Chapter 23 - Organize My Thoughts (Part 2)
"The Dragon race was defeated by humans! But the Demons were ripped away from this world!" Veles interrupted Leena, his eyes flashing with anger, his tone sharp.
"But demons can still be summoned using black magic circles!" I countered, my voice rising.
"But that requires a lot of sacrificing to do! Do you-"
"If it's him, probably he did it," I interrupted Veles, my voice firm.
"Right, as you said, he's a Prince of Elmir. Since Elmir is a vast Empire, it'd benefit him from forming a contract," Leena added, her tone contemplative and her analytical mind working through the implications.
"Okay, is it just me and Myla who're unaware of these demon things or is this basic knowledge? I mean fine, Veles' is a dragon, Ms. Leena's just being evaluative, but how do you know, Princess?" Drake asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Oh umhh........I read it in a forbidden book when I was a child, when I stumbbled upon it the Imperial Library." I added, my voice hesitant.
"Huh? It was left open to read for everyone?" Drake asked incredulously, his eyebrows raised.
"No, I just... found a secret doorway leading to it. The place was too tarnished, insanitary, smudge and neglected. I presumed it was something even His Majesty didn't know about," I explained.
"You must be referring to the library that’s to the west of the palace, right?" Leena questioned, her eyes lighting up with recognition.
"Yeah! Did.....mother-"
"No, we also stumbled upon it once, but Her Late Majesty was too tired to meddle in it. But it was definitely left remiss," Leena added, cutting me off.
"AH! We got diverted from the topic because of you, dummy Drake!" Veles burst out, his voice filled with frustration.
"SHUT UP, you piece of-"
"ENOUGH!" Myla screamed, interrupting Drake. "Veles, take up the lead."
"Yeah, so as I was saying, demon contractors are hard to find, and there are levels of demons too. So if you ever encounter him again, do me a favor and find out what level of demon he has, how he formed a contract, what sacrifices he made, and if anybody else—"
"Oh, absolutely! Because who wouldn’t want to spill their life story to a total stranger? That's totally how the world works!" I said interrupting Veles, my voice tinged with sarcasm.
"Strangers? I thought ahem ahem were supposed to...," Veles said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"What's ahem ahem?" Drake asked, his face a picture of confusion, interrupting Veles.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were dealing with a bunch of chatty Cathys here, I'm sure if you just waltz up to Cillian and ask him about his demon contract, he'll be more than happy to spill all the juicy details. I mean, who doesn't love a good heart-to-heart with a random stranger, am I right?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "But hey, if you think he's going to open up like a book and tell you all about his demon contract, be my guest. if you think you can pull it off, that is. Just don't come crying to me when he turns you into a human pretzel for prying into his business." I said, as I rolled my eyes dramatically.
My sarcasm hung in the air like a thick fog, and Myla, Drake, and Leena burst into laughter, their mirth infectious.
Veles crossed his arms, a mock frown etched on his face. “HMPH, whatever!”
“Your Highness, what happened next?” Leena asked, her curiosity piqued.
I leaned in, lowering my voice as if sharing a grand secret. “Well, after the whole debacle with my nanny’s murder, I became friends with Myla. We stumbled upon a hidden winery in the basement of Amoria Palace. Oh! And that very day, Isabella came to visit, but honestly, our conversation was about as exciting as watching paint dry.”
“Dry paint? How riveting!” Veles interjected, feigning a yawn.
“Yeah...then I went out to the Night Market with—” I hesitated, “—with a heavy heart, just to lighten it up—”
“Lighten it up? Or was it to spend time with ahem ahem?” Veles teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I shot him a glare, my expression flat. “Yeah, sure…”
"Oh my!" Myla and Leena exclaimed in unison, their faces flushed with excitement.
“Then he mentioned having a fiancée he wanted to break up with and asked for my help. But considering my situation, I had to decline.” I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant.
Everyone’s eyes lit up, mouths agape, hanging onto every word.
"He left me stranded at the Night Market and vanished without a trace. After that, I never saw him again. The End of Cillian."
“He just left you hanging at the Night Market? That’s it?” Drake exclaimed, incredulous.
“WHAAAA—You should’ve helped him, Princess!” Myla chimed in, her voice a mix of excitement and disbelief. “You could’ve helped him in secret!”
"I guess she's right, Your Highness." Leena chuckled, nudging me playfully.
I raised an eyebrow, my face expressionless. “Okay, why did I even tell you all about him to begin with?”
“So, if we ever run into him, we know we gotta slap him for leaving you hanging!” Drake declared, laughter bubbling up.
Leena and Myla chuckled while Veles smirked, clearly entertained.
I sighed, shaking my head. “Haaa… oh right, then I awakened the Dragon Flames. When I woke up that night, my hair had turned red.”
