In all the chambers in the royal castle there was one that stood out in taste and humor. Hardly any noise came from this chamber; if there was a sound at all, it would be from the melodious tone of the flute the queen of luxury played.
Jia Veythar, the fourth queen of Decreash, commonly referred to as the queen of luxury due to her father's envious wealth, was a queen who liked to lurk within the shadows.
She seeks only serenity and peace but still prides herself on some entertainment when the need arises.
Jia had the beauty of an Arabian princess, just like the rest of her sisters, Nafteni and Omelia. She has a huge chest, long dark hair and siren-dark eyes, lightly brown skin, and long legs.
Most of the time Jia was always dressed in expensive hijabs. Her neck and wrist were always adorned with expensive jewelry imported directly from Hamstung.
When Jia had heard about Omelia's death, she clothed herself in a black hijab and mourned her sister for three days.
Unlike the other queens, Jazell had always found it hard to see through Jia's pretty face. She had tested Jia through cunning ways, but the latter was good at dodging all her tactics.
Whispers have it that she is yet to lay with the king, and it doesn't seem to bother her. Her calm aesthetic was what always unnerved Jazell; she could never tell what Jia had in mind.
It took a while, but Jazell finally realized that Jia liked to remain in solitude. She rarely conversed with the other queen, always keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.
She always had the scent of expensive cologne and an immeasurable taste for a quality lifestyle.
The door to Jia's chamber opened, and a maid stepped in, holding up a bowl filled with rose oil. The atmosphere in the chamber was filled with the overwhelming scent coming from the burning incense surrounding the small temple in Jia's chamber.
The temple was located at the corner of the chamber. It consisted of statues made of gold and carved to form different gods, as ancient times described.
Jia was on her knees, her forehead touching the floor as she bowed in worship. She kept chanting inaudible words, speaking in a foreign language as she prayed.
This was a daily routine she was accustomed to ever since she stepped foot in Decreash. Jia came from a household where culture was deeply rooted; not serving the gods was like demanding death in return.
The maid who stepped in placed the rose oil aside; she stood aside and waited for Jia to round off her prayers.
By the time Jia rose to her feet, the maid had been waiting patiently. The maid bowed slightly before Jia in courtesy before helping her get ready for the day's activity.
Jia was dressed in a yellow gown. The dress had sharp collars and long sleeves reaching up to her wrists. Her long, straight, dark hair was let down, falling side by side on her face.
Jia sat upon a cushioned stool near the tall arched window, her posture upright yet relaxed, the folds of her gown spilling like liquid silk around her. In her hands rested a slender flute of polished ivory, its surface catching the morning light.
She lifted the flute gently to her lips, and as her breath flowed, a stream of notes spilled into the chamber, soft…so melodious.
Her eyes were shut closed, lashes resting lightly against her cheeks, as though she had surrendered herself wholly to the music.
The melody rose and fell, weaving through the stillness of the room, until even the servants paused at their duties, spellbound by the sound. They hummed along, whispering praises of her talent among themselves.
Micah, who was seated in the garden with a book in her hands, couldn't help but move her head to the rhythm of the flute.
After a while Jia grew weary; she placed the flute aside. Then ordered one of the maids to give her a massage.
She reclined gracefully upon a low cushioned couch, her silken robe loosened at the shoulders to reveal skin that glowed softly in the golden light of the morning sun.
Around her, the air is warm and perfumed, the scent of roses thick and lingering. A maid knelt beside her, carefully working rose oil into her arms and neck with slow, deliberate strokes.
Jia's eyes were half-closed, her lips curved in a faint, knowing smile as the tension of the day dissolved beneath the maid's skilled hands.
The faint trickle of a nearby fountain hums like a lullaby, while a veil of curtains draped over the windows filters the sun into soft patterns across the floor.
"You have such lovely skin, my lady."
The maid commended, and Jia smiled faintly. The maids massaging her body began to discuss among themselves; Jia listened quietly. This was how she got the news about the happenings within the walls of the castle.
"Queen Jazell is pregnant."
"One of the maids said," and Jia's eyes fluttered open.
"What did you say?"
Jia questioned calmly. The maid grew agitated; she thought she had spoiled Jia's mood.
"My lady, Queen Jazell, is pregnant."
The maid repeatedly lowered her gaze; she was prepared for the worst but was shocked when her mistress started laughing.
Jia's laughter was a laugh of mockery.
Her laughter rippled through the chamber, light and elegant yet dripping with scorn.
The maids shifted uneasily, some daring to smile along, others keeping their gaze lowered to avoid meeting her gaze.
"What a small world." Jia commended, recovering from her laughter.
"To think that the queen of tactics would let Racheal get away with being the mother of the king's heir… I saw this coming."
Jia muttered under her breath.
She rose from the soft cushion where she lay.
"She has become so predictable lately."
Jia retorted, snapping her fingers. The maids got to work. They helped her dress up, covering up her skin glistening with rose oil.
"Hahn would have known the depth of the whole situation." Jia said, then sighed.
"Hahn left overnight, without telling anyone."
One of the maids said, and Jia scoffed, her obsidian eyes growing distant.
"Hahn didn't run away..."
Jia began calmly as she watched the maids slide her feet into a pair of shoes.
"I know better than to think that a maid that swore to serve me loyally suddenly disappeared overnight with no trace about her whereabouts." She added, then lowered her gaze.
The night Hahn was killed Jia wasn't aware of her absence. But after a few days she noticed that one of her personal handmaids was missing.
She had become fond of Hahn; the latter was faithful to the core, but then she disappeared. Jia immediately knew something was wrong, but she chose to remain silent; instead, she began to harbor secret investigations.
She found nothing; whoever killed Hahn did a clean job.
"Secrets…they lurk with the shadows of these walls." Jia muttered under her breath; the maids had finally finished dressing her up, and she was prepared to step out of her room.
"I must have my share of entertainment; Jazell never fails to amaze me. Racheal, however…" Jia paused.
She didn't complete her sentence; she stood in front of a dressing mirror applying some cologne on her neck. She had the aura of a dynamite queen.
Her face was innocent; it could fool people, but the thoughts in her heart…that was for only her to know and for no one to ever find out.
She strolled out of her chamber, and immediately the guard guiding her room began to follow her from behind.
"Did you find anything?"
Jia's voice was dangerously low.
The guard understood what she was talking about.
"Not yet; I am yet to investigate some of the maids." He answered.
"Do not involve the maids in this; some of them are loyal to their mistress. For all I know, Hahn could have been murdered by someone within the walls of the castle. End the investigation; it is of no use to me."
She said, and the guard nodded in obligation.
Jia made her way to Racheal's chamber; she knocked politely, then stepped in only to see Racheal throwing up her guts on the floor. She was swarmed with maids.
Jia sighed, then stepped out of the chamber, closing the door behind her.
"Bad timing!