Decreash Imperial Palace
The chamber door creaked open, and a maid slipped inside, her steps soft against the polished floor.
She walked across the chamber to the tall windows, where dawn light pressed faintly against the glass, and with a practiced tug she drew the curtains wide. Sunlight spilled into the room.
Leah stirred in her bed, blinking against the sudden brightness.
Without a word, the maid turned to the bathing arena. Steam already curled from the bronze tub as she poured fragrant oils into the water, the scent of rose and lavender rising with the heat.
She tested the temperature with her wrist, then began laying out silk towels; after that, she glided to the bed, where Leah now lay with eyes open, still void of life.
Ever since William left with Helena, she had been depressed, but she didn't waste her tears; rather, she channeled it into hatred.
"My lady, your water bath is ready." The maid informed Leah.
Leah stretched on her bed a little before climbing down. The maid helped her undress, then slowly led her to the bath area.
Leah steadily got into the tub filled with water, then positioned herself comfortably, resting her back on the edge of the bathtub.
The maid began her job of scrubbing Leah's skin gently, then she moved on to wash Leah's dark violet hair.
Seconds dragged into minutes; after a while, the maid noticed the color of the water began to change.
At first she thought it might just be the dirty oil from Leah's hair, but the dark brown color became more prominent.
The maid shrugged lightly, then continued washing Leah's hair. After a fleeting moment, the maid raised her gaze, and what she saw made her gasp.
"Blood!
The maid screamed, eyes wide. The water that was transparent some minutes ago was now red, filled with blood.
Leah's eyes were tightly shut, but when she heard what the maid said, she immediately opened her eyes.
"Blood?" She questioned, as if to confirm what the maid had said. Her eyes slowly started to water, and instantly fear gripped Leah's bones.
"My baby? My baby! She screamed, terribly petrified. The maid helped her out of the water bath and led her to the chamber, with a huge towel wrapped around Leah's shoulders.
She helped Leah change into a blue robe, placing a thick cotton linen in between her thighs to prevent the blood from spilling on the floor.
"I will get help." The maid said after helping Leah to a chair in the chamber. Tears were already clouded in Leah's eyes; she dragged her hands along her thighs, and her hand became smeared with blood.
The maid was about to scurry out when Johanna walked in.
"There will be no need for that; inform the grand maester discreetly." She ordered the maid with a calm voice, her eyes fixed on her daughter.
There was already a small pool of blood forming on the floor, under the wooden chair Leah was seated on.
"Mother…am I going to die?" Leah's pupils dilated, her gaze dragging to where Johanna stood, unswervingly.
"You won't lose your life, Leah. As for the baby, I can't be too sure."
"My baby? Why is this happening to me?! Leah rose to her feet, going crazy from Johanna's words. The cotton linen placed between her thighs faltered.
She crouched to the floor; using her hand, she started cupping the blood.
"No…no, my baby." She whispered under her breath, her nails scraping the floor as she tried to gather the blood together.
She lets out a loud cry before breaking down. With tears streaming down her face, the blue dress she was wearing was smeared with blood as she sat on the floor looking helpless.
"Why! How can this happen? My child is…is gone! She choked, tears streaming down her face.
Johanna gazed at her daughter for a while before making her way towards her.
"It's alright, Leah. Be thankful it's not your life on the line." Johanna said, patting Leah lightly on her back.
"Mother, how can you say that? I wanted this baby." Leah raised her gaze; her eyes were now red, and she was weeping profusely. Just then she stopped crying; her eyes looked distant. Slowly she turned to look at her mother.
"You…you did this." Leah said with realization, her voice barely audible, and Johanna creased her brows.
"Leah, how can you say that? Why would I do such a thing…"
"Don't lie to me! Leah said, pushing away her mother, who was crouched beside her. Leah looked deadly as she slowly staggered to her feet, the edge of her gown dripping with blood.
"It all makes sense now—why the maid urged me to drink that tea last night. You knew I was depressed and heartbroken. You must have told the grand maester to put something in the tea."
Leah gripped her hair, pulling on it violently. gritting her teeth in agony.
"How could you do this?! Why? Leah barked.
Johanna managed to rise to her feet. Her purple dress was stained with blood, but she didn't mind. Her eyes darkened as she fixed her gaze on Leah.
"Why? You want to know why I tried to save you from yourself?" Johanna asked, already confessing her actions; Leah went mad with anger.
"How dare you?! She lurched forward, then suddenly took a turn; she swept away everything on her dressing table in anger. Taking a silver cup on the table, she threw it at Johanna but missed.
"I did it for you, Leah." Johanna says calmly.
"I hate you! Mother, you have committed murder; you murdered an innocent child! Leah screamed, her veins stretching on the surface of her neck lines.
"You are delusional, Leah. Trying to have the baby of a man who is now miles away and happily married—how foolish! Johanna cursed.
