8 The queen

"The queen is like the sun to the king while Soren is like the moon," Amoela informed Adnan. "The sun watches everything the king does closely but only the moon gets to know all his secrets," she added.

Adnan nodded.

He noticed how playful the king was with Soren. He wasn't able to stay through the male's bath as Soren pressed on until the king asked Amoela to give him a tour of the palace. In the end, Soren's stubbornness won over the king's insistence.

Adnan made a note to try his best not to cross Soren. The dragonling had the king eating from the palms of his hand. Making him the most dangerous man in the kingdom.

Being an ordinary slave. He needed to stay within his limits. Going against powerful people would cost him his head.

Amoela took him to all the corners of the palace. The medicinal herbal hall where the royal physicians resided and worked to ensure the health of the royals.

She showed him the three palaces. The jasmine palace belonged to the king's dragonling, Soren, and the king. The white palace was where the king's mother resided and the purple palace was where the king's queen lived.

The four gardens around the palaces, the river, and the lake surrounded the Jasmine palace. The whole scene was like a fairytale.

Adnan saw the palace of Arendar and fell in love. Such was a place that inspired people to dream of a better life. A place that ignited a flame of hope in his heart of having a better life than the one written in his destiny.

A smile bloomed on his face. It was as though someone took his comfort place in his mind and made it a reality. From being a slave chained with shackles to knowing the interior of the palace of the greatest kingdom by heart. Adnan saw no limits left to cross.

"Did you hear what I said?" inquired Amoela.

"What?" Adnan asked. He got lost in his head forgetting about his surrounding.

Amoela shook her head. She had met Adnan a thousand times over and each time she saw them rise too fast, love too hard, dare too much, reach out for the moon when they aren't allowed to touch the sky, and then fall.

The type was obvious. Their eyes lit up with dreams after arriving in the palace. The same light burns too much and reduces them to ashes and each time they end up failing.

"The king isn't yours," she uttered coldly.

Adnan blinked. Confused as to where that statement came from. He never said that the king belonged to him.

"This kingdom has had fourteen queens," Amoela went on to say. "Do you know why the world only recognizes one?" she questioned.

Adnan shook his head. The fact that the king has been married fourteen times was news to him. Nowhere in the four lands had the tales of the king of Arendar and his queen. The tales only spoke of one queen.

"The queens dared to claim the king. He married them and they were of the belief that the marriage gave them right over him," Amoela stated.

The king had one owner, Soren. The dragonling was the only one in Arendar that had rights over the king. Everyone else was merely objects of importance to the king.

This was open knowledge to anyone who comes close to king Javier. Yet, there are always those who believe that they are the one. The one who gets to change the way the story is told, modify their position in the palace, and become more important than Soren.

"What happens when someone claims the king?" Adnan dared to ask. "I mean to ask, what is the price of making a claim on the king?"

The person he met was nice, kind, and playful. He didn't seem to have it in him to hurt someone. However, he was the king, one doesn't get to rule a cruel world such as the one they lived in without being able to do cruel things.

"One head," a voice replied to Adnan. The male made a quick twirl to glance at the person who spoke to him.

His eyes froze momentarily. Gazing at a beauty, a lady dressed in a red gown that trailed down to the ground. Her black hair was braided and clamped in a neat bun with circlets pinned along the braided lines. With a tiara resting nicely on her head.

Her gorgeous hazel eyes were sharp and clear watching him like a puzzle. She had her red rosy lips tightly pressed as she eyed Adnan from head to toe. With her sharp chin slightly lightly holding her head up with grace. Her eyebrows knitted as though deep in thought.

Her neck was adorned with a crimson necklace that highlighted her collarbone. Marching to perfection with her dress. She clasped her hands together and rested them above her waist.

On her fingers rested three rings with the emblem of the royal family Amoela had shown Adnan. With a glance, Adnan could tell that she was royalty. He bowed his head to show respect.

"Greetings to the queen of Arendar, long may you reign," Amoela uttered bowing her head in recognition.

Adnan's jaw dropped.

Standing before the Queen of Arendar was like a dream. Her magnificence was beyond compare. Adnan felt honored to have had the honor of meeting her.

"Rise," the Queen ordered.

Amoela raised her head, she ushered Adnan to do the same. The queen approached them, her steps steady with the elegance of royalty.

Adnan watched in awe as she grew beautiful with each step she took close to him. He was speechless and breathless.

Amoela facepalmed internally. Adnan's admiration was evident in his eyes. Announcing ones feeling in the palace was a dangerous trait to have. It made one vulnerable and there were more than a few foxes that were more than eager to wrap their hands around such vulnerability and use it to their advantage. She could tell that Adnan wasn't going to last long.

"I don't believe I have seen you before in my palace," the queen addressed Adnan.

"He is the king's special guest, my queen," Amoela answered on Adnan's behalf. The King was yet to give Adnan a title until he does, Adnan was a guest in the palace.

"Is he the one Soren brought back?" the queen asked curiously. Amoela nodded in confirmation. The Queen took another glance at Adnan, her face expressionless. Adnan couldn't tell if she was happy to see him or if she was displeased by his presence. "I suppose I should get to know you if I am to share a bed with you in the future," she spoke out.

Adnan's eyes went wide with shock from her words. He didn't expect her to be so blunt and straightforward.

"Where is the king?" the question sounded colder coming from the queen. "In Soren's chambers," Amoela weakly responded.

"Lead the way," she spoke. Amoela locked eyes with the queen surprised at the order. The Queen was the ruler of Arendar and the king's better half but even she wasn't permitted to enter Soren's chambers.

The people allowed in Soren's chambers in the whole palace could be counted by the fingers of one hand. As Soren was very particular about the people he gave an audience to and the king doesn't dare to displease him.

Amoela wondered what had gotten over the queen that she would ask to see the king in the forbidden part of the palace. Such audacity has cost so many queens their heads.

"Your majesty, it's forbid..."

The queen raised her hand in the air, and Amoela bit back the words she wanted to say. Obediently she bowed her head and turned around in the direction of the east wing of the palace. Adnan followed behind her nervously. Feeling uneasy about going back to Soren's room.

He had a bad feeling their visit wouldn't sit well with the man.