Vandamonth Imperial Palace
A loud howl echoed from the deep forest, a wolf pack moving in one pace. The snow fell heavily, covering the ground and tree leaves.
Children residing in the village covered themselves up, their breath cold. At night they would comfort themselves in their mother's bosom, listening to stories, sitting by the pot of boiling soup, where they received warmth.
There were few birds in the air, some preparing themselves for the winter; as day passed, the snow became heavier, raining on Vandamonth nonstop.
Vandamonth was located in the north and is surrounded with huge walls made of ice. The wall hasn't melted for years; it snowed throughout the seasons in Vandamonth, and hardly any day passed without the snow falling.
For centuries it has been like that, and the people have made the cold weather a part of their lives.
They would venture into the forest and cut down trees; the wood gotten from the trees was mined into coal. Coal was a very important resource in Vandamonth; they couldn't do without it.
The coal was used to ignite fire to keep their houses warm. It was used to cook their meal also…such a crucial resource.
The royal castle has its foundation on centuries of ice and snow, the walls surrounded by guards to keep the royal family safe.
Greedy King Jarob always had his eyes where wealth was; he didn't care about the people, he was only after himself.
He enjoyed the company of women, and he was never sober, always going round with a cup filled with wine in his hands. Most of the political matters were handled by his royal advisor, Aaram.
He didn't love his wife, Kora, but he didn't despise her either; he needed her. Her father was a wealthy merchant, a good ally who was always needed when the seafood stock in the warehouse got exhausted.
When Kora had realized her husband was only using her, she didn't approach him about the matter; she only forged her own path. She took comfort in the bosom of her husband's royal advisor, committing adultery.
She was beautiful and had crystal blue almond eyes and rosy lips always moistened with sunflower oil. Her wavy, curly blonde hair matched her fair skin.
She was slim and tall, with huge assets on her chest. Always dressed in a thick coat with fur to prevent catching a cold.
Kora walked along the hallways in the castle, a blue sapphire tiara on her head, gaze as cold as ice. She didn't smile; she was always brutal to the servants. Most of all, she was brutal to the whores that slept with her husband.
They were careful not to cross paths with her, but there was one who was stubborn…daring.
Kora pushed the door leading to a room open; she stepped in, only to be met by the sight of her husband banging one of his whores, the stubborn one, Hanah.
Hanah was a silver-haired woman with the face of an angel but the heart of the devil. She had quickly risen in favor and was made a special concubine by Jarob.
Kora's face darkened; she gazed at the lady she hated, moaning, eyes shut, her ass raised in the air facing Jarob.
"Courtesy demands that you knock, Kora." Jarob groaned, still banging Hanah from behind. He knew it was his wife that had just walked in; he didn't need to turn around to confirm it. Only she had the audacity to barge into his room like she owned the castle.
"Knock?" Kora scoffed bitterly.
"Pathetic, isn't it? Especially when this is our marital room, but you have made it your pleasure den." She added walking briskly to a jar filled with wine on a table at the corner of the chamber.
Suddenly she was parched and needed to drink something… Or she was just filled with envy.
She poured the wine carelessly, still hearing Hanah's loud moans. She was purposely screaming, just to spite Kora, but as a queen, Kora didn't give her the satisfaction of seeing her face fall.
"I have something important I want to discuss with you." She says before drinking from the wine, somehow it calmed her nerves.
"Go on." Jarob said, panting, sweat rolling down his face as she groaned in pleasure. Kora was disgusted; she took a deep breath in and was about to say something when Hanah's voice pierced the air in a loud moan.
"Ahhhgh! Ohh! Uhm!
Kora had to remain mute just to let the bitch scream in pleasure. When the chamber was a little bit calm, she opened her mouth to say something, but words barely escaped her lips when Hanah shrilled.
"Ugh! Uhg! Hmmm!
Kora clenched her fist, her eyes becoming dreadful. She clicked her tongue before turning to glare at Hanah, and damn right Hanah was already facing her direction, a sly smirk plastered on her lips.
"Jarob, you are so good! Oh Lord!
Hanah cooed, not breaking her gaze away from Kora.
After a fleeting moment suddenly pulls out, then climbs down from the bed naked. He covers himself with a thick robe, while Hanah covers herself with the bedsheet.
"Tell her to leave."
Kora ordered dryly, not sparing her husband a glare.
"She will leave when I want her to." Jarob said, grabbing a dry towel, he wiped his face and dried his wet dark hair filled with oil and sweat.
Kora darted her eyes towards Hanah's direction and saw her smiling like a proud peacock.
"You disregard me, your queen."
Kora says before walking up to him.
"She has to leave; I want her out of here!
She screamed, and a slap landed across her cheeks, and her head snapped due to the impact of the slap.
Kora was marvelled; for a brief moment there was silence. As Kora straightened up, the place that was struck by her own husband began to swell up, his fingerprints evident on her right cheek.
"You will not raise your voice at me ever again, understood?!
