⊰ chapter two ⊱

The silent air spoke a lot. At least for the ones who have stayed quiet. The rigged atmosphere surrounding the front door and further into the yards of the Jeon residence was undeniably unavoidable. There were people gathered all around the Jeon residence, either in the hide or standing next to next to nose into what seemed like an urgent and disastrous family matter.

A young woman with the black silky hair named Era and her mother were towering the old Wineri who had her hands joined in a decent plea, a nervous look across her face, "Era, Mrs. Winters, we can talk about it inside our residence. The atmosphere you are creating between the citizens is not appropriate."

"Do not teach me what's appropriate and what's not appropriate, Wineri!" screamed the woman in the expensive jewelry across her neck, shining diamond rings all around her thin fingers and her lips tinted red, golden brooches pinned on her heavy cape, "You and your son have embarrassed us in front of the whole of Western! What did you son try to prove by marrying that wretched Eastern witch queen? Does he think it will intimidate us? He broke years of friendship and treaty and has broken all sort of Western laws by bringing that bitch inside―,"

"ENOLA WINTERS!" Wineri screamed and the audience surrounding the play of two families stepped back from the rage as if standing any closer would behead each of them at once―with her voice. Wineri's eyes were big and round, her finger pointing right at Enola Winters who took a step back to study her actions, "Do not dare to shame a woman with words so vulgar being a woman yourself in this pious lands of ice!"

The Jeon cousins swallowed hard, looking at their aunts as they held onto each other at the front porch of the Jeon residence. The teenage cousins would want to step into the situation but it seemed much more complicated than any young's game. Wineri breathed into the cold air, like it did not bother her to breath the ice in and out itself at that moment, "The marriage alliance is no longer valid, Jeon Jungkook has married the Queen of North and will no longer accept a second bride."

Era's mouth opened, mortified, "Did you not bring me to the Northern castle months back just to break the marriage with the Queen and bring Jungkook back, Wineri? What has changed your mind so devastatingly―,"

I was possessed by an Eastern for Lord's sake, Wineri's eyes lowered before she looked away, shameful of her acts as Era announced them to the West. Era's mother stepped forward once more, "I demand a divorce between the two royals. I do not care how you handle it though, as my Era must be Jeon Jungkook's wife by the end of this month as promised by you twenty years ago. Do not forget your place, Wineri, you do not want to mess with us. Hope you understood―,"

"I do not understand," Wineri argued, "But I do understand that my son has made a choice for the first time in life and that was marrying the red flares and if he has brought her here, that must be of some good purpose and I, as a mother and the governor of the Western State will listen and understand him. And you should do it, Winters."

Era scoffed, rolling her eyes, "You are spelled by that witch Koveski, aren't you―,"

"You speak of the devil and she will be here for your head," warned Wineri, narrowing her eyes at the two, "Leave my front porch before I do the unnecessary."

The older woman grabbed Wineri by her arm, Wineri winched with pain as all of Western who were gathering them backed away with a shriek, horror in their faces as they were fearful of speaking out or getting help. No one moved as Winters clutched harder on Wineri's wrist, "If you don't file a divorce and marry my daughter by tomorrow evening, Jeon Wineri, I will pull out your throat and feed the bears, do you understand me? I don't care what your little red riding hood is capable of, this is the Western realm, we have our laws and your bitch queen will not invade our homes―,"

A harsh push on Mrs. Winter's shoulder and the woman stumbled on her heels. Before she looked up at the culprit who pushed her off Wineri, she heard a sarcastic chuckle before feeling her left cheek burn like a hot pan. A raged Elona Winters raised her head again only to be grabbed by the wrist and forced it behind her back and her heart shrieked when her eyes met directly with the forest green eyes―so striking and deadly that she did not have a second to glance at her surroundings. Her brows frowned with pain and mostly, fear, as they stared into the red hair's green eyes.

The State froze. Like it wasn't frozen already. Wineri's body went stiff as she saw her daughter-in-law towering over her once a fellow friend, her arm twisting behind her back by the red hair's force. And the silence was so loud, it was breaking my knees.

