ROYAL BLOOD

RIVALS.

Ramah was walking around the palace garden; she was escorted by a maid who was showing her around the kingdom.

"This is the king's favorite place to have his tea." The maid said, pointing at a chair set in the garden.

"What's the King's favorite tea? Ramah questioned her, blue eyes peering at the maid.

"Green tea, my lady." The maid answered, and Ramah nodded curtly; they walked through the maze of the garden.

"Just then, Ramah looked ahead and saw Jazell making her way to where she was escorted by two guards. The green gown she was wearing contrasted with her blue eyes but still looked flawless. It had a V-neck, exposing little of her cleavage.

Her shoulder-length blonde hair stood still unswervingly; it didn't sway as she walked.

"Who is she? Ramah whispered calmly to the maid beside her without breaking her gaze away from Jazell.

"That is Queen Jazell, the second queen of Decreash; her brother Brandon is the hand of the king." The maid answered Ramah's question.

"Queen Jazell." Ramah said she bowed even when she didn't want to, when Jazell got to where she was.

Jazell's blue eyes peered at her with pride.... "Leave us." She said to the maid standing beside Ramah.

The maid glanced at her mistress; Ramah nodded curtly to the maid, and she took her leave.

"Ramah, is it? Jazell faintly questioned, even when she knew her name by heart. Ramah faked a smile and nodded concurrently.

"Walk with me," Jazell said.

They both started walking around the garden together; it was a rare sight. Some maids who were tending to the flowers caught sight of them; it would make juicy gossip later in the day.

"You are lucky to have been chosen among other noble women to be the king's third wife." Jazell started off; Ramah had both her hands crossed in front of her as she walked.

"I won't say lucky; I will say fortunate." Ramah said, tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear. Jazell cast her a fleeting glance before shifting her gaze ahead.

"What's the difference? Her cold, nonchalant voice echoed.

"I know you didn't come here to tell me this, Jazell; why don't we go straight to the point?" Ramah was bold.

Jazell scoffed, "From calling me Queen Jazell…to just Jazell, you are feisty. I like that."

They took their seats on a white swing set in the garden.

A maid placed a cup of tea in front of them on a table and was about to leave.

"Wait! Ramah said, then signaled the maid to come forward.

"Drink the tea." She said, pushing the cup of tea forward. The maid gazed at Ramah, looking stunned. She hesitated, then drank the tea, gulping it down; still, she emptied the cup.

Ramah had her eyes on the maid…. "You may leave." She said to the maid, and she left.

"You thought the tea was poisoned?" Jazell asked, crossing her feet.

"I don't trust anyone; I most especially don't trust my potential rivals." Ramah shot Jazell a deadly glare.

"I won't be so stupid as to poison your tea when I know people are watching us." Jazell took hold of an apple in the fruit vase on the table in front of her.

"That won't stop me from dying if I drank that tea and it was poisoned. You are not the only one who doesn't want me to be here." Ramah said slowly, raising her gaze.

Jazell took a bite from the red apple in her lean fingers. "If you should worry about anyone trying to hurt you, then the person sitting in front of you should be your first target."

"And that is why I ask again, what do you want from me? Ramah fixed her gaze on Jazell.

"The harem is a battlefield; we make enemies…we try to eliminate our opponents. Most especially we make friends with people who we never expect to make friends with." Jazell said, taking another bite from the apple.

"So what you are saying is that you need my help." Ramah smirked knowingly.

"Help? No, that's not the word. I would say I want us to be allies, who would always have each other's back."

Jazell's eyes travelled around Ramah's bare shoulders for a while before snapping her gaze at the apple she was eating.

"Why would I want to make friends with you? I hardly know who you are or your intentions. How do I know I am not making a mistake by conversing with you right now?

Ramah plucked a grape from the bunch of grapes in the fruit vase and threw it in her mouth.

"What do you have to lose? I know my way around this place better than you do. I know how to manipulate and cause things to turn around in my favor; you will be on the winning side if you join forces with me."

Jazell said and then turned her gaze to look at Ramah.

"Well then you seem to have wasted your time, Jazell. I don't need anybody's help; I like to go solo." Ramah plucked another grape.