Jarob shot back, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. He was a man in his early fifties, a proud man who saw women as an asset brought by the gods for men to use as they please.
Kora's face didn't fall; she only looked more venomous, her blue eyes unswerving. She sidestepped Jarob's words, walking past him, but she halted and turned to gaze at Hanah.
She locked gazes with her for a while, then turned around and walked away.
"Jarob, you didn't have to do that." Hanah said, feigning a smile, but she was afraid; the way Kora had just looked at her was ominous… dreadful.
"She needs to be put in her place." Jarob groaned and then started changing into his royal outfit.
As Kora made her way back to her chamber, her heart burned with anger; she gritted her teeth, her breaths dragging in and out rapidly.
She pushed the door to her chamber open abrasively.
"Get out!
She said to the maids in the chamber, who were doing their jobs; some were attending to the beddings, others cleaning the room. When they heard her command, they scurried out.
Kora wanted to destroy and break things, but she held back; she glided across the room and then reclined on her dressing table.
At that moment Aaram walked in. A man in his late forties, dashingly handsome. He gazed at Kora, whose breath was still rapid; she was boiling within but refused to let it out.
"Your majesty." Aaram bowed; he had a penchant for acting civilized even when with Kora alone.
Kora raised her gaze and saw him making his way towards her through the reflection on the dressing mirror.
"Aaram…you are here." Kora didn't turn to look at him; she didn't want him to see her like this… Like the pathetic queen she is, a pawn used by her husband, the king.
Aaram noticed her resentment; normally she would be excited to see him, and she would want him to make sweet love to her, but today was different.
"Your majesty, are you okay?" Aaram arched his brows; he tried to catch a glimpse of her face, but she was backing him.
"I am… Meet me at the outer court in a few minutes." She said, still not turning to face him.
"Look at me, Kora."
His voice was deep, commanding, but low.
Kora swallowed hard; she shut her eyes and then sighed.
"Aaram, I just said I will be with you in a minute… Leave!
"Turn around… I want to see your face."
Aaram's tone darkened.
"I am your queen; don't question me. I will meet you at the court, and that is…."
Kora was still talking when a hand gripped her wrist and spun her around.
Aaram allowed his eyes to trace her face, her brows, her perfectly pointed nose, and her lips; he was tempted to kiss it when his eyes landed on the fingerprint on her right cheek.
Using his thumb, he caressed her right cheek, feeling the carved fingerprint on it. Kora shut her eyes; it stung. Her cheeks were red and swollen; there was no way she could go out like this.
"Who did this to you?" Aaram questioned.
Kora looked away.
"It's nothing; it will fade off quickly."
"That was not the answer to my question." Aaram felt her pain; he already knew the answer to his own question but wanted to hear it from her.
She was silent for some minutes.
"Jarob, he hit me." Kora's lips trembled; she was only docile in front of Aaram. Her lashes became wet, but she will never let the tears fall.
"He shames me in front of that whore Hanah! Kora said bitterly, and Aaram pulled her into a tight hug. She was quivering, anger bubbling inside of her.
"He shouldn't have done this; he will pay. I will make sure he does." He said, patting her lightly on the back.
"I have told you to get rid of him, but you won't listen. Look at what he does to me."
Kora said, hitting Aaram's chest with her fist, but he felt nothing; she was only letting out her pain.
"Kill her… I want you to get rid of that whore." Kora says, pulling away from the hug, she locks eyes with him.
"I will have her blood on my hand; do you want that? Aaram arched his brows, and Kora went mad with anger.
"If you don't kill her, then I will!
He gazed at her, his penetrating gaze scanning her pretty face; she was serious… She wanted Hanah eliminated, like the other whores he had killed.
Aaram sighed, then smacked his lips.
"You have made your point clear. Tell me, how do you want her to die?"
...….
A woman was seen running with an injured child in her hand, tears flowing profusely from her eyes; the child was badly injured, already gasping for breath.
"Help! Help…he is dying." She says before falling on her knees, a loud wail tearing from her throat. She held the six-year-old child to her chest, his blood soaking her dress.
She had managed to run all the way from the forest to the village. The villagers heard her cry, and they came out; an old man made his way to where the woman was still on her knees with the child slipping from her weak grip.
The old man did some checkups on the child before raising his gaze and shaking his head from side to side slowly; the child was dead.
The mother of the child understood his reaction and wailed uncontrollably.
"He was my only child." She said in between loud sobs.
"How did this happen?" The old man asked, slowly rising to his feet with the support of his walking stick.
"He was attacked by a wolf." The woman said, and the old man shook his head sideways in pity.
"The wolves? Did he go to the deepest part of the forest?" Another man amongst the crowd that had gathered around the woman asked.
"No…he only lurked within the borders of the forest." The woman said, trying to wipe her tears away.
"This is bad. The wolves are coming out of their territory; the heavy snow is chasing them out of their homes. They need food…they will come for us." The old man says before gazing above.
Snowflakes rained on his wrinkled face and on his grey hair…
"Winter is coming."