"Bitch Queen," Dara grinned lightly, whispering, "That's a nice name."

"Leave me, right now" Winters greeted her teeth, jaws clenching, "You will not get away with this behavior, I am a State member, I will ruin your existence from the West―,"

Dara grabbed on her arm tighter this time, Winters groaned with pain as Era stayed still in her place with her hands palming her mouth. Dara whispered to Winters, so sly and fearsome, almost none heard, "One more time you try to raise your voice at us, I'm going to pull out your throat and feed it to the bears, is that understood?"

The woman did not say a word.

"Say Yes, Your Majesty," Dara tempted her with a squeeze on her wrist.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" She squealed in pain as Dara let go off her, falling against Era's chest who glared at Dara with raged eyes. Dara rolled her eyes away upon hearing their food steps descend. She saw the group of people gathering the area and one twisted look from her forest green eyes and everyone cleared the area at once.

"Dara," Wineri whispered, voice unfounded.

The Queen turned to the old woman, "Are you hurt?"

"No," Wineri said in a monotonous tone, afraid of what else the girl could do, "This act may be pricey—,"

"Let's get you some rest," Dara did not bother to pull Wineri inside with her as she walked first towards the Jeon residence, the impressed Jeon cousins parted the way for the Queen to walk in with Wineri following the fierce one quickly.

The motion of the house was odd, everyone were crept inside and steady. No one spoke until it was required to. Dara's boots clacked against the woods as she walked towards Wineri who had a damp yet hot cloth pressed against her wounded wrist. Removing the cloth from her hand that a Jeon cousin was pressing to it, Dara sat on the tool before Wineri and held her wrist. The cousin stepped back when seeing light gleaming under Dara's hair as Wineri's wrist glowed in glint, the light pressed between Dara and her contact. Little gasps at the event before Dara removed her hand to a completely healed skin, nothing like the marks of Mrs. Winter's attack nor the pain was there. Wineri stared at Dara, "You are wasting your magic."

Dara pulled away, shaking her head, "There is nothing to save the magic for. It's alright."

Wineri did not look pleased with the idea before she glanced at the children and teengaers of the house, smiling a bit, "This is very unfortunate that the children had to see the disastrous Winters when they came all the way from their sleep to meet the Queen early morning. Dara, this is Jungkook's bunch of cousins."

Dara's still face and quick head counted exactly seven children and five teenagers; all females. Jungkook had many women to protect, no wonder he had always stood by that quality. The children's eyes quivered at the stillness of Dara's serious face, not a single sign of delightfullness in her face upon meeting them. The young girls were about to leave—considering she was really no Queen to bow to; they had been always rooting for it to be their brother, maybe Dara was always a planned nemesis but the circumstances have changed with the choices Jungkook had made in the North.

Dara grinned, "Hello. I am Dara."

The children's smiles were undefeated when one of the teenagers spat out from joy, "What you did out there, miss, was remarkable. Someone had to kick that woman's ass—,"

"Language, Sam!" Wineri warned.

Sam, a long black haired girl rolled her eyes historically, looking away before mumbling, "I don't like that wretched Era anyway, deal with it."

"Miss, you just did magic!" said one of the smiley children in the group of, throwing her little arms out and approaching Dara without any hesitation, pulling on her velvet sweater before smiling bigger with her doe eyes, "Wineri told us you can make big golden shields and fight monsters from the East!"

"They called you an Eastern witch but fighting your own kind is kinda badass," a taller girl with snow silver curls and neat brows spoke.

"Can you breath fire too?"

"That's king of impossible, May."

"I thought Easterns could do it—oh, cousin Jungkook had once sent a letter about your spirit animal!"

"Is it really the sacred falcon?!"

"Can you turn into a falcon?"

"That is so cool, you all—,"

"We also heard you are the first woman to lead a State Caucus!"

"She looks like the state herself, though—,"

Wineri glanced at Dara's little smile and the rosy cheeks. And it was admirable how the Queen made the effort to at least smile back at the gossips that were held right infront of her even though the last few days must have been so, so rough on her; her Kingdom was at the knees, her husband had betrayed her and she felt like a culprit for taking what always has been his and a million truths yet to hold before her.