"Then you abort the baby? All in an attempt to prove your point!
Leah ran her hand through her hair, tears gathering in her eyes; she was still bleeding, but she didn't care. She collapsed on the floor, tears gushing out of her eyes, as she groaned in anguish.
Her hand trembled as her nails dug into her dress.
"No…no, my baby. Mother, what have you done?" She cried.
She pressed both palms against her stomach, as if her touch could turn back time, as if she could cradle the life that had already slipped away.
Tears blurred her vision, spilling down her face in hot, uncontrolled rivers. A sound tore from her throat—half scream, half sob, raw and primal, as though her grief itself was trying to claw its way out of her chest.
In anxiousness, her hand flew to her left thumb; she sank her nails into her skin, pinching it. It had been long since she did this; maybe it was because she was comforted by the presence of Vinson, but now he was gone.
Her nails scraped, and tugged at the flesh of her left thumb, as she tried to steady her breath.
"Leah…stop. Stop it! Johanna says and then yanks her hand away from her left thumb, which was already badly bruised, red, and swollen.
"Why?" She gasped, voice cracking, echoing within the walls of the chamber.
"Why take my baby from me?"
Her voice rose, splintering into fury. She cursed the cruelty of her mother.
Johanna wasn't moved by Leah's tears. Instead she looked calm, having the countenance of a powerful queen dowager. She allowed Leah to cry, to face her reality.
"You will thank me for this…later."
.....
Nehoviah Imperial Palace.
Inside one of the hush chambers of the castle, the creaking of a bed could be heard along with sexual moans.
Entangled on their bed, in ecstasy, were Amber and her husband, Titran, the royal queen and king of Nehoviah.
It was nightfall, and the chamber was lit up with scented candles.
Amber was moaning loudly, screaming her husband's name, her hand entangled in his hair as he banged her core.
This was one of the nights when they made love to each other in the comfort of their chamber.
Minutes later they lay breathless beside each other, sweat glistening on their bodies.
Tamina got her red-colored hair from her mother and her grey-colored eyes from her father. Amber was the epitome of beauty; her husband loves her so much he didn't take any concubines, just to please her.
Amber slowly climbed down from the bed and made her way to a table in the room where different opened scrolls lay, her breasts slapping against each other as she walked.
She opened one of the scrolls, her dark eyes gliding across the words. She gazed at it with a heart full of gladness, then slowly traced her fingers on the scroll.
"Tamina has been writing to me more often. Her pregnancy is almost due, and she wants us to pay her a visit." Amber said, a sly grin curling at the edge of her lips.
"The gods should shine their light on her, and she should bear a baby boy." Titran said, also climbing down from the bed, he glides across the room and grabs a cup made of brass, then pours himself some wine.
Amber trailed her eyes to where Titran stood.
"When will you take action towards executing our plans?" She asked, dropping the scroll back on the table.
Titran remained quiet for a while; there she was again, always straining their conversation back to this very topic.
'I have set my plans in motion. But remember that the kingdoms we are dealing with are far more powerful than Nehoviah."
If you really want your daughter to be the only queen of Decreash and the rest of the queens dead, that is a lot of burden to shoulder." Titran added.
Amber scoffed.
"Tamina will quickly rise to favor when she bears the king's child. Fortune knocks on our door; now is the right time to strike Titran." Amber said, tapping her hand on the table.
"It would be suspicious to get rid of all the queens at once, leaving only Tamina alive, nearly impossible, if I must confess." Titran added, gulping down the rest of the wine.
"Let one of the queens live then, the third queen, Micah. She isn't very useful and is not from a noble background. If the rest of the queens are killed, she wouldn't be a threat to Tamina." Amber added, making her way to where Titran was.
"You are only concerned with the spoils, not the disadvantages. We can be killed for treason if caught."
"Then make sure we don't get caught." Amber was now standing in front of him; she took the cup of wine in his hand.
"We stand to benefit from this. The Treasury is running low on coins. If Tamina's unborn child stands the chance of inheriting the fortune of Decreash, we must give it our best to make sure that happens." Amber says and then sips from the cup of wine in her hand.
Titran circled his hands around Amber's waist and pulled her to himself, pressing his erect member between her thighs.
"We are going to become grand sires soon; we should celebrate." He said, sliding a strand of her hair behind her ear.
He seized one of her breasts and squeezed it, and Amber's strict countenance fell, replaced by one filled with unfolding desires.
Amber seized his erect member and then stroked it before bringing it between her thighs. She began to moan as she rubbed it between her wet thighs.
"Uhm! Ugh! Her eyes rolled behind her head.
Just then the door to their chamber swings open and a guard steps in. They immediately detangled, Amber quickly reaching out for something to cover herself from the peering eyes of the guard.
"I will have your head hung on a spike for this, you fool!
Titran's face reddened with anger, but the guard quickly announced.
"The castle is under attack!