A giggle escaped my lips at his expression, causing him to flinch as he realized his reaction. Hesitantly, he turned back to the pasta sauce, his movements betraying his discomfort.
Marliene, not satisfied with mere observation, pressed further. Her voice, though low, carried the weight of her suspicion. "If I may respectfully ask, Your Majesty, is this individual a member of your staff? Their attire suggests a status beyond that of a typical servant, and their appearance—notably the white hair and blue eyes—seems to indicate nobility. Could it be that they hold a higher station than initially presumed?"
Her astute observations didn't surprise me. After all, I had chosen my ladies-in-waiting for their sharp minds and discretion. Cillian's aristocratic features—his defined jawline, proud stature, and those striking blue eyes—were indeed telltale signs of noble lineage.
"My my, Marliene," I exclaimed softly, caressing her face as I leaned in to whisper, "You've got quite the eye. He's my husband, A Ducal Prince of Elmir."
The revelation sent a ripple of silent understanding through my attendants. Their training was evident in their lack of visible reaction—a testament to the rigorous etiquette drilled into those who serve the crown. These women, chosen with great care and precision, knew better than to react unless the situation demanded it.
As if on cue, they gracefully disentangled themselves from our embrace. As my ladies to depart, Fiona, ever mindful of protocol, spoke up, "With respect, Your Majesty, I humbly suggest that once your engagement at this location is concluded, you kindly return to the Helia Palace."
With a knowing smirk, I nodded to Fiona's suggestion. The five ladies-in-waiting departed as swiftly and silently as they had arrived, their movements a choreographed dance of efficiency and grace. Cillian's eyes followed their retreat, a mixture of awe and bewilderment evident in his gaze as he observed their precise, mannered exit.
As the door closed behind them, I placed the book Marliene had delivered onto the countertop. Its title, 'Minsan', stared up at me – a silent testament to the privileges my position afforded. This was a volume I could only access as Queen, bypassing the usual inspections required to delve into the Imperial Dominion Library's restricted sections.
The kitchen, which had moments ago been a whirlwind of activity, now settled into an uneasy quiet. Cillian, still processing the sudden intrusion and equally abrupt departure, turned to me with curiosity etched across his features.
"Who were they?" he questioned, his voice a mixture of confusion and poorly concealed interest.
I couldn't resist the urge to deflect. "Unless your name is Sherlock Holmes, stop acting like you need to know everything," I retorted, my attention already shifting to the pages of 'Minsan'. The oatmeal was prepared, and the donuts still baking, affording me a moment to delve into the text.
Cillian's response came with a roll of his eyes. "Oh, my bad! I didn't realize I had to be a detective to be curious." His sarcasm was palpable as he turned back to his cooking, a hint of frustration in his movements.
I remained silent, engrossed in the book. Cillian, caught up in his own thoughts, hadn't noticed my sudden literary engagement. Little did he know, this was second nature to me.
From childhood, books had been my constant companions – not tales of fantasy or escapism, but tomes of history. The annals of Domino's past had been my playground, honing my ability to extract crucial information with lightning speed. Analyzing a 200-page volume in mere minutes was child's play for a mind trained in the rigors of historical study.
As my eyes darted across the pages, absorbing knowledge at a pace that would astound most scholars, I couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast between my current reality and the life I'd led before ascending to the throne.
For ten minutes, an almost tangible silence blanketed the kitchen. The only sounds were the gentle bubbling of the pasta sauce and the occasional turning of pages as I delved deeper into 'Minsan'. Cillian, still processing the whirlwind of events that had transpired, busied himself with cooking, stealing occasional glances my way.
*Slam*
Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a resounding slam as I shut the book with more force than necessary. The sound echoed through the kitchen, causing Cillian to jump slightly, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Useless," I muttered under my breath, frustration evident in my tone. The book, which I had hoped would contain valuable information, was nothing more than a collection of random, unrelated facts. Worse still, I strongly suspected that most of its content was fabricated. Nonetheless, according to the book, which had quite limited useful information stated the following:
Minsan is a sort of fortress, with 7 major gateways also known as Kota yanga-da. These doors are connected to unknown realms and dimensions of the different worlds and different timelines. The other remaining minor gateways are called Kete yanga-da.
All gateways have keys, also known as Mama ti aye. Each key is trusted with the responsibility of protecting the existences behind the gate till their death. In other words, these keys are Gods of their own worlds. With each gate comes a power gifted to their keys, known as Nagngu, depending upon their achievements.
We, the existences of the Human World are known as Azo, the existences of other worlds are known as Azo pëpe. The Azo pëpe are known to have desires to enter the Human World, since it is a land with no God. Azo pëpe are very powerful existences, which can erupt the functioning of Human World and to keep them from entering the Human World the Mama ti aye, must carefully watch over them and surpress their desires.
But, even Mama ti aye terminate. They do not live forever. Some do, other don't. This applies to the 7 major gateways too. And, to each key, is a lock, also known as Kanga. A Kanga, has the power to access the world of the key as well as the Human World. These Kanga serve as assistants to the Mama ti aye. The desires of Azo pëpe are far from human comprehension, henceforth, they attempt to escape from their gates relentlessly and cause chaos beyond apprehension. But since the Mama ti aye of the past have always succeeded in supressing their desires, such an incident never surfaced.
The Mama ti aye of Kete yanga-da, have their Kanga assigned to them, by the God of Minsan, Nzapa. While the Mama ti aye of Kota yanga-da, have the freedom of choosing their own Kanga. Therefore, they must perform a special ritual, to secure their Kanga. This ritual, is known as the Blood Seal. A Kanga is usually an inanimate object, where they must carving a design on the body of the object, using a special method and shed their blood over the carve. Once the design is full of blood, it begins to dry up and the blood of the Mama ti aye remains on the body of Kanga until the day of their termination.
