Head On A Stake

It had been a few weeks since she was coronated as the Queen and Rama had been doing pleasingly, maybe too competently since she became Queen of the Saba Empire, she thrived to be ideal at everything she did, from giving the less privileged the same fair treatment the privileged enjoyed, to justice served to everyone accordingly and no one was overlooked and the people were quite pleased with their new ruler.

She had always detested the strong preying on the weak or degrading them so she was naturally a Queen who yearned for equivalency in her kingdom.

Roshan had proceeded back to his Kingdom as he had affairs to attend and she slowly forced herself to accept the fact that she could never have him but still, the feelings she held for him still lingered near.

She noticed her aunt hadn't been seen after Jafar's burial which she didn't care to attend, she figured Jafar's death might have struck her aunt badly and she wouldn't be surprised if her body was found in the bank of a river, but she felt her conscience prick her knowing she had lost both husband and son but she quickly shoot it off.

They both had something to do with her father's death so why should she feel empathy.

Rama strode elegantly through the corridors on her way to the meeting chamber to discuss with the high courts and officials, they had arrived to lay a complaint to her and she wondered what it could be.

The guards outside the meeting chamber swung the door open when they caught sight of her walking towards them.

Rama walked in to meet the worry stricken faces of the High Court and the Officials seated at the table.

She quickly took a seat to hear out the complaint they had come to relay.

They all bowed to her presence before initiating the topic that had brought them there.

"Your Highness, we have heard of the news that keeps us all on our toes." She heard one of the High Court members immediately proceed and her brows creased tightly.

"What is this news you speak of?" She said as she peered her eyes at all of them, observing their distressful expressions.

"We heard of the night creatures spewing their wrath on the neighboring kingdom just next to ours, we dispatched our best men to examine it if it was undoubtedly true before notifying you and they came back with the news of the horrid sight they witnessed, most of the youths were presumed to be taken captive as their bodies weren't' found."

Rama's lips felt dry on hearing there had been another massacre but this time, not in the far distance kingdom, instead it was a neighboring one just across the ocean which acted as a boundary separating the two kingdoms.

The thought that it could have been her Empire made her blood curdle and the thought that it could be next on their list crossed her mind one too many times.

After all, their Empire was a grand one that prospered in wealth and resources, it could be next to hunt for the night creatures and her subconsciousness pricked her.

"Our Empire is doomed!" "The night creatures are coming for us" "We're next on their list!" "It'll be over if they come" "There will be no redemption for us"

Rama heard the members chattering loudly in a frenzied state, the meeting hall resounded with their panicking voices.

"Silence!" Rama's sharp voice resonated in a loud clear tone with an air of authority and the whole place fell silent with only a few silent murmurs being heard.

"I said Silent!" She said in a hissed tone between gritted teeth as her eyes burned with what seemed to be fury and a sense of protectiveness, but she wasn't angry at them, she was angry at the fact that her Empire could be left in ruins only a few weeks after she had been crowned Queen.

The place immediately fell as silent as a graveyard, a pin could be heard if dropped.

"Let's not lose hope, I will handle the matter." Rama said shortly as she scrutinized their faces but none seemed to be pleased with her approach.

"How exactly will you handle the matter? The future of the Empire is at stake, we cannot sit and watch the night creatures arise one day and lay waste to it all." One of them spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"We have the black dragon, it is the most powerful creature on the face of this earth, I can control it to defeat them." She said in a confident tone as her fists tightened.

The members murmured distinctly between themselves on hearing her, none of them had witnessed a chosen royal controlling the black dragon but they had heard of it in their tales, so they could only have doubts it would work.

The members wanted to speak but it was abruptly interrupted by a noise that seemed to be breaking out from outside the castle grounds.

The members along with Rama moved skeptically toward the window to figure out the cause. Their eyes met a crowd filled with men and women situated just outside the gate of the castle grounds where the noise was erupting from, while the guards made sure they were nowhere inside the castle grounds.

It was obvious the people were in distress and it was obvious their distress was caused by the recent horrendous news from the neighboring village, everyone feared for their life, their kingdom might be next on the night creature's target list.

"You should have kept the news away from the people's knowledge, the last thing I want is the Empire in a state of commotion." Rama said with a frown on her face as she glared at the members of the High Court and Officials in displeasure.

"Forgive us, your Highness, someone from the Castle might have leaked the information to the people."

"Right, you couldn't keep it away from the public ears but you managed to keep it from mine." She said with anger coating her tone before slightly tugging her gown up as she set to leave.

"Where are you going, your Highness?" They asked but she didn't turn to reply as she moved toward the door with quick light steps.

"To do your jobs." She replied in a strained voice before disappearing from their sight.

Rama stood outside at the podium in front of the castle before ordering a guard. The sunlight shone down on her, making her golden skin radiate under the golden rays of the sun, her black lustre hair shone on her head.

"Open the gates." She commanded and the guard did as she ordered without question.

The gates were opened and the people were ushered into the castle grounds, the guards ensured the people were within their limits as they acted like a barrier between the Queen and the people.

Loud murmurings emitted from the crowd as they stared at their Queen in shock wondering why she let them in.

"Silence! I have let you in to speak to you all about the recent crisis." Silence fell upon the crowd as they all awaited their Queen to speak but she could still make out their distressed faces.

"I have heard about the recent massacre on the neighboring village brought about by man's grandest enemy, the night creatures but heed to my words, I will not allow the same gruesome fate to meet our beloved empire." Rama declared with a loud sharp voice but her words could do only little to alleviate the brewing tension and worry of the people.

"The black dragon chose me as the ruler of this Empire so that signifies that I have the power to control it. The black dragon fighting by our side will help us win against the night creatures, it is a powerful beast and the night creatures do not hold a candle to it."

Rama could see the faces of the crowd brighten up with hope as they sighed in relief, a smile washing down on some of their faces as their worries seemed to decrease drastically.

The black dragon fighting beside them would give them a higher ratio in winning against the night creatures, it was said to be the most powerful creature that ever lived, the wrath and strength of the black dragon was second to none.

Rama sighed inwardly as she managed to get the people to relax.

"Have no fear and worries against the night creatures, with the black dragon as our greatest ally we shall wipe out the dark creatures of the night from the face of the earth, I shall return to you all the vampire King's head on a stake, this promise I make." Rama said confidently and the crowd cheered her on with a standing ovation and praises.

The day the night creature shall think of attacking their Empire, it shall be their last day on earth, she thought inwardly.

Rama was highly confident about defeating the nocturnal creatures with the black dragon as their ally, she couldn't imagine her Empire being brought to ruins a few weeks after her ruling and as she promised, she would certainly obtain the vampire's bloody head on a stake to her people.