Chapter 1: Betrayal

BETRAYAL

"Whoop!! Came the whip on Katie's back and she moaned in agony. 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 had a stone heart. She would never yield or beg for mercy, she would rather be burnt alive….. apparently she was daring them to do their worse.

Immediately she heard that she had been summoned by the king her heart flinched, right there she knew she was finished. The little dignity and self respect the subject in the whole 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 eluded her, her dark black hair clung to her skin, rivulet of sweat trickling down her face. She was weak, but she still tried to pull and yank her grip from the guards who were dragging her to the throne room.

The chains were firmly pinned on her wrist, which were now red and sore. She look like a slave, no! This wasn't how she planned to end up.

The whole household gazed at her in disgust, 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 has been dealt with severely.

The guards brought her to the throne room and violently pushed her, this made Katie fell on her kneels abrasively infront of Ragaleon who was seated on the throne, her face kissing the floor.

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 dared to say and received a tight slap from one of the guards. Immediately she bursts into an uncontrollable wailing cursing them with a high pitch. She has become a punching bag for the royal guards

Slowly Katie raised her gaze to glance at Ragaleon her heart missed a beat. At this moment she wanted to disappear, she gazed at the deadly glare Ragaleon had, and instantly she knew that she would not make it out of this kingdom alive.

Her makeup was already ruined and was trailing down her cheek making her look 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.

Katie raised her gaze…

"I cheated on you, and I enjoyed it." She said to Ragaleon before breaking into a cunning laughter and received a tight slap causing her to choke and vomit blood. But that didn't stop her from rattling along.

Infact she was very glad she had the chance to say those words to Ragaleon's's 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 slide 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 rised from his throne made his way to where Katie was.

With a single grip he encircled her neck with his hand, and made her rised up to her feet, while squeezing life out of her.

He didn't say anything to her, he only gazed at her with hatred, for some reason he was glad this happen, 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 simple muttered letting go of Katie, he 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 laying 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, Ragaleon paused in his steps. But he didn't look at her, he stood for a while without turning to gaze at her, then he walked away.

The man who Katie had an affair with was immediately led to an open space where he was beheaded Infront 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 dragged along the tiled floor her eyes drained of life, her hair dishelved and her make up ruined, her gaze flashed at a figure.

Katie raised her gaze, standing by a pillar in the room, with a fancy fan concealing half of her face was Jazell. Gracefully clouded in a purple coloured gown befitting her status. Her sharp eagle blue eyes pennetrated Katie's gaze.

Suddenly she removes the fan from her face, her red lustrous lip comes into full bloom. Her gaze was emotionless, she stood erect, one hand behind her back and the other hand holding on to the feather handfan.

"Jazell…," Katie muttered while shaking her head from side to side pitifully. She did this…it was Jazell that exposed her infidelity.

"You will pay for this." Katie managed to mutter 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 favoured queen, I didn't 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 a holy ground because that was a place were justice was administered.

Katie was handed a bow of poison to drink. Her hand quivered as death stared at her in the face.

"Drink! The royal guard lashed at her. She was in a open space, the tower of justice as it was called. Commoners were throwing stones and dirt at her.

Katie smiled as she gazed at the poison, at least she wasn't beheaded. On the ground not to 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.

Her beauty could make any man fall on his kneels, 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, then she remembered her wedding day to Ragaleon.

She was happy on that day, smiling cheapishly, not knowing she was stepping into a trap, a cage! Katie shruddered at that thought, the bowl of poison grazed her lips.

She remembered her father, oh she hated that man. He gave her out like a piece of furniture, 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 use 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 gulped the bowl of poison. Katie gulped down the whole content, as the bowl fell on the floor, she crouched on her kneels 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 still had no conscience, he still dares to hit 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 a shrilling 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, 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 where the last words she mumbled before falling into enternal 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 courseied, her gaze down as she told her mistress the good news.

The lady gaze at the maid and simply waved her hand, signifying the maid to leave.

As Jazell reclined on a chair in her chamber, she helped herself to a glass of wine. Her short blonde hair grazed her shoulders, her thick lashes batted as she suddenly turned to her side and striked a maid.

The maid was massaging her feet, but grazed Jazell's skin with her nails.

"Forgive me, my queen." The maid quickly said.

"Get lost." Jazell simply said not sparing her a gaze. 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 less queens the merrier." Jazell said putting down the glass of wine on a table close to the chair she was sitting on. She signalled Linn to come closer and she did.

"My lady I am happy for you, I just fear for my live." 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 glass in her hand with wine.

Linn was about to take her leave…

"Linn.." Jazell called out calmly, nonchalantly, dreadfully.

"I like you Linn, you are loyal. But I can also hate you if you betray me, I will make your live 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 calculative, with caution, and elegance.

"Your grace." Linn bowed in coutsey at the lady who had just stepped in before quickly taking her leave.

Jazell raised her gaze and saw that it was Rachel, 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 glass on the table, she filled the glass with wine and signalled Racheal to take a sit but the latter was not interested.

"Why did you do it? Rachel foundly called the queen of wisdom asked with a penetrative gaze.

"I see, more wine for me then." Jazell said seeing that Rachel wasn't interested in joining her to celebrate.

"Someone just died and you sit here celebrating! Why did you do it Jazell? Racheal inched closer.

"What makes you think I am the one behind this? Jazell retorted tilting her head slightly sideways.

"Who can be more cunning that the queen of tactics herself? Racheal said calling Jazell by the name she was described with. The queen of tactics, a very cunning, ambitions and cruel queen.

"You have already answered your own question, Racheal." Jazell cooed calmly.

"When we all came into this palace, 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 loosing side."

"So then you decide to play games, only that we are your cards? You have started a war that you cannot end." Racheal sonorous voice was filled with spite.

"We all started a war the day we were born royalty!