Valhya
"Oh my, it's just like the one I have in my palace! Only smaller!" Valhya's eyes glittered from seeing so many beautiful clothes under one roof. Matter of fact she was growing with so much fun excitement that she was about to blow.
Being a war prisoner and all, a good look at lovely clothes always lifted ones spirit. It is said the prettier the shoes the longer your life!
Hiriah scoffed to herself quietly. She did know that queen Valyha was human, but she was not aware that Valyha was in fact a queen from Earth.
"Did I not tell you I was a queen back on Earth." Valhya' noticed the lack of response from her Head maiden. So she decided to reiterate, just in case she didn't hear. "Not that big of deal,"
Valhya cleared her throat as she glanced at her nails.
Hiriah's eyes grew wide as she bent her head. "Ah, I had no idea you had such great background. I would have bowed down lower than the ground itself if had known. This truly makes such a difference!" Hiriah snuck in some sacarsm. Queen or not how could any Earth be compared to be the bride and potential Empress of Naqil.
"Well you don't need to hold so much regret. How could you know—" Valhya lightly shrugged. Sarcasm completely flying over her head.
Hiriah just stood there stunned. How could anyone be so prideful!
"You are late. My goodness, do you have no respect at all! How does one show up three hours late!" A manly voice grunted from behind the women.
Valyha turned back slowly. Who dare shout at queen Valyha!
"I apologize, her highness spent two hours getting cleaned in the bathing chamber," Hiriah said as she spotted the blonde man crossing his arms with an annoyed expression.
"Who are you?" Valyha's eyes landed on the blonde man. The one who had made that comment.
"He is the one designing the dresses for the Fayere feast," Hiriah introduced.
Valhya furrowed her eyebrows. She did remember Hiriah vaguely saying something about a feast where the Demon Emperor would be present.
But she would be going there as his bride. How humiliating.
That was all she could remember as she didn't really pay attention much to the orientation.
She was too busy plotting a masterful escape. Her plans would be set in motion soon. All she had to do was figure out a way to escape her palace walls without being bolted with all the thunder the sky has to offer. Then somehow maneuvering the thousands of armed Qira guards surrounding the outer walls while being powerless. If she managed to achieve that feat, then all she had to do was find the key that opened the portals to the central palace. And then hope that she doesn't get caught by the Qira Emperor while trying to escape from there too.
It was possible. But too difficult to achieve.
Dying was the best way to leave this place. Correction, dying was the only way to escape this place.
She couldn't even die because the thunderbolts did not even kill her. It only made her experience excruciating pain.
Thankfully the talisman that was forcing Valyha stationed in her castle, had been lightened as it allowed her to move around the palace yard freely. Anything outside the walls, she was fried.
"So you are a designer?" Valhya raised an eyebrow as she looked Lethivi from head to toe. "Change him. I want a designer that at least knows how to dress himself."
Lethivi gasped clenching the garment at his chest. "You bi—"
"Mind your words before the queen," Hiriah raised her voice, cutting the angry designer off. She wasn't fond of this new queen but that didn't mean anyone should just disrespect her like that. A head maiden's honor was in her queen.
Besides she had not completely given up on queen Valyha. Believe it or not, Queen Valyha also had a legitimate shot at becoming Empress just like the other queens.
Lethivi bit down his tongue glaring hard. He knew his boundaries, the human was still very much the bride of the Great Emperor. Roriana had her flaws but she was far better than this wench.
"Fine, let's see what can be done. Though I cannot promise much seeing as she as fat as a cow. With the tits of watermelons and thighs of Sera beasts. What garments shall fit her without tearing of course," Lethivi said pettily
Valhya's eyes widened.
"If you cannot fulfill the simple task of making a good looking dress for a watermelon-sera beast, then how are you even a designer? I thought this was supposedly a universal leader's palace, I expected a place like this to have high standards. But they hired you, so I must have been wrong. How greatly underwhelming, you bring the Royal prestige down. Someone like you would not be caught dead in front of my gate much less— mmmmm"
Hiriah slapped a hand over Valyha's mouth. "If you do not want to wear the ugliest dress the world has ever known to the feast then please, stop."
Lethivi's jaw dropped wide open unable to speak as he watched Hiriah try to calm Valyha. No manners, loud. Did this woman really have a chance of becoming Empress?
Lethivi's bones shuddered at the thought.
Valhya peeled Hiriah's hand from her mouth. "Do not stop me from speaking ever again. Otherwise you will not like the consequences, young lady."
Valyha's already black eyes hardened as her voice firmed.
Hiriah tensed, the Queen's eyes were so cold. "Forgive me, your highness." Perhaps, queen Valyha really was a queen. Hiriah thought to herself. But who was she calling young lady?
"Now as for you. I fail to believe that anyone would wear your designs confidently, seeing as I don't want to look like a clown. I relieve you of your duty as my designer. Go sew fig leaves somewhere else."
"What are you saying, you can't fire me, because you didn't hire me." Lethivi scoffed raising an eyebrow. "I came directly from the Great Emperor."
"So what. Yes I can,"
"No you can't."
"Yes I can."
"NO YOU CAN'T!"
"I can raise my voice too, mister. YES I CAN!"
Hiriah watched from the sidelines. Thirty minutes in and she was already making this year's royal designer hate her. Hiriah slapped her face as she could see her vision of serving an Empress fading away. Better to give up now.
"Alright then suit yourself. I have never met any other bride as ridiculous and vile as you. I shall not sketch much less sew anything for you, wear leaves to the feast. I don't care!" Lethivi stormed off angrily.
Hiriah sighed. There is absolutely no chance her queen will rank even fourth in the Emperor's Harem.
"Other brides." Valhya said softly. "Brides, like plural? Hiriah other than me, are there other women engaged to the king?"
"Emperor," Hiriah corrected.
"Whatever," Valyha answered.
"Well yes. Over a hundred actually, but you're a part of the main ones," Hiriah said, glad that her queen was finally taking the harem seriously.
"A p-part of the main ones..." Valhya slumped her shoulders as she froze. It looked like her brain had shut down. But every now and then it would try to start up back again. "I am... an option..?" Her words slurred.
Hiriah nodded.
"Me?"
"Yes!"
Valhya placed the back of her palm on her forehead as her knees dropped to the floor. The bottom of her pink gown puffed as she fell sideways lying on the cold floor, in a dramatic pose.
The maidens just looked at her blinking in confusion.
"Alas, it is the end of my life,"
"You highness ... what are you doing?"
"Dying. I shall not leave this place until the day I die," Valyha groaned dramatically in a fainting pose. She could already hear the symphony of a great tragedy playing in the background. Which gave her the idea for a private orchestra house to while away time. Somehow a place where people played music as she ate seemed very delightful. She'd see if she could arrange for that, thankfully this place had its privileges. But that would only be after her depression moment.
Hiriah didn't respond as she merely slapped her face. The other maidens followed as well.
They were screwed
"Bring a mirror, I want to see my depression face!" Valhya commanded in a dark tone.
"As you wish your highness!"
No hope. There was no hope.