Defy The Heavens

In Queen Namarie's chambers, her maidservants had just finished dressing her up in a regal gown, and were doing some little adjustments, when the guard standing outside entered.

"Your majesty, a woman is here to see you, she said it was an order from the Queen Dowager." The guard announced.

Queen Namarie frowned in confusion. "A woman?… let her in." She ordered, and the guards, opened the door, letting the woman come in.

Nimueh entered the Queen's chambers, followed by four of her assistants, who were all clad in black, and were wearing veils that only revealed their eyes.

"Who are you?" Queen Namarie asked, as she eyed Nimueh.

"I'm the new chief shamaness, appointed by the Queen Dowager." Nimueh replied, causing the Queen's eyes to widen in shock.

"New chief shamaness? When did this happen?" Queen Nemarie asked in confusion.

"That doesn't matter, your majesty." Nimueh said with a curt smile, and continued, "Please order your attendants to leave your chambers."

One of the maidservants, the one who had been bold to speak up for the Queen in front of the Queen dowager, stepped forward and said, "How dare a mere shamaness like you order her majesty."

"I was given orders by the Queen Dowager to discuss with the Queen alone." Nimueh said, sounding so smug.

Queen Namarie was a little hesitant, but she still said, "You may all step outside."

"Yes, your majesty." Her maidservants said, as they left the chambers.

Immediately they left, one of Nimueh's assistants went to the door, and locked it, preventing others from entering.

"Strip her." Nimueh said, and before Queen Nemarie could process what was happening, two of Nimueh's assistants, each held unto one of her arms, and a third one was pulling at her dress, literally tearing it apart.

Queen Nemarie felt her blood boil in anger, and embarrassment. "You wench! What do you think you are doing?" She screamed as she tried to free herself from their hold, but they were too strong for her.

Her maidservants who were just in front of the door began to bang the door as they heard their Queen's cries.

Queen Namarie's gown was torn apart until it was only her undergarments that were left on her body, and then she was dragged to her bed, and was laid on it. "How dare you treat me like this? Are you all perhaps tired of living?" She questioned in anger while still struggling.

"Don't you want to become pregnant, so you can give the royal family an heir, and one day become a Queen Dowager yourself?" Nimueh asked with raised brows.

Queen Namarie stopped struggling as soon as she heard what Nimueh said. She couldn't even bring herself to say a single word.

"I thought as much." Nimueh smiled mockingly and collected a small chest from one of her assistants, she opened it, and brought out a purple gemstone from it.

She placed it on the lower abdomen of the Queen, and muttered some words while circling the Queen's stomach with one of her fingers.

The gem stone brightened for a moment, but in the blink of an eye, it turned back to being dull. After seeing this, a pleased smile appeared on Nimueh's face.

….

Some time later, Nimueh was back in Queen Margaret's chambers to report what she had observed.

"It's impossible." Nimueh simply said.

Queen Margaret frowned in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but the Queen is barren." Nimueh stated.

Queen Margaret clutched her dress in despair. "How could that be? What are we to do now?" She began to be restless.

"Don't worry too much, Queen Dowager."

Queen Margaret raised her head, hope shining in her eyes, as she asked, "Do you have a solution?"

Nimueh looked at Queen Margaret, she stayed silent, but a lot was said through that silence.

"No, please. Not again." Queen Margaret said in a worried tone.

"There is no other way." Nimueh replied.

"But what if the spell is cast improperly? Something dangerous might happen." Queen Margaret countered.

"I know, but isn't getting an heir as soon as possible the top priority?" Nimueh tried to reason with her.

Queen Margaret became conflicted, as she thought of getting an heir, and the possible consequences if things go wrong.

"The decision lies with you. I'll do whatever you command." Nimueh said.

Queen Margaret finally looked up at Nimueh, and seemed to have made up her mind. "Do it then. The top priority is getting an heir, and that heir must come out of the Queen's body."

Nimueh smiled and said, "Consider it done, your majesty."

After all had been said, Queen Margaret then dismissed her, and Nimueh left her chambers.

While she was walking through the halls of the castle, she met with Ronan, the former chief shaman who had been stripped off his position without prior notice.

Ronan paused when he saw her, and Nimueh smiled, as she bowed her head a little. "It's been a while, sir."

"How did you get back into the castle?" Ronan coldly asked. "Did the Queen Dowager summon you?"

Nimueh ignored his questions, and instead said, "The sacred fire circle has been praying hard for the Queen, and still, she hasn't been able to conceive. This has caused the Queen Dowager to become desperate." Nimueh paused, and then continued, "So I'm here to offer hope and consolation."

"There are some things even the heavens cannot do." Ronan said.

"True." Nimueh nodded in agreement. "The Queen is barren after all."

Ronan's eyes widened at Nimueh's careless choice of words. He looked around in worry before scolding her. "Keep your voice down!"

Once again, she ignored him, and continued talking. "However, that is not to say that she cannot become pregnant. I will do what the heavens cannot do."

"You are not… are you?" Ronan vaguely said, but Nimueh understood what he was trying to say, and just smiled.

Ronan sighed, and massaged his temples. "We are still feeling the aftermaths of what you did three years ago! Just what vile deeds are you planning on doing this time?"

"What do you mean, vile? You and I are the same, aren't we?" Nimueh tauntingly said.

"How can you call us the same when I worship the heavens, while you practice evil magic?"

Nimueh chuckled at what Ronan said, and shook her head. "You waste your time praying to the heavens who don't even answer your prayers. How naive you are." She said, and began to walk away, but Ronan held her hand.

"If you try to defy the heavens, and cause trouble for this kingdom, I won't just sit and watch this time. Be warned!" He said before letting of her hand, and walked away.

Nimueh scoffed, and also continued to go her away. When she reached her quarters which had been prepared for her on the orders of the Queen Dowager, a servant suddenly ran up to her, breathing haggardly.

It was the strange servant from the previous day who had been looking up at the sky right before, a heavy rain began to fall.

"Chief shamaness! The king… he is in danger. I saw… I saw it." The lady said, while Nimueh looked intently at the young lady as if studying her.

….

"Your majesty, you promised me that in exchange for keeping what happened three years ago a secret, that you would never seek Nimueh's help again. So why have you called her back to the castle?" Ronan asked Queen Margaret. He had gone to her chambers to seek an audience with her.

Queen Margaret didn't answer directly, and instead said, "I believed in the sacred fire circle for years now, but how could you betray me like this?"

"How do you mean?" Ronan asked, confusion clearly written on his face.

"You knew Queen Namarie was barren, didn't you?" She fired the question at him, and he lowered his head, not being able to say a word to refute. "I know you wish for stability in the castle, and the kingdom as a whole, but securing an heir is also part of maintaining stability, so how could you deceive me?"

Ronan raised his head. "What do you think would have happened if I had told you the truth? The Queen would have lost her life… just like the previous queen."

"Sir!" The Queen Dowager exclaimed, her voice filled with warning.

"Queen Dowager." Ronan said, a pleading expression on his face.

"I can no longer trust the sacred fire circle. Step down from your position. Nimueh would take over from now on." Queen Margaret spoke with finality.

"I don't care what you do to me, but you mustn't bring Nimueh back to the castle. You know that Nimueh's dark magic only brings forth disastrous results. The royal family will soon be trapped in her curse." Ronan tried to make her see reasons.

"I've said all I have to say to you. Leave the castle immediately, and do not show your face anywhere close to the castle." The Queen turned her back to him after she was done speaking.

"Your majesty." Ronan tried once again.

"I told you to leave!" She screamed at him, and he let out a sigh, before he hesitantly bowed and exited her chambers.