“The King, Queen, and Princess Isabella came to visit too!” Myla interjected, her excitement palpable.
“Yeah…” I replied, recalling the chaos of that day.
“AH! Then, the next day, Princess Isabella snuck out with her escort knight late at night to meet a man. She got grounded by the King!” Myla added, stifling a giggle. “Princess, about the banquet we’re holding for you, His Majesty needs to announce the ‘Flower Princess’ too, remember?”
"Flower Princess? Come to think of it, Princess Isabella's been the 'Flower Princess' for the past four consecutive years," Leena added thoughtfully. "But it was Princess Arabella before her."
"Princess... Arabella?" Drake asked, turning to Leena.
"Is she Isabella's sis?" his curiosity piqued.
“No, she’s one of the concubine’s daughters,” I clarified.
“Oh? Someone prettier than Isabella? I thought Isabella was the prettiest though~ She looked soooo cute when she was crying the day His Majesty fell ill!” Veles teased again, feigning admiration. “WAIT! Is Arabella older than you or younger?” he pressed, his curiosity insatiable.
“We’ll discuss that later,” I replied, waving a dismissive hand.
I continued. “Later on, I visited the Shrine of the Hidden Springs Temple to bolster my support for the power struggle. The Pope declared me a Goddess of Prophecy in the Royal Chamber of Sacred Rites! Then Lord Heron came to play, and I met you, Leena, in the Moonlit Tearoom Cafe. Then you told us about Lord Heron being a rascal, and I bought Drake from a bar, and then we went off to the Emberforge Armory Shop to buy weapons for self-defense-"
“Wait, what? A Goddess?” Veles eyes widened, his disbelief evident, cutting me off.
"Shut up, Veles. And then we found a paper inside the package!" Myla exclaimed. "It said <May the Gods watch over you and guide your steps as you embark on your journey. Tread carefully, for danger lurks in the shadows, and the path ahead may be treacherous. Yet, with wisdom and courage, may you emerge victorious, overcoming all obstacles that dare cross your path. Your Highness, Princess Luxana.>"
"Oh yeah! That omnious message from the weaponsmith!" Drake exclaimed. "Then the Princess was invited for the Royal Family dinner by the Queen. When the Princess left, that very evening was the very first letter-to-letter conversation we had with the wine dealer of the basement in Amoira Palace!"
"Erm....I forgot to tell you guys but....Lord Heron.....the Holy Knight of the Temple..........is the...........Wine Dealer himself," I declared, dropping the bombshell.
Myla and Drake froze, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
"WHAT! That guy from the temple???? But isn't wine selling-"
"Haaaaaa.......just shut up, Myla. That isn't important right now, we should rather be thankful to the Princess for at least revealing this much to us, compared to what we deserve! Please continue Princess." Drake said cutting off Myla.
"No, Drake, don't say that. You all deserve to know everything and I'm sorry for taking this long to reveal it." I said apologetically.
"It's okay, Princess. We understand. Please continue" Myla said with a smile, placing her hand over mine.
"Okay then, the Royal Family Dinner was just an episode the Queen was airing on her entertainment channel, but when I was returning from the Palace, I found a library and within there I found an Ancient Tome 'The Secrets of the Dragon Flame' and with that I started practicing how to use my powers."
"If I may ask, how many abandoned libraries are there in the Imperial Palace anyway?" Myla asked, her curiosity evident.
"His Majesty isn’t much of a bookworm or a great manager, and the same goes for the Queen, so a handsome of treasures end up being neglected,” Leena remarked, shaking her head.
"True....continuing. Lady Lily Furia invited me to her palace, suggesting I marry Cillian for revenge and all that nonsense but that wasn't so important but moving on I was summoned in the Imperial Palace after the drama at the dinner, then His Majesty said <Then find the artifact of Lirania and prove yourself, my daughter,> because.........I started crying when he insulted mother."
“HIS MAJESTY INSULTED HER LATE MAJESTY?” Leena shot up from her seat, her eyes blazing.
“Leena, calm down! We must tread carefully. This room may be secluded, but we can’t risk defying the monarch,” I cautioned, my tone firm.
“Understood. Please continue, Your Highness,” she replied, settling back down.
“Then I heard Veles’s voice calling for me, and in a fit of rage, I burned down the Amoria Palace. I myself am not even sure why I went that far,” I admitted, glancing at Veles.
He pursed his lips, clearly concerned. That’s…quite a reaction. I thought.
"Then we ventured to the Enchanted Caverns, met Veles, placed him in mother's keepsake, returned to the burnt Amoria Palace, where the Queen had been staging the next episode of her channel to be broadcast, but fleeing from there, I crashed at Lady Lily’s place for the night. The very next day, Then was summoned back to the Imperial Palace the very next day, the King or must I say Xerxes, claiming to be my ancestor, said His Majesty was a victim of black magic, and that’s why he fell ill."
