The Royal Revenge
Chapter 185: The Queen’s Decree

Chapter 185: The Queen’s Decree

Murmurs and whispers rose inside the vampire High Courts. Even Elysianne’s ladies in waiting were at the tip of their toes, craning their necks as they tried to deduce the next words the young queen was about to speak.

"Where is she going with this?"

"She isn’t thinking of abolishing the slavery system, right?"

"That shouldn’t even be an option!"

"What will the vampire kingdom be if we don’t dominate over the humans?"

The vampires of the palace High Court kept their eyes fixed on the human queen they were against in the first place. Several of the nobles were already anticipating what she was about to announce, but what made them angry was the fact that Aleksander seemed to be on it.

"Did the king actually nod at her as if he knew what she is about to announce?" one of the nobles whispered at the noblewoman beside them.

"It seems like so," the noblewoman confirmed. "I don’t feel good about this."

"Fuck this shit, I never had a good feeling about that bastard prince ascending to the throne in the first place," the noble man muttered softly to himself. "So much more was the fact that he chose to keep his human bride as our queen."

Quite by coincidence, Elys turned her head towards the said nobles whispering to each other. Her blazing eyes held their gazes, and the vampires were reminded of the very day she had obliterated several vampire knights all at once.

A shiver run up and down their spines, and immediately, they stopped speaking ill of the royal couple. Although the vampires were magically powerful compared to humans, in comparison to Elys’ a lot of them were not that exceptional.

As a consequence to this, even if they were against of her and Aleksander, a lot of them were only left to plot behind the King and Queen’s back.

And in front of them, they’d show the plastic side of them and lick shoes just to survive.

The young queen raised her hands and continued speaking, "Every human in the Western Kingdom shall be treated as a citizen and not merely a commodity to be purchased and used until they are no longer valuable."

The vampires all gasped in chorus. High Priestess Naya and the rest of the vampire clergy even let out sounds of disagreement.

"What the hell is she trying to achieve here?" Lady Azalea bit the bottom of her lip.

She didn’t think that the Queen would go this far. The eldest daughter of the Igniss clan glanced at the section where her father and mother sat. Their eyes were full of uncertainty, but there was also disgust in them too.

How was she going to save her face knowing that she has sold her loyalty to the young queen as her lady in waiting?

"Z-Zale?"

Penelope’s voice jerked Azalea’s mind back into reality and she turned to her childhood friend. She had a worried look in her eyes, and Azalea veered her attention towards the other ladies too.

Just as Penelope, Countess Rusiana and Lady Tabitha held their hands together. Although the four of them had accepted the fact that by serving Elysianne they would gain the ire of the rest of those against the royal couple, they would be a liar if they’d say Elys’ plans didn’t make them anxious.

"That is impossible, your majesty!" Archduke spoke in a matter of fact tone.

Elys glared at the vampire and replied, "You dare to question my decision, Archduke Keane? The King himself had already approved of this, all there is left now is for the decree to be put to paper."

"What does this mean, your majesty? For the longest of times the vampires have had human servants, blood servants and slaves serving us," one of the nobles bravely asked. "It is part of what sets the kingdom in a high pedestal of power against other kingdoms."

The young queen reached for the hilt of the sword tied to her waist and unsheathed the blade. She pointed it towards the noble vampire and a tiny concentration of light started to merge at the tip.

"You don’t need to go that far, your majesty, Queen Elysianne," someone intervened.

Elys turned her attention to the direction where the voice had come from. Her eyes turned into narrow slits as her gaze fell on High Priestess Naya.

The head of the entire vampire clergy had stepped out from where they were seated at. She had her chin raised indignantly, her blonde hair swaying ephemerally behind her. Her electric blue eyes conveyed how serious she was into intervening and Elys let out a slight smirk.

"There is no need for violence when we still haven’t even addressed the pending issue of the fire that broke into the capital center, not to mention a rumor is spreading of an Eastern spy crawling his way inside the palace," the High Priestess spoke.

"We are going to get there, High Priestess Naya," Elys said as she pointed her blade towards the High Priestess. "But I wanted to prioritize my people as well. If the vampire clergy had been deliberately left behind in a fire, wouldn’t you feel enraged as well, High Priestess?"

The vampire held Elys’ gaze, unmoving in her stand as she finally stood at the middle of the room. She didn’t budge even when Elys had her sword pointed at her.

"As the appointed mediator of the people and the palace, I humbly suggest that you think over what you have announced, your majesty," High Priestess Naya said.

Elys released a sarcastic laugh.

"What are you trying to say, High Priestess?" the young queen hissed afterwards, "I have thought of this for the longest of time, even long before I have become queen, myself. To turn my back on the atrocities the whole kingdom has done to the humans would deem me as a joke of a queen myself."

Aleksander observed the exchange between Elys and High Priestess Naya. He and Elys had decided on trying to see the reactions of the vampires once she starts advocating for changes within the kingdom.

Just as expected, all of the vampires were heavily opposed to the idea of treating humans with more respect and care.

The young king eventually stood up from his throne, and eyes darted in his direction as he walked to stand beside his wife, the queen. Aleksander raised his hand and guided Elys’ sword down.

In the eyes of the vampires, it was one confusing thing to try and understand. They had instantly assumed that the young king, infatuated and doting on his wife, would have let her do as she pleased.

"Let us listen to the people, my queen," Aleksander made sure to speak out loud. "It is only right to take both sides of perspectives, and not to rush into a decision which many would oppose."

Aleksander executed his lines perfectly, and Elys took the cue and calmed herself down.

"Alright, as you say, husband," she said.

The magical ball of light that had merged at the tip of Elys’ sword vanished slowly, and the young queen returned her sword into its sheath. She turned her attention back to the High Priestess and addressed her with a question.

"High Priestess Naya, you have tried to intervene and to give you a chance, would you tell me what are your suggestions regarding my decree about the humans in the Western Kingdom?" Elys demanded of the vampire.

Her ladies in waiting and even Cordelia clenched the side of their dresses in anticipation.

The High Priestess opened her mouth and her reply came out a bit overbearing, "I would say that the humans are meant to serve the Western people, and that changing their status as citizens won’t change the fact that they are lower than that of the vampires."

Elys scowled and folded her arms in front of her. The young queen spoke, "I am not saying that the humans are not going to serve, High Priestess Naya. I merely wanted to ensure that they are employed under favorable circumstances."

She walked back to her throne and Aleksander followed behind her. He waited for her to sit down before he sat himself. Those with meticulous eyes would have noticed, but Aleksander was far too smooth in his movements that it didn’t even gave a hint that the clash had all been a part of their plan.

"This is to address everyone here and those who couldn’t make it," Elys said, "Slaves will not be treated as if they are animals. Blood servants and those who serve nobilities, these people will be provided with enough rest and their safety shall be ensured by those who had them."

The young queen’s eyes traveled from one side of the High Courts, making sure to make eye contact to those who were powerful families within the kingdom.

"That is not much of a burden but that on your egos," Elys said. "I have heard your side now, but this decree shall be final."