Chapter III.

  As the Queen followed her maid of honor to the court room... She couldn't believe her eyes.

On the floor, there was the king's body, covered in white clothe. Queen Annabelle couldn't believe that it was her husband lying down on the floor… Lifeless…

"No," she said in disbelief as her eyes were filled with tears "This can't be... NO!!!" she rushed to her husband's lifeless body... Trying to wake him up… Everyone watched in sadness and heartbroken souls.

Queen Annabelle cried and wailed so much, that even a horse could hear her miles away. Ophelia, playing with her toys, heard her mother's cries and ran out of her room to meet her mother. But what she saw, got her looking pale. She watched as her father was covered in white clothe, her mother wailing and lamenting, the guards and maids crying or feeling uneasy with their heads bowed, and the chiefs, elders and advisors were just... Looking.

 Few moments later, that same night, Ophelia couldn't close her eyes because it will only remind her of what happened earlier.

"Is papa sleeping? Maybe he's just sleeping in a deep sleep... Yes... My dad is sleeping," she kept doubting that her father is dead. Then, reality walked in.

"But why was mama crying and shouting?" Ophelia thought to herself...

The next day, everyone wants to know how the king died but the only answer they could get was

"Maybe he got assassinated"

"No! Maybe he accidentally fell on his own dagger because of him not seeing well due to the heavy rain and sandy breeze."

"Or maybe it's because the chariot had a downfall and hit a big rock"

People came up with different ways the king might have died. Queen Annabelle , still in a mourning state, calmed herself down... Now she has to rule Amaranth alone.

  This angered Jeremiah , who was behind the great pillars watching her rule the kingdom... does the kingdom need only a Queen to rule the people?

they need a king. Jeremiah thought.

 Throughout the night, Jeremiah planned his next scheme to achieve his glory. But something struck his mind. A witch could help him of his scheme.

"But who?" Jeremiah wondered.

Every single day, Jeremiah couldn't bear to watch Queen Annabelle rule the people with peace and harmony... And everyone loved her. Jeremiah watched in rage and jealousy, seeing the Queen took his glory... He had no choice but to find any powerful witch to help him.

  He rode on his black horse, rode through a dark forest with his personal guard, Lucas. They both rode through the night until came to a little cottage. The cottage was so scary that even little children wouldn't pass that place.

"This is it" Jeremiah said in joy.

Then a witch came out.

"You want to see me?" she said in her wrinkled skin, mouth looking rotten and a long crinkly nose with pimples and a strand of hairs on each place on her face. Head full of lost gray hairs with few on it. And her eyes filled with mischievous ways and evilness.

On seeing the woman for the first time, Jeremiah felt worried. Some part of his mind telling him to turn back, the other telling him to continue for he made it this far. He can't let everything he built for go to waste.

"Yes," he said, masking his fearful heart with dominance, "I want to take my rightful place as the king of Amaranth. I want the Queen dead at all cost."

The old witch, in hearing this, laughed so eerily.

"Then you must bring me the heart of a young Virgin by tomorrow night when the moon comes out."

The personal guard, Lucas, doesn't feel safe at all.

"Are you sure you want to do this, sire?"

"Of course," snapped Jeremiah , "I've walked all the way here just to achieve my goals. I can't let all this hard work go to waste." Then Jeremiah and the Old witch made a deal. Jeremiah will bring the heart of a young Virgin, and the Old witch will perform her witchcraft against the queen.

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