Chapter 26 The Unexpected Queen

Chapter 26 The Unexpected Queen
We landed on something hard that made my whole backside hurt. My head was pounding for it also landed on something hard. What the hell?  Alaric sat up next to me and asked, “You alright?”

“No, I woke up and I didn’t get a proper rest like I wanted to”. 

“Yes, that would be my fault I believe”, a different voice coming from somewhere in the shadows. 

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”, I screamed back into the darkness. 

“Yes, you are very much like your sister. Very demanding”, when he said that, I went for him. I grabbed his muscles, his bones, everything under the skin and smashed him into the wall. 

“WHERES MY SISTER?”, I screamed at him. 

He started laughing, and came into the light. This man didn’t have his face covered and I could see his eyes which looked black in the dim light from the sky. His skin is brown, his nose looked crooked as if somebody broke it recently or maybe ages ago. “So you came alone Princess with no army and no weapon to protect yourself”. 

Alaric stood up, and went in front of me unsheathing his hidden sword, “She doesn’t need any of that for she has me”. I would ask him later about the sword and why was he willing to protect me, but now I’m happy to have him by my side.  

“Do you really think you can take on my whole army?”, just then we saw sword after sword come forth along with faces that seem to pertain to those swords. 

We were fucked, screwed and just done for. I know I can take on a good five men, but Alaric can do six or eight men but I probably can see about 30 swords and I feel the presence of more incoming. 

“Enough!”, a very demanding and booming voice loomed over the mild hysteria going on in this pit. 

I see a nythari woman come from beneath the shadows dressed in a blue and tan silk gown that seemed to drape over her body. On top of the gown was a golden robe which meant she was royalty or at least someone noble. Along with her jewelry that seemed to cover her neck, wrist and fingers, she has to be someone important. She seems to be studying as much as I’m studying her. Her hair was brown and tied in a low bun. She wore no crown, but her presence alone seem already dignified by the way she carried herself with much confidence. 

The man turned around and bowed down to the woman., along with everyone who seems to be in the pit  “My Queen, we captured these infiltrators that were lurking about for the past few days. They seem to have stolen one of our shiffs”. The Queen, raised her hand and the man immediately stopped talking. 

“I hear we have an important guest with us today, Princess Lilith Chantra of the Night Court. Rise for a future Queen doesn’t kneel to a Queen”. I rose with skepticism for this Queen seems to hold authority over these men not with fear but respect for her. 

“Yes, I am Princess Lilith Chantra of the Night Court. Prince Alaric also accompanies me”, Alaric had his body bowed down but rose his head slightly to look at the Queen. 

The Queen nodded towards him, and said, “Rise young Prince”, then she looked back at me, “To what do I owe this great honor of having you in my empire today?”.

“A week ago, my sister contacted me and told me to come get her for she was being tortured here in this empire. Please, I just want to get my sister back and we will leave peacefully”. 

The Queen nodded and said, “Walk with me Princess Lilith”. I did and she began again, “I am Queen Zarqira Nyfari of the Mujari Empire. My husband died some decades ago, leaving me and our children to take charge of this empire”. I nodded at this but why was she telling me this? “Your sister is Princess Scarlet, correct?”, I nodded at my head at this. “I’m going to be honest with you, for I have not seen her here or even knew that she is in my kingdom. But you are free to roam about my home and ask anyone you wish for more information in regards to her. I I will do the same for I don’t want us to be enemies in the future”. 

The Queen seems to be very different than what I imagined. I didn’t even think the ruler would be a Queen, much less much more fair from how the soldiers were acting. The Queen brought us to a room where there was a bed, a couch and a vanity. The room had bare walls but it didn’t matter for the elegant designs that were painted on these walls. Swirls and shadows between red and gold with a hint of brown in them. The bed sat in the middle against the far wall. The vanity on the side and as for the couch, it sat next to the door. There was a big overhead window that showed us the blue blue sky giving natural light into the room, which meant we still underground. 

"Queen Zarqira, who was that man that addressed you when first walked into the pit?". He didn't say that I was the Princess' sister, so I'll start by talking to him first.

"That would be my commander, Chief Saqair", I nodded at this.

"Thank you your majesty for giving me the chance to look for my sister. I know I came into you lands without permission, and I want to thank for me not throwing in a prison and hearing my plea". In any other kingdom or probably, in my kingdom, infiltrators would be thrown in a dungeon for weeks before hearing them out.

The Queen nodded and said, “Until your sister is found, you are free to stay here. Some servants will come by to take you to dinner. Have a blessed day”. And with that she left us alone. 

Alaric turned to me and said, “What do you want to do now Violet?”.

“I want to find my sister”. Then walked out of the room.