Chapter 7: Moon god
1360 Words
Chapter 7: Moon god
Third Person’s POV
Royal Knight Zyar helplessly watched the interaction between the royal siblings while silently marveling on whether it is good or bad that her highness the Queen treasures her family too much and gives them her unconditional trust.
He had always persuaded Queen Nem to be vigilant and cautious when dealing with anyone inside the royal palace ever since he was appointed as her royal knight, but all of those instructions fell on deaf ears.
Zyar could only sigh in his heart and be vigilant on her behalf, because he knows one cannot understand the severity of a situation unless one personally experiences it. He just hopes that the Queen does not experience the cruelty of the world and always stay as pure as she is, though he knows it is just his wishful thinking.
The world is darker and rotten to the core than what is visible on the surface.
“That will be wonderful.”
Amayris nodded while imagining the peaceful future of their home kingdom.
Seles can’t even be bothered to burst her bubble about peace now that her own heart is full of indignation and frustration about the current situation.
She had been preparing and accumulating her forces for years to speak on her behalf when the time to appoint the next ruler to the throne arrives, but all of it just went down the drain with the sudden death of her royal father and the hasty coronation of her second royal sister. She did not even have the time to voice her complaints when all of it have been decided and done with.
“Her highness, Queen Nem is still young and naïve, she still needs to learn how to manage the whole kingdom properly without making any mistakes.”
Seles kindly smiled with an eldest sister’s air of teaching her younger sister about life.
Zyar just snorted in his heart at how ridiculous she is by looking down at her highness the Queen while giving off a kind aura all over her body. This could be the so-called two-faced witch that he hears from the mouths of those idle palace maids.
Nem did not notice her royal knights’ derision for her elder sister and seriously listened to her words of advice. It is rare for her eldest royal sister to educate her when growing up so she treasures her words a lot and even feels blessed to have such a sister to guide her.
“Do not worry eldest royal sister, this Queen understands your worries and will learn to the best of my abilities.”
Seles’ lips twitched in irritation from the honest and enthusiastic reply that she got by ridiculing her second royal sister for being too young and childish to be the Queen.
She could only smile kindly to her like a real elder sister while nursing the unfair grievances in her chest. A shout from the master of the celebration, the Royal Advisor Agiel froze the lively nobles and officials from dancing and chatting with each other.
“The crowning of a new Ruler is a huge and important event for our Regin Kingdom and the banquet in the royal Flame hall is the last ritual for this event, but there is also the competition decided by the moon god.”
All of the guests inside the hall, as well as Nem and her royal sisters listened attentively to Agiel’s words. The tradition of the kingdom is widespread in all of its lands but the ritual to having a new Ruler is only learned by the past and current royal advisors of the crown, especially the steps to take in the legendary royal Flame hall and about the usage of the phoenix bell.
“What do you think the competition decided by the moon god means?”
“Is it to imitate or play as a moon god and announce a competition?”
“Does the moon god even exist?”
“Are you a kid? Who will believe that there is a moon god?”
“It’s just a play prepared to make the banquet livelier.”
Royal Advisor Agiel cleared his throat while gesturing for the crowd of guests to settle down as a dozen of palace servants came in from the western entrance holding different weapons and instruments. The cold glint of the sharp weapons of different lethality and the meticulously designed instruments made of precious wood and strings greeted the sight of everyone.
A rumble sounded in the place of the central platform where twelve stone tables made from the purest of rubies suddenly appeared in a spiral position covering most of the space of the circle central platform. Every single person present could not help but to stare wide-eye in amazement at the intricate mechanics that covers the royal Flame hall.
The dozen palace servants silently and reverently went up the platform and placed the weapons and instruments that they hold on each of the stone tables, after that they all bowed to Nem before retreating out of the hall.
The nobles, officials, ambassadors and the royal family all looked at the change in the central platform, wondering about the process of choosing the competition theme.
“The competition on the night of the banquet will be decided by the blooming moon given by the moon god.
As soon as Royal Advisor Agiel’s words fell, a sudden change happened in the open roof of the royal Flame hall.
The bright light of the moon that envelops the whole royal Flame hall disappeared in a flash and darkness took over like the end of the world, that even the lanterns that are obviously full of light doesn’t even shed any of it outside while the moon that is clearly at their sight does not give off any light. Who could explain this mysterious phenomenon?
“W-What’s happening?”
“The moonlight clearly shines outside the hall, but why are we drowned in darkness?”
“Is this the power of the moon god?”
“It must be a genius mechanical apparatus! I don’t believe in any of that voodoo stuff!”
“What moon god? Our kingdom hates even the idea of witches in the western prairie.”
“Why take it seriously? The royal advisor explained that it is just a part of the tradition handed down by the ancestors.”
Another burst of discussion arose from the guests, though none of them knew the truth of the current situation but nonetheless boasted the beliefs that they have accepted.
It was always a taboo in the kingdom of Regin to believe in magic that are said to be prominent in the continent thousands of years ago. To the citizens of Regin, magic is from the devil and those prominent people who are able to use magic in the legends thousands of years ago are crazy barbarians and killing maniacs.
The discussions halted abruptly as dots of white lights gathered above the central platform that coincidentally connects horizontally with the full moon up in the night sky.
The magical yet creepy feeling of the mysterious and unknown created complex emotions on everyone present, though they comforted themselves in believing that all of it is just a play made by the ancestors or an apparatus invented by the artisans of the royal palace.
Nem stared unblinkingly at the gathering small white lights as her slender hands clenched each other until drops of blood could be seen if not for the darkness that encloses them. The citizens of Regin may not believe or even abhor magic, but she wholeheartedly believes in it, because she knows that magic really exists in this continent thousands of years ago and even until this day.
“The moon god is here.”
A soft whisper flowed out from her parted lips as her forest green eyes shone brighter while staring at the wisps of light that is slowly weaving into the figure of a wolf.
- Writer
