Chapter 5
She watched as the runes glowed green, and then a screen appeared, displaying her magic level- Beginner, in the Apprentice stage.
The sub-stages were broken down as follows: Levels 1-3(Beginner), 4-6(Intermediate), and 7-10(Advance). She was currently at level 2.
Elora barely reacted to her level. ''I have magic, and that's enough,'' she thought. She lay back, like a salted fish, with no ambition whatsoever to improve her magic.
After all, she was already a queen, reigning over the kingdom's most elite warriors. The third strongest kingdom in this continent.
She wasn't a hero out to save the world or an ambitious queen aiming for world domination. Besides, mage training was far too expensive.
She simply had to sit back and let her elite warriors fight for her while she did her queenly duties.
She comfortably thought about her smooth future and drifted off into sleep, not knowing what the future was cooking up for her.
****
On a beautiful morning, birds chirped beautiful songs, the light shone through the trees, and dewdrops slid off their leaves. Then, a piercing scream destroyed the morning beauty; the birds took off, startled by the sound.
''Mother! How dare she!'' a silvered-haired, blue-eyed young woman shouted, her veins bulging with anger. The older woman quickly cast a cloaking spell, ensuring no one would overhear.
''Why isn't she dead yet?!'' the older woman sitting there was grateful she had cast the cloaking spell; her daughter's words couldn't be heard.
''Child, your outburst is unbecoming of your status. You are destined for the throne. You cannot react to every insignificant thing.'' The silver-haired woman set her teacup down gracefully, turning with a look of disappointment at her childish behavior.
Aurora took deep breaths trying hard to suppress her anger. But thinking of the incomplete body of that maid made her scream out, at her cousin's audacity to send such a thing to her.
The other woman frowned, wondering why the poison applied to the crown hadn't killed Elora yet.
She was sure of the poison- taken from the heart of the golden snake, the most poisonous creature ever found in the mystical forest.
She knew the loss of her warriors to get that poison for it not to work. Her blue pupil darkened with fury. She needs the late queen's elite warriors-they're the best there is.
"You have advanced to the Adept level. Good very Good." The woman smiled seeing the orange aura surrounding her child. At least in this direction, she is not that useless. They had to get the throne before the others succeeded.
A smile finally spread across Aurora's face, her anger subsiding. "I'm better than that bitch. Just wait," She muttered, her eyes flashing coldly.
"Mother, remember to pay my teacher generously," Aurora said, her voice returning to its sweet, composed tone.
She knew she had to work harder and please her mother or she would be forgotten like her other siblings.
"Hmm...prepare well for the competition." Rose looked at her daughter with kind eyes, though her heart was calculating. 'If she can get an Archmage, that would be ideal. It would be an added strength to win the throne,'' she thought. Then her face changed when she remembered the alive queen.
"It's been a long since I have seen my niece. Let me see how much she has grown." She said those words like a caring elder, but she intended to remind Elora, who was in control, so she wouldn't have any thoughts she shouldn't have.
She unsealed the cloaking spell. Her aura color was a deeper green, showing she was at an advanced level In the apprentice stage. She left the room under Aurora's knowing smile.
The main castle where the reigning Queen resides was built on top of a cliff, with six other mini castles surrounding it on each separate cliff, a waterfall gushed out from each cliff, surrounded by patches of green fields and trees. And the kingdom dagger emblem flag shone under the morning sun.
The air was filled with traffic of huge flying creatures that had people riding their backs, on it some courtiers coming to see the queen, servants out to purchase things for their respective masters.
It was one of the means of transportation out of the castle. Fifty miles away were large cities, spread across the kingdom, each giving each other five or three days travel journey from each other.
Each city. had its respective town, each managed by a prestigious family, all answering to the Queen.
In the third castle, Rose called for her mount, climbing onto the back of the black-winged horse and flying towards the main castle. Twenty minutes later, she landed at the entrance.
The guards recognized her but still asked her to place her magic signature on the rune stone.
She followed along with the strict search before she was allowed in. She was glad at their cautious behavior, feeling the castle would belong to her soon.
She walked past the hallway, its walls glowing with lifelike images of the past queens.
The soft black rugs lay on the ground and gained from the battle of the first queen- fighting for two days before she fell the titanic three-headed wolfhound.
Fairy lights glowed on the light stand illuminating the castle brightly. Maids going about busy with their duties.
The butler sighted her and bowed in greeting, "Morning, your Highness."
"Albert, looking well as usual," Rose said in a jovial tone, but the smile didn't cross her eyes.
Albert maintained his polite smile, though inwardly he frowned, wondering what this shrewd woman wanted on such a beautiful morning. He only hoped Her Majesty wouldn't revert to her old ways after the visit.
"I'm here to visit my niece. Inform her of my presence," Rose said, striding to the waiting area as if she owned the place.
The smile on Albert's face didn't change, already used to her disrespect and commanding manner.
"Her Majesty is sleeping. You have to wait a while till she wakes." His tone was flat as he watched her call out the maid to serve her tea.
"I don't need to teach you what to do. Her Majesty wouldn't like to make her royal aunt wait for her." She said, her words filled with meaning. She wants the queen woken up.