The Royal Revenge
Chapter 72: Run

Chapter 72: Run

Queen Euphemia had a stern look that didn’t compliment a young lady’s face. It was as if she was way older mentally than how she physically looked. Her clothes were regal, her crown a beautiful golden piece.

The Eastern Queen exuded an air of superiority that no one would even dare disrespect her with just one stern look from her eerie milky white eyes.

Lawin, the giant bluebird, was perched on a large open window that arched high, letting in natural light inside the throne room. Several other animals were also inside the throne room, most of them owned by the queen’s court.

"Your majesty," Elys bowed down to the queen. "It is an honor to have been accepted into your throne room. We wish you greatness and prosperity to the Eastern Kingdom as envoys of the West."

Aleksander’s head hung low as he and Elys kept their heads down. They waited for the Eastern Queen to respond to them, and all the while the prince listened to his wife speak as if she was truly royalty.

He couldn’t deny the fact that as they spent more time together, the prince was slowly being pulled into her mysterious identity. She couldn’t have just learned all of what she was showing from Henry’s short classes on the vampire nobilities’ ways.

Aleksander had started to speculate as well that she and the maidservant weren’t normal slaves too. Cordelia and Elys knew how to fight, and that in itself should have raised a flag to him in the first place – aside from the fact that he couldn’t read well into their heads too.

"Rise, Prince Aleksander, Princess Elysianne," Queen Euphemia waved her scepter.

Elys and Aleksander promptly did as they were told. The queen motioned for them to come forward, and they moved in closer to the throne, getting a better look at all the intricate works of how the Eastern Kingdom had designed her palace.

"Your majest, Queen Euphemia," Elys began, "we brought gifts of gold and jewels as a gift from the West."

She produced a chest from her satchel and showed it to the queen. There was a vast array of precious stones and a chunk of gold coins in the tiny jewel box. A secretary came to collect their offering, while the queen didn’t even give much of an acknowledgement for the gift.

"The Eastern Kingdom appreciates this," Queen Euphemia spoke, the bubbly chirp in her voice replaced with an authoritative air, "now, may I hear what brings you two to my kingdom on such a short notice?"

"My father, King Raxus Ardorlean, wanted us to deliver these scrolls to her majesty," Aleksander said as he reached for the scrolls that Elys handed over to him. "He was adamant that it reaches you safe for it contains documents regarding items the Western King wants to negotiate with the East."

"Read it for me," the Eastern Queen said.

"What?" Aleksander asked in confusion.

The queen stared at him with cold eyes and she repeated, "Read it for me, Prince Aleksander Ardorlean. I know the powers your father wields. I am not foolish enough to receive anything he has written himself."

"But we were told - " the prince attempted to explain, but was quickly cut off by Queen Euphemia.

"Why do you think we insist you vampires wear the bracelet?" she said with a stern voice, "This is the reason why no vampire before you have set foot inside the Eastern Kingdom. Your father, and all his men, were and is still too afraid to lose a huge advantage which I know they will use against me if I was too careless."

"Uh... yes, of course," Aleksander responded, feeling the intensity of the queen’s words.

She was rightfully correct to demand of it too. The prince knew firsthand what it meant to be under the vampire king’s powerful magic. Once it starts, there was no way of stopping it as the magic worked its way into one’s mind, taking over the reins.

The prince knew not a single soul to have been able to defy his father’s magic.

It was a bit confusing though – his father should have known the Eastern Queen wouldn’t accept the scrolls herself. Aleksander didn’t want to believe King Raxus miscalculated anything. He might be crazy in every aspect, but he was as cunning as much as he was ruthless.

"We apologize, your majesty," Elys addressed the queen as she unraveled a scroll from for Aleksander to read. "My husband will read it for you."

"Very well," Queen Euphemia said, "go on. I am listening."

The whole court that spectated within the throne room turned deadly silent. Everyone was curios of the Western King’s letter to their Queen Euphemia.

The prince cleared his throat, and began reading the words that his father had written. Right off the bat, he felt the pull of the Western King’s magic on him, and Aleksander tried as hard as he could to fight it.

"Fuck..." he muttered under his voice, too low for the Eastern Queen or the rest of her court to hear. Even the princess that stood beside him wasn’t able to pick up what he said.

Elys did notice Aleksander sweating heavily, his pale face losing their already scant color. He appallingly threw the scrolls to the floor, their seal breaking and each one unraveling to the courtiers nearby.

"Are you alright?" she asked the prince in a low whisper. "Is something wrong? Aleksander?"

Aleksander was at his limits. His fists were clenched tight, his sharp nails digging inside his palm. His fangs began to extend, biting into his own lips and making him bleed. He was shaking as the last of his willpower was consumed by his father’s written words.

Elysianne watched as Aleksander swiftly tear the pin that he had attached to his vest. He flicked his wrist in the familiar motion he demonstrated a while ago at the Jade Palace, and the pin immediately expanded into a full-size sword that glinted menacingly in natural light.

The prince turned to Elys, his eyes turning dangerously gold as he said, "Run."