Rebirth Of The Evil Queen

Selene looked up at the sky, her gorgeous blue eyes shining like jewels, noticing the dark clouds rolling in. She knew it was about to rain. Tired from working in the field, she wiped the sweat off her brow and began packing her tools. The day's work had been long and strenuous, and the prospect of a sudden downpour added urgency to her actions. Her movements were swift, she had done this so many times before. Just as she was about to start packing, she heard a familiar voice in the distance. It was her five-year-old son, Elias, calling out to her. She had warned him many times not to come down the mountain alone, but he never listened. A smile spread across her face as she saw him running towards her, his small legs pumping with determination. He threw himself into her arms, and she embraced him tightly. "Momma, it's going to rain! Grandfather said you should return and leave the work for another day!”,he exclaimed, his red eyes wide with excitement and a hint of fear. "I know, Elias. We need to get back to the cabin," Selene replied, her voice gentle. They began the trek up the mountain together, Selene holding Elias's hand tightly while sharing to his mother all that he did that day. The path was steep and rocky, but they had walked it many times before. As they approached their wooden cabin, Selene's heart suddenly dropped. Parked in front of their home was a purple carriage with gold trimmings, bearing the seal of a horse—a seal she thought she would never see again after her rebirth. Elias noticed her reaction and asked curiously, "Momma, who does the carriage belong to?" Before she could answer, the guards standing by the carriage, clad in shining armor, knelt down in unison. The door of the carriage opened and out stepped a man in elaborate armor, his face a mix of shock and disbelief. It was Duke Harren, her father. He was followed by her brother, equally stunned, and lastly, by her adoptive father, who leaned heavily on a stick, having lost his leg in a bear attack. Her adoptive father called out to her, using the name she had chosen for herself. "Ophelia, the Duke came looking for you." Her father said using the name she had chosen for herself after her rebirth. Seeing her father, the man she had worked so hard to please in her previous life, her heart turned cold. She bowed deeply, the kind of bow a peasant would give to high-ranking officials. "Your Highness, the Duke of Elarion," she said, her voice steady but distant. Her brother's handsome face twisted with anger. He strode forward and grabbed her hand harshly, yanking her upright. "Stop this madness!" he demanded. "How dare you kneel like a peasant?" Selene hissed in pain, her eyes narrowing as she snatched her hand away. She glared at him, the brother who had always ridiculed her. "Do not touch me," she snapped, her voice like ice. Looking at her two family members and the men she worked so hard to please, Selene only felt hatred because when she wanted them to protect her and defend her they always sided with her half-sister. Her adoptive father, not fully understanding the gravity of the situation but terrified that her actions might cost her her life, with great difficulty knelt beside her. "Please, Your Grace, forgive her. She means no disrespect," he pleaded, his voice trembling. The Duke, his eyes fixed on Selene, walked slowly towards her. He stopped just a foot away, his expression softened by a mix of sorrow and longing. She looked so much like his late wife, except her silver hair was now dyed black. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "How are you alive?" he whispered, his voice breaking. "Why didn't you return to us?" Selene stiffened in his embrace, then pushed him away with a firm hand. "Please respect yourself, Your Highness," she said, her voice resolute. "Please, come inside. We can talk there." The rain began to fall in earnest as she led them into the cabin, each step feeling like a confrontation with her past. Ever since she was a child she has wanted nothing but her father’s love but all she remembers is getting a cold face in return. When Estrella appeared she felt panicked, it was already hard for her to get his attention, and it would even be harder when she had to share it with her half-sister. But little did she know she would end up sharing everything with Estrella even when she didn't want to, including her husband. Estrella was always a sickly child growing up so everyone pitied her and thought to let her have her way. But Selene didn't think that way besides there were laws that governed the rights of illegitimate children and that was what Estrella was the Duke’s illegitimate child. Estrella was the child of a maid who had drugged the Duke and snuck into his bed. Selene’s mother who was already ailing was devastated and died from a broken heart. The maid was captured to be punished escaped and later appeared on their doorstep with Estrella who was a year younger than Selene. Once inside, the small wooden cabin seemed even more humble compared to the grandeur of the carriage and the imposing figures now seated around the modest table. A single oil lamp