Vandamonth Imperial Castle
The night was long and cold, the full moon casting its light on the tall tress. The howls of wild wolfs could be heard, and the fall of snow indicated the coming of winter.
Cheers and drunken laughter could be heard from the inner court. Half-naked women swarming around the men in a seductive way. Their tits and virtue were cast away like useless baskets, as the men dealt treacherously with their bodies.
Seated on his throne was greedy King Jarob, his huge hand encircled around a silver cup, as he laughed in a drunken manner.
"I heard Queen Yumi is dead." Jarob's drunk companion started off.
"The foolish woman marched to the battleground with her tits and fucking ass, expecting to win the war…" Jarob bursts into laughter, and the rest of the men follow.
"If you ask me, she was quite brave, don't you think?" Aaram, the king's advisor, chipped in. He was a teetotaler, a sober man, who hardly took pleasure in liquor.
"Shut your hole of a mouth. Aaram, I know you would have given anything to see that woman stripped naked in front of you." Jarob erupts into laughter, his hand slapping his thighs playfully.
"You are always too serious, Aaram; have some humor. I have a woman back at my cabin; she is very skilled. I can take her to your chamber by night." Prudo, a slightly drunk man said.
"I won't be needing any woman..." Aaram said, rising to his feet.
"Tell my wife, Kora, she should come over here and entertain us." Jarob said, gulping his wine, some of it pouring on his body. Aaram gazed at Jarob with disgust and then feigned a smile. He then bowed to Jarob and walked away.
The snow in Vandamonth was terribly intensifying; the trees and even the grasses were covered with snow. Flashes of firelight, and torches were lit up beside the cemented walls.
Kora was seated on a hammock swing; the plain white dress she was wearing raised up to her thighs. Two maids stood beside her fanning her as she drank from the grape wine.
There was another maid seated beside her feet, tending to her legs as she gossiped, and everyone listened.
Kora had crystal blue eyes that reflected objects that came in view. Her long blonde hair draped beside her face, making her feminine features prominent.
"I heard the king is building a giant golden statue of his head at the village square for everyone to see." The maid said, and Kora's face turned sour; she drank the wine in the cup bitterly.
"I also heard the king had a new Arabian concubine; she is very pretty." The maid sprouted.
Even with the maid fanning her, Kora was beginning to feel hot. She dropped the cup on a table in front of her; inadvertently, her gaze flashed at the door of her chamber, and she saw Aaram standing there.
"Come in, Aaram." Her voice was like the sound of a horn, deep but soothing. She gave the maid a signal to excuse them, and they all stood up and slowly took their leave.
"You didn't come out for the feast." Aaram said, bowing to Kora, the huge furry coat he was wearing hanging loosely on his shoulders.
"So that the king will embarrass me like he usually does? Kora spat out plainly, walking across her chamber.
"He did send me on an errand…to summon you. He wants his guests to be entertained.
"Fuck him." Kora said nonchalantly while grabbing a smoking pipe. The pipe was long and curved, with a long hose.
"He has a lot of concubines, yet he takes pleasure in making me look like a fool in front of his guests." Kora started smoking the opium in the pipe, her rosy lips puffing out the smoke.
"Queens are not supposed to smoke." Aaram added, picking up a small statue of a knight on a table in the chamber.
"Royal advisors are not supposed to gaze at their queen lecherously." Kora added. Aaram was indeed glaring at her open cleavage, her beautiful white skin, and her thick long hair.
"I can't help but admire the god's creation; the detailing sits well with me." Aaram added, taking some steps forward. His short curly hair and brown eyes came into view.
Aaram encircled his hand on Kora's waist…
"It has been long since I felt your body on mine."
"You have been having inappropriate thoughts…" ,
"I can't help it."
"Then kill the king. Kill that bastard of a man, and you can have me as yours, fully." Kora whispered into his ears, biting his earlobes.
"You do things to me, and then you tell me it is inappropriate to think of you." He said, sliding a string of her hair behind her ear.
"Why won't you just get rid of the old fool already? Kora asked, placing Aaram's hand on her matured body.
"I swore loyalty to him."
"Is your loyalty to him more important than me?
"There you go again, trying to make me choose." Aaram got annoyed, then disengaged his grip from her waist.
"You have already made your choice; what is left is for you to take action. For goodness sake, Aaram, we have a daughter…"
Aaram enveloped Kora's mouth. He looked around, his pupils dilating, before finally retreating his gaze back to Kora.
"You shouldn't be bringing up this topic…
"It is the truth! Kora snapped.
"I know that, I know… If the king finds out, everything we have ever worked for will go down the drain."
Kora sighed; she then blinked her lashes and turned away.
"Jazell…she deserves to know who her real father is."
"Her father is the king." Aaram added, placing his hand on both sides of Kora's shoulders.
"That is what everyone thinks."
"You are the Ice Queen, Kora."
"It is nothing but a title…" Kora turned around, her blonde hair swaying as she moved.