"Solo? You'd rather stick to yourself than have a powerful backup." Jazell arched her brows.

"A powerful backup indeed. I recently found out that you are the daughter of greedy King Jarob, the King of Vandamonth. You once used to be addressed as Jazell Makaah, and from what I have heard, the household Makaah are known for being crafty; they are called the Crafty Fox."

Ramah said, smiling, as she shoved another grape she had plucked into her mouth.

"Then I have indeed been wasting my time trying to explain things to you; you have checked my background. Don't be so sure as to turn down my proposal." Jazell thought she was getting what she wanted.

"You must have been a fool to think I wouldn't see through you, Jazell. You don't need me; you want to use me.

Vandamonth is the third most powerful kingdom in the north. You must think I will be stupid not to know that you have all the help you could ever need." Ramah said, rising to her feet, she looked angry.

"You are making a mistake, Ramah." Jazell's voice was calm.

"No, Jazell, you are making a mistake by underestimating me." Ramah said, turning to leave.

"We still have a lot of catching up to do; when you change your mind, you can always send for me," Jazell calmly said, pouring herself a glass of wine.

"You are right, we do have a lot of catching up to do. There will be enough time to do that when I become queen." Ramah smiled and then walked away.

Jazell bit her lips bitterly before sipping from the glass of wine. She clenched the glass she was using to drink her wine; her other hand was balled into a fist.

"Hateful bitch!!

...…

Jazell made her way to Ragaleon's chamber, escorted by two guards. She is just coming from the garden and needed to speak with him urgently.

"I want to speak to the king." She said immediately she got to the front of his chamber. She was talking to the two knights standing in front of her.

"He is busy." One of them said, and Jazell shot him a deadly glare.

"You will be busy soon, crying in the pool of your own blood. Move! She said, making her way through.

She was surprised to see Ragaleon lying on his bed, his bare chest in view, his waist down to his feet covered up with a thick blanket.

Her eyes shifted to the naked concubine on his bed. She gazed at the concubines for a while, then swallowed hard before bowing to Regaleon curtly.

"I want to speak to you, my lord." Jazell said, and Ragaleon shifted his gaze towards her direction.

"Go on." He said, and Jazell shifted her gaze to the naked concubine on his bed before squealing….

"Privately."

Ragaleon gazed at her for a few seconds before giving the concubine a signal to leave.

Jazell gazed at the concubine, scrutinizing her every being, imprinting the concubine's face in her memory. Then she slowly shifted her gaze to Ragaleon.

"There are a lot of powerful kingdoms in the north. Bethalone isn't one of them, and yet you decided to form an alliance with them. I couldn't help but wonder why. Jazell was bold.

Ragaleon was silent for a while, his golden brown eyes mixed with displeasure.

"I have always known you to be the envious type, Jazell; you have seen someone who is able to match up to your adroit ways, and now you want to get rid of her."

Ragaleon said, climbing down the bed, he began to wear his clothes.

"I am only trying to look out for this kingdom, your majesty. It is in the best interest of everyone if a right decision is made." Jazell inches closer; she liked the view of seeing Ragaleon get dressed up in front of her.

"What is the right decision then? Ragaleon said, inching close to her, she couldn't resist his charm. He was fully dressed up but still looked breathtaking.

"Ramah dresses like a harlot; she isn't fit for you…." Jazell said, bringing her hand to his chest.

"You can stop this wedding and bring a new bride instead of Ramah." Jazell traces her lean fingers from his chest down to his waist; suddenly, he grips her hand.

"Ahh! Jazell screamed in pain as Ragaleon's grip seemed to be crunching her bones. If care wasn't taken, her bones could snap!

"You have some nerve. Jazell, coming into my chamber and trying to tell me what to do, right to my face! He then turned her around, pinning both her hands behind her.

"Please stop, you are hurting me." Jazell cooed, her breath etched.

"The only reason why you are still breathing right now is because your father made me swear to protect you; the next time you try to question my decision, you will hate yourself." He whispered, bringing his mouth to her ears, then he violently pushed her away.

Jazell fell on her knees, her hair clinging to her face. She watched as Ragaleon walked out on her, and her nails slowly dug deep into the rug on the floor, which she fell on.

She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with ominous dread.

"This isn't over."