Dara felt hopeless. No sign of proper goals. She seemed lost. The urge to ask about the man who had hidden himself for a day now was unseen but felt. Wineri couldn't put herself in Dara's shoes or even think of the experience of endurance Dara held. And yet, the girl forced a smile at the cousins who were arguing themselves. Dara felt Wineri watching her when she looked at the woman and her smile died, she rasied her brows at the old woman, questioning.

Wineir shook her head, "I hope they arent too loud."

The Queen's lips turned into a thin line as she smiled softly again, looking at the cousins, "They seem, like they know a lot."

"Westerns are aware. Of you." Wineri said and the cousins' had stopped fighting themselves about the facts and theories and looked at the two elders. Wineri sighed, "You have been a nemesis until your marriage with Jungkook. Jungkook had warned us several times, that maybe you are not the culprit we want to take down—,"

"You do not have to explain anything, Wineri." Dara said strictly, the grins disappeared, "I do not wish to hear one. I would like to take my cousin Adona and her son, the soldiers back with me. I shall return to my home at South and close the doors for further distractions."

The house was silent.

Dara's lashes lowered, "I have failed to understand and look through my enemies."

"Jungkook is not your enemy, he is your husband. You are all he had at North—,"

"Not anymore," Dara closed her eyes, calming her rage before speaking again, "The greatest enemy of one is the friend who lies, hides and ploys behind your back. The truth wouldn't harm."

"Dara, dear—,"

"I am done. I want to be gone before I see him again,"

"Escaping isn't so easy, Miss Koveski." Yoongi's voice interrupted the spree of words. Dara paused to look at the open front door, Yoongi standing with blue cladded men. Wineri stood at once, jaws dropped seeing a scroll in the man's hand. Yoongi's lips tightened as he grabbed the scroll open as he twisted out the paper out of it, reading it dryly, "Dara Koveski Arver is under arrest as her recent offense at West is too high. The court of Western State calls the lady into the witness box at once and immediately to record the stance of her crime of using high magic and abuse against the State's head ministress Mrs. Winters. Further notice and actions shall be sent if the criminal does not present themselves at the court due time."

A warrant.

That was fast, Dara grinned.

"Min. We have witnesses of what happened—," Sam was cut at once as Yoongi without a second thought walked into the house and grabbed Dara's arm forcefully, gritting his teeth as he took the woman to the front door with a pull. Dara stumbled on her steps before looking back to give Yoongi the hideous stare she was expert at. Yoongi grinned wickedly, "All your stares and death glares wont save you today. It's a goodbye from West for you, witch."

Wineri called after Yoongi as the helpless Dara was pushed into the State carriage, the guards blocking Wineri from following Dara, making a boundary around the carriage from the audience at the street gathered at once. Dara's eyes did not remove from Yoongi's once as the carriage rode off without notice. Yoongi tilted his head, the scroll tight in his hand, "This is what happens when you are alone, Dara. You were betrayed, because you deserved it. And you are alone."

To his surprise, Dara leaned back against the carriage seats, crossing her legs and got comfortable in her warm sweater between the cold realm and smirked and lied through her teeth, "I have always been alone, my love. Your cousin was just one of my pretty pawns. But I was wrong afterall—i must admit; being played by a naive man like him wasnt one of my plans. It made him attractive though but hey, I don't really need saving since I do want to get the hell out of this winter-ass-shit-hole."

"I am no fucking snow dwarf. I am a Queen, I was born with the riches." Dara looked away at the ice-windows of the blue carriage, the snow heavy outside. Her compass kept her warm, and she made sure Adona and her baby was warmer with the violet ring Aevi had given her. Dara really wanted to get out of the place of humiliation and betrayal she had felt in the past hour. It was embarrassing, outrageous and injustice for her. Getting away from the place was the best she could do for herself.

Dara had given up. Or at least she had thought so.

