Decreash imperial Palace
"Whoop!! Came the whip on Katie's back, and she moaned in agony, her teeth clattering as the pain shot through her spine.
The whip had managed to cut through her dress, and now her back was bleeding profusely.
Even with the disgraceful punishment she was facing, she refused to yield or beg for mercy; she would rather be burnt alive… apparently she was daring them to do their worst.
When Katie had heard that her adulterous secret had come to light, she had known right there that her life was over.
The little dignity and self-respect the subjects of Decreash had for her would surely be vanquished.
Katie, the third queen of Decreash, often called the queen of beauty, was dragged along the dazzlingly tiled floor of the hall to the throne room where King Ragaleon was seated.
Her gracefulness had long eluded her whole being; the crown bestowed upon her head was cast away.
Her dark black hair now clung to her skin, a rivulet of sweat trickling down her face. She was weak, but she still tried to pull and yank away from the grip of the guards who were dragging her to the throne room.
The chains pinned upon her wrist rattled. Her wrists were now red and sore, the iron of the cuffs biting against them.
How shameful that a queen of her status fell quickly from the ladder of glory and was now treated like a slave.
The whole household now gazed at her in dismay; the maids spat in disgust. They dared to ravage their gaze at her spitefully, the same maids who used to kiss her feet!
She was like a fallen angel; her dignity had been dealt with severely.
Katie was brought to the throne room and pushed down until her knees buckled and finally gave way to the coercion.
Her chin was lifted by the strong, able hands of the guards until her eyes met Ragaleon's.
The cold gaze he had on her was enough to sound a warning of caution, but Katie was foolish enough to still wag her tongue carelessly, arousing Ragaleon's already dampened mood.
"How dare you treat your queen like this?!
She rattled and received a tight slap from one of the guards. Immediately she bursts into an uncontrollable wailing, cursing them with a high-pitched voice.
She has become a punching bag for the royal guards; the same guards appointed to ensure her safety have turned against her.
Again, Katie raised her gaze to glance at Ragaleon, her heart palpitating, hammering against her rib.
At that moment she wanted to disappear.
Just by the look he gave her, she was filled with enough conviction to conclude that she would not be making it alive.
She lifted her fingers to her bruised face, then brushed away the tears that had fallen.
Her makeup was already ruined, and she now looked hideous.
Just then a man was also dumped on the floor beside Katie; he was quivering like a drenched cat, and unlike Katie, he didn't dare to gaze at Ragaleon.
This was the same man Katie had been having an affair with. How shameful! She slept with a male servant; she crossed her limits.
"Do you plead guilty?"
It was the council elder speaking. He was standing beside Ragaleon, shrouded in a red robe, with a black scarf tied around his head, holding up an ancient book that was wide open.
"I cheated on you, and I enjoyed it." She said to Ragaleon before breaking into a cunning laughter and received another slap from the guard standing beside her, causing her to choke and vomit blood.
But that didn't stop her from going on.
In fact, she was very glad she had the chance to say those words to his face; she has never felt so alive.
"How does it feel to see your wife love another man, huh? She twisted her lips and suddenly wore a distorted look.
"This kingdom, the fake life, this marriage is all a charade. I hate this place, and most especially, I hate you, Ragaleon! She boldly said, and this time she was surprised she didn't receive a heavy punch from the guards.
That was because the guards were too amused to move a muscle. Just a second ago, Katie had dared to address their master without adding the title. "Lord," as per tradition.
Formally, Ragaleon is always addressed by his wife as "My Lord." If looks could kill, Katie would have long vanished from existence.
"How pathetic." Those were the only words that slid out from Ragaleon's mouth.
"Katie Jehosphat, I repeat, do you plead guilty? The council elder held his stance.
"Guilty?" Katie scoffed.
"If getting married to Ragaleon was a mistake, then yes, I plead guilty," Katie mocked. This time Ragaleon rose from his throne and with heavy strides crossed the gap between them.
With a single grip he encircled her neck with his hand and made her rise to her feet while squeezing life out of her.
He didn't say anything to her; he only gazed at her with contempt. For some reason he was glad this happened; it reminded him of the reason he chose to never love a woman.
"Just end this, kill me." Katie begged desperately; her skin was already pale, but her face was as red as a tomato. Ragaleon was squeezing the living daylight out of her.
