Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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[▪︎11th July 2002▪︎]

[▪︎Royal Palace, Amazonia▪︎]

"The Queen awaits your arrival."

One of the Amazonian women says as she pushes the very thick and tall gold-plated door open, revealing a large throne room.

Holly nods to the woman as she bows and then we both step on the blood-red carpet and start walking.

As we walk along the carpet towards the throne with our footsteps echoing through the quiet and calm room, I observe the beauty of the room.

The room is large and painted pale-sliver all around with exquisite windows running down the length of the walls, filtering and scattering the lights that enter through it.

Close to the windows, on the left and right side of the room, white marble Corinthian columns engraved with detailed patterns are fixed in rows with spaces in between them.

Amazonian warriors dressed in their red and black characteristic body armor can be seen standing by the spaces between each column on both sides holding steel spears, their faces serious and stern.

Directly facing us, at the end of the room, a large throne purely made of white gold can be seen on a dais made of polished black marble with sloping steps of the same color and material running below it.

On it, a beautiful middle-aged woman is seated that looks similar to Holly. She is white-skinned, has onyx straight hair extending to her back, bright blue eyes that seem to sparkle with the light, thin red lips with a mole underneath them, and a busty slim curvy body.

Right beside her, on both sides, are two beautiful women clothed in red suits of armor. 

The one on the left is dark-skinned and petite while the other on the right is olive-skinned and tall. 

Both of them are holding a great sword in one hand and a black circular shield in the other.

The dark-skinned one is currently staring at me with disdainful eyes, her whole visage brimming with superiority.

"Hollandia, it's good to see you back home again. Oh, how I've missed you."

The Queen says warmly as her face lights up upon seeing Holly and stands from her seat.

"I wish I could say the same...Mother."

She comments dryly with a stoic face.

"Oh my sweet girl, I can see you're still hung up on that. But since you are here now, it means you've seen the error of your ways and that you've finally accepted the truth. Don't worry, everything will be better now."

She smiles slyly and sits back on the throne.

"You are mistaken Mother, I'm not here to stay nor have I accepted our barbaric practices."

She announces with venom in her tone, making the smile on the queen's face morph into a frown with the other women in the room looking at Holly like she's grown two heads.

"It seems your stay in the Realm of Man hasn't changed your mindset, I'd hoped that spending some time there would've shown you the truth of the matter but I was wrong. Do I have you to blame for that?"

She starts calmly and ends as she switches her gaze to me, her face calm but her voice unable to hide the disdain she feels.

"Me? Oh no, not at all, your Highness. She's simply the most civilized and wise among you lot."

I shrug with a smile, my tone showing indifference.

The room immediately becomes silent as the guards look at me with shock the Queen looks at me with rage-filled eyes, and Holly turns to look at me with a weird smile.

The expressions of the guards immediately morph into a rage as bloodlust starts seeping into the room, especially from the dark-skinned woman who puts her hand on her sword.

"How dare you insult the Queen, you lowly pig! My queen, please allow me the honor of ripping his face into pieces."

She growls viciously with her tone laced with disgust as she sheathes her sword from the scabbard and points it at me, her brown fiery eyes locked on my face.

The other guard near the Queen also does the same as the other guards point their spears at me. Seeing this Holly immediately fixes her stance and grips her mace and shield tightly, her eyes daring them to try.

A dark smirk can't help but form on my face as I stare at the face of the outwardly composed Queen who is also staring at me with squinted eyes, ignoring everyone in the room.

What will you do now...Queen?

Looking at my face, the Queen suddenly smiles and raises her hand up, making all of them go back to their positions. Their anger and disgust are still apparent on their faces.

"I'm impressed Holly, you've got yourself a fine mate. If I wasn't in a good mood, I would've personally cut off his head but I'll ignore his just this once on account of the fact that you're here today."

She comments coldly with arrogance.

"If you aren't here to stay then why are you here?"

She asks seriously, her face now stoic.

"As the heir to the throne, I can't continue to stand by as our people engage in slavery. It needs to go now."

She says with zeal, authority brimming in her tone.

Hearing this, the Queen becomes quiet for a while then she lets out a dark laugh, so dark that some of the guards flinch in fear.

"What if I don't agree, my dear daughter? What will you do about it?"

She smiles dangerously.

"Then it's time the Other Realms get a new Queen."

She replies with conviction.

"By the Gods!"

One of the guards mutters with wide eyes and the rest soon follow and look at Holly in disbelief. 

The Queen calmly gazes into the eyes of Holly and then slowly stands up from the throne.

As she descends, all of sudden, something shifts in the air, making the guards yelp in pain as they kneel floor unable to breathe.

Bloodlust manifestation huh? I'm impressed.

I flash the Queen a mocking smile as she walks toward Holly, glancing at me from the corner of her eyes with surprise that disappears when she arrives in front of Holly.

"Is this a formal challenge for the throne, Princess Hollandia Thelessarus?"

She asks calmly with prideful and angry eyes that seem to glow.

"Indeed it is. I, Princess Hollandia Thelessarus, Daughter of Queen Renes Thelessarus and the rightful heir to the Throne of Amazonia, challenge you to a duel of Ascension. Do you accept?"

She asks unwaveringly.

"I'm proud that you've gotten the guts to do this daughter...but it's evident that I've been lenient on you. I accept your challenge daughter, it's time you know why I'm the Queen."

She replies darkly with a dangerously enchanting smile.

All is according to plan.

•☆•

•Patreo.n/KingSeyer, if you want to read ahead.