her grip on her pillow as she tried to listen to her uncle.

"We also found a strange dust near them.. golden dust to be precise. We are still investigating—".

"Golden dust?!"- Shaelyn cuts off what the Duke is saying the moment she heard the word 'golden dust'.

"Your majesty?"- Norie asks in concern, they are still inside the Queen's chamber. Only the head mage, Norie, Clara, Jaya, and Hana are the ones inside the room.

"Do you know something about it? "- her uncle asks with hope in his eyes.

A blurry memory flashes in Shaelyn's mind but it fades away quickly. She shakes her head in disappointment before quietly saying 'no'.

"I.. see. Then I should contact you again once we found something. We will continue in aiding your kingdom against the Baroom's soldiers. And your majesty... Shaelyn, please take care of yourself."- and with that, the call between the two kingdoms ended.

=====

Two days passed by, and the Queen, Shaelyn, continue to stare blankly at her window.

"Your majesty... you need to eat. "- Hana said while holding the breakfast tray.

Everyone is getting worried when Shaelyn barely eats her food.

A hand pat Hana's shoulder slightly, she turns around to see Clara shaking her head slightly.

Hana gently placed the tray above the small table, she curtsy and leave the room.

"Your majesty... Shaelyn, you need to eat. You are making everyone here worried about you. Come on, look at me—"- Clara gently sat down on Shaelyn's bed, moving closer to her.

Shaelyn turns to look at Clara, her bloodshot eyes are looking more tired than before. Her lips and the inside of her mouth are dry, making her throat slightly hurt as she tries to speak.

"... w-what am I s-supposed to do?"- she forces herself to speak those words, despite the protest of her throat. Shaelyn felt so lost after everything that is happening. She thought everything will be fine once she met her parents but...

She bit her dry lips making them bleed.

Clara almost cry at the sight of her best friend, looking so miserable and lost. But she took a deep breath, and force herself to be jolly. She has to stay positive for Shaelyn's sake.

"Shae... you are hurting your poor lips. Look they are bleeding! How am I supposed to put lipstick on your lips, if you are hurting them? Come on, stretch that cheeks of yours and smile! "- Clara gently touches Shaelyn's cheeks and stretches them into a smile.

"Claraaaaa! Shtooop iiiittt!"- Shaelyn protested, she's too weak to even lift her arms to push Clara away.

"I won't stop if you don't promise me that you will pull yourself together. Even if... you feel all alone now, there will come a time that you will realize, that there are people who genuinely care about you. So stop moping around and pull yourself together! Look at you! You look pathetic!— don't give me that look! You do look pathetic you know!"- Clara said, earning a glare from Shaelyn.

Shaelyn lifts her arms weakly and pushes Clara's hand away from her swollen cheek.

She sighs, before taking a deep breath, and another and another, until she's fully satisfied. She stares at Clara's bright eyes before proceeding to hug her.

"!"- Clara's eyes widen in surprise, she didn't expect Shaelyn to initiate a physical affection first. She knows Shaelyn is not one for physical affection, especially hugs. Although she witnesses her hugging Atlas first, that night. Clara knows that Shaelyn has feelings for him, and they grew closer during their one-month vacation in the countryside.

Clara returns her hug and holds her tightly, a genuine smile forms on her lips.

"Wow! You are sick, aren't you? This is the first time you try to hug me first! — hey ouch! Don't pinch my side! You meanie!"- Clara exclaims when Shaelyn pinch her side after making that remark.

Shaelyn's eyebrows twitch slightly in annoyance by Clara's remark.

"Don't ruin the mood, you idiot!"- she exclaims still hugging Clara.

"Pfft! Hahahaha!! Alright! That's the Shaelyn that I know!"- Clara exclaims still laughing out loud.

Shaelyn licks the blood on her lips as she tries not to smile. Clara sensing this starts moving her hands from Shaelyn's back to her side and starts tickling her.

"W-wait! Pfft!— what are you — pfft! — doing?!— hahaha!!! Stoooppp!!! Hahaha!!"- Shaelyn burst out laughing when Clara starts tickling her uncontrollably.

She hates how ticklish she can be once someone tickles her side.

"This is your punishment! Now keep on laughing! Mwuhahaha !!"- Clara said while laughing weirdly, Shaelyn then proceed to overpower Clara and starts tickling her back.

"Wait— we can talk about this !! Kyaaa !!— pfft! Hahahahaha!!!"-.

"Who's being punished now?"-.

The two proceed to keep on tickling one another while wriggling out of each other's grasp.

Pillows have fallen down the carpeted floor while the bed is a mess.

Laughter echoes in the Queen's chamber that the maids on standby and even Hana and Jaya, slightly open the door to peek inside.

What they witnessed completely surprised them. The once neatly fixed bed became messy, pillows are everywhere since the two starts pillow fighting. Their Queen and Clara both laying on the bed while laughing happily.

A smile forms on everyone's lips as they gently close the door back. They are happy to see their Queen finally got back her smile.

===