5| Queen's Order

A few hours earlier at the royal capital of Werleria...

The walls of the royal palace drew thicker along with the suffocating atmosphere within the imperial tearoom.

Seated on one side of the round dining table was the royal head of Werleria, Queen Rebecca Rochelle — with dull green eyes and hair of dark brown hue and braided underneath her crown, the Werlerian queen silently watched the woman seated opposite her.

Bearing long strands of blood-colored hair that shielded part of her face, a blindfold was worn over her eyes that matched the dark color of her military coat; the woman gingerly took a sip of her served refreshment.

Queen Rebecca then cleared her throat softly. "Lady Veronica?"

The blindfolded woman slowly raised her head, as if watching her perfectly without need of physical sight.

Veronica crooked a brow. "Is there a problem, Your Majesty?"

Queen Rebecca paused for a moment to look down at the sheet in her palms that seemed to weigh far more than a sack of gravel as her eyes reread the boldly inked words underneath the royal seal.

Rebecca gulped. "I... My apologies for how this may sound but, is the Queen of Thembelo serious??"

"And why wouldn't she? Has her edicts ever been wavered?"

"O- Of course not!" Rebecca chuckled nervously. "But an Edict of this sort... An arranged marriage for the prince of Werleria? And not just with anyone, but with the daughter of the late Duke Benedict?"

"Exactly", Veronica returned her cup to the saucer.

"But why her?? Duke Pearson already has a daughter of age. Lady Katerina—"

"Her Highness was very specific of her instruction. And as her Imperial Messager, I must convey nothing but the exact".

Rebecca grimaced, "But the girl in question has been proven to be cursed and the source of the calamities in the Elfedon region. Not to mention her already lack of nobility and sorcery! Imagine the slander! A taint to the royal lineage and blood!"

Veronica remained silent for a few moments before saying, "Your Majesty, do you remember how you became queen?"

Rebecca's brows quirked at her question, already already aware of the direction the conversation was taking.

Veronica proceeded, "Your husband, Late King Eric Rochelle, was selected specifically from within the civilians who served as knights in the Great War II, allowing him to sit the throne as king, despite the clear spite of the other Werlerian Nobles. Which was what made way for your marriage to him, crowning you Queen of Werleria".

Rebecca bit her lips.

"And who, if I may ask, made the decision to crown your late husband king?" Veronica cocked her head.

"H- Her Highness of Thembelo... Queen Athalia".

"Why is this so, Your Majesty?"

"Because Her Highness is none other than the Phoenix. So despite what other country she rules over, she is entitled to the imperial decisions of Werleria, the kingdom of Sorcerers".

"Perfect", Veronica clapped her hand lightly before pushing herself off her seat, "With that being said, I am sure you know what is to be done, yes?"

Rebecca's expression was far from in agreement with the order imposed on her.

Despite the blindfold over Veronica's eyes, Rebecca could feel her threatening gaze from above.

Veronica smiled, "The Phoenix's edicts are from divine revelations and interpretations. Far beyond the capacity of mere simpletons such as yourself!"

The Queen's lips remained sealed.

Veronica then straightened the sleeves of her coat before offering the Werlerian queen a subtle bow. "With this, Your Majesty, we hope to receive the royal invitations for the prince's marriage in three days to come. Have a good day". She turned away and strode out of the room without sparing a glance.

Queen Rebecca remained glued in her seat as her fist slowly clutched to crush the sheet of paper within her palm. Her jaws clinched with slitted eyes.

"Of all people..." She growled, "Queen Athalia just had to pick that... That thing!"

Her eyes glimmered in malice.

• • •

Later, at the Duke of Elfedon's mansion...

"This is BULLSHIT!" Katerina's voice thundered off the walls of her father's office.

"Language, Katerina!" Genevieve warned with a glare, before turning back to gaze at her husband, Lord George; who remained seated at his desk with a stern expression.

Standing alongside her daughter, Genevieve then stepped forward, "Now..." She pointed her finger at the royal parchment on the desk surface.

"What do we do about this abomination sent by the Queen?"

George's frustrated gaze remained locked on the sheet with his fingers intertwined under his chin.

"Answer me, George! How do we fix thi—"

"HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY FIX THIS!?" George's palms slapped hard on the table as he pushed himself off his seat.

His wife and daughter paused.

George then pinched the fold above his furrowed brows as he drew out a long sigh. "How do you expect me to fix this exactly? To go against the Queen?"

"But it doesn't make sense, Papa!" Katerina voiced out. "Why would Her Majesty pass such an absurd bill? A marriage proposal? And with all people, that ominous filth!"