"I won't give you that satisfaction." Ragaleon simply muttered before letting go of her, and she slumped to the floor, struggling to grasp for breath.
He brushed past her, then started making his way out of the throne room.
"Your Majesty, have mercy! The man who had an affair with Katie pleaded.
"She ensnared me; I had no intentions of lying with her." He cried out, but Ragaleon kept walking away.
"Ragaleon … Katie called out with apparent boldness as she struggled to turn around.
"Look at me." She said with a firm tone.
Surprisingly, he halted in his steps but didn't turn to look at her. He stood for a fleeting moment before resuming his pace.
The man who Katie had an affair with was immediately led to an open space where he was beheaded in front of the subjects of Decreash. This would serve as a warning to any common man eyeing any of the king's wives lustfully.
As Katie was bundled by two able guards and led away. By this time she was drained of life, her hair disheveled and the remainder of her tattered dress out of place.
Unwittingly her gaze flashed at a figure.
She raised her gaze fully, peering at the woman standing by a pillar in the throne room, with a fancy fan concealing half of her face...Jazell.
Gracefully clouded in a purple-colored gown befitting her status was the second queen of Decreash. Her sharp eagle-blue eyes were fixed on Katie like moving daggers.
Suddenly she removes the fan from her face; her red, lustrous lip comes into full bloom.
Her gaze was void of emotion; she stood erect, one hand crossed behind her back and the other hand holding on to the feather hand fan.
"Jazell…," Katie muttered while shaking her head from side to side pitifully.
She did this…it was Jazell who exposed her infidelity.
"You will pay for this." Katie managed to mumble before she was finally dragged out of the throne room.
Jazell was able to read her lips. She arched her brows, refusing to say a word; she simply turned around and walked away while fanning herself with her fancy feathered hand fan.
"She used to be the most favored queen; it is difficult to come to understand why she would do such a thing."
A maid whispered to her colleague as they both made their way to the holy ground. It was called holy ground because that was the place where justice was administered.
Katie was handed a bowl of poison to drink while made to stand on the pinnacle of the holy ground. She was in an open space for all to see and witness her demise, the Tower of Justice, as it was called.
Commoners were throwing stones and dirt at her.
In the face of death, Katie quivered as she peered into the bowl filled with a dark liquid that was sure to give her a quick death.
"Drink!" The royal guard lashed at her.
Katie smiled as she gazed at the poison; at least she wasn't beheaded.
On the ground not too far away from where she stood was the head of the man she had an affair with. His body was still hanging on the execution block; his head must have rolled away.
What a dynamite beauty, yet her beauty led many to their downfall.
Her beauty could make any man fall on his knees; men would line up just to see Katie's face. That was how she was able to find a way into Ragaleon's harem; her beauty couldn't be hidden.
Katie hated her marriage to Ragaleon; she felt betrayed when her father gave her away like a piece of furniture to the royal family of Decreash just to form an alliance between them.
Even as a princess she had always had a glimpse of true love, but her marriage to Ragaleon killed those dreams.
She needed someone to love and pour out her heart to. Then she found Groy, a male servant.
At first he had refused; he was a very handsome servant in the kingdom, and when Katie had first set her eyes on him, she immediately fell in love with him. She made a lot of attempts to make him feel the same way, and eventually he fell for her too.
As Katie brought the bowl of poison to her mouth, memories of her encounter with Groy flashed through her mind. Their romantic escapades, the endless nights of passionate lovemaking... and then she remembered her wedding day to Ragaleon.
She was happy on that day, smiling sheepishly, not knowing she was stepping into a trap, a cage! Katie shuddered at that thought, the bowl of poison already grazing her lips.
She remembered her father; oh, she hated that man. She remembered when he broke the news of Ragaleon's wedding proposal. The drunken fool couldn't see through the fake smile she wore.
"Duty comes first." That was what her father used to always say to her to remind her of her duty... her debt for being his daughter, a princess.
"My duty was to die, Father, to die for my country." Katie scoffed; the guard forcefully made her gulp the bowl of poison.
Katie gulped down the whole content, then the bowl faltered to the ground. She crouched on her knees as a severe pain invaded her body.
