Twenty Five Years Ago

  Yerren Kingdom

  The walls of Thalia Palace were decorated with the first blooms of Blue Blossom, a blue flower that was sacred to Goddess Lamia. Today was a special day for the Yerren Kingdom, and according to the King's orders the whole palace was to be adorned in blue decorations.

  The Queen's lady-in-waiting had heard the other palace maids talk about it all. And why won't they? They were all given a bonus of one hundred drauchers for tending to the Palace's needs in the light of recent events.

  "Do you know they are going to invite the Queen Of the North, to bless the baby with the divine magic of seduction!

  It's certain that the Queen's going to birth the most powerful heir of all time," one of them said, drawing a pail of water from the well.

  "How inappropriate, Zelda! It's not even born yet," the other maid said, clasping her awry fingers over her mouth.

  "Why, it's for future use. They need someone to strengthen the kingdom. The new heir will rid us of all evils," she said, excitedly.

  "Or, so they have told. The Queen has been in labour for two days now. We cannot even see the head, yet," one of the ladies in waiting told the maid.

  "Now stop dilly-dallying and fetch some more water and boil it.

  The Queen cannot move. We need to prepare Her Majesty's bath, and clean her in the bed.

  And be gone with the gossip. Or I will make sure that you lot is sent to the Slums for the rest of your days!" The head of the maids warned.

  The old lady, who had been looking after all the palace maids had her hands full of work. There was no telling what the next moment will take them to.

  They were all told that the Queen was going through contractions, and the baby would be here. The festivities were in order. This was an important day. Not because the Queen was going to have her first child. To be fair, the Queen had been pregnant twice. Or thrice. Or five times. None of which were accounted for.

  The Yerren Kingdom had strict laws for those to whom it conferred the ruling crown. The Royal Family was scrutinized by the Church. It was required of the Queen to birth an heir within five years of the consummation of marriage.

  The Queen, Her Majesty, Zeline Delmonte, thought it would be easy to birth a child. After all, she was of noble origins and a Blue Blood, at that. Her husband, His Majesty, King Nichlos was more than infatuated with the thought of her. Surely, they had been actively involved in numerous passionate nights.

  But something didn't seem to work. The Queen, rightly so, consummated at least six times. That was personally recorded by The Head Maid.

  All the time the Queen would have a failed pregnancy. It would be one anomaly after another. All resulted in stillborns or already dead children.

  "If the church figure it out, we will all have to move to the slums!

  You know, how it's going to be Miss Marqee. I beg of you, save me," the Queen had pleaded the Head Maid, on the day her third child died.

  "Do whatever it takes. But the Church must not know," King Nichols too had pleaded to her.

  Marqee, who had served in the palace when she was just a little girl knew what it meant. She was a good, old fifty now. Hiding the word of the Crown from the Church was punishable by the Divine Charter. It was the highest form of treason that could be committed to a Kingdom. But as Marqee found the helpless Queen, begging with her dead neonate, there was little she could do.

  She had bribed and threatened the palace maids against running their mouths. She even had to get her hands dirty and make an example of one or two. Surely, she had murdered them coldly, but then she also rewarded their parents handsomely.

  This time, Marqee had done everything to prevent such extreme measures. She had hand picked the most cowardly maids. The kinds that can be easily threatened and coerced into silence.

  The rest of the maids were not allowed in the Thalia Palace. The Queen was forbidden from entering the Throne Room and her public appearances were cut as soon as she started showing.

  The Court was told that the Queen was taken all by Hysterical Fever - a rare disease that only occurred to females, and could only be cured of its own. The Court believed it word for word. The Church, not so much. Holy Water was sent, and the Padré kept insisting for Her Majesty's presence. Especially her brother.

  Marqee knew that this might cost her the life long job that she had worked so hard at. She had no choice but to devise to petty methods. Certainly, she had threatened the Priest. And it worked.

  Everyday, at this hour, the Priest would come knocking at the door of Thalia Palace. But not today.

  'Finally, the goons have managed to silence him', Marqee thought.

  She tossed the dirty rugs at the maiden who were doing linen and laundry.

  "I want you all to make haste. We need to provide Her Majesty with a calming bath, as soon as possible.

  Bring the wooden tub, and add lukewarm water to it. Perhaps, we can aid Her Majesty with the baby.

  Water birth is known to have miraculous effects!" Marqee said, her eyes shining with experience.

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  The maids worked their way, moving hastily to get the work done. They knew not to take any orders lightly.

  In the meantime, Marqee slipped something discreetly in the water that boiled over the big vessel. It soon swirled into blue wisps and disappeared. Nothing that anyone could possibly see.

