Chapter 17 : Queen Selena’s Wrath
Princess Aurelia walked towards the Queen's chamber, each step feeling heavier than the last. Her heart was anything but silent, numerous thoughts and fears were brewing within her. Why had the Queen summoned her? What could she possibly want now? The questions are spinning her mind and with every moment making her more unsettled than the last.
As they neared the chamber, they were greeted by Queen Selena's personal maid, She was a stern-faced woman whose eyes seemed to pierce through Aurelia. The maid's demeanor was cold and formal, and she barely acknowledged Lora's presence. With a slight nod, the maid gestured for Aurelia to follow her inside, which meant leaving Lora behind.
Aurelia wanted to scream, to refuse to go in alone, to demand that Lora be allowed to accompany her. But she knew better, even asking for this much is a crime in their eyes.
She kept her face neutral, masking the turmoil raging within her. How dare they treat Lora this way? she thought bitterly inside. Lora is the only one who had served her with unwavering loyalty, who had been by her side through thick and thin, but still seen as an outsider by them. They considered her as someone unworthy of the most basic respect simply because she was her choice and not their Queen's.
The unfairness of it all gnawed at Aurelia, but she swallowed her anger. There was no use in protesting; she had tried before, and it had only made things worse. Her mother, Queen Selena, had insisted on assigning her a maid of noble blood, someone with the proper pedigree and training. But Aurelia refused because she did not want another puppet of her mother by her side.
That's why she loved to keep Lora beside her who was only loyal to her, but Lora had stayed by her side—though not without consequence.
The maid opened the door to the Queen's chamber, and Aurelia stepped inside the chamber. The feeling of suffocation came as the door closed behind her like a final judgment. The room was as grand as ever, with high ceilings, gilded walls, and the finest draperies hanging like silent witnesses to every conversation that took place within. Yet to Aurelia, it felt like a cage—a beautiful, luxurious cage from which there was no escape.
Queen Selena was seated on her majestic ornate chair at the far end of the room, her posture regal and imposing as ever. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a coldness in her eyes that sent a shiver down Aurelia's spine.
The Queen's presence filled the room, suffocating any sense of ease or comfort. Aurelia felt small under her mother's gaze, a feeling that had only grown stronger over the years.