Chapter 99: The Queen’s Rule

Lady Stephanie raised her head as she spoke calmly, trying her best not to think too deeply about it. She smiled politely—so serenely that even Zekel’s body stiffened. "Very true, Lord Zekel. Mother is absolutely correct," she said smoothly, as Lady Emberga’s smile curled sweetly at her granddaughter’s words. If only she knew the little exchange that had passed between their eyes. Stephanie knew this man was truly messing with her head and he knew exactly what he was doing. She also knew that the few days he’d be staying might not be easy. But she was determined to avoid him and make sure she didn’t see him—by all means necessary. But why? Zekel nodded calmly, reaching for his glass of juice and gently gulping it down. As he did, his eyes slid toward Stephanie—and landed on her lips. *** Back at the castle, Ariana walked toward the dining hall. It was time for breakfast. Thankfully, Zavren had been kind enough not to twist her hair like she did his. If he had, it would’ve looked even funnier—especially since her hair was longer. He had already left, and she guessed he’d gone to freshen up. She walked through the hallway, and just as she reached the door, it opened. With a graceful step, she entered. She already had a feeling Zavren might not come for breakfast today. It made her curious—on the days he didn’t show up, did they send food to his inner chamber, or did he simply skip breakfast altogether? She sat down and began to eat calmly. She noticed there were a lot of fruits today. In fact, these past few days had included more fruits than usual. She ate in silence until Leah finally spoke in a calm tone. "Lady Leah, you and His Highness will be leaving today," she said. Ariana nodded, though she was still curious about where exactly they would be going. She chose to stay silent, but not long after, Leah decided to explain. "You’ll be going for a boat ride and a picnic with him," she said softly. Ariana nodded again, but her body stiffened slightly. She couldn’t help but wonder if this outing was Zavren’s idea. Her lips curled slightly, unsure why her heart was pounding so hard. She tried to calm herself as she sat quietly. When silence fell again, she picked up her water and gently gulped it down. Once finished, she turned to Leah and signed: "Are we using the carriage?" Leah bowed and nodded calmly. "Yes, Queen Ariana. It won’t take long to get there—approximately ten minutes," she replied. Ariana nodded slowly. Was this his way of making up for the days he had left her alone? Her heart started racing again as she continued eating. Once she was done, they left the dining room and walked toward the entrance. Just before stepping out, Leah spoke softly. "Queen Ariana, how about you sit in the garden for a little while before the carriages arrive? You’ll need time for your food to digest a bit before the mini trip." Ariana nodded at her thoughtfulness. They headed toward the garden, and she quietly took a seat. This was a different area—she had asked them to move the garden bench from where it was originally placed. Sitting there, she stared at the beautiful flowers, her thoughts calm yet unsettled. After she heard about the incident—the one where someone was supposedly buried beneath the spot where that flower had been planted—her discomfort with the place had only grown. She didn’t know if Zavren had said it as a joke, but one thing she had come to realize was that her husband didn’t just say things for the sake of jokes, especially the kind that sounded unbelievable. Time and again, he had shocked her with things she had dismissed. Still, she chose not to dwell too deeply on it. Maybe she could simply go out and wait before the carriage was ready. Besides, she was sure Zavren thought she was still in the dining hall. She stood and signed, "Let’s go, Lady Leah," Leah nodded. Ariana’s thoughts wandered. She knew the palace entrance was beautiful, maybe they could even make a small garden out front. But then again, if it were possible, Zavren would have already done it. So he must have had a reason for leaving it as it was. They walked calmly through the hallway until they finally reached the entrance—and just as it opened, Ariana’s eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. It was Zavren. He stood there with a woman beside him. The woman looked close to Ariana’s age, though maybe about three years older. Her silky black hair was neatly tied up, and she wore a simple creamy-white gown, its waist cinched with delicate straps that made her figure visible. Ariana hadn’t expected this—not at all. In that moment, she wondered if she had made a mistake by coming here now. Perhaps she should’ve just waited in the garden until she