My mystery queen

Prolouge

The thick, choking smell of incense engulfed the queen's chambers, leaving little room for fresh air. Queen Tamara struggled to stand, one hand clutching her swollen belly as the other reached out for support. The servants, busy lighting incense sticks, rushed to her side.

"Your Highness, do you need help?" one of the servants asked, steadying her with a concerned expression.

"The smoke, Hadassa... it's too much," the queen gasped, her voice strained. She coughed lightly, trying to catch her breath. "Blow out all the incense and open the curtains," she ordered.

Hadassa hesitated but immediately moved to do as instructed. However, another servant, Naomi, stepped forward, blocking her path. "I’m afraid I must disobey your orders, Your Highness. These are the queen mother’s instructions. You must be immersed in incense and gaze upon the portraits of healthy princes so that you may bear an heir for the kingdom."

Hadassa’s eyes flashed with anger as she turned to Naomi. "But her health matters more. There can be no healthy prince without a healthy mother!" she insisted, moving to extinguish the incense.

Naomi grabbed Hadassa’s wrist. "Disobeying me is disobeying the queen mother. That’s treason!"

Hadassa pulled her wrist free. "I serve the queen. Her welfare is my responsibility."

"That’s enough, both of you!" Queen Tamara’s voice, though soft, held authority. The women fell silent. "Naomi, get me some water."

Naomi bowed slightly and hurried out of the room, casting a last, hard look at Hadassa. Tamara sighed, her gaze drifting to the portraits lining the walls. She is to be a mother soon and yet no ounce of joy filled her heart, 'when I grow up I want to marry a king and live happily with him' this was Queen Tamara dream and now that her dream became a reality she still feels the same hunger, emptyness and want she felt before this alliance called marriage. She felt like a bird caged with nowhere to fly to, you could call her an ingrate or ungrateful. I mean every girl wished for her life, she never had to struggle for bread like the other low born. it was from the life of a princess to being the queen of one of the most powerful kindom in the world. what more can a girl want. perhaps love, attention, care or even assurance. She is the queen and has all servant bowing to her but has no power of her own, she has a husband but only get to see him every forth night. only because he see's her as a breeder, the one to give the penopia kindom an heir and if so happens she is unable to, she would be replaced like the queen before her.

“Will it work?” Tamara’s voice was barely above a whisper as she stared at the portraits.

“What, Your Highness?” Hadassa asked, her brow furrowed.

“These rituals… will they bring forth an heir? And what if… what if I have a girl?”

Hadassa squeezed her hand, offering a reassuring smile. “The gods are merciful. You have done everything under the sun to bear an heir. You must have faith.”

As she spoke, the curtains flapped open, letting in a gust of cold wind. Both women turned to the windows, startled.

“I think there will be a storm,” Hadassa murmured, peering at the darkening sky. Suddenly, a loud cry rang out, followed by the sound of water trickling onto the floor. She turned in shock to see Queen Tamara’s face pale with pain, her water broken.

“My queen, your water just broke! I’ll go get the queen mother!” Hadassa exclaimed, panicking.

“No!” Tamara’s scream stopped Hadassa in her tracks. “Don’t get the queen mother. Get the royal physician. Hurry!”

Hadassa nodded and rushed out just as Naomi returned with the water, only to drop the cup in shock. “You’re in labor! Let me get the queen mother!” Naomi said, rushing out despite Tamara’s protests.

The wind howled outside as the palace filled with the queen’s cries of pain. The midwives urged her to push, but the process was grueling, with no sign of the baby’s head.

“Your Highness, you need to push harder! My grandson will not come out on his own!” the queen mother’s voice was sharp, impatient.

Hours passed before Tamara let out a final, exhausted scream, followed by the piercing cry of her newborn. The room erupted in joy, but as Tamara’s eyes fluttered shut, the queen mother demanded, “Well? What is it?”

The tallest midwife turned, her smile fading as she met the queen mother’s gaze. “A girl, Your Majesty,” she whispered, bowing her head.

The queen mother’s face twisted in rage. “Is there no male seed left in the wombs of Penopia’s women? Take this curse away!” she spat, storming out with Naomi and several guards following close behind.

“Clean her up,” Naomi ordered as she left.

