Chapter 22 – final rite
.
She said nothing as she stared into my eyes, her face mirroring mine due to the black and white makeup. My breath hitched in my throat as I took in her appearance. Dressed like a celestial being, her whole body was covered and her sleeves were large, Her eyes held a vibrant color of emerald and a tear slipped from her eyes, I raised my hands like a reflex and caught it. I felt a surge of electricity coursing through me as she gave me a warm smile. The colors disappeared right after her as I finally recovered myself.
Strange enough the people carried on as if nothing happened. I couldn’t have imagined that right? That was Natalí and she appeared to me. And gave me her tears, my head went fuzzy as the stone went back to normal but it wasn’t blue anymore but green. The shade of emerald green that I love so much. Does that mean I’m kind of powerful now?
People stared at the stone in shock at the color change, even Annalise couldn’t keep the shock off her face. She stared at me in both amazement and excitement. I couldn’t decipher the look on the king’s aunt’s face though. She looked shocked but kind of annoyed too.
” Your eyes,” Erxi said beside me in amazement. I raised my brow in confusion, what happened to my eyes?
” They are green! Just like Natalí’s tears. Goodness gracious, you are our queen indeed” Annalise gasped fighting every urge to touch my face with her hands.
Ignoring the praises and the chants of the people, I was helped into the temple because every time I touched something, the light glowed bright almost blinding everyone, it was too much and out of my control. According to Princess Cixi, I would have to learn how to control my powers. After helping me balance on the soft cushion pillows, I was left alone inside the temple and the door was locked behind me. The essence of spending the night alone inside the temple is to purify my body and mind by going into full meditation before the wedding as a way of preparing me to be blessed by Natalí but I thought I was already blessed by the goddess but tradition is tradition. Nobody was allowed in the temple to accompany me or to protect me. Only the king can enter the temple and that only happens in case of emergencies.
I grumbled loudly, I had not tasted anything since morning. Even at the tea table back at the Harem, I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything before the rites began. And now I’m being left alone in a cold unlit temple room without warmth or food. I felt Natalí came to bless me earlier though and I don’t need to starve myself and kneel in front of her to receive her blessings.
Three hours later, the day had become darker and my legs had started to ache so much I wondered if I would be able to walk through the final rites. I was also asked not to stand or touch anything because if I did, every stone inside the temple stir awake and glow again. I felt so alone and tired, I wasn’t prepared for all this.
…
A spark was heard and a small light followed, a small dainty hand calmly lit some candles in the room, providing a source of light in the room. The light filled the room and Meisi’s angry face was revealed. She was dressed in the same attire she wore to the True Queen’s tea party but her hair was a little bit messy like she had been pulling it all day. She calmly sat on one of the wooden chairs but her lips were pursed into a thin line and every of her expression reflected anger.
” Come in ” She snarled curling her palms into a fist so tight she almost drew blood. Her breathing was becoming ragged as five men dressed in full black entered the storage-like room. Their faces were covered but they were tall and their appearance was like that of an assassin.
” Your ladyship” The men choruses at the same time, with a screech that reveals her true ugly nature she flung a candlestick at them. Four of them dodged it just in time but the fifth man wasn’t as lucky and he was hit on the shoulder with the burning candle wax. He didn’t even flinch or react.
” You had one job! Just one job! Find! And Kill every woman who showed early signs of Natalí’s powers!” She gritted her teeth together as she tried to control her rage. The men said nothing and even if their facial expressions had an opinion, their masks were covering it.
” I paid you to stay hidden and find the woman! But you were too lazy and you allowed the king to find her?” Her bitter laugh resonated throughout the room.
” The woman is not from Nayak my Lady we couldn’t have…” one of them tried to reason with her but she cut him off.
” Shut up! Shut the dirty opening in your head you call mouth! So Women only live in Nayak? There are no women in other places? I see..” She laughed at her sarcasm as she finally stood up, putting her hand on the table, she gave them a bitter smile
” I didn’t hire or pay all of you to only search for her here in Nayak. Even if you have to cross the sea and search for her in Holcomb or Search every sand in the desert of Aranasa!” Moving slowly and using her hand gestures she continued “Your job was to find her secretly and kill her before the king finds her! I wonder what will happen when my father hears that his overrated assassins are not even worth it.”
” We are sorry your ladyship. We failed” In chorus the four of them muttered once again kneeling at the same time.
” Ah ah, sorry won’t send her back to where she came from or prevent her from stealing my place beside the king” She chuckled as she moved around them, circling them like prey.
” But there is always something you can do for me”
” Command us, your ladyship!” The four of them choruses again.
” You must kill her tonight. Before she becomes one with Natalí in the temple, She won’t have any real powers until after the wedding so before she gain that power, kill her. Kill her before she takes what is mine” Meisi said with a smile on her face as she circled the assassin like a crazy woman. She was a crazy drunk with power.
” But your ladyship” This time, one of them dared to speak alone. There was a hint of fear in his tone not for the person in front of him but for the goddess the crazy woman just ordered him to against.
” There is a curse for whoever harms or kills the true queen. If we kill her we will…”
” Stinky coward! If you were so afraid of this curse then you wouldn’t have agreed to do this job in the first place, The unfavoured lady of Ruqgu must die tonight! You are dismissed” She said with a sinister tone that almost sent chills down the poor man’s spine. He couldn’t understand how a human being could be naturally wicked. That was ironically seeing he also kills for a living.
…
It’s cold, oh my goodness it’s so cold. My legs hurt and I can feel them becoming numb as minutes pass by. I would rather go back to Ruqgu on my feet without rest than sit like this for hours. Why the hell was the sun taking so long to rise for crying out loud?! I was mourning my loss of light and company when I heard a sound.
I couldn’t see anything in the dark but I was sure there was another presence in the temple with me. Could it be Natalí? Oh my goodness. Does the goddess love me so much that she decided to keep me company? A smile crept up my face and I felt honoured until I heard the sound of a sword unsheathing. Oh no! It wasn’t the goddess after all but wait! A sword?