Being Low As A Dirt, Taking What’s Important From Me

As suddenly as it had begun, the darkness lifted. Elias found himself standing in a dimly lit room, disoriented and breathless. He looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings, but the place seemed unfamiliar. The air was thick with tension, and he realized he was not alone.

Before him stood a group of hooded figures, their faces obscured in shadow. Fear gnawed at Elias's insides as he realized he had been taken somewhere unknown, surrounded by strangers whose intentions were unclear.

His voice came out as a mere whisper, "W-Who are you? Why have you brought me here?" But the figures remained silent, their intentions shrouded in mystery.

Elias's heart pounded in his chest as he awaited a response, his eyes darting between the hooded figures. The room was dimly lit, making it difficult to discern any details about his captors.

Just as he was about to speak again, a familiar voice pierced the silence, "Caught him?" The voice was cold and calculating, sending shivers down Elias's spine.

Elias's eyes widened in recognition as he turned to face the source of the voice. Queen Luxe, with her regal presence and an air of authority, had stepped out from the shadows. Her icy gaze bore into Elias, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him as the queen looked at him with pure disgust.

"You—" Elias stammered, his voice quivering, "What is the meaning of this? Why have I been brought here?"

Queen Luxe's lips curled into a sinister smile, and she stepped closer to Elias. Her eyes never left his, and her tone was laced with malice as she replied, "Oh, Elias, dear. It's been a while since I've met you."

Elias's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. What had he done to incur the wrath of the Queen? What was her plan for him? The room seemed to close in around him as he struggled to find answers in the shadows of uncertainty.

As Elias was forced down to his knees, he let out a gasp of pain and surprise. The hooded figures behind him had not hesitated to use physical force, and he found himself kneeling before Queen Luxe, who looked down at him with a cold, unforgiving gaze.

Elias's heart raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. His body trembled, not only from the physical discomfort but also from the fear and uncertainty that gripped him. He had never expected to find himself in such a vulnerable position, especially in the presence of the Queen. He just had moved out from the previous traumatic event he experienced just months ago, and now this?

Queen Luxe remained seated, her expression one of cruel satisfaction as she watched Elias squirm before her. The room was filled with an oppressive silence, broken only by Elias's strained breaths and occasional groans of pain.

"What do you want from me?" Elias finally managed to choke out, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger. He couldn't fathom why the Queen had chosen to target him in such a cruel manner.

The Queen's lips curled into a sinister smile as she leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Elias's, "What I want," she purred, "is for you to mind what your status is, your audacity, and keep your dirty hands off the King."

Elias's eyes narrowed, and a surge of defiance coursed through him. Despite his fear, he refused to back down or show weakness, "It's not my fault that he's taken an interest in me, Your Highness," he retorted, his voice steady, "I have never sought his attention, nor have I done anything to encourage it. You have no right to blame me for your own jealousy." At this point, Elias was so enraged, enough anger to kill the queen with his own little hands. He was so determined to defend himself, especially that his beloved king's name was being mentioned in this kind of situation.

Just how cruel can this queen be? Involving a young, innocent child? let alone a commoner because her husband was fond of this young man rather than the wife he has, it's not Elias's fault if the king liked him more! Thinking about it, the king is right about not liking the queen.

The Queen's smile vanished, replaced by a look of anger and frustration. In an instant, she stood up, raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap to Elias's face. The force of the blow sent him sprawling to the floor, his cheek stinging with pain.

Elias tasted blood in his mouth, and he could feel the warm trickle of it from a cut on his lip where his teeth had bitten into the tender flesh. He clenched his fists, struggling to maintain his composure despite the humiliation and pain.

The Queen glared down at him, her chest heaving with anger, "You dare to speak back to me?" she hissed, "You, a mere commoner, who has the audacity to think he can compete with me for the King's favor?"

Elias knew that he was in a perilous situation, but he refused to cower before the Queen's wrath. He met her gaze with a defiant stare, "I am not competing with anyone, Your Highness," he said firmly, "I have my own path to follow, and I will not be intimidated by your threats or your jealousy."

The Queen's anger flared even hotter at Elias's defiant response. Without warning, she struck him again, her hand delivering a harsh and stinging slap to his already tender cheek. Elias's head snapped to the side from the force of the blow, The pain radiated through his face, and he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth from the cut on his lip.

"You're nothing but a piece of dirt on my feet," the Queen hissed, her voice laced with venom, "I don't understand why the King has his eyes on you, but you surely don't deserve him. Not to mention that you're ruining my plans."