Yoongi wanted to fight that cruel mouth but the carriage shook as it came to a stop. The guards grabbed Dara's arms as if they were handles of a chair before dragging her inside a cemetery. Dara guessed it was the State Hall they spoke about but she was surprised when the little cemetery looked much bigger, wider—enormous indeed from the inside. Crystals and sapphires were floating up in the air, gleaming with snow dust and ice pecks. It was marvelous inside.

Once she felt the eyes of the Western ministers eye her down like an insect as the guards pushed and forced her towards the witness box that was waiting for her, clawed with chains of iron and guarded with two female western police. Dara wondered if they were for more physical acts as if the men werent hurting her arms enough.

But she chose to stay quiet.

She had no place to fight this. She knew her crime.

There were a big audience. As if the entire show was called for. And so were Era and her mother, the similar sort of features plastered on an older man beside them. Dara rolled her eyes away as she stood inside the witness box, looking down at her nails as if the rest of the Court members werent visible enough. Era scoffed at the former Queen's behavor, leaning back in her little throne below the ones that belonged to the elder ministers. The ministrs were uncountable, ready to press their part of politics. There were twelve bishops, dressed in blue chiffon, surrounding the witness box in a circle. The lights dimmed and Dara saw the blue flames ignite at once, ice particles afloat the area as crystal chandeliers appeared in the air.

"Dara Koveski Arveri, the falsey heir of the blood throne and the daughter of Eastern head witch, the late Illari Koveski, has been illegally caught crossing the borders with her unlawfully wedded husband, Jeon Jungkook, the Prince Consort of the Northern Realm and the son of Jeon Wineri Aurther of West and late Prince Aurther," the State Caucus of West read out loud so it was enough for the widely made hall hear all, "Dara Koveski has committed the crime of abuse against Mrs. Winter, the head ministress of our government and will be questioned for her crime as Mrs. Winters questions it strictly, seeking justice—,"

"Is this a joke?" Dara scoffed, silencing the Hall at once before rolling her tongue against her inner cheek and sighing heavily before looking at Mrs. Winters, "Your realm will not count on how this woman called the in law of your realm's most prestigious family's son a bitch? Not to mention she grabbed governor Wineri so hard the woman—,"

"In law?" Mrs. Winters stood up at once, slapping the tables as she ragged out, "This girl is an Eastern and Jeon Jungkook never gave his name right at the marriage—according to our rules, she is unwedded to him! Jeon Jungkook would never make the mistake to marry an eastern outcast like her!"

Era grinned at Dara's failed strong features upon hearing her mother's words, as if they sent an electric current across Dara's eyes and stole her strength. Dara looked down at her palms, questioning herself.

"She used magic in our realm, too," spoke another minister, "It was reported that she had created Eastern magic at the Jeon High Residence against family member Min Yoongi during a private family issue. Eastern magic is forbidden in this realm, it is law."

Dara had no defense. Suddenly, Yoongi's words back in the carriage seemed to creep back to her. She really was alone here.

Did she mistake her enemies so bad? So bad that she was alone here.

And for the first time, she did feel alone. Helpless. Aimless. And totally caged with laws that werent hers to bend.

She had no powers to defend or bend the laws at her cordial defense. And nothing felt so lonely. Was this the outcome of the hunger she always had for power?

"Take her magic away, I suggest or this will bring more malice to our Courts and the realm itself!" Mrs. Winters made a jury, shouting out her plea, "She had been unfair and injustice all along, considering she had been Jeon Jungkook's greatest enemy and the man had always planned to destroy her and her father's ploys, her powers must be executed."

Dara stared at the ground.

She wanted to escape. She wanted to hide and never bee seen or smelt again.

"I agree."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

"I side with it."

And like that, the ministers had enough votes. Mrs. Winters grinned down at Era before glancing back at Dara with her cunning eyes. The snow wasn't treating Dara well afterall. She heard the cackles of the chains but before she could turn to see what was coming for, Dara felt a shock at her throat before her knees felt to the grounds. Dara felt her eyes roll back like her throat was slicing into pieces. Dara gawked, screaming as the internal pain increased all across her body.