"Hail the goddess," she said, coughing out blood.
A whip descended on her back, and she raised her gaze to look at the guard who, without reason, had no conscience; he still dared to use the whip on her while she was dying in pain.
"Why hail the goddess? You are going to hell! The other guard mocked, and the commoners broke into shrill laughter.
Katie still focused her gaze on the guard who had whipped her.
"I curse you; you will never find a woman who loves you, you will be lonely all your life, and you will die alone." Katie was dying, but she laid curses on the guard.
She screamed in pain as the poison took full effect. Ragaleon didn't disappoint her; he gave her a slow and painful death.
"Duty comes first." Those were the last words she mumbled before falling into eternal slumber. She died with her eyes open.
A maid standing by a corner immediately made her way inside the kingdom.
"She is dead, my lady." The maid called Hahn said as she curtsied, her gaze down as she told her mistress the good news.
The lady gazed at the maid and then simply waved her hand, signifying the maid to leave.
In another chamber, Jazell was reclined on a chair in her chamber, a cup of wine anchored in her hand.
Then suddenly she turned towards the maid messaging her feet; she struck the maid across the face as she withdrew her feet, her face contorted with despair.
"Forgive me, my queen." The maid quickly said she had grazed Jazell's feet with her nails, earning a slap in return.
"Get lost." Jazell simply said, not sparing her a glare. She brought the glass of wine to her lips and took a sip.
Just then her personal handmaid made her way into the chamber.
"My lady, Queen Katie is dead." Linn, Jazell's personal handmaid, announced, and a faint smile appeared on Jazell's lip.
"Bring me more wine." She said lightly, her harmonious voice piercing the air.
"Today is an auspicious day; you all are dismissed." Jazell said, and the other maid in the room quickly took their leave.
"Stay, Linn..." Jazell said when she saw that Linn was about to take her leave.
"Why are you pale? You should be happy for your mistress; the fewer queens, the merrier." Jazell put down the cup of wine on a table close to the chair she was sitting on. She signaled Linn to come closer, and she did.
"My lady, I am happy for you; I just fear for my life." Linn said, knowing very well she was the one that leaked Katie's infidelity.
"What have I always told you, Linn? The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. You will receive your reward in due time." Jazell said, refilling the cup in her hand with wine.
Linn was about to take her leave…
"Linn..." Jazell called out calmly, nonchalantly, and dreadfully.
"I like you, Linn; you are loyal. But I can also hate you if you betray me; I will make your life miserable; I will torture you." Jazell paused, then smiled brightly.
"But I am sure you will do no such thing, right? She was already torturing the poor thing.
"Of course not, my lady. I will never betray you." She quickly said, still backing Jazell.
"Good, you may take your leave."
Just as Linn made her way out of Jazell's chamber, another figure stepped in. Her step was slow and calculated, with caution and elegance.
"Your grace." Linn bowed in courtesy at the lady who had just stepped in before quickly taking her leave.
Jazell raised her gaze and saw that it was Racheal, the first queen of Decreash. She arched her brows in sheer amusement.
"Well, look who we have here." Jazell exclaimed, crossing her legs.
"Care to join the party? She said, pouring herself more wine. There was another cup on the table; she filled the glass with wine and signaled Racheal to take a seat, but the latter was not interested.
"Why did you do it? Racheal, fondly called the queen of wisdom, asked with a penetrative gaze.
"I see, more wine for me then." Jazell said she saw that Rachel wasn't interested in joining her to celebrate.
"Someone just died, and you sit here celebrating! Why did you do it, Jazell? Rachel inched closer.
"What makes you think I am the one behind this? Jazell retorted, tilting her head slightly sideways.
"Who can be more cunning than the queen of tactics herself? Racheal said she was calling Jazell by the name she was described with.
The queen of tactics, a very cunning, ambitious, and cruel queen.
"You have already answered your own question, Racheal," Jazell cooed calmly.
"When we all came into this castle, we had one thing in mind. We were going to be queens. This is a harem, Racheal; you are either hunting or hunted, the predator or the prey. You know me well by now; I do not fall on the losing side."
"So then you decide to play games, using human life like pieces on a board? You have started a war that you cannot end." Rachel's sonorous voice was filled with spite.
"We all started a war the day we were born royalty!