Elias winced in pain but refused to yield to her words, "I have no intention of ruining anyone's plans," he spat out, his voice laced with frustration and anger, "I want nothing more than to live my life in peace and pursue my studies. It's not my fault that the King has taken an interest in me. Blame him if you must, but leave me out of your schemes."

The Queen's eyes narrowed dangerously as she regarded Elias, her face twisted with anger, frustration and jealousy.

The Queen took a deep, calming breath, her chest rising and falling in a measured rhythm. Her advisor stood nearby, his expression a mix of concern and caution.

"Your Highness, please," he implored, his voice hushed, "steady your emotions. The King will be enraged if... if you were to harm Elias."

The Queen's fingers clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. She was well aware of the consequences of her actions, but her jealousy and anger had clouded her judgment.

Elias remained on his knees before her, blood trickling down his cheek from the fresh wounds inflicted by the Queen's slaps. He kept his gaze fixed on the ground, refusing to show any sign of weakness or fear.

The Queen's grip on her emotions slowly loosened, and she released a trembling breath. She couldn't afford to make a rash decision that would endanger her own position and the stability of the kingdom. Her advisor's words reminded her of the delicate balance she needed to maintain.

After a tense moment, the Queen nodded slowly, "You're right," she conceded, her voice strained but more composed, "We cannot afford to provoke the King further. Elias, consider yourself fortunate this time. But remember, commoner, you are on thin ice."

The Queen settled into a plush armchair, a crystal glass of brandy in her hand, her expression a mix of bitterness and nostalgia. Elias knelt nearby, his gaze fixed on her, unsure of what to expect next.

"That time, in the ball," she began, her voice low and contemplative, "I wondered, why was he holding your hand when he's supposed to be mine?"

Elias's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the past ball. He vividly recalled the evening when he had danced with the King, their fingers intertwined, and the undeniable connection that had sparked between them. The memory still held a special place in his heart, but he also knew that it had fueled the Queen's jealousy and resentment.

Elias swallowed hard as he listened to the Queen's words. He knew that he had no answer that would satisfy her, and he feared what she might do if she discovered the truth. He wished more than anything that he could just disappear, but he knew he couldn't run away from this.

Elias took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, I can assure you that there is nothing inappropriate happening between the King and me. We are simply good friends, nothing more."

The Queen raised an eyebrow, her expression stern and unreadable, "Is that so? And what makes you so sure?"

Elias felt a wave of panic wash over him. He couldn't let the Queen know the truth, but he also couldn't risk telling a lie that would only make things worse. He needed to find a way to change the subject and diffuse the situation.

"Why are you holding his hand then?!" She asked aloud.

Elias flinched at the sudden outburst, taken aback by the Queen's anger. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed how close she had been standing to them.

"I-I'm sorry, I…" Elias stuttered, unable to come up with a response that wouldn't cause more trouble.

The Queen's expression turned cold and hard as she looked down at Elias with contempt, "You're just a common street rat, you have no business being near my husband," she spat.

Elias felt his chest tighten as the words sunk in. He knew the Queen held no affection for him, but hearing it so bluntly still hurt. He bowed his head and backed away, eager to escape the Queen's glare.

Elias's body tensed as Luxe approached him, still gasping for air from the hit she had given him. He felt her hand curl around his hair, forcing him to look up at her. Her eyes were burning with fury, and he could see the rage and hurt in her expression.

Even being lowly as a street rat, don't I have a right to love someone?

Elias shut his eyes.

Why do I always have to bring myself down and ignore my own emotions? Is it really that bad to want to be loved and go after something that makes my heart race, even if it's out of my reach? I've spent my whole life feeling like I don't fit in, like no one notices me. But when he glanced at me, even if it was just for a second, I felt seen, I felt alive.

Luxe spoke through gritted teeth, "Listen to me, you filthy street rat. Stay away from Kaiser, do you hear me? If I ever catch you near him again, I will not hesitate to do harm on you. Do you understand?"

Elias nodded, unable to speak. He could feel the tears streaming down his face, and he struggled to catch his breath. He knew that he had to stay away from Kaiser, no matter how much it hurt.

Then, Luxe caught a glint of something for Elias's direction where the dim light had shone through, She leaned forward and found out it was the amethyst pendant.

The amethyst pendant, these are owned by the royalties, meaning that this piece is from the King. A wicked and bitter smile spread across her face, she said sarcastically, "How thoughtful," she reached her other hand to caress the pendant hanging around Elias's neck, "My husband gave you his amethyst necklace?" 

Elias's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the amethyst necklace. He had assumed it was a simple gift, not something of such significance. He could feel the weight of the necklace around his neck, hidden beneath his clothing, where he had always kept it since the day the King had given it to him.