“Moving on, now I’ll tell you the order of His Majesty’s concubines, including my mother and their children!” I declared, ready to unveil the royal family tree.
Concubine order with their Children:
- Lady Celeste Dreamweaver, has 1 daughter, 4 sons- Princess Nymeria, Prince Drystan, Prince Eryndor, Prince Caelum and Prince Galen
- Lady Aeliana Emberheart - 1 son, 3 daughters- Prince Baelor, Princess Arabella, Princess Seraphina and Princess Astrid
- Princess Lilith De Lyria Von Draken Mistglen De Zorathian- 3 sons- Prince Fenris, Prince Eamon and Prince Idris
- Princess Elysande Frostbane De Nocturne Meralith EanaelValendar Arionis - 6 daughters, 1 son- Princess Selene, Prince Cedric, Princess Drusilla, Princess Nyx, Princess Eirlys, Princess Thalia, Princess Amara,
- Lady Vespera Thornfield - 1 son- Prince Rowan
- Former Queen Roxana Von Olar Mera Eana Kior- 1 daughter- Princess Luxana
- Queen Daleyza Limonizer De Carna Domino - 1 daughter, 1 son- Princess Isabella, Prince Tarian
- Lady Zephyra Skywhisper- 3 sons- Prince Galen, Prince Alaric and Prince Lucian
- Princess Liora Sunflare Ori Faelora De Meliora Von Elaric Caravelle- 2 sons- Prince Leif, Prince Evander
- Lady Lily Furia - No child
Everyone, except for Leena, was utterly shocked and taken aback.
"Here, I don't even properly remember how many fingers I have on my hand, and there you know every dam woman's kid!" Veles exclaimed, in full admiration.
Letting out a sigh, "That's basic knowledge about Royal Family." I exclaimed.
“Princess Nymeria is the first Princess of the Kingdom?” Drake asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"No-"
“Yes,” I interrupted, my tone decisive.
“What?” Drake squeaked, utterly baffled.
"She's the Princess of the Kingdom not the Empire, isn't that what you meant Leena?" I asked, glancing at her.
“No…” Leena replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
“What do you mean?” Veles pressed, clearly intrigued.
“Princess Nymeria was born when the Kingdom was still an Empire. I believe you’re not aware of this since the Dominion Empire fell long ago,” Leena explained.
“I was aware, but does Nymeria still count as a Princess of the Empire?” I asked, seeking confirmation.
“Well, yes, she does,” Leena affirmed.
“Um, I have a question,” Myla piped up. “The Former Queen wasn’t His Majesty’s first wife?”
“It was a tradition long ago that the next heir or ruler of every household, including the Royal Family, must be engaged before they turn 13. As a result, young ladies were trained for their future roles from an early age to ensure better outcomes,” Leena explained.
“So, her Late Majesty was engaged to His Majesty from a very young age?” Myla asked, her eyes widen with curiosity.
"No, His Majesty was merely a Prince when he acquired his concubines. He was never intended to ascend to the throne, but somehow, he did. Before meeting Princess Roxana, he conquered the Kior Empire and took her with him. Upon his ascension, he made Princess Roxana the Empress. Eventually, he was the one who dismantled our Empire, reducing it to a Kingdom." Leena clarified.
“WHAAAA—So he captured an EMPIRE and demolished his own? What an…....................absolutely excelling stellaric Emperor!" Myla exclaimed, her voice oozing with sarcasm.
“Leena…about that,” I interjected. “Mother said something about His Majesty when I met her in my dream.”
“Your dream? Come on, we can’t believe dreams! People see all sorts of things. Believing them is ridiculous!” Veles scoffed.
“I met her in Omeen!” I declared, my voice steady.
Everyone fell silent, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
“Omeen?” they echoed, their voices barely above a whisper.
“Yeah,” I replied, crossing my arms.
"How did you-"
"NO! Where did you-"
"WHAT? Just-"
“YOUR HIGHNESS!” Leena cut through the chaos of everyone, her voice sharp. “How did you end up in Omeen?”
“I don’t know. When I fell asleep, I met a woman whose language I couldn’t understand. Then I heard my mother’s singing voice. I followed it…it led me to a mansion where I met mother. She said…umm…that Hades Limonizer Vernoke Domino is her deceased husband and that I’m just like Hades. Hades was reported dead the day I was born, but his body was never found. He came back alive that very day, and Helios was obsessed with her from the beginning to the end.”
“I see. So Her Majesty has finally decided to unleash the truth. Very well then. I shall also reveal the truth,” Leena said, rising from her seat, her demeanor shifting to one of determination.
To be Continued...
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