SWNOVELS Chapter 13
Her golden hair pin in place atop her head with a golden comb in an elaborate style, away from her long graceful neck, she looks like the queen she is. She took the brush Nana Maria was running through Reyna's thick hair and waves her away, with her elegant fingers.
“Get out, I would help her get ready, run along now and do whatever it is you servants do in your free time.”
Cassandra said rudely, waving Reyna's Nana away as if she were a fly. Reyna cheeks heated, her eyes flared with anger.
“Yes your majesty.Nana turned to leave the room.”
“Wait.”
“Yes? Your majesty.”
Nana replied not at all angry, Reyna wished she could talk to Cassandra and tell her how rude she had been, but she couldn't. She's the queen, and anything she said would only make the situation worse, Reyna promised she'd definitely have to apologize to her Nana for this.
“Where's Reyna's dress for the party?
“It's this one your majesty.”
Nana pointed and moved to carry the baby pink dress that was spread on the bed, then passing on the dress to Cassandra. She didn't take it, only scrunched her face in disgust.
“Take this atrocity out of my sight, tell my maid to find a gray dress for Reyna and bring it to her room and some matching shoes.”
Reyna was embarrassed, she knew the baby pink dress probably looked childish. But she liked it.
It was a short dress that stopped at her knees from the front, but was asymmetrically cut from behind. It has a half sleeve, and has a sweetheart neck. Reyna loves it! It was the same dress she'd worn last year, she didn't see anything wrong with it.
“You're a woman now, Reyna, you can no longer wear those clothes, you're turning nineteen today so act like it. With your mediocre looks you need a dress that can highlight your best features.”
Cassandra repeated this remark for the millionth time, running the brush she'd taken from Nana Maria through Reyna's hair. Reyna had heard it all before, and she knew what was coming next.
“You need a dress that will make your beautiful eyes pop, so people don't pay attention to your body.” She twists the metaphorical knife.
To Cassandra the only redeeming qualities Reyna have in her eyes are Reyna's eyes. She hates that Reyna's not blonde, that she's not tall like she is, but most especially she hates that Reyna curves are a little above average.
Reyna's not fat, far from it actually, she just has a fuller figure than all the women of her family throughout the years. No, that's not entirely true. Reyna's late aunt Regina who was queen before Cassandra also has a full body.
She's blonde, tall and gorgeous, the most beautiful woman Reyna had ever seen. Reyna's sure, Regina didn't have her mother critique her on a daily basis.
Reyna didn't say a word to her, while her words hurt, she had learned to let them go before they could fester. Cassandra moved on to apply makeup on Reyna's heart shaped face, when she was done with her hair.
The door was knocked twice, before Linda, one of Cassandra's maids, came in,a long dark gray dress draped in the crook of one hand,and silver gray shoes on the other.
Reyna was sure the clothes came from their family vault, where hundreds, if not thousands of clothes are hidden, more shoes, jewelry and weapons and a lot of other things are in there too.
“Your majesty.”
Cassandra takes the dress and waves the maid out of the room. Reyna stands, when Cassandra bade her to.
Turn and release the towel Reyna.She did as she was ordered, standing with only her panties on. Cassandra pulled the dress over her head,it fell with a whoosh, the cool feel of it caress Reyna's skin.
It was soft, softer than it looks. It was made of silk, the dress was longer from the back. That! somehow appeased the disappointment Reyna felt for not wearing the pink dress.
It was a sleeveless halter dress, and has a rounded neck made with fake diamonds that glitter and catch when the light falls on it, there's a long slit from one side up to her thigh. Reyna's back was exposed and that means no bra, the dress clung to her body like a second skin, like it was made especially for her.
Reyna let her long silky hair down. She likes it that way,it also helps cover the scars on her back. Cassandra doesn't always want her to let it down, she said Reyna's hair is more presentable when it's out of the way, in a bun. Reyna looks okay, she guesses.
She was pretty sure she would have looked beautiful if she wasn't battered and bruised, even if Cassandra had made her face look less like something a dog has chewed on and then spat out. Now she's even sounding like her. She looked in the mirror once more and straightened her shoulders. She looks beautiful. There she said it,and more importantly she felt it.
“You look presentable at least, if a little fat.Cassandra said Reyna didn't feel the flash of hurt she expected. In her heart she knows she looks good and she feels it, even with her black eye and split lip, she looks good. so she took her words as a compliment and replied.
“Thank you mother. She nods, Reyna sits down and slips her feet inside the straps of silver heels, first one foot then the other.”
Cassandra's living room is where they'll celebrate Reyna's birthday,the party was underway without the party girl. When they arrived. Soft music and hush voices chatting and laughing greets them. The instant they enter the room, there are over two dozen people in the vast room, including the maids who are made to stand at the walls waiting for the time they'll serve dinner and then leave.
Reyna recognizes all of the council members, the roses are also here and there's doctor Benjamin and another man, who Reyna had never seen before but could swear something about him looks familiar.
Reyna was extremely surprised that Cassandra allowed these men to join them, she's never done that before. No male had ever attended Reyna's previous birthday dinner parties, until now. Something is changing in Marlenia.
They glide amidst the guests, who are nodding their greetings to Cassandra and Reyna each holding a tall glass of champagne. Everyone is dressed to impress, in beautiful dresses with various colors and designs, some short, some long.
The men all wore black suits, their hair styled. They stood in the middle of the living room. A maid brought a tray with two glasses of wine and something that was covered with a white cloth or handkerchief, instantly Reyna knew which of the glasses was hers. She prefers red wine to white.