Time passed, and Tamara slowly stirred, murmuring weakly.

"baby,.... My baby" she murmured as her eyes snapped open, hadassa rushed to her

"your highness, your awake.... Let me call the physician" she said about to leave but was stopped by the weak grip around her wrist, Tamara’s breath caught as she struggled to sit up. “Where… where is he?” she cried, her voice trembling.

" where is my baby" Tamara forced a smile looking around her chamber, she sat up her eyes pleasing for hadassa to speak fast but all she did was bow her head.

"a boy or a..... girl" she whispered with a shaky voice tears filling up her emerald eyes, hadassa swallowed

"your highness, you... You just woke up you need to rest.. You" she stuttered

"Answer me!" she screamed tears rolling down her cheeks

"A girl" hadassa forced out. Tamara's mouth flew open as her hands fell to her side, her breath became fastened as she rushed out of the bed

"where... Where, my baby. Where is she" she cried out as hadassa tried to hold unto her. She struggled out of her grip as she stopped in naomi's sight

"she has been taken away for the cleaning ritual" noami said a smirk at the corner of her lips, she gasped as her trembling hands covered her lips

"where. Is. My. Baby..." Tamara said in a low tone but no one answered

"You should have bore an heir.... Bearing a girl is as good as being barren!" noami replied as Tamara slapped her across the cheeks before walking away. She rushed to the king's chambers as the breeze threw her hair in different directions. She stopped right in front of his chamber her hands clenched, he is rumored to be a cold king but surely a father could never be cold to his child, right?. She asked herself, she tried to go in when the guards blocked her

"The king is not to be disturbed" one of the guards announced

"move or I will have your head!" she replied glaring at him as they bowed and gave way. She walked in to see the king drowning himself in alcohol again, murmuring things only he understood. She scolded

"your queen just gave birth to your child your highness" she said glaring at him. He raised his head staring blankly at her

"your highness.... I" she tried saying but he held out his hands

"I said to not be disturbed, didn't my guards tell you!" He looked up at her with empty eyes. slurred and waved her off.

"is that all you have to say?... Your wife just gave birth and you are here not by her side" she cried out, The king stood up, grabbed a keg of wine and hurled it at her. It missed, shattering against the wall.

"I am quite aware, but I will only stand by the woman who give me an heir!" he yelled back as she began to sob

"I did everything, I have not done all the ritual your mad mother asked of me, bathed, inhaled, I stared at portraits all day in the hopes of giving you an heir, ate the heart of a raw camel!, worked on coal only to give birth to a girl. How is that my fault! "she screamed crying

" I want nothing, absolutely nothing from you all I ask is for my child, give me back my child! "she begged falling to the ground

" you.... You are a father, that little girl is your daughter please spare her"she begged with folded hands. He sighed his eyes red and filled with tears, he looked away

"I can not help you my queen, as per the tradition she will be used for the cleaning ritual, these are the rules and regulations of this kingdom" he replied

"made by who! You are the king, the one with the highest power!."

"The queen mother has made her decision speak to her not me" he replied coldly, turning his back on her. She gave a bitter laugh

"you, The rumors they all speak about you is true, you are a weak king, a heartless and powerless one!" she screamed, making him turn to her his fist clenched

"we will not be here if your womb wasn't so useless, when your ready to produce an heir just send a word for now you need rest" he replied, her mouth opened in shock

"I was a fool to think you would be of help, how can a helpless king such as yourself help me. how can a man who killed his own wife because she didn't bare him an heir have pity for his other wife!. You are a monster and embarrassment to the pennopia kingdom, a king whose power belong to his mother. Queen Ruby was unfortunate to have loved a man like you!. "

“Tamara!” he shouted, raising his hand to strike her but stopping short. She shook her head in disgust and fled the room, running to the royal temple.

As she neared, the cry of a child reached her ears. She pushed through the crowd gathered at the temple and froze at the sight of the queen mother standing beside a priest, who held the baby over a deep well.

“No! Please!” Tamara’s voice broke as she choked on her sobs, her hands trembling. The queen mother gave a nod, and the priest let go.

“No! My child!” Tamara screamed, her cry echoing through the temple as she collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by grief.