Elias swallowed hard, his throat dry. He hadn't realized that the necklace was such a valuable item, but he shouldn't have been surprised. Everything the King gave him was of sentimental value.

Luxe's voice took on a cruel edge as she continued to caress the necklace with her fingertips, "You shouldn't be wearing this around your neck, you know. It's not something a commoner like you should have. You should return it to the King, where it belongs."

Elias stood there, his heart racing with anxiety and fear as he held the necklace tightly in his hand. He could feel Luxe's eyes burning into him, her expression hard and unforgiving.

He knew that he couldn't give in to Luxe's demands. The necklace was his most prized possession, the one tangible thing he had to remind him of the King's love and affection. It was too important to him to give it up, no matter what was at stake.

Elias summoned all of his courage and spoke with a steady voice, "No, Your Majesty. I won't return it."

Luxe's eyes narrowed as Elias's response reached her ears. She knew that he was defying her and denying her demands. Without thinking further, she clutched her hand around Elias's hair and pulled him to his feet. Her iron grip on his hair made it impossible for Elias to resist, leaving him at her mercy.

"You dare refuse the Queen's orders," Luxe barked, yanking at his hair to make her point clear and causing pain to Elias, "But I'll show you what happens to those who disobey me!" She snarled, her grip tightening even further.

The Queen's anger had reached a boiling point, and she once again raised her hand to strike Elias. But before her hand could make contact, a voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the tension in the room.

As Elias stood there, feeling Luxe's hand tighten around his hair and the cold metal of the necklace in his hand, his heart raced with fear. He knew that he was in a very dangerous situation, and that it was only a matter of time before Luxe discovered who he really was. With a pounding heart, Elias decided that he needed to act quickly.

Taking a deep breath, Elias reached up with his other hand and pulled the pendant up over his head. Holding the necklace tightly in his palm, he looked directly into Luxe's eyes.

"I will not give this back to the King," Elias said firmly, "It belongs to me."

Luxe's grip on his hair tightened as she heard Elias's defiant words. Her face twisted into a mask of fury, and Elias could feel the fire in her eyes.

"Who do you think you are?" Luxe spat, her grip on his hair becoming even tighter, "What gives you the right to deny the Queen's orders? What makes you think that you are better than anyone else?"

Elias fought to control his fear, knowing that he had to remain strong in the face of Luxe's anger. He met her gaze head-on, looking directly into her eyes without blinking.

"I am no better than anyone else," Elias said, his voice firm and steady, "But I am not inferior to anyone either. This necklace was a gift to me, and I will not give it up."

Luxe's face went pale at Elias's words, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him. She took a step back, still clutching his hair tightly in her grasp.

"You dare challenge me?" Luxe snarled, her voice shaky, "You dare defy the Queen's authority?"

Elias stood firm, refusing to show any sign of weakness. He knew that he was walking a dangerous path, but he was determined to protect the necklace and his secret.

"The necklace was a gift to me," he said softly, his voice full of conviction. "And I will protect it with everything I have."

Luxe's grip on his hair tightened again, almost painfully. But despite his fear, Elias refused to back down. Luxe dragged Elias into the back of the secluded area, ordering her servants to fill a bucket full of water. Elias struggled against her grip, but was powerless to resist.

Once the drum was full, Luxe pulled Elias closer to her. She grabbed a handful of his hair, and pushed his head under the water, holding him under for a dangerous amount of time. Elias fought against her, but his youthful body was too weak to resist.

When Luxe released him from her grip, Elias tumbled to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. Luxe stood over him, her expression stern.

"You have crossed the line," she said coldly, "You have no idea the extent of my power. You will pay for your actions, little street rat. You have no place here, near the King, anywhere."

Elias was struggling to breathe, his chest heaving up and down as he tried to catch his breath. He sputtered and coughed, trying to clear the water from his gills. Luxe stood over him, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. She looked down at him with contempt, as though he were trash to be thrown away.

"You are nothing," Luxe said, "A commoner, a street rat. You have no place near the King or anywhere else. You are a disgrace to the kingdom."

Elias tried to speak, but the water in his lungs made it difficult to form words. He gasped for air, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. He knew that his fate was sealed, and that his secrets would be exposed.

Luxe grabbed Elias again, pounding Elias down to the drum. Through her gritted teeth, she spoke, "Why does he choose this boy over me?"

"WHY DOES HE CHOOSE THIS BOY OVER ME????!"

