Power and The Queen

Chapter Twenty-two.🟢

The most beautiful dress in the kingdom, check.

Perfectly brushed hair, check.

Matching jewellery, check.

Everything was in order for the Queen, their work here was done. She watched from the corner of her eye as the new maid rape the Queen's attire with a glint in her eyes. The new maid appeared as though she would melt any second into a puddle of tears.

She could see why, though the Queen was bea- no, beautiful was an understatement. Since the gods chose her, they really took their time in making her look like one of them, a goddess indeed.

"We are done, my Queen." the maid announced, bending half of her body low.

She acted as a spoke person for the rest of the chambermaids standing beside her in a straight line. She spoke for them only because none of them was willing to. She dreaded this work of hers.

It was alright for her to work as a maid in the King's home, but for the Queen, that was just too hard. The Queen demanded perfection in everything. She was far from perfect and to make it worse, they now had a new worker.

It occurred to her that the head maid probably hated her for assigning the former Lady Salie to work with them, taking away one of her close friends. Salie was quite the character. She already hated her knowing who she really was before her new position.

How could she have such high recognition and then lose it all because of greed? From the gossip she heard, she was thankful Salie did not succeed in her plans.

Imagine getting to dress her. Oh the gods!

"Are you?" the Queen spoke, drawing her out of her thoughts.

She stood properly, avoiding the range of the Queen's gaze while she prayed in her heart that the Queen did not notice her moment of absentmindedness. But what she learnt from working for her is that nothing ever gets past her. The people were right to think of her as a demigoddess. For the last few minutes, all Queen Artemis did was stare at her reflection while they stood and watched her.

"And who told you such a lie?" she added, looking towards her with the corner of her eyes, letting her know she noticed.

"But- but, my Queen, we have finished with your dressing."

"You've finished only when I say so." she snaps and goes back to inspect her reflection in the mirror.

"I apologize, my Queen." the maid says and moved backwards to join her mates in the line.

Queen Artemis fixed her gaze on the mirror, it appeared that she was focusing on her features but in reality, she could not care less. It occurred to her that she was carefully crafted by the gods to be Queen. She is not and would never be ugly. No matter what she wore, she would outshine all the Noble ladies present.

Her mind, however, was in a corner, a special corner of worry she dedicated to Grathos, the present pest in her kingdom. How that man manages to survive surprised her only the gods would know, she could only guess, and she loath them for it. She should know as well!

But even after everything, she could admit to herself that he was a formidable foe for the former Queen but not for her. She knew his moves, the way he operates and thinks. She knows now that things have changed for the revolution and that is why they prove difficult to eradicate.

Though she would admit a part of her does not want them gone all at once, she would like to enjoy the thoughts of killing them slowly. The reason for her haste now is her other problem, which she also had a corner of her mind given to it; the prophecy. The same prophecy that brought her into power would now be her downfall.