  Marqee straightened the long skirt of her uniform, and then tapped over the pin that she wore over her breast. It was a part of the uniform. The pin bestowed her with the authority to expel or hire other maids under her watch.

  Carefully, Marqee reached for the two long bamboo sticks, and held the mouth of the pot enclosed in it.

  "Now, you lazy girls! Help me get this to Her Majesty's chambers!" Marqee ordered.

  Two frail looking girls held the bamboo from the other side. They fixed it so hard around the rim, making sure that the pot doesn't slip.

  Marqee was the first to lift, and the other girls followed. Holding the pot, in a makeshift handle bar with the bamboos, the three of them entered Her Majesty's chambers. They kept walking till reached the bath.

  "Now, pour it over in the bath," Marqee commanded them. "We have to carry Her Majesty here after we clean her body," she instructed the two younger girls, and they nodded, listening carefully.

  The two of them wore a long piece of cloth, that was tied around their bodies with a belt. Unlike Marqee, they didn't wear the pin. Their heads were shaved, so they do not distract the men of the palace. Only the Head Maid was allowed to grow out her hair. The palace maids had strict laws against the uniform.

  This was done to make sure that they do not distract others from their duties. They wore sooty coloured clothes and at any time were not allowed to adorn themselves with ornaments while serving around the palace.

  The only people who were allowed to dress lavishly in the Palace, were the eunuchs. Apart from helping to run the chores around the palace, they were also called in for the soldier's entertainment.

  At first, the maids thought that it would interfere with their chances of marriage. Nobody truly desires a bald headed woman now, do they? But the handsome price of the thirty thousand golden drauchers that they were paid every month did more than just sustain their family. They also thought, that it would be the perfect amount to take with them to their husband's place in exchange for a suitable marriage.

  "Hurry now, girls! Do you suppose to keep the Queen waiting?

  Remember, that you can displease your husbands and will still be spared...

  But here-" Marqee didn't need to complete the sentence.

  They all knew what happened around here. They were timid, and weak willed. They knew how to work hard, and how to follow orders. So, they did everything that was asked. Including now. They fastened their pace. They poured over the water into the bath.

  The bath itself was around a few metres in length and had a spacious breadth. It was a square shaped, marble embossed structure that was gifted to the Queen by His Majesty.

  It was forbidden for anyone to enter the bath without the Queen's permission. It was one of the most intimate spots that the Queen deemed, were truly hers.

  Even now, as she wailed and cried in pain and the few maids that rubbed her palms to soothe her.

  "Miss Marqee," the Queen called out, and Marqee bit harshly into her lower lip.

  "You better be gone from here by the time I return," she warned the maids once before taking off.

  By the time Marqee had reached the little labour room in the corner connecting to Her Majesty's Chambers, a maid was already under the covers inspecting the Queen's condition.

  To Marquee's surprise, she emerged right after. Panting and huffing, and visibly sweaty.

  "I can't see the head. The baby has turned. It seems that we will get the feet first," the maid announced, as her face paled.

  "Nonsense! That couldn't be-" But before Marqee could argue more, the Queen clenched the sheets and screamed out loud.

  "Miss Marquee, you'll have to deliver the baby.

  If you must cut me open, even then! I beg you. Please, I want you to give the Kingdom its heir," the Queen sweated. Her golden blonde hair stuck to her sweaty forehead as tears ran down her white cheeks.

  Marqee's mother had delivered babies. So many of them, that Marqee could hardly get all those gross pictures out of her head. One time, there was a special case. Her mother had asked for a clean blade, and cut through the mother's belly and then her womb to free the child.

  The child survived, but the woman had died soon after. The woman's husband was a Duke, who selfishly accepted his child and then married soon.

  'Maybe, it won't be very different for King Nichols. But if she fails, they would have to give up the throne.

  How would my plan succeed then?' Marqee thought.

  "Quickly, go and fetch me fine blades from the barbers. When asked, tell them we are trying to make decorations out of turkey and beef for the Royal Dogs," Marqee insisted.

  The maids ran faster than hounds to the gates of Thalia Palace. Thalia Palace wasn't too far from the Essetmont District. And, being the closest to the Capital, it had everything.

  The maids rushed to help Marqee, as she sat right next to the Queen.

  "Your Majesty, do not worry. I shall, deliver your child," Marqee said, slowly blowing over the Queen's head.

  The two maids instinctively fetch the large fans and begin fanning the Queen, as she wailed in pain.

  "Thank you, Miss Marqee," the Queen squeezed her hand.

  On the inside, Marqee was more than just ecstatic. It was time for her to set the records straight. Her revenge plan would soon be executed.

  "Your Majesty," she said, her voice maliciously soothing. "There's no need for your gratitude. I understand what you must be going through," Marqee said, lying through her teeth.