"IS YOUR HEART MADE OUT OF STONE? AM I NOTHING TO YOU? DO YOU NOT FEEL MY LOVE ENOUGH?" 

Luxe is now in a full blown meltdown, her voice growing louder and more hysterical with every word she speaks. She is no longer in control of her emotions, and is fully consumed by her rage and anger. 

Tears streamed down her face as she continued to lash out at Elias, her words coming out in bitter, sobbing sobs. She continued to hold his head beneath the water, the sound of his gasping breaths filling the air.

"Is he worth losing me for?" Luxe spat, her voice shaking, "Is he worth losing everything we have built together?"

She pulled Elias's head out of the water and gripped his hair with one hand, her other hand curled into a fist. Her face twisted with a twisted expression of fury, her eyes filled with a mixture of rage and betrayal. She leaned in, her face inches away from Elias's, staring at him with rage.

Elias was struggling to catch his breath, his eyes filled with fear as Luxe's grip tightened on his hair. He could see the tears streaming down her face and her eyes filled with a mixture of fury and pain. She leaned closer to him and he could feel her hot breath on his face.

"Elias," she whispered, her voice husky and raw, "Am I not good enough? Am I not pretty enough? Am I not smart enough? Am I not... am I not enough?"

"Elias," She continued, "What might I be lacking, for the reason why the King's attention is more into you than me, his wife?"

"YOU'RE JUST A COMMONER, A FREELOADER, WHY DID YOU SEEM SPECIAL AND DESERVING OF HIS ATTENTION THAN I AM?"

Luxe's voice grew louder as she continued to shout at Elias, her words becoming more and more desperate. She was crying in frustration, tears streaming down her face. Her hands are now shaking, and she grabs at Elias's uniform, throwing him to the ground. He tries to get up, but Luxe's grip is too strong. 

"YOU'RE NOTHING!" She screams, her voice filled with a mixture of rage and pain, "YOU'RE JUST A STREET RAT, A COMMONER, LESS THAN NOTHING! WHY DOES HE CHOOSE YOU OVER ME?" Luxe's voice grows more and more hysterical with every word, until she is shouting at the top of her lungs, her face contorted in anger and hatred.

Luxe's face grew red as she continued to yell at Elias, her words becoming more and more erratic. She was crying and shaking, her hands clenched into fists as she pointed at him.

"YOU'RE NOTHING!" she screamed, "YOU'RE JUST A COMMONER! YOU HAVE NO PLACE HERE! YOU'RE A DISGRACE TO THE KINGDOM! WHY DOES HE CHOOSE YOU OVER ME"

Luxe's voice was filled with rage and pain, and it was clear that she was struggling to control her emotions. She grabbed Elias by the shoulders and shook him fiercely, "WHY DOES HE PREFER YOU OVER ME?!"

"Tell me, what's so wrong about me, am I that hard to love?" Luxe asked, her tone oddly turned soft. 

Luxe's rage subsided, and she looked at Elias with a confused expression on her face. She reached out and grabbed his chin, tilting his head up so she could look into his eyes, "Is Kaiser's heart hard to please, or is he made out of rock when his gaze is shifted to me?"

In a brief silence, Elias couldn't believe that this is what the queen is. Is their relationship so bad that the queen has gone like this? Just why didn't the King prefer the Queen?

But probably one of the main reasons was her unreasonably jealousy. It's just a dance, a dance where holding hands were required, and she dragged the issue further, to the point that injuring Elias, almost drowning him.

Luxe's eyes narrowed as she stared into Elias's eyes. She holds his chin tightly in her grip, and her voice becomes icy and cold as she speaks, "The King's heart is not hard to please. In fact, it is quite the opposite. He is a kind and generous man, who has shown me nothing but love and affection since the day we met. But for some reason, he seems to prefer you over me."

Luxe's fingers tighten on Elias's chin, and she leans in closer, "Why?" she whispers, "Why do you think he chooses you over me?"

Elias was still struggling to catch his breath, but he could feel Luxe's grip on him loosening. He looked up at her and the anger was gone from her eyes.

"I don't know," he whispered, his voice hoarse from the water he had swallowed, "I don't know why the King would choose me over you."

In truth, there's nothing in between the King and Elias, they're just mere friends, and the Queen just assumed that they're having a secret relationship. 

"How dare you?" Luxe hisses, her grip on Elias's hand tightens, "How dare you speak to me as though we are equals?" Luxe shakes her head incredulously, as if she cannot believe the audacity of this commoner. "I should have your tongue cut out for that insult. I am a Queen of the Kingdom, and you are a lowborn street rat. The mere thought of it repulses me."

"Your Highness, that's enough."