"That title has a lot of power. For years it has kept you safeguarded in Vandamonth. You are the queen… Jarob's wife." Aaram reminded her.
"You went to Decreash a few days ago. How…how is Jazell doing?
"I… I don't know. I didn't pay her a visit."
"You must have heard something about her; she is a queen. Rumors do fly around."
"I don't pay heed to rumors." Aaram's deep voice echoed in the chamber. Kora sighed, then walked past him, taking a seat on a swing chair in the chamber, one leg raised on the chair, the other on the floor.
"You are becoming addicted to smoking; it is a bad habit." Aaramhad his hands crossed behind his back. Kora ignored him, focusing her gaze in another direction.
She had the face of a mighty queen. A very sophisticated woman with a lot of power within her reach. Yet she felt lonely, never really having anyone to talk to, always being made a mickey by her own husband, greedy King Jarob.
"I swore loyalty to the crown; killing the king will be treason. If Jarob dies, Mirak will become king. Now, is it not better to have a foolish king who can be easily controlled than to have a grown-up boy who has spent his entire life planning on how his reign will be ruthless?
"Mirak is my son; he will listen to me." Kora didn't spare Aaram a glance.
"Mirak is a wild adult. He is likely to take after his father, drink wine, and chase after women, but he was born without a heart of mercy. If Mirak sits on the throne, many will die."
"What do you reckon then? Kora kept smoking, her steady breath vibrating in the air.
"Sow a seed of discord in his heart; let him see me as a better ruler than Mirak could ever be."
Kora choked on the pipe she was smoking and then started laughing, her eyes stinging with tears.
"Read my lips. Aaram, if Jarob had a choice of remaining on that throne for eternity, he would have done anything to keep it that way. Do you think he would cut off his bloodline of succession and pass the throne to you? Kora shook her head from side to side.
"Nothing is impossible… I mean well for the kingdom, and that is the only way I can have you as my queen." Aaram knew his words would eventually get to Kora, but this woman had a heart made of iron.
When Kora continued to remain quiet, just smoking and puffing out, he slowly turned around to leave.
"And where do you think you are going? Kora slowly puts the smoking pipe away, then loosens the rope holding her dress together.
"Don't; the king might walk in at any time."
"You think I care? Kora had a dominant aura as she made her way to where Aaram stood.
"My husband has not come to my chamber for days. I am going nuts, Aaram; you have to lay with me." She said, pressing her body against his. Aaram shut his eyes and looked away.
"Get dressed, Kora...
"Why do you resist the very thing we share in secret, hmm? Kora removed the dress from her body, and it fell on the floor.
"Jarob has a lot of concubines. He sees me as some kind of old meat. He won't come to my chamber, not when there are young women for him to devour." Kora wrapped her hand around his neck.
"Make love to me, Aaram… I need you." She whispers into his ear. That was the last straw that broke the camel's back.
With a swift movement, Aaram lifted Kora from the floor and placed her on the bed. He parted her legs and made wild love to her all night.
Kora woke up feeling like a woman again; between her thighs ached, but she loved the feeling. When she turned on her bed, she discovered Haram was gone.
She raked her hand through her hair; just then the door to her chamber opened, and a maid walked in holding up some new clothes.
"The King has summoned you to the throne room immediately."
.......
Why was she called the Ice Queen? It was simple, because she was the queen of Vandamonth, a castle residing in the north. Day and night it snowed.
Kora had built her power by becoming a queen, and when she finally became queen, she became famous. A beautiful woman whose face doesn't change according to her mood. Always wearing a dark expression, a dangerous gaze, and a cunning smile when needed.
The sky blue gown rubbing the floor swung left and right as Kora walked along the halls of the cold castle. Her long blonde hair was parted into two, and a diamond earring dangled at each side of her face.
She had an icy countenance; the ink-sleeved dress she was wearing had a sharp collar, making her look indomitable in the dress. Two knights in shining armor escorted her from behind, and two other knights were in front of her, leading the way.
Immediately the great doors of the throne room opened, and silence overshadowed the hall. Only the precise footsteps of Kora and the knights escorting her could be heard.
The trumpet sounded….
"Her Grace, Queen Kora Makaah." A man announced with his deep, loud voice.
Kora stepped in, her facial expression as cold as ice, both hands crossed behind her. The people standing at both sides of the hall bowed as she walked past them, but she ignored them.
The crown on her head made her status above every other in the hall except Jarob. When she took her seat beside Jarob on a throne, everyone in the hall sat down.
Her gaze was straight; she didn't utter a word. Didn't support or dismiss claims, she was silent, but then her gaze flickered to a man dressed in black regalia, his curly hair making him conspicuous.
Kora allowed her eyes to linger on Aaram, their gaze during the talking of unspoken desires.
There was something brewing in the Kingdom of Vandamonth; if only Jarob knew the woman seated next to him would be the end of his empire.