Power and The Queen

Chapter Eighteen. 🟢

The dungeon! Of all places, the dungeon. Why would she dream of being trapped there? She paced around in her sleeping chambers, still in her sleeping attire. The King already left before dawn to tend to the Nobles and their never-ending requests.

Dominica would return soon. Queen Artemis' chambermaid informed her of Dominica being at the temple. Her dream was unusual even with the prophecy she had never felt anything so real.

She was locked in the dungeon alone, she recalled as her voice echoed through the tunnels, but the part that scared her witless was when she saw her reflection through the aid of moonlight sipping through her cell and a puddle of water on the floor. She was younger, more than twenty years younger.

Her younger self was very afraid, and she hated that. She hated her younger self for she was weak and feeble. She knew nothing of power, of true power. How could she dream of her, she was a stranger to her now. She could never be afraid like that again, never.

The gods, this was their fault. If they did not give her such gifts, she would not have remembered. What were they thinking, that if she remembers her younger self she would stop contending with them?

No! She would never.

How could they torment her with hazy visions that made her nervous? She had been feeling nervous as of late, is it a sign?

She knew the gift of the gods had a huge advantage. It gave her more power than she knew what to do with. The former queen tried to attain such gifts until she became involved with black magic. She fooled everyone including the king till the gods said it was enough.

The Queen of Trevillia could not be just anyone. The kingdom was far too great for that. For this reason, she was chosen. That's what she was told, but she was lied to. Waking up to night terrors like her dreams was a disadvantage of her gifts. When there was danger, she was uneasy, while no one else sensed a thing. Dominica could not tell her all she knew and saw, for a Druid saw many things, but only the ones that you should know are told to you.

She stopped pacing and sat down on the bed, which she shared with the king. The windows were open and sunlight crept in as the sun rose to the sky. The huge silver doors open at the far end of the room, revealing her chamber maids holding the items for her bath and dressing. Queen Artemis paid them no heed till she saw the person she awaited. Dominica walked in last after a guard who was also a captain under General Datil. He was charged with protecting her while the General was in Neria.

"Leave all of you." Queen Artemis said, looking at the maidens.

She watched them leave in a straight line as they came. She sighed at the figure of Salie but pushed it to the corner of her mind. She would make her suffer later.

"Have you heard nothing?!" she almost yelled, standing up from the bed and moving closer to the two kneeling figures.

Dominica stood and pulled off the hood of her cloak.

"The knights have not returned my Queen." the soldier said.

He wore the same uniform as a regular soldier, but the captains wore blue capes attached to their armour.

Anger and frustration were strong on the Queen's face. She was desperate for information so much that she would receive a soldier in her sleeping wear. She knew Dabrack was a hard place to find, but she decided to have faith in the knights. This particular team has never failed the kingdom and was honoured by the king after they uncovered a threat from Voltrun while they were still squires.

"Your King should hasten their search then." She said, facing Dominica, but Dominica said nothing. "Perhaps a little persuasion," she added.

She did not want to go this far so soon. It ruined her fun, but she was running out of time. Grathos has multiplied his army. She knew what he was capable of and she must prepare. She would win again, she must.