Chapter 26 Long Live the Queen
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” Thank Natalí you are safe! I was so scared when I heard the news” Annalise cried while she fixed an emerald hairpin with gold tips at the back of my bun. After the incident at the temple, the king and I went to the palace without speaking to each other. Even though we rode together on his horse, we didn’t utter a word to each other. His rock-hard muscles wrapping around my small soft body almost made me give up on the silent treatment and just ask him to stop the horse and wrap his arms around me properly. Keyword is almost, I wouldn’t ask that asshole for anything even if I was dying.
Immediately I got back to my temporary room at the pavilion of women, I couldn’t resist the bed. I just slept almost instantly my body touched the soft material, I only woke up when the maids led by Annalise came to wake me up so I could be ready for the wedding.
Well, I should have known that news travels faster than anything in the palace, everyone already knew about the attempted assassination of their true Queen which wasn’t successful thanks to the king protecting me like some damsel in distress, note the sarcasm. I mean I was holding off on my own quite well before he burst into the temple, he shouldn’t take all the credit. Even Annalise kept on singing praises of the king as they dressed me up for the wedding.
I was dressed in an armless beautiful lime green silk dress with a tight corset and a wide skirt, I looked like the Queen I was going to be in the next few hours. A beautiful robe with large and long sleeves that covered my arms up till my fingers were draped over the dress. A matching beautiful flowery pattern was embroidered on the sleeves of the robe and just right under the corset which made it look like a band with cream and pink thread.
Yes finally sleeves, At least I wouldn’t have to cover the scars on my arms and the back of my neck with make-up. The dress has a straight neckline and the addition of the robe made it look like it was a square neckline that was designed to show off the beauty of my emerald necklace on my milky skin. The corset was tolerable even though it felt strange because that would be the first time I wore a corset since I came to Nayak. I looked like my old self and the dress was too beautiful for me to resist twirling around a little bit. It was different from the dress I wore when I married Patrick, that one was peach in colour and it had a simpler design compared to these.
Annalise was quite emotional, trying to hold back her tears while ordering the servants around on what to put on my head and my body. I wanted to tell her that the last thing I needed at the moment was some emotional performance. I was freaking out, who wouldn’t? I was marrying the King of Nayak while my husband who is part of the seven rulers of Ruqgu was still breathing fine. What if he comes to this wedding and ruins everything?
” You look quite nervous my Lady. Everything is going to be fine I assure you. The king will protect you” Annalise said noticing my shaky hands. I nodded even though that was not what I wanted to hear.
” I am just scared my husband might show up,” I said trying to control my nerves which wasn’t working because my voice was shaky as hell.
” It’s high time you start referring to him as your ex-husband. He wouldn’t do you any harm, I’m sure he won’t come, it’s not even up to two weeks since you died in Ruqgu. What type of a husband will he be if he doesn’t mourn his wife at least?” Annalise said patting my back gently. But I’m still nervous, what if Eria’s plan failed? And what if Patrick came to Nayak as an ambassador? I know too well that I don’t mean anything to him so my death would mean nothing to him so he might come. He doesn’t even care about public sentiments, if he does, he wouldn’t be beating me in front of the servants.
” I don’t know, he wasn’t quite the best husband from what I remember?” I laughed nervously as I tried to make a joke but the horrified expression on Annalise and two of the other maid’s faces made me realize that joking about my trauma wasn’t the best idea.
” Come here” Annalise sniffed as she gave me a warm. ” Just forget about him okay? You are about to marry the most powerful man on the continent, you shouldn’t worry about a little rat like him” She patted my back and smiled at me once again and I felt the stress lifted from my shoulders almost immediately. Annalise knew how to draw people so much, she reminded me of Eria. Oh Eria, I missed her so much.
” Your worship, A young lady from Ruqgu is asking to see you. She says it’s urgent” The door opened and a young maid rushed in with a piece of news that made my heart jump.
” A young lady? From Ruqgu?” Annalise asked while my head went to different places on why someone would look for me. It wouldn’t be my younger sister, my father forbids anyone in my family from associating with me so I won’t infect them with my barren illness. And Eria can’t be here unless… Oh, sweet Natalí.
” Let her in,” I said releasing the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. The door opened once again and my best friend since childhood stepped in, she wore a new purple dress that looked too different from the normal servant gown she normally wears, and her long hair was brushed back and held away from her forehead with a bronze pin. My heartbeat went to various places as I looked at Eria’s comforting face. I couldn’t help the lone tears that dropped from my face. Annalise bowed and excused herself from the room taking the rest of the maids with her.
” Eria? How?” I gasped not believing the sight in front of me.
” Not quite the welcome I was looking for but it’s been a long time my Lady or should I say my Queen now, I trust that you have been well?” She said with a nervous smile, not knowing how to address me now because of my current position. She rubbed her fingers against each other nervously waiting for my response. I stood up, not minding my many layers of heavy dress. I stretched my hands and gave her a tight hug.
” Eria!” I cried out not minding my makeup as I held the woman who saved me tightly. She couldn’t help her full sobs, telling me how much she missed me. ” But how?” I asked looking at her face once again.
” It is a long story but do you think I will miss your wedding?” She said through her sobs. ” I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world. It has always been my life mission to do anything that will make you happy because I love you so much it hurts”
” I know and I love you too. I missed you so much” Grabbing her hands, I sat her down on one of the loveseats in the room. ” How did you get here? Is Patrick here?” I asked and her sigh told me exactly what I needed to know, I was about to start panicking when she stopped me.
” He is here but he won’t be able to make it to the wedding. At first, when he announced to the entire house that he would be coming to the Queen of Nayak’s wedding, I panicked and I couldn’t sleep for two days after hearing the news but I took it as an opportunity to follow him and know how you were doing. But on our way here, just after leaving the third village before we reached the north gate, our carriage was attacked by some bandits, and the Lord was attacked brutally, he is merely hanging on his life currently. I only survived Because I pretended to be dead. The Lord is getting treatment at an apothecary and I’m sure he would definitely miss the wedding and the coronation” Eria explained and I sighed in relief. I was surprised because I couldn’t even feel any sort of pity for Patrick. I’m finally free from him.
A loud drum was beaten signifying the start of the wedding ritual. Annalise rushed inside with the maids and fixed my hair and dress. She also touched my makeup. I was safely escorted into a palanquin that carried me to Nati’s temple where the wedding rites would begin.
Nati’s temple was way bigger than Natalís probably because he was the sovereign deity of Nayak. People seek children and good health from Natalí while they seek protection, strength, and power from Nati. The god was also the husband of Natalí so everyone mostly worshiped both of them together at Nati’s temple. Various statues that depicted Nati’s strength and valor in battles including the ones that depict Natalí healing him with her tears could be seen everywhere in the Temple’s surroundings.
The temple was so big, that it contained almost every noble in Nayak. The king’s Aunt, Princess Cixi was seated closer to the altar followed by the king’s sisters, older relatives and his consorts. The two lovely consorts looked excited while a certain consort was trying not to turn her teeth to dust with the way she was grinding them together. All the king’s court members were seated in two files facing each other according to their ranks. And the other nobles were on their feet in an organized queue.
Immediately I got out of the palanquin and my silk shoes stepped on the green rug, I knew there was no going back for me again.