Nzapa, the God of Minsan, is actually under the control of Greater Gods, Anzapa. The Nagngu of Mama ti aye of Kota yanga-da are special because they are handed down to them by Anzapa, themselves. entrusted with the responsibility to teach his Mama ti aye about these powers and look after them, and make sure, they are up to their job as well as position and please the Anzapa, or else, the failure of any one Mama ti aye, can lead to the destruction of Human World. They say, the Anzapa, are entertainment suckers. So, the Nzapa cannot directly interfere with the Kota yanga-da, since the Anzapa are the ones controlling everything related and connected to it. They are the fate deciders of every Mama ti aye.
Which means, Cillian's demonic powers, are actually his Nagngu. He didn't enter any sort of contract, it's a gift for his achievement. The demon he was gifted must serve him till he is terminated. Hmm...Interesting. Since the Anzapa are entertainment sucker, it's clear how Minsan readily accepted Cillian.
Which means, Cillian's fate has already been decided. And since mother said something like
Meaning, have we performed the Blood Seal ritual by giving me a bite mark and pouring his blood on it, in order for me to truly become his lock?
But what is mother supposed to gain by making me his lock? What'll she do-
WAIT.
She can use me, to open Cillian's gate and bring the Azo pëpe to the Human world to secure their victory.
The War is at the Romanian border, meaning Romania will be supporting the Alizahs, including Elmir, since they are neighboring Empires with great bond. And since there's no one supporting mother, she's using Minsan as a way to strengthen her allies and achieve victory.
AND! Rudbeckia stole my necklace.
Is she going to use that to summon Veles to fight against the Azo pëpe? But how can Veles, just 1 dragon fight against Azo pëpe? No, wait. I don't know the limits to either of their powers. There's no telling what'll happen. Is that why Veles hasn't come back?
Then what about Myla and Mylo?
Cillian's voice cut through my deep contemplation like a knife, sharp and unexpected.
"Luxana!" he exclaimed, his tone laced with urgency. "I think your donuts are burning..."
The words took a moment to penetrate the fog of my thoughts, but when they did, panic surged through me like wildfire. My mind raced: Donuts? SHIT! MOTHER FUCKING SHIT! My carefully cultivated royal composure shattered as I spun on my heel, rushing towards the clay oven with undignified haste.
As I reached the oven, however, reality dawned on me. My face, which had been a canvas of panic just moments before, smoothed into an expressionless mask. The donuts were fine. There was no crisis.
Behind me, Cillian's laughter erupted, filling the kitchen with its boisterous sound. "AHAHHAHAA. You actually believed me? BRUH." His voice dripped with smug satisfaction as he sauntered over to the counter where I had been standing, lost in thought. "What've you been reading, huh?" he asked, his tone a mixture of cheerfulness and suspicion.
I turned to face him, my expression still carefully neutral. Years of royal training had taught me to guard my emotions, but the remnants of embarrassment and irritation simmered just beneath the surface.
Cillian, hands casually tucked into his pockets, approached the counter with an air of nonchalance. But as his eyes landed on the book – 'Minsan' – something shifted. The playful glint in his eyes dimmed, replaced by seriousness.
The abrupt change in his demeanor was jarring. Gone was the mischievous prankster of moments ago, replaced by someone who seemed to recognize the gravity of what lay before him. His expression tightened, a furrow appearing between his brows as he stared at the innocuous-looking tome.
The kitchen air suddenly crackled with tension as Cillian's demeanor shifted. His once playful expression hardened into something more serious, almost intense. As he began walking towards me, his purposeful strides made my heart race. Instinctively, I stepped back, only to feel the heat of the clay oven intensifying behind me. I was cornered, with nowhere to retreat.
My mind raced with possibilities. Will he attack me again? The thought flashed through my mind, a remnant of our tumultuous past. But as Cillian closed the distance between us, stopping just a meter away, something in his eyes changed.
Cillian's serious expression melted away, replaced by a childlike grin that seemed entirely at odds with the moment we had just shared.
"Shall we head out to the garden to enjoy our breakfast?" he suggested, his eyes twinkling with an innocence that left me momentarily speechless.
I blinked, my mind struggling to process the sudden shift.
"Oh... sure," I managed to reply, my voice sounding distant even to my own ears.
-Morning in Amoria Palace; Garden-
As the morning sun cast its golden rays across the lush garden, Cillian and Luxana found themselves seated in a charming gazebo, surrounded by a vibrant tapestry of blooming flowers and verdant foliage. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of roses and jasmine, while the gentle rustling of leaves provided a soothing backdrop to their intimate breakfast.
The gazebo, a masterpiece of intricate woodwork, offered a perfect vantage point to admire the garden's beauty. Its white-painted lattice walls were adorned with climbing vines, their delicate tendrils reaching towards the sky. The domed roof provided a cozy shelter, allowing dappled sunlight to dance across the table laden with their morning feast.
Before them lay an array of delectable dishes. A steaming bowl of creamy oatmeal, topped with a drizzle of honey and fresh berries, sat invitingly at the center. Beside it, a plate of golden-brown donuts coated with sugar glistened, their glaze catching the morning light. A crisp garden salad, bursting with colorful vegetables, added a refreshing touch to the spread. To complete the eclectic breakfast, a dish of aromatic pasta, lightly tossed in olive oil and herbs, offered a unique twist to the morning meal.
As Cillian and Luxana savored their breakfast, the garden around them came to life. Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, while birds serenaded them with their melodious songs. The tranquil scene provided a stark contrast to the tumultuous events that had recently unfolded in their lives, offering a moment of peace and reflection in this secluded paradise.
To be Continued...