Chapter 3 The Queen.

“The Mother Tree…She…… She's thirsty. She's on the verge of death.…” Malakor said something under his breath, his hand in the air, shaking. “The tree's sap has turned to ash…” He whispered in front of the mother tree, slowly lowering his head until he touched the ground. When he started doing that, the other alchemists also lowered their heads and offered a respectful bow. They roared at what they saw. The whole room was in hysterics.

Lucian jumped when he heard a loud noise coming from every corner of the palace. The palace elders, who saw the state of the Mother Tree, shouted the roar, as did Malakor. He looked around, confused, and then turned to Thomas, who was shaking but saying nothing.

He hadn't paid much attention before, as he had been focused on paying his final tribute to his father. However, the Mother Tree had indeed changed slightly in his memories. When he had first seen it as a child, it had seemed much sturdier. Now, however, it looked much more fragile. Its branches were thinner, and the sap that had once flowed through its trunk had turned to ash.

“Your Majesty,” Malakor walked towards Lucian, approaching him in a somewhat hurried and unsteady state, his face was drawn and pale, as if blood had left his body. He had looked so shaken by what had happened to the Mother Tree.

Everyone was still talking amongst themselves, keeping Lucian distracted. Lucian started to worry about the people who were there.

“The King mourned for a long time. Perhaps his sorrow caused the tree’s thirst.….” He said.

“It has been said that, every 10 years, the tree bears fruit up to 10 times. It is said that the king should have taken concubines and made them eat the fruit so that they would bear royal heirs to continue the throne. Regrettably, apparently King Caelum always preferred to maintain his commitment to monogamy. He practiced monogamy until the end of his life, and now the tree is parched.” Malakor locked eyes with Lucian, raising his voice to a near shout as he described the situation.

Lucian stood there, his lips quivering. His chest throbbed as all eyes turned to him, as if they were judging his father's wrongdoings against the country or the kingdom. Even though Lucian personally didn't even know about these rules, he knew that his father refused to accept any concubines when his mother started getting poor health. Even when his mother was still healthy, he refused to have any concubines.

“But I'm here! I'm the heir to this kingdom!” His voice was shaking. He tried to keep everyone at ease, assuring them that there was nothing to worry about, since he'd officially become their king. And even though he wasn't keen, he'd still make sure he did his responsibilities properly.

“I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty. For the past 11 years, you have chosen to maintain a distance from the palace.” One of the councils said, bowing deeply to Lucian, who was still confused. 

“While you may spend the majority of your time in the church, it is important to remember that you have distanced yourself from the Mother Tree. Even your blood may not be sufficient to quench the thirst of the Mother Tree.”

Lucian didn't get why they were suddenly talking about his religious devotion to the church.

“It seems that she is looking for someone who might be able to provide a stronger sense of support.”

Looking for someone? So you're saying that to the Mother Tree, I mean nothing? No help at all? Unnecessary?

One by one, the kingdom's high-ranking officials started to speak their minds in front of Lucian. Their statements seemed like personal attacks on him. They were cornering him, blaming his freedom as his sin, which led to the Mother Tree's thirst and near-death.

“Being a king in Veridian isn't just about ruling the whole country of Arboris and making sure your people are well taken care of. It's also about serving the Mother Tree.” Another high-up official jumped in, his face showing how serious he was as he looked at Lucian.

It felt like the pressure they were putting on was getting worse and louder.

“You've been around the church for a while now, worshipping and serving the wrong thing, Your Majesty...”

Lucian swallowed hard, the stares making him self-conscious. Now they seemed fearless in the way they were always putting him under the microscope and bringing up all his "mistakes".

Serving the church was his bread and butter. It wasn't his fault he wasn't able to carry out his role as Crown Prince. So why are these people now blaming him?

“What should I do?” Lucian's discomfort was clear as he struggled to form a word, his eyes fluttering with tears. They all were judging him, their glares cutting deep.

The officials clearly noticed Lucian's hesitation when he was asked the question. The way he responded, and the tears in his eyes over what had happened to the Mother Tree, made the officials even more concerned that making him king was a mistake.

Lucian didn't know what to do. Despite the cold winter breeze and the snow falling, sweat began to pour from his forehead. The air went totally still and quiet, and no one said anything when he asked his question, which was shaking him up. He stared blankly at the Mother Tree, the crown he wore starting to hurt again. It was a weird sensation, a bit like a sting, pressing against his scalp.

CRACKLE.

The noise was back, but this time it came from the tree trunk.

Lucian glanced up and noticed what was happening to The Mother Tree.

When they heard the noise, Malakor and a few other alchemists legged it over straight away. The high-ups were all tense, lost in their own thoughts and worries.

Malakor and the other alchemists each took a bottle of golden liquid from their pockets and poured it onto the broken branch from the mother tree.

As they recited the spell, Lucian could feel the air shift strangely. The whole thing felt a bit creepy. The high-ups looked at each other and fell silent.

The wind seemed to stop, everything was quiet and still, and Lucian could only hear his heartbeat.

Then Malakor and the other alchemists gathered around. They looked stunned, and the high-ups were left feeling uneasy.

“His Majesty the King…” Lucian was taken aback by Thomas's voice. He turned and the man looked pale. Thomas lowered his head. “Looks like your turn has come..”

Lucian frowned, “My turn?” He asked.

Malakor then turned around and started walking slowly, with the other alchemists following behind. His long robes dragged along the ground, making a loud rustling noise from the fabric rubbing against the snow. The cold hit Lucian again, even colder than before.

The old guy raised his hands in the air and offered a deep bow to Lucian.

“Your Majesty, The Mother Tree had decided who would bear life's legacy. It is my understanding that the next step in the process would be the selection of a Queen to accompany King Lucian.”

Malakor's words made Lucian's eyes widen instantly.

“Pardon?!”

He'd just been crowned king that afternoon, and his father had been buried just thirty minutes ago.

Malakor pulled out the golden leaf he'd been holding in both hands. It was the leaf of the mother tree he'd placed between the cracked wood. He treated it like it was precious.

“The Mother Tree has just named its next Queen.” Malakor's words caused a bit of a stir in the palace. The higher-ups were stunned by what was going on, while Lucian himself was just confused.

“What do you mean? I was just announced as the new king, so why are you bringing up a queen now?” Lucian demands an explanation.

“Your Majesty, this is the first time the Mother Tree has done this. The Mother Tree never chooses a queen when a king is just being introduced.” One of the high officials spoke up again.

“That is proof that the Mother Tree is feeling desperate..”

“The Mother Tree is on the verge of death..”

“The Mother Tree is trying to save itself.”

The words left Lucian feeling a bit uneasy. He didn't get it, but no one was willing to explain it to him. All the high-ranking officials' words were making the situation feel impossible to deal with.

“Malakor! Name who will be the queen so that the mother tree will live forever!”

Lucian looked over at Malakor, his fingers were shaking and he was really struggling to catch his breath. His eyes were starting to well up. He felt there was no point in him being there.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me for saying this, but I need to tell everyone right away.” Malakor said, his eyes, which seemed to show resentment and hatred, looking at Lucian straight on. The old man then straightened up and was facing Lucian.

“I'm pleased to announce that the next Queen to grace the royal stage with His Majesty King Lucian Sol Veridian is...” His dry voice was so loud it hurt Lucian's ears. He didn't want to hear it, he didn't want to know. He didn't want to be here, didn't want all the responsibilities that came with being king. He didn't want to replace his father, who never even acknowledged his existence.

He didn't want to.

“The North. The Tree demands the Commander of Dreadmoor. Soren Vane Delve is to be summoned. He will be your Bearer.”