The Oath And The True Queen

Chapter 1 - Stranger from Nayak“And if there's even a chance that she can change your fate, isn't it worth the risk?" Eria's words kept on ringing in my ears as she led the way to my supposed freedom.The familiar surroundings of Ruqgu's central market looked eerily unfamiliar tonight. It was nighttime, and it had been over a month since I left the Gattar Manor. The vibrant colors and the bustling night market contrasted sharply with my somber mood. Nothing amused a woman of twenty-six without a child, nothing fascinated a lady doomed to endure her husband's abuse.I trailed behind Eria as we ventured into a darker, more sinister part of the market, where the night's offerings were far from innocent. I adjusted my hood, ensuring my disguise concealed my identity. The lady of the House of Gattar could not be seen in such a place. I wondered about Eria's intentions and hoped that this secretive meeting would prove worthwhile, despite the risk of sneaking out.My head throbbed, and a chi

Chapter 3 - The dawn of TroubleThe night deepened, and the weight of Annalise's revelation bore down on us. She clung to my legs, her pleas relentless, her tears flowing like rivulets of desperation, and her grip a stark reminder of the gravity of her words."I'm very sorry, my lady. I should have come sooner. I should have come before your marriage," her voice trembled with regret, as if the weight of her actions pressed heavily upon her conscience.Eria, my steadfast confidant, stood nearby, her expression a conflicted blend of skepticism and concern. "Perhaps, my lady, we should consider what Annalise is saying," she suggested cautiously.But I remained resolute in my doubts, unwilling to fully embrace this fantastical tale. "You can't simply emerge from the shadows, asking me to divorce my husband over a story I can hardly believe," I retorted, my voice tinged with exasperation.Annalise, however, refused to relent. She spoke with fervor, her eyes locked onto mine, her determinati

Chapter 5 - Impossible Stranger"You don't deserve to be trapped in this hell when you can be a queen in Nayak," she said, dragging me through the secret passages again. All the guards my husband stationed in front of my door were sleeping, and I knew Eria must have had something to do with it."Annalise left the inn a while ago, but you will surely catch up to her before you reach the Fluer River. I sent a message to her already," she said while opening the backdoor again. She placed my hood on my head properly, draping it over my torn clothing to keep me modest."But I'm still married to my husband," I said, but she shushed me by placing a finger on my lips."All you should focus on right now is getting out of Ruqgu before the day breaks. I already prepared a double for you, and as of tomorrow, you will be dead. You committed suicide because you couldn't take the abuse from your husband anymore," she said, and I stared at her with my mouth open in shock. What the hell?"I will do an

Chapter 7 - FlamingoThere was only one thought that came to my mind as I stared at his unmoving body on the floor: "I am in big trouble." My heart beat wildly in my chest, and I found my thoughts flying in different directions."Hey," I tapped him with my shaky hands, but he remained still.I knelt beside him and felt his pulse. It was weak and faint. I sighed in relief, but that didn't mean it couldn't get worse. At least he was breathing, and he didn't show other life-threatening symptoms. At this point, every part of the inn was dead silent, like a graveyard. Everyone must have been sleeping, so I couldn't ask for help.I wondered what could have happened to him, but I couldn't just sit and do nothing.I paced around the room, my brows furrowed with worry as I watched his skin grow paler with each passing second. Then, I suddenly remembered the little orb that Annalise had given me before she left Ruqgu. I didn't even know how to use it on someone. The darn thing didn't come with a

Chapter 8 - Where Is He?My head hurts as I process what he said to me. I've hidden all my scars well; no one could see them, except the ones on my face. But they could have come from elsewhere, and no one has ever suspected they're from the long-lost abuse I endured in my marriage.Maybe it was the oath he made to me that caused this, or perhaps his hallucinations are more severe than I thought. He did vow to protect me until his last breath, so maybe that's why he's acting this way. Or am I just losing my mind and overthinking this, as I often do with my stupid trait? I huffed in annoyance as I opened the door and placed the foul chamber pot in a corner near the entrance of the room. I was afraid to venture into the passageway, just in case whoever or whatever was after him caught up to him. I certainly didn't want to become the sacrificial goat.Back in the room, he had already shifted away from the mattress, with half of his body on the ground, and only his leg lazily resting on th