Chapter 145: A Queen’s Decree

Days had passed, and Ariana’s legs were now much better. Even so, she had to sit and rest them after an hour of walking or standing, as they were still recovering. The more she exercised them, the stronger they became.She walked toward the small hall, her royal blue dress perfect, and her golden hair pinned neatly back with hairpins, though a few curls fell over her forehead adding more to her already elegant and graceful demeanor. The elders had already arrived at the duplex—only a few of them were allowed, as Raven did not permit more, given that they were heading to the royal duplex wher the queen and special guest were as they need to make sure everything was safe and protected. Ariana had told Raven that she wanted to be updated about the activities of the castle. At first, Raven was shocked, but eventually, he agreed, since she had already given her order. After the maid incident, the maids were thoroughly checked. Each one now ate a scoop of the food they delivered personally, as directed by Leah. Ariana finally reached the door and opened it. As soon as she entered, the elders who were seated stood up and bowed. Raven, who stood beside the main table, bowed as well. They all sat back down as Ariana walked to her seat and sat calmly. The elders seemed shocked—they had not expected that it would be the Queen herself leading the meeting. This had never happened before. Not any that they knew of. They had only been told they would be meeting at the royal duplex, but seeing the Queen in person startled them more than they could admit. Now, they tried to return their shocked expressions to calmness. One of the elders spoke calmly. Ariana recognized him immediately. He was the exact elder who, that day, had said they could not wait for her to tell them who the father of the child was as she was mute. And she could already see the shocking look on his face. A smile graced her lips. He looked even more shocked than the others, and Ariana noticed some new faces among them. The man cleared his throat as he stood and spoke calmly, his voice respectful. "We need two more chiefs—not here, Luna Ariana, but in the areas at the royal village, as some places lack due to retirements." Ariana nodded with a calm expression as she reached for the papers placed on the table. At the side was ink and a pen, which she would use to tick each paper with her signature, depending on whether she accepted or declined each request. "That will be handled. There will be chiefs, but a letter must be sent to Mister Raven by the people applying to be chiefs." They all nodded as she moved her pen to tick, her expression neutral. But she suddenly stopped just before she could sign. "One more thing," Ariana said firmly. "The people contesting for this should be women." The hall fell silent. Everyone stared at her in disbelief. No one had expected that. It had come out of nowhere, and one of the chiefs’ mouths fell open. "L...Luna Ariana, that has never happened before..." one of the chiefs stammered, but Ariana interrupted him. Her eyes rested on him coldly as she spoke. "Exactly. That is why I am making it happen." She dropped her pen and leaned gently against her seat, resting her hand on her chin. "Do you perhaps have a problem with it being women?" she asked. The man who had spoken quickly stood, bowed, and shook his head. "Your Highness, it is not that I have a problem. But women already have responsibilities, like taking care of the children and the house..." "Don’t you have responsibilities as well?" Ariana cut him off sharply. "Because she is a woman does not mean she cannot choose other things. Surprising to hear this from you. To become a chief, you would need to show your degree...all those degrees, for what?" She signed the paper with a swift stroke. "Total waste," she muttered, though clear enough for everyone to hear. The one most shocked was the oldest chief. He could not believe that the quiet girl was now speaking like this. How was it possible? "Very well then, my Queen," he said with a forced smile. Though he disapproved, he had no say. Ariana had made her decree. "Ladies have not been given the opportunity, as many believe men are superior. That law is canceled from now. A letter will be sent to the villagers for whoever is interested." The shocked look on their faces was so visible that Raven almost laughed out loud. He himself had no problem with the Queen’s decree, and he could already picture the proud look that the King would have on his face because of the Queen right now. She spoke calmly, and they all nodded. Another elder then stood and spoke. "The royal school... it has come to our attention that some children have not been able to attend their classes. Everyone now learns together, but many teachers no longer come to inquire about teaching. They feel it’s becoming too common and not worth their effort, since most things at the royal village are cheap or nearly free, leaving no reason for them to work or receive payment for their efforts." "Then what do you suggest?" Ariana asked as she sat up, waiting for his reply. The man was caught off guard. He had not expected the Queen to ask him directly. He thought deeply yet quickly before speaking. "L...Luna Ariana, I suggest the teachers should be given an order to continue working there, as the children deserve to learn," he said. Ariana turned her face away as she looked around, her tone calm but firm. "Any other suggestions?" The hall turned silent immediately. The new chiefs recognized those words, and fear filled them. They had been warned. Ariana herself had no idea, but if she knew, she would have realized that the phrase she had just spoken—words once spoken by Zavren—meant death. The elder who had been horrified before looked even more shaken now. He remembered the tragic incident of his peers head rolling that day and prayed he would not have to witness it again. "Very well. Since there are no suggestions, I say the teachers should be given their normal salary, like they received back at the village. That might motivate them to teach better. Commands alone may not sound good to them...they must be happy in order to make the children happy." She signed the paper with a sigh. As she stood, Ariana said, "That will be all for today. Another meeting will be held tomorrow." They all rose and bowed, having to wait until she left. Ariana walked calmly downstairs, heading to the hallway that had another set of stairs leading to her room. Just as she reached it, she suddenly stopped and stared at the door. Curiosity flickered in her eyes. She knew Zavren had told her not to enter for her own safety, but still, she could not resist. Ariana knew she had held herself back for days now from checking this place. She had been curious, yet she had decided not to—though she wondered why she was not allowed in here. Was someone in there? She was sure she had seen the handle of the door move. But then again... could it be possible that someone was inside? She knew her mind could not be playing tricks on her. She walked toward the knob, her fingers brushing against it as she turned it. But just as she was about to push it open, her body recoiled slightly, more in shock than anything else. A sense of nostalgia hit her. She felt as if she remembered this scent, yet could not place it. It was as if she was experiencing déjà vu, which she was sure she hadn’t—so why did it feel like this? Her curiosity only grew. She moved to push the door open again when she heard a voice "Luna Ariana, please don’t go in," she heard Raven speak, quickly moving to shut the door. Ariana wondered what that was, but the feeling it stirred was unmistakable. "What is in there, Mister Raven?" she asked calmly, her curiosity pressing. Raven remained silent, bowing slightly. "Is it not my position to say?" he finally spoke. Ariana wondered why Raven refused to tell her. She should know. Why were they keeping things from her? She knew her husband was trying to protect her, but it only made her more worried. She needed to know. "At least could you tell me what is behind the door?" she asked calmly. Raven’s face became troubled, as if he feared for her. "Luna Ariana, I don’t think it is my position. Perhaps His Highness would be the one to consent," he said carefully. "Then fine," she replied, her tone firm. "If you don’t want to tell me, I will check it myself."