Cassandra carries both glasses and passes one to Reyna smiling. Reyna takes a sip, her eyes widen, when Cassandra unveils the other thing covered with a cloth. It was a shiny new gun. Reyna searched her mother's eyes asking for an explanation.
“I want you to be able to protect yourself at all times, I know now you can fight, but a gun is so much better than your fist, don't you think? It's both a birthday present and also for your victory, there's also a bow and arrow for you but I will keep it with me until after your rose training. You surprised me today. I didn't know you had it in you, but you prove to me that the same blood that runs in my veins runs in yours. Happy birthday Reyna, I hope you like the gift.”
By now Reyna was immune to Cassandra's veiled insult or backhanded compliments. And she liked the gift, so she smiled and tried to sound grateful when she thanked her.
“Thank you mother, I like it very much.”
“I'm glad.She said, watching the guests, and smiling.”
The women's council walked up to them, each kissing Reyna's cheek and wishing her happy birthday,and congratulating her on her victory today. Reyna smiled at them, said her thanks politely, then they moved on to her mother and struck up a conversation.
“Hello Princess.”
“The handsome doctor Benjamin was standing close to her, he held out his hand waiting for Reyna's. She stretched out her hand to shake his,she blushed when he didn't shake her hand instead he kissed her behind the hand. watching her.
Reyna stomach flutters, she shyly takes back her hand, she is so nervous. She takes a sip of her wine,to give herself a little time, she had never talked to a man before.
“Hi.”
“You were really impressive today, beautiful, strong and a little blood thirsty.”
Uh what!
“Um, thanks? I guess.” All the elation She felt that a man was right in front of her, speaking to her, was… gone. Doctor Ben was a massive disappointment, they chatted for a few minutes. Him talking Reyna answering with monosyllables Cassandra was watching them like a hawk. Then it was dinner time.
The long twenty four seat dinner table was already loaded with food,roasted turkey, baby carrots, asparagus, potatoes, garlic bread and chicken, liquor and for dessert there's cake.
All this food is just for twenty four people, this could probably feed the whole village for an afternoon as lunch. Reyna promises to pack the leftover food from today and take it to the village tomorrow.
They ate and conversation flowed between them, then they moved on to the desserts. Afterwards they all stood up to go to the meeting that was supposed to take place after Reyna's dinner.
This was the third time Reyna was in this room. It has maps on the wall, maps of places that were forever lost, some parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, USA, the world now has mostly scorched earth,others drown.
Whole countries that burned down or drowned due to the outbreak did not regain their original state. They all sit around a big round table, there's a map spread out on the table right in front of them.
“The beast have finally made their moves, the three kingdoms might have merged together, or become allies to attack us. Just as it was rumored. In the case that it is true, we have to think of how to attack them first before they make their moves, as such, we will need to interrogate the beasts we captured. We need answers and don't know if whatever bullshit comes out of their mouth is the truth and not lies.”
“Amara, what can you tell me about them?”
“They're called the Dhakkuth, they are Satan's spawn and have been known to rut women for days on end until they broke them, body and mind.” Amara's face was grim.
“Let's make sure no woman suffers from those abominations.”
“Lisa, you would lead the interrogation, use any method necessary, doctor Elizabeth will help. I want answers and I want them soon before we're all murder or worse attacked and captured. Anyone have anything to add?”
Cassandra asked after sharing her decision with them, the women all started talking strategies and how to get the beast to talk. Reyna was stuck, confused and left with so many questions burning inside her.
All this time, they were led to believe that there are no beasts, when there are actually three kingdoms of beasts? She was suddenly so angry that she5blurted out the question that was eating away at her.
“Why all the lies? Why did you hide the truth from us, it's our right! You should have told us the beasts never left that they have always been here. You should have prepared us and told us everything about them!”
“And we have. We did everything we could to prepare you.”
“That's…”
Reyna went to argue, then realization struck,she did. All the training and everything, even if they didn't tell them the truth. they'd trained them. Made them fight. In their own way they were preparing them for the war with the beast. Her righteous anger deflated, Cassandra only raised a shapely eye brow.
“So all the training and the fights were your way of preparing us to fight the beasts?” She nods then adds.
“Yes Reyna, but even with our training we are no match for the beasts. They are faster and stronger than we are. They're predators and we are their prey, but we have our guns. We also have silver,it will give us an edge, a fighting chance so to speak against them.” This makes sense and it also answers some of Reyna's questions.
“What do the beasts really want mother?”
“Why, women of course. They are after us,they only have a few women, they want to take and keep us as their broodmares or their pleasure mates with or without our permission.”
“I trust you know what pleasure is? Now that you have started your training?”
Cassandra asked, searching Reyna's face. Reyna didn't know what she's talking about or why she suddenly felt uncomfortable, she didn't want to disappoint her mother. She shook her head,and looked towards Sabrina for help clueless.
“No your Majesty, we'd only just begun the lesson yesterday, I gave her today due to the fight, but tomorrow we shall continue, they will all be ready in no time for the final lesson.”
“Hmm,the other girl, Chloe, she's one of the six, she will join the class next week. Her family is much better now, I want them all to be ready.”
“Yes, your Majesty.Sabrina bowed her head.”
Reyna was extremely exhausted, with the fight, the party and now this meeting, and what she'd learned.
There's just so much information and stress for one day, she just wanted to sleep, later she would think on what she has learned. Thirty minutes later she said good night to everyone when the meeting was over. And went to bed.
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