flickered in the middle, casting dancing shadows on the rough-hewn walls. The Duke glanced around, his eyes taking in the sparse furnishings and the simple life his daughter had built for herself, a stark contrast to the silk and gold of her upbringing. It was almost too much to believe. Selene sat down, her posture tense as she looked at the men who had come from a past she had tried so hard to leave behind. "How did you find me?" she asked, her voice steady but edged with apprehension. Her brother's face flushed with anger. "Is that all you have to say?" he snapped. "You are the queen, for God's sake! What are you doing here in this damned place? Why didn't you return home? We all thought you were dead!" "Be quiet!" the Duke commanded, his voice firm but weary. He turned to Selene, his expression softening. "Your grandmother sent us. She told us to look for a woman named Ophelia. We didn't know why but she insisted”, he said before pausing for a few minutes “Selene your grandmother is dying”, Selene felt her heart squeeze at the mention of her grandmother. The woman who had always been a source of warmth and wisdom in her tumultuous life. She struggled to keep her emotions in check, but the pain was evident in her eyes. Sensing her distress, Elias tugged at her sleeve and called softly, "Momma?" The Duke and her brother's eyes turned to the boy, their expressions shifting from curiosity to shock. Elias shrank back, hiding in his mother's arms, they knew his red eyes and black hair were a strikingly reminiscent of the royal family. The Duke's gaze lingered on the child before returning to Selene. "Is he... the King's son?" he asked, his voice a mixture of hope and confusion. Selene met his gaze steadily. "He is my son," she replied firmly, "and no one else's." “Are you out of your mind? Hiding the king’s spawn!…”, her brother slammed his fist onto the table making Elias tense. She could feel her son’s shaking little boy and flared at her brother. Since they were children they never got along and would always fight and quarrel. “Rhys!”, her father warned her brother, she knew that tone, he was losing his patience. Silence fell over the room. The Duke sighed, rubbing his temples as he tried to make sense of it all. "Selene, why didn't you come back? We mourned you, the whole kingdom thought you were dead." Selene looked down at her son, her fingers gently brushing through his hair. "This is my home now," she said. After escaping her captors in her previous life, Selene returned to the palace, her reappearance shocking the entire kingdom. Her husband had deposed her as queen, sending her to a monastery for a year to reflect on her actions and crimes against her sister, who was also the king’s consort. On the way to the monastery, bandits attacked. The leader claimed they were sent by the king to kill her, but upon seeing her beauty, he decided to take her instead. He offered to make her one of his concubines, but when she refused, he humiliated her by making her a servant. Initially defiant, Selene, the queen of Elarion, could not fathom serving anyone. However, through beatings and starvation, she was forced to submit. Living as a slave among those of lower status was grueling. Selene could not believe her husband wanted her dead; she was convinced her sister Estrella was behind it all. The bandit leader continued to offer her a place as his concubine, punishing her more harshly each time she refused. One night, she fell ill, and a doctor was called. Discovering she was pregnant, she begged the doctor for help, but he was too afraid. He did, however, agree to keep her pregnancy a secret as a small act of kindness. Realizing she wouldn't survive the harsh conditions and determined not to lose another child, Selene knew she had to escape. When the opportunity arose, she fled but was eventually captured., the bandit leader r***d her and tortured her, and left her to die in the forest. She was picked up by her adoptive father, who, upon seeing her silver locks and purple eyes, knew she was from the Duke’s family, House Thorne. It took a month for her to recover, and miraculously, so did the child in her womb. But when she returned to the palace and accused her sister of orchestrating her ordeal, her husband the king, her father Duke Harren, and her brother the general of the king’s army all sided with her sister. The man she loved turned his back on her once again, sending her to a mansion on the outskirts of the city to await childbirth. The servants there treated her horribly. She wrote many letters to her father, brother, and husband, but none were answered. She heard from the servants that the king doubted the child she carried was his, which was why he had banished her and forgotten about her, as had her family. Her grandmother even suggested she return to the Duke’s mansion, but the king refused. Depressed and isolated, she had no one to talk to except the child in her womb. When her son was born, he was taken away from her immediately. She never saw him again, hearing only from the servants about his well-being. She hoped he would one day become king and restore her position. However, after