Chapter 62: I have chosen a queen
\~~~~THRONE HALL ~~~~
Alaris's eyes scanned the faces of the elders present. Although he would want Akera to still be on bed rest, he was glad to see him around. For the first time, the elder council felt complete.
"If there is no matter arising, I have an announcement to make." He said, breaking the silence that lurked in the room, and each other shifted their legs, none looking up. It was obvious that their minds were running wild about what announcement he had to make. None of them could come up with anything tangible, so they waited anxiously with their hearts thudding in their chests. As long as the announcement didn't have anything to do with their heads leaving their necks, they were okay. Perhaps.
"I have chosen a queen." He said, his voice echoing through the hall, and their hearts stilled in their chests, as if it was a timer that had been paused.
It felt unreal. How did he go from not wanting a queen to choosing one?
Some of them exchanged looks, doubting if they heard well or wrong. Perhaps their old age was now affecting their hearing abilities.
"Is it one of the concubines? My king?" Endrado asked, raising his head up, and the elders sighed in relief that someone was able to ask.
"No, Endrado." Alaris answered, his voice firm. Endrado slowly gulped and cleared his burning throat. It was as if he had swallowed chunks of burning coals.
"Then, may I ask who the woman is?" He asked, his voice almost cracking, but one could tell in his tone that he was displeased the intending queen wasn't one of the concubines.
"She is a maid in the palace that I've taken a liking to." Alaris answered, his voice softening then returning to its firmness.
"Go home and prepare for the coronation." He said with a note of finality and waved his hand in dismissal, not giving room for any more questions to be asked.
He watched as they bowed their heads and filed out of the hall, none daring to speak a word even when they had endless questions on their minds. No one wanted to be on the bad side of the king. Like he said, his words were laws, and no one wanted to be burnt to ash and sent to hell.
"Did you see the look on Endrado's face? He was like a ghost," Elder 1 cackled, looking over his shoulder to check if anyone could overhear them as they leave the palace.
"He is so disappointed his favourite concubine wasn't chosen." Elder 2 replied.
"Everyone is aware of how he favours Ladya over the other concubines. I knew the king would never wife her." Elder 2 added, proud that his guess was right.
"I wonder who the maid is. Why would the king choose a maid to be the dragon queen?" Elder 1 asked, displeasure evident in his voice and wrinkled face. Even though no one said anything aloud, they were all displeased by the king's choice of a queen.
"She must be the lady he was spotted with days ago." Elder 2 chipped in, confident it was the woman.
"Then she isn't bad looking. She looked more innocent and beautiful than Ladya, but it doesn't change the fact that she is a lowlife and..."
Elder 2 interrupted Elder by clearing his throat nonstop.
"Watch your tongue. The walls have ears. If you want to say anything, at least get out of the palace first, or do you want to be roasted?"
\~~~~LADYA'S CHAMBER ~~~~
Ladya sat by the window, hair almost dishevelled. Her eyes had eye bags and dark circles. Her right hand was wrapped with gauze. For the first time, her face was bare with no makeup. She gazed outside the window from the second floor, watching the servants go about their duties.
"Their life must be peaceful and easier." She thought and saw them casting glances at her window before giggling and walking away.
"They must have seen those photos and gossiped about me." She mumbled, her voice dry. It was as if she had been crying all night.
"The unrivalled concubine Ladya now has a rival who the king is smitten by." She hissed and coughed before swallowing.
"Damn Anna for ruining everything. I don't want to ever see her near me again." She cursed, hurt lacing her voice, and the creaking sound of the door made her snap her head in its direction, and she immediately bit back the tears brimming in her eyes when she saw who had come.
Why did he always have to come at the wrong time?
"Elder Endrado," she got up and greeted him properly.
Endrado examined her face and sighed before placing his hands on his hips.
"You look exhausted. Have you not been sleeping?" He asked, but instead of concern, Ladya sensed scolding in his tone.
'How could I sleep when such intimate photos of the king with another woman are trending?' Ladya thought and gulped, pushing the image away from her head.
"The baby has deprived me of sleep lately, but the doctor said my sleeping schedule would return to normal soon." Ladya answered, lying through her teeth, and she couldn't help but feel a weight in her chest after those untruthful words left her mouth.
"Good." Endrado exclaimed, and Ladya almost raised her brow at him.
"You have to take care of this child at all costs." Endrado enunciated, and Ladya's lips parted.
"Why?" She asked, and Endrado took a step closer, looking into her confused eyes, and her heart raced. She knew something had happened. The look on his face confirmed it even before his lips could.
"Have you not heard?" He asked, anger lacing his voice, and Ladya shook his head.
"The king has chosen a queen!"
Ladya's jaw dropped as the words entered her ear.
"And it is not you." Endrado broke the shell, and it was as if cold water had been emptied on Ladya from head to toe, drenching her. Her legs wobbled, and before she could lose her balance, Endrado caught her right in time and sat her down on the couch.
" If you want to secure your position, then you must give birth to a healthy baby. Being the mother of an imperial heir is more than being the queen." Endrado explained, etching the words inside her mind, but his words were like feathers to her ears, just brushing and leaving a faint touch.