26
The Queen
Mother was living in a sort of self-imposed exile.
A strange
sort of exile, though, holed up as she was within her suite of
chambers inside the Grand Palace, the Royals' family home far outside
of Chakiti Enzi, the Capital city of the Long Plains Kingdom.
She spent
most of her days there in darkness, with the drapes drawn and the
lights turned low.
Malikia
Azari, the duly appointed Queen's Regent, and currently the most
powerful and influential person in the Incata,
was in mourning.
Her
eldest son, the once future King, was dead, while her youngest, the
wayward Prince, and currently the rightful heir, had been held
captive and powerless in foreign lands; where his shame was complete.
And now
her kingdom was in jeopardy, the very fabric of the land, many of the
major Elementals, the very glue which magically held the Incata in
place, under attack and dying. Meanwhile, there were enemies
veritably at the gates, aided, no doubt, by traitors rampant within
her very own house.
All of
her well lain plans had turned to ash.
“Best,”
she thought. “To have left well enough alone.”
But, it
was much too late for such regrets now. At whatever cost, those long
laid plans were fully in motion and a delicate balance must be
maintained in order for her to assure the survival of the House of
Askai.
She was
certain that before all was over, she'd be labeled a monster and much
of the blame for the ruin to come would be lain at her feet.
It was a
burden she was willing to bear.
Comments
Post a Comment