he turned two, Estrella became pregnant. Following the birth of her daughter, Selene's son died from a mysterious illness. Overwhelmed by grief, Selene hanged herself. She believed in an afterlife, but when she opened her eyes, she was back at the moment the doctor informed her of her pregnancy. Everything she had endured felt like a dream, a vivid vision. She begged the doctor to keep her pregnancy a secret and decided to accept becoming the bandit’s concubine. When the night finally came for him to bed her, she used a piece of broken glass to slit his throat, set the room on fire, and escaped. To prevent her adoptive father from recognizing her as belonging to the Duke’s house, she dyed her hair and changed her name. Her adoptive father had been good to her in her past life, so she decided to stay and repay him, forming a new life for herself and protecting her child from ever dying again. She hadn’t managed to keep her first son safe, but she was determined to protect this one. Her brother opened his mouth to argue, but the Duke held up a hand to silence him. "We won't force you to return, Selene," he said quietly. "But your grandmother is dying. She asked for you. Will you come to see her?" Hearing that her grandmother was dying, Selene's resolve solidified. "I will go with you to see her," she said, her voice steady. "But my father must come with us. There is no one else to take care of him." The Duke's expression darkened slightly at her words, a pang of hurt coursing through him. Hearing his daughter call another man 'father' felt strange and painful. Still, he nodded, accepting her terms. "Very well," he agreed. "Your... father can come with us." Selene stood tall, her eyes resolute. "Understand this: Selene is dead. I am Ophelia now, a daughter to a peasant hunter." Her brother bristled at her words, his face flushing with anger. He opened his mouth to retort, but the Duke raised a hand, stopping him. "Enough," he said firmly. "Selene, we will respect your wishes. For now." The Duke could not help but think that she was throwing a tantrum, still resentful of how he couldn't stop the King from disposing of her position as queen. She had always been headstrong and spirited, traits that had often clashed with the rigid expectations of the court. He believed that sending her to the monastery was a necessary lesson, a way to temper her rebellious nature. Selene's adoptive father, watching the exchange with growing concern, finally spoke up. "Ophelia, are you sure about this? Traveling to the capital is a long journey I do not want to be a burden." She turned to him, her expression softening. "You're not a burden father. Going to the Capital is what I must do. For my Grandmother but I can’t leave you here by yourself " The old man nodded, though his eyes were filled with worry. "Then I will go with you." Elias, sensing the tension but not fully understanding it, clung to Selene's side. "Momma, where are we going?" "The capital" she reassured him. "We need to prepare." “Wow”, the little boy said, his mother had told him stories about the capital, he was excited and couldn’t wait to show off to the kids in the village, they’d all be envious of him and no one would make fun of him for being fatherless. The Duke watched the interaction, a mixture of confusion and admiration in his eyes. "We will leave at first light," he said. "Rest for now." As they turned to leave the cabin, Selene's brother shot her a lingering look of frustration. But the Duke placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him outside. The rain had stopped, leaving a fresh, earthy scent in the air. As Selene packed a few essentials, her adoptive father watched her with a troubled expression. "Ophelia, why did you hide your identity from me? Why didn't you tell me you were the daughter of Duke Harren of the house of Thorne?" Selene paused, her hands stilling over a folded blanket. She took a deep breath, then turned to face him. "Because I am no longer that person. That life ended for me long ago." Her adoptive father frowned, a dawning realization making his eyes widen. "Wait... Duke Harren's daughter... lady Selene? You were the queen. Queen Selene was thought to have perished in that carriage accident years ago. The entire land mourned for a whole year." Fear filled his eyes as the weight of her true identity settled on him. He began to lower himself to his knees, trembling. "Your Majesty, forgive me. I did not know." Selene quickly stepped forward, grasping his hands and pulling him up before he could kneel. "No, father. Please. I am not Queen Selene anymore. I am Ophelia, your daughter. The past is behind us, and I am content with the life we have here." He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for any sign of doubt. But all he saw was the determined, loving gaze of the woman he had raised. He nodded slowly, his fear giving way to a deep, abiding love. "You are my daughter, Ophelia," he said quietly, squeezing her hands. "And I will stand by you, no matter what." Selene smiled, her heart swelling with gratitude and affection. "Thank you, father. That means more to me than you could ever know."