Chapter 25 – Unraveling
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” She is special” He muttered as the maids helped him into his ceremonial robes. He couldn’t take his mind off what happened at the temple. The way she controlled the tears like she had had enough training most of his life impressed him. She was chosen by Natalí. He knew she was different from other true queens from the way the powers responded to her like an obedient child. While other Queens could only heal people with Natalí’s tears, his true queen was wielding it like a weapon. He couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful she looked, holding the shiny green whip while killing her enemies. Even though the thought sounds bitter to him, he realizes that he is the luckiest among all the kings of Nayak.
What king wouldn’t like a queen who is capable of protecting the palace in his stead while he is busy on the battlefield? Although there were hardly wars waged against Nayak for over a decade because he and his father made sure every other knew their place, Nayak has never lost in a war before because of Nati’s protection but it doesn’t mean other countries stopped attempting to invade them. They only stopped and signed a peace treaty because of him and his father. When he was a prince, He went to war instead of his father the king, or by his father’s side. He was the war general before he became the king himself and having a powerful queen like that was perfect. A Queen that can heal and also fight side by side with him.
As the palace maid placed his crown on his head. The eunuch announced Valtar’s presence in the room. He turned around to face his bodyguard who looked like he was run over by a hundred horses at the same time. That’s what he gets from drinking too much alcohol.
” Good morning your majesty. I have the information you asked for.” The man said trying to sound formal in front of his entire dressing servants and ladies but the king could still hear his grunt of pain on every syllable, at least he was a strong man, he should be able to hold the hangover more.
” About the Belladonna or the other one,” The king asked, the hands of the maid tying the back of his robe tightly before dropping the final and heavy one on his body. It was his wedding day, he should look the best and he looked absolutely dashing in the white robes, different patterns of Nati’s conquest embroidered on it with golden threads. It was heavy but it was just for a day.
” Tameka is still busy with that one, it’s the other one, Your Majesty,” The bodyguard said holding back a belch.
After Marilyn told him that she was married, he asked Valtar to do a thorough finding about her background, her husband in Ruqgu, and how long she was married. He wanted to know the man who assaulted her beautiful body. He saw the marks on her body when they briefly met at the inn before he got poisoned and after he woke up the next morning. He saw her neck and her wrist, some marks were old and faded while some were still new, he knew those marks well especially the ones on her wrist.
Even before Annalise introduced her as his true queen, he had thought she escaped an abusive marriage. He loathed the man who made her body like that. When Annalise brought her to his Chambers, he noticed some faded marks on her body even though they were nicely covered up, he could see them, and that was what told him that she was the same woman he met at the inn. He just pretended not to know her in order not to complicate things. He just wants to know the cruel bastard that dared do that to her.
” Go on,” He said to Valtar sitting down on one of his cushions. He dismissed all the servants immediately.
” She was Lady Marilyn Rusè before she married into the house of Gattar eight years ago. She is the daughter of the Late Queen’s childhood and best friend, The same woman your mother always visits in Ruqgu. Before Annalise found her, She was a very rich influential woman especially after getting married, Instead of acquiring pieces of jewelry and fine clothes with her dowry like other women, she invested in many shops and businesses. She made the house Gattar more wealthy than before. But she had a problem ” Valtar paused watching Treven’s reaction. He looked impressed at her achievements but raised his eyebrows at Valtar prompting him to continue.
” She couldn’t conceive” Valtar muttered with a sad tone.
” What do you mean?” Treven asked, his tone dark.
” throughout her eight years of marriage, she never even had a miscarriage. She was never pregnant.”
” She is barren? Gracious Natalí! How is she going to give me an heir?” Treven stood up more Confused, only true Queens can bear heirs for the king but his queen was barren. Why has Natalí decided to punish him in such a way?
Valtar stared at him with a look that said really? Before going on with his report.
“And that led to her husband maltreating her and eventually abusing her both physically and emotionally, The news is all known around Ruqgu. The people believed that was why she committed suicide because she was found dead just a day before you met her at the inn” Valtar said after saying everything he knew about the Queen.
” She is dead? Did she commit suicide? How? Am I marrying a ghost?” Treven gasped at the news.
” Maybe she faked her death to escape from her abusive husband, you know women are not allowed to file a divorce in Ruqgu. They are to endure until their husbands get tired and throw them out instead”
” That must be the case. That law is cruel, what is the essence of allowing women to read when they can’t even choose their freedom? That man is sick also, If she can’t give him children why not just divorce her or kick her out? Ohhhhh ” His face scrunched up angrily as the realization dawned on him. ” So he just keeps her around to fuel his sick pleasure huhn? Beating helpless women? Must be good, I’m going to kill him” He huffed out angrily. Her ex-husband disgusted him to the bones. He was going to pay for everything he did to Marilyn and he was going to make sure of that.
” Hmm, he is actually among your wedding guests! ” Valtar coughed seeing his king’s reaction.
” He is coming to the wedding?!” Treven exclaimed, wheels turning in every direction inside his head.
” I mean he is part of the seven rulers of Ruqgu, he was chosen as an ambassador of sorts being the youngest among all” Valtar grinned nervously, it’s never good when Treven is angry.
” Well someone is not going to return home safely I see.”
” No, No, No Treven calm down.” Valtar threw up in his hands in the air, he had to throw all formalities away and address his best friend by his name. ” The lady wouldn’t want that. Remember she is dead to him, the only thing you need to do is protect her identity from him and everything will be good. If she see him, she might panic and we wouldn’t want that would we?”
Sitting down again, Treven calms reasoning his best friend’s words.
” Yeah you are right”
“Of course I am, besides if he didn’t behave so uncouth, do you think it will be easy for Marilyn to become your queen? The goddess has chosen or not, she doesn’t even believe in Natalí, she would have stayed in her loving marriage and poured Annalise’s convincing words into the fluer river” Valtar said trying everything to soothe the king’s anger.
” But he laid his hands on what is mine! He must pay for what he did, I’m going to kill him with my bare hands” Treven rose in anger again, Valtar couldn’t help but sigh. Now Marilyn is his?
” No, Your Majesty. You cannot kill one of the seven rulers of Ruqgu. That’s an ultimate invitation to war”
” Really? It’s been a while since we went to war, it won’t take me that much to crush that little city in my palms”
” Gracious Nati! No! That is where your mother and soulmate came from, trust me you don’t want to wage a war against your distant families. The lady wouldn’t appreciate it. Besides I did something already” Frustrated Valtar said right before the large drum sound was heard meaning the Queen was already on her way to the temple.
” What did you do?” Treven asked to adjust his robes, he was going to be late for his wedding.
” He won’t be attending this wedding trust me. Please your majesty just enjoy your wedding today without worries”