was called. Was this why Zavren hadn’t come for breakfast? They looked to be in the middle of a serious discussion. Then Zavren lifted his head and turned—and their eyes met. Ariana’s breath caught. Their gazes locked for a single moment before she shifted hers away. Of course, she trusted Zavren. But still, the fact that he’d skipped breakfast with her—because of this woman—brought a sharp pain to her chest. Then again was it because of the woman? The carriage was already waiting, and a man stood beside it, ready to open the door. Stop overthinking. It must have been something important, her inner voice whispered. She tried to believe it, but a lump still formed in her throat. She didn’t even know what to do next. Then she noticed Zavren was beginning to walk toward her. She forced herself to stay composed, standing confident and elegant. "Queen Ariana," the lady said in a calm, soft voice. Ariana turned to her with a smile as the woman curtsied, and she returned it politely. She still avoided Zavren’s face as she and the lady locked eyes. "I will be taking my leave now, my queen. I am the Seer." The Seer? Ariana nodded gently. She noticed the woman was younger than the previous Seer who had visited. Was today the day they would examine her voice? Maybe that was what Zavren and the Seer had been discussing. She couldn’t be sure. Ariana smiled calmly as the lady turned and began to leave. Ariana then began walking toward the carriage. Zavren, who had been silently observing her, stiffened. He hadn’t expected such silent treatment...it caught him off guard. He decided to wait until they were inside the carriage. Once Ariana stepped in and sat calmly, he followed. The man outside softly closed the door behind them, and silence filled the space. Ariana’s gaze was locked on the window—she didn’t turn to acknowledge him once. The carriage began to move. He waited... maybe she would say something... But she didn’t. "Aria," he finally said, calling her name. They were both wearing the same color: royal blue for the picnic. To his surprise, when she turned to face him, her expression made him pause. It was calm—too calm. And the way she turned to look at him said everything, Say what you want. You’re wasting my time. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked gently, his expression less grey eyes searching her golden ones. To his surprise, she only shrugged—calmly. Without saying more, he reached into his coat and pulled out a small book and pen. He handed it to her. Ariana took it without a word and began to write...slowly and calmly. The soft sound of the pen scribbling against paper echoed gently. Ariana raised the book, and Zavren’s lips parted slightly, speechless, as he read what she had written. "Is there something wrong you did that made you ask me such a question?" It wasn’t just the words—it was the way her face looked so serious, like she was truly demanding an answer. Who knew his wife could be this direct? His hand moved to his hair, brushing it back, though a few strands still fell across his face. He turned to her, but her eyes remained locked on his—unflinching. "But sweetheart, I asked that because you seemed angry with me," he said in a deep tone. She calmly picked up the pen again and wrote, "And did you do anything that would make me angry at you?" His body stiffened. He hadn’t expected her to respond with such firmness. In fact, he—Zavren himself—felt the chill in her words. Her gaze hadn’t shifted, and the calmness in her posture only added to the weight of it. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. He didn’t like the cold look she was giving him—he wasn’t used to it. "Whatever I did, I apologize," he said quietly. Ariana’s body tensed. He didn’t even know what he had done... At this point, she wasn’t sure if she should explain or just let it go. She took the pen again and held the notebook up for him to read. "Please always create time to have breakfast with your queen." Zavren’s lips curved upward slightly as he finally understood. So that was why she had acted that way. "Yes, my queen," he said softly. Ariana turned her face away, feeling it grow warm. Then, unexpectedly, he gently pulled her closer to his side and held her hand. "I apologize again, Snowflake," he said as his lips curled up slightly. Ariana’s heart pounded. She hadn’t expected him to apologize—not once, let alone twice. Her heart warmed at his words... yet the image of him standing so closely with that lady still lingered in her mind. She picked up the notebook once more, wrote something, and handed it to him. Zavren’s eyes scanned the words—and then went wide. "Henceforth, you shall maintain a distance of four feet from any member of the opposite sex."