"It is very obvious at this point that the queen is being ordered to".

Katerina's brows knitted, "Ordered?! By who?"

"Queen of Thembelo", Genevieve answered instead, having her expression fall deeper in the realization of the rigidity of the situation.

Katerina frowned. "What does the Queen of the Dragon kingdom have to do with the affairs of ours?! Even though she's the Phoenix, she shouldn't be allow—"

"The words of the Phoenix are absolute!" Genevieve spat with a clutched fist, grinding her teeth together in spite. "As long as the Phoenix... The most powerful and purest sorcery being, is acknowledged, they hold the full right to imply imperial orders to both the royal family and any Nobles of Werleria".

George dropped his head as he took in a deep breath, tapping his finger on the table in anxiety.

The Phoenix... He thought to himself. If the Phoenix has passed an edict to the royal family, it must be upheld without questioning.

But this? A marriage proposal. One he and his wife have always dreamt of for their beloved daughter, Katerina, was now handed on a silver platter to the adopted wrench of a girl, Sylteena.

Even he couldn't find it in himself to accept it so easily.

But then again, who could go against the Phoenix's order? After all, she was the one who handpicked the current royal family after the last royal blood was killed during the Great War II.

George sighed.

"It was supposed to be me, Papa!" Katerina's tone weakened with tears as her eyes dilated in sadness. She sniffled, "I'm your daughter! Your blood! Why will the Phoenix demand the first Prince of Werleria to marry that disgusting orphaned devil that lacks in both status and sorcery!! It is an insult to the crown! An insult to me!!!"

Her voice cracked as tears prickled down her cheek, "What will people say? I am a year older than her! Yet she gets to get married before me! And to a prince of all people! The humiliation!!"

Katerina slumped to her knees as her tears broke through, palming her face to cry bitterly. Her mother moved closer to comfort her.

"It's not fair, Mama", she sniffled. "It's not fair! It's NOT!"

Genevieve grimaced.

"It seems pretty fair to me, actually".

All heads turned in the direction of the door to spot the person who just stepped in. Kingsley.

Genevieve's brows knitted into a deep frown. "How can you be so insensitive in the times your sister needs your comfort the most?"

Kingsley strode forth passively with his hands hidden within the pockets of his pants.

Halting a few feet from his lamenting sibling and mother, he then looked up to his father.

"Papa... We should seize the opportunity and accept the marriage proposal for Sylteena immediately".

"Whose side are you even on?" Katerina sobbed with blurry eyes.

"What do you mean by opportunity, Kingsley?" Their father questioned.

Kingsley inhaled softly, "The Phoenix has ordered Sylteena to marry Prince Anthony, the first Prince. But leaving the second prince, Prince Wilhelm..."

George narrowed his eyes.

Kingsley continued, "It is already common knowledge that the first Prince, Prince Anthony is nothing but a ruthless man who lacks the basic sense of humility and compassion. It is no news that he has even broken up to eleven engagements, not to mention leaving the women traumatized and disoriented".

He piqued his family's attention.

"So now that the Phoenix has spoken, it is obligatory for the first Prince to have no choice but to actually marry this one. So we should be grateful that Sylteena was picked instead of Katerina. Imagine what would become of Katerina's delicate self if she was forced to marry that beast?"

Their brows raised in realization.

"And now with him out of the line of unmarried, we can push for Katerina's relationship with instead, the second prince—"

"And still secure her spot in the royal family!" Genevieve completed. Her eyes glittered with a ray of hope.

"But that still doesn't matter!!" Katerina stated, "I still lose the chance of becoming queen because—"

"Maybe it's because your own stupidity that made the Phoenix overlooked you, to begin with", Kingsley scowled.

Katerina's jaws dropped in hurt.

"Watch your tongue, Kingsley!" George warned.

"What I mean to say is... Katerina still has the chance to be the future queen because according to the Werlerian laws, an unmarried heir can not rule except if widowed in power. Therefore, if Sylteena doesn't survive the torturous marriage before Prince Anthony is crowned king, the throne will immediately be pushed to the second heir. Prince Wilhelm, who by then, will be Katerina's husband".

Their brows raised in realization.

Kingsley smiled, "This is clearly a blessing in disguise".

"But how sure are you that Sylteena will not gain the favor of the prince?" Genevieve asked.

"Yes! Exactly what I wanted to ask!" Katerina nodded, "What if she survives the marriage?"

"She won't", George commented. His lips curved into a grin, "We'll make sure of that..."