(13x Featured, Award Winner)
She is ruthless. She is scorned. And her blood? The darkest shade of blue.
***
When Queen Aravena basically life-threatens Gunderson, an evil merchant, to find the best warrior candidate in just a day, she doesn't know h...
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Warning: This chapter contains graphic description of violence. Reader's discretion advised.
Aravena
"It-It was I who f-forced Queen Audriella to help us b-blackmail King Beverdon."
I deadpanned the moment Reomenne began her babbling.
"It was at a ran-random ball night where your mother and I m-met. She was drunk and depressed when she voiced her d-deepest concern to me about your father. That was the night I learned the truth about S-Seraphina and you. Y-You both are the children from King Beverdon's secret first marriage. Illegitimate children in a sense."
Reomenne flinched under my stone-cold gaze. Even more so when the nearby crowd gasped.
Why couldn't anyone focus on their fights? What! Was there a circus happening here?
I sent a sharp glare to those eavesdropping people who were both fighting and listening to this drama.
Reomenne sniffed, wiping her cheeks.
"That night, I decided to try our luck and use that information to confirm your and Donnovan's betrothal. Your father and grandfather were against the proposal at first. However, they had to accept later on since it was a question of their reputation. Everything was going on fine for a while. That was until my son made a blunder with a maid."
Seraphina.
"Your father canceled the betrothal using the scandal. He gave us the ultimatum of never revealing the name of the maid and dismiss the betrothal and he wouldn't let the rumor of the scandal spread further. We had no choice but to accept the proposal that time. But I was enraged, blinded by revenge and bloodlust of your family."
Not to mention, the sick green greed of power and Ravendale.
"I met your grandfather to settle the matter in a truce. I knew he desired to see you on the throne as you were the only worthy blueblooded heir who deserved to rule Ravendale. I used that to propose a plan that would work in both of our favor. However, he refused my proposal saying he couldn't betray one grandchild for another. So, I resorted to blackmail him with the Queen Audriella's information and he finally relented. And we chose the night before Crown Prince Arnold's wedding for the prime execution of our scheme."
The cursed night of my life.
I took in a shaky deep breath and forced my weaker self to listen further.
"According to our plan, your grandfather would stay out of the kingdom using the excuse of attending a political affair with Garland. Meanwhile, I would have to take you out of the palace and bring you to some forest for the coronation. This was the best way for you to become the queen since we couldn't kill Arnold or stop his coronation after his wedding without stirring the deep waters. So, we thought if we could crown you before him then he couldn't challenge your position afterwards. There's also a maid involved in our plan, the same maid who was a part of Donnovan's scandal. She was supposed to be the prime witness of your coronation to validate the crowning ritual."
