Chapter 3: Flashback

Flashback

Harris Von Clegane—who would have thought he would die so suddenly?

He looked healthy and strong, a man known for whiling his time away with women. He was fat, had a robust face, and had all the things money could buy. But he died; death is inevitable.

The kingdom of Decreash were still mourning his death; people wore solemn faces, their lips chapped and their eyes heavy with sleep.

Selena was one of these few people who thought she would never be able to get over her husband's death, but days passed and turned into weeks, and weeks into months.

The third month after the death of Harris Von Clegane, Ragaleon, his son, was crowned king. His coronation was the talk of the town; suddenly, the Decreash became consoled when they had a new king.

Selena was also consoled by the fact that her son was the king; that made her queen mother regent. She rubbed her position in the face of her mate, Johanna…the second wife of Harris Von Clegane.

Ragaleon suddenly became unstoppable; he had military forces at his beck and call, and he was cruel. To crown it all, he didn't like women, so when it was time for him to pick a wife who would rule by his side as the queen, Selena, his mother, feared that he would rebel.

But Ragaleon stunned her; she was left speechless. On day five, five women were paraded into the imperial palace; they were Ragaleon's wives.

He was worse than his father; he got married to five women. Selena was devastated. Having one daughter-in-law can be a handful already; her daughter-in-law will definitely be queen, so her authority will be challenged. But now she had five daughters-in-law; how would she cope? These were her thoughts.

Then one night she went into his chamber; his eyes were fixed on a book, his handsome, sinful face scripted with seriousness.

"Ragaleon, I want to have a word with you." Selena said immediately she stepped into her son's chamber. She still looked pale; she was still mourning her husband.

"Have a seat, Mother." Ragaleon said without raising his gaze. Suddenly he carefully closed the book in his hand and raised his gaze. His brown eyes were captivated, but they peered at Selena with a questionable look.

"Do you know what you have done? Selena began after taking her seat on one of the chairs in Ragaleon's chamber.

"I am sure you will tell me, Mother." Ragaleon grabbed an apple from a fruit vase on a table at the corner of the dimly lit room; only a few candles were left on.

"You know how painful it was for me, how I had almost left your father when I found out he impregnated another woman." Selena started off, her voice shaking.

The light of the moon reflecting from the window radiated on her face; Ragaleon could see every emotion etched on his mother's face.

"I spent months locked up in my room because I hated your father for what he did to me. He brought home a woman as his second wife with her bastard son! Selena clenched her fist, then suddenly raised her gaze.

"Look at me, Ragaleon." Her voice had a leery tone.

Ragaleon's gaze was fixed on the apple he was cutting with a small knife, but when Selena asked him to look her in the eyes, he stopped cutting the apple, and he slowly raised his nonchalant gaze.

"Why did you do it? Five women, five wives! Selena rose up to her feet, unable to contain her emotions.

Ragaleon was calm; he dropped the apple in his hands on the table beside the chair he was sitting in. He placed the small knife beside the apple, then rose to his feet. His shoulder-length hair sinfully swayed as he walked up to his mother with precision. Every click his shoe made echoed in the dimly lit room.

"You should never question a king's decision, Mother." He said, gazing at her without remorse. Suddenly he walks past her, then comes back with a map in his hand.

He rolled open the map on a table and then made his mother gaze at it by slightly swaying her shoulders.

"This is Hamstung, the second largest kingdom in the country." He said to point at the map, towards the eastern side.

"This country has the best trade market in the east; they mine gold as if it were nothing precious. The king is a selfish but ambitious man, but I made him swear an oath of loyalty to me. Do you want to know how? I made his daughter Jia my fourth queen."

Swaying his hands to the northern side of the map..."This is Vandamonth, the third largest kingdom. This country has the most sagacious rulers, including greedy King Jarob. They would have overthrown us, but they can't. Do you know why? Because I married his daughter, Jazell, I made her my second wife." Ragaleon's voice became strategic.

"This is Samari, the fourth largest country in terms of population." He said, pointing towards the western side of the map. The pillar of military forces, skilled swordsmen, knights, and brave royal guards, lies in the hand of this very kingdom. I have this kingdom wrapped around my little fingers. How, you may ask? Racheal, their first daughter, is my first wife. I married her even though I was well aware of the fact she is a widow with a son for another man.

"Ragaleon… I…" Selena wanted to say something; she was getting frightened by the tone of her son's voice.

"This is Neneviah…" Ragaleon snapped, pointing to the southern side of the map.

"It is the fifth largest kingdom towards the south. Their medicines and herbs are potent; they have the most efficient grandmasters, skilled in health. They have one of the best booming trades of herbs. Their king formed a lifetime alliance of trade with me. Do you know why, Mother?

Ragaleon's voice was dreadful; Selena shut her eyes and bit her lips bitterly. Of course she knew the answer to that question.

"You had to get married to the royal princes of Ninnevah, Tamina Ashram; you made her your fifth wife." Selena said dryly.

"This is Canna…" Veronn's hand slides to the far north of the map. All the perfumes and cosmetics the queens and concubines embellish themselves with come from this country. The queen of Canna, Yumi Jehosphat, comes from Galveston."

"Canna is the sixth largest country, and they have also sworn their loyalty to me when I married the royal princes, Katie Jehosphat."

Veronn rolls up the map and then holds it firmly in his hand.

"Your foolish husband amassed a lot of enemies before his death. We have enemies in the east, the south, the north…enemies thirsty to draw out blood…my blood." Ragaleon now turns to Selena.

"What I did, I did it for the safety of this empire. Decreash is the largest kingdom in the country, but that is not enough. We still need allies; we need loyal kings at our beck and call. I didn't just get married for the pleasure of it; these women, each of them, have their core role to play; they are my weapons."

"I am sorry." Selena quickly apologized. "Forgive me, your majesty." She said her head hung down in shame.

Ragaleon placed his hand on her chin and made her gaze rest on his.

"Don't you ever do that again; you are my mother. Do not degrade your authority even though you know you are wrong." He said it and then slowly dropped his hand.

"I bless the day I gave birth to you. I endured a lot of pain and almost lost my life, but it was all worth it." Selena was becoming emotional.

"You are queen regent; you are in charge of this household; you are next in line to authority after me; your authority is a symbol of your dignity; do not let anyone step on it." Ragaleon said, and Selena nodded thoughtfully.

"I shall take my leave now; I must leave you to rest for the next day's activity." Selena said, then turned around gracefully before making her exit out of Ragaleon's chamber.

Immediately after she stepped out, she was escorted by her two personal royal guards. They have been standing outside the chamber; their job was to ensure the safety of the queen reagent.

After that encounter with her son, Selena slept peacefully that night. After several weeks she slept with a heart full of content.

This happened six months ago, and ever since then, Selena has never dared to question any of her son's decisions.

************

Selena was knitting andlost in her thoughts. She had just journeyed through memory lane; she was sitting on a rocky chair beside the window in her chamber.

grazing at the garden as she knitted quietly.

"My lady, breakfast is ready." A maid came to inform her. Selena elegantly rises to her feet and makes her way towards the dining room.

Just when she was about to step into the dining room. Her gaze flashed at someone who was making her way towards Selena's direction.

Selena's face became distorted just by glancing at her. She hated this woman, the woman who she had to share her husband with. Of course Harris had concubines, but it was different; the concubines don't have authority, but this woman making her way towards Selena did.

She was the second wife of Harris and Ragaleon's stepmother. The second queen reagent…

Johanna!