  On the inside, she wanted to drag the Queen to the bath she had just prepared. Being a Palace Maid, she had gained connections all these years. She knew what flowers to use for what ailments. And just what amount could lead someone to their death.

  The Blue Blossoms weren't just decorations. They were the most widely used flowers, known for their secret and silent poisonous effects and their significance in Forbidden Magic.

  It was indeed a very important flower. But only fools would use it to decorate the palace. Then again, it was only Marqee who knew what Blue Blossoms could do when boiled and bathed in.

  Its filaments contained a rapid acting poison. It could easily gets absorbed by the skin and then enter the blood flow. As the poison reaches its potency, the victim, especially pregnant women would undergo contractions resulting in so much blood loss that the death would seem as natural as due to a normal child birth.

  But now that the Queen had allowed her to cut herself open, Marqee was more than eager to get her hands on it. And why won't she? Her husband was the cause of all her woes. Even if she secretly pitied the woman, she knew she had to kill the Queen. How else would she get the throne to her most suitable candidate then?

  The wretched woman, that she was had been planning it all along. The five childbirths were no coincidence. One way or another, she knew she could get rid of any potential candidates who could step forth for the crown. She had to kill them. And it was easy. The trusting woman made it so easy for her to do her job.

  Marqee sneered secretly, rubbing the Queen's hands as the Queen closed her eyes from exhaustion.

  "Aaah-" The Queen screamed loudly. Her voice echoed in the blue walls of the Thalia Palace. Her back arched. And next, they heard the wail.

  "Wait-" Marqee froze where she sat. 'This couldn't be. She cannot give birth-' she thought, quickly lifting the cover to expose the Queen's cervix. The baby had indeed been born. With its feet coming out first.

  And then, its little torso forced its way through. Then there was the neck. And the head. It was covered in grime, sliding through.

  "No-" Marqee screamed out loud.

  "Someone get some towels!" She barked, and the maids were up to their knees again.

  Marqee picked up the slippery baby's body with the corner of the covers. The placenta came soon after. And Marqee, with no disregard to the Queen's pain, tore it spitefully.

  "It's a girl," Marqee said, unamused. The baby kept wailing as Marqee held her close.

  Marqee noticed that almost all attendant maids had left to fetch the towels. The others for the blades. This could be her only opportunity to get what is hers. Maybe she can kill the baby by bathing her in the bath. After all, all babies get a bath, don't they?

  "Miss Marqee, can I hold her?" The Queen asked, her breath fanning as her eyes sunk. She tried to open her arms, but the exhaustion of a three day labour had taken a toll on her. She gave up, passing out while Marqee held onto the baby.

  "Now, now, little one. We must say goodbye," she smirked, taking the baby to the bath. With no second thoughts, she dropped the newborn into the pool of water. Her smirk turned into a grin as she rejoiced.

  "You should have never been born," she laughed, maniacally.

  Clash.

  That's when she heard the drop. She turned around to find a young maid, with her hand clasped to the mouth.

  "Zelda?" She said, almost guiltily. As if she was caught.

  "What did you do!" Zelda looked at her, horrified.

  "Please, Zelda... You don't understand! It's for you. It's all for you my daughter," Marqee pleaded.

  The baby's cries had died by now. It's body was afloat on the bath. Slowly, it turned Blue. Zelda realised that it had died.

  Zelda gulped the lump in her throat. Her brown eyes stared into Marqee's blue eyes earnestly. For a while there was a moment of understanding. Then Zelda scooped out the baby.

  "Take the baby to River Ferrera. Nobody must know of this.

  When you come back, don't ask for me. I will be long gone

  Do, what you are raised for, my daughter," Marqee said, gently patting the frail, and short Zelda on the hand. With her grimy hands, she touched Zelda's scarf, untying it to reveal flowing Golden Hair.

  "Run. Run before they figure it out. I shall kill the Queen now, in her sleep before they return. It would be easy," she said, and Zelda looked at her mother whimsically.

  "But what would you do, Mo-"

  "I said, leave," she gritted her teeth. Zelda didn't press further. On the inside, she was disturbed and depressed. But she couldn't be caught. So, she hid the baby under the pile of unwashed linen basket, and walked as fast as her feet could carry her to the banks of River Ferrera.

  Marqee, took her time. Cleverly, she pressed a pillow over Her Majesty's face. Her arms retaliated poorly, but in the end... They gave away.

  And then, when she was done, Marqee stripped down. Her clothes fell to the floor and she walked to the bath.

  "Finally, I shall be free," she said, as a tear slid down her cheeks. Her long legs entered the water and then she let herself sink to the deeper end.

  "This isn't the end. It's the beginning."