Fire And Brimstone.

{Back At The Castle}

Queen Athena, by this hour of the morning, was seated in all majesty in her Private Sitting room which was an extension of her Royal bedroom space.

Draped in an exotic fashion style, Athena was wearing a rich velvet silk gown which was overlaid by a luxurious tunic embroidered with gemstones.

The beautiful contrast set up with the lavender and gold colour mix of her overall clothing further gave her the touchè of an enviable elegance.

Also not out of place were her jewelleries which were embellished in the finest art of very rare precious stones.

Where she sat comfortably on her seat [long enough to pass for a bed for sleeping], Her Majesty was getting tended to by five properly skilled handmaidens with two others standing a safe distance away to simply observe.

Of the five chosen handmaidens, one rendered Her Majesty a Royal shoulder massage with two others stationed to rub on Athena's palms using a certain scented ointment.

The remaining two, were busy attending to her feet which they had placed carefully on an elegant stool, whilst they maintained a kneeling position.

This they did in a soothing fashion causing her [Queen Athena] to feel completely pampered to the point that both her eyes were shut as she let calm her nerves.

Not until...

"Mother! Wake up! There is disturbing news!" shouted Aldrich as he stomped his way through, and pushed the idle handmaidens out of his way with aggression.

At once, Athena's eyes shot open as a result of the commotion; her heart racing as much due to the panic.

What was the meaning of this?

Seeing her son in such a state greatly disturbed the Queen's mood.

"Aldrich!" she called out to him once he had succeeded in closing the gap between them.

"Mother, we need to talk..." Aldrich communicated his point directly without mincing words.

At that instant, he caught the eyes of one of the handmaidens staring at him.

Feeling irritated, he blurted out, "In private!" while he shot an intimidating glance at the culprit.

IF it were someone else who had just barged in on her solitude like this, Athena would have rained down fire and brimstone from the heavens... but of course, every other person knew better than to avoid the subject altogether— everyone else except her son, Prince Aldrich.

Pouring all her anger and irritation on her handmaidens, Athena thundered...

"What are you still waiting for?! Leave us at once!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

They all chorused harmoniously and made their way for the exit which was a far way off, but Athena and her son were patient enough to wait until they had all left.

Then Aldrich turned towards his mother and locked eyes with her sapphire ones.

"All our plans have come to ruins, mother..."

"How? What do you mean?" said Athena demandingly.

Aldrich perambulated about.

"You know my heart can't handle this much tension. Please tell me already."

Aldrich halted from pacing due to his mother's plea.

"I'm sorry mother. It's not my outright intention to bother you so much, but the news I just heard from you-know-who has totally abolished our plans of yesterday," he informed Athena.

Plans? Abolished? How come?

"Who is you-know-who and what did he say?" Athena asked impatiently.

After he had created one hell of a scene just now... we're now alone and speaking in riddles is really what he has come to do? Thought Athena whilst she waited for Aldrich to clear the air.

"The you-know-who is someone you know and-"

"Maxim?"

"No, mother..." he then stopped talking on purpose because something she had just done had caused him to feel displeased at her.

"Also you shouldn't be guessing things like this. You've been aware about her from the start—the you-know-who." Aldrich revealed, while contorting his [midnight] full eyebrows at his mother.

"What?" Athena protested.

"You can't blame an old woman for forgetting a little detail now, can you?"

"We do not forget our allies, mother. EVER... Unless we no longer need them, and right now we do... a lot!"

"Fine! I remember now who you're referring to. So spill! What was her information?"

"Quite a detailed one."

"Well..."

"Last night... that maiden who was made prisoner got her freedom from the Dordragon pit."

At once, Athena stood up in utter shock.

"What?! On whose decree?"

"On my brother's decree, mother. It was Briceus's doing." Aldrich announced while he shot a meaningful glance at his mother.

At the moment, they both had a similar array of thoughts dancing freely somewhere in their minds.

"My god! This is bad!" exclaimed the Queen.

"That's not even the height of it, mother."

At this, Athena's eyes shot wide open as though they would burst fiercely and begin to leak out of their sockets in a matter of seconds.

"Wait! There's more?"

"Yes mother... So much more."

"Why then, tell me!" Athena insisted.

"The girl, whose name we've now learned to be Elizabeth, was allowed to sleep last night in the sacred room reserved for the King's maiden."

"NO!"

"Yes, indeed! As of now, no official statement has been made but I've gathered from someone else that Ezekiel and two soldier mercenaries including Theodore I believe... have set out pretty early in the morning to the girl's village."

This was the height indeed, as the news caused Athena to recline in her former seat, with a sullen mood.

While the queen went on to process her numerous thoughts, she could only hear Aldrich's next words as mere muffled sounds instigated by the processing of her brain.

'How I have rejoiced all evening that by the morrow, at least, Briceus would be made to leave the throne by luring the maiden girl to our side for a short period before discarding her off thereafter. But now, this? Is he really using his magical side to uncover information about our next move or what? How did the matters change overnight? No, not even overnight... Before the night. This boy is trouble indeed! Huge trouble-'

"Mother! Are you even listening to me?"

"No... I wasn't but we need to inform your uncle, the Duke, about these changes."

"Why, mother? What will you have him do?" Aldrich interjected.

"Why? What do you mean by that statement?"

Seeing how cat-eyed, his mother was trying to search the answers out of him, Aldrich decided to help her out instead.

"Be calm, mother. My meaning is not what you think."

"Then enlighten me about your meaning."

"Okay. I don't think it is time to inform him yet, at least."

"And why is that?"

Aldrich bit back his lips and withheld his actual reply. The reason why he didn't want Duke Wauter in on the revelation yet was because Wauter was a fast thinking man, and he would most likely read contrary meaning to the information which Maxim had shared to them the day prior.

Aldrich wasn't in the mood for his uncle's scolding, and besides he had a plan of his own.

"Aldrich! Don't keep me waiting," cried the Queen.

The Prince smiled a brief smile before he spoke.

"Trust me on this, mother. We shouldn't inform uncle about the changes just yet, unless of course he finds out on his own."

His mother, Queen Athena, wasn't quite sure about this but she listened attentively in order to ascertain where his suggestion was headed.

"... Briceus may be leading us with his strategy now, but hold your faith, mother! I have a plan!"

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📚Hello everyone, goodnews!🎉

We're almost at a 100 colls. Yay!🎈 and I'm super excited about this upgrade (grins shamelessly)

To celebrate, anticipate one or two more chapters tonight. 📚

Also don't deny Elizabeth your precious power stones pleaseee. Thanks and I love you guys. ❤