Manifest War: The Weapons Within

“What’s she doing?” Zalthia whispered to Jordan, not sure as to why her sister was just standing there blankly.

“I’m not sure, maybe Her Majesty is thinking about it more deeply.” He quickly replied, also curious about why it was taking her so long to choose.

Suddenly, Azhane averted her gaze from the men and over towards Zolah on the left hand side of the ballroom. He simply winked and nodded, egging her on to make the right decision. She smiled and turned her attention towards Graymoor’s direction. Their eyes met and Graymoor felt confused as to why she was looking at him so intently.

Azhane turned her head back to the men, smiled, and then swiftly started to walk over to where Zalthia, Graymoor, and Jordan were standing.

“Your Majesty, what are you doing!?” Omar asked with a loud whisper, looking incredibly perplexed by her actions.

She didn’t answer him and continued on her mission towards the other side of the ballroom. The room filled with whispers and light chatter as everyone had no idea what was going on.

Azhane finally arrived and stopped directly in front of Graymoor with a determined look on her face. She stared into his eyes for a brief moment before she began to speak.

“You said you didn’t mind right? About… Settling down or whatever?” She asked with an uncharacteristically shaky voice, still staring into his eyes.

Graymoor was taken aback by the question and you could see the wheels spinning full speed in his head. He then began to remember the conversation they had a while back about his thoughts on marriage.

“Oh, uhh, no. I don’t mind… Settling down would be, uh, nice.”

His voice was incredibly soft as he replied, making it clear that he didn't fully understanding the situation. As soon as he finished talking, Azhane grabbed his left hand and slid the golden ring onto his finger. Graymoor was stunned by her actions and couldn’t believe what she just did.

“I have made my selection! I choose Graymoor Penult to be my husband!” Azhane yelled out with great authority, holding Graymoor’s hand tightly.

The room was shocked by her sudden change of heart and seemingly random selection. Moments later, applause slowly started to break the silence of the room and everyone eventually joined in, accepting and cheering on her choice.

“My oh my, Queen Azhane flips the script yet again! Truly King Allen’s child!”

Jordan belly laughed, feeling greatly amused by Azhane’s theatrics. Zalthia sighed and shook her head, not feeling surprised by the choice her sister had made. Zalthia had suspected something between them for years now and this situation just confirmed her suspicions.

Azhane looked up at Graymoor and gave him a huge smile, feeling elated to have him by her side like this. Graymoor was beyond nervous in this situation, completely catching him off guard for the first time in quite some time.

Unsurprisingly, the six marriage candidates were incredibly upset by the events that had just occurred. They felt absolutely cheated and humiliated by her actions. The group started to walk over and voice their grievances at Azhane in a very rude manner, unwisely disrespecting the Queen.

Azhane shot them an icy glare with the most evil piercing stare they had ever witnessed. They stopped their approach and flinched at her dangerously vibrant red eyes looking deeply into their souls.

“I appreciate the interest you all showed, but I have made my decision and I will not be changing it. You can stay and enjoy the rest of the night or you gentlemen can leave…”

The coldness of her tone was terrifying, showing that she was clearly in no mood to argue with these people. They angrily sucked their teeth and backed off, opting to leave the castle. Unfortunately, these people were the least of Azhane’s worries as the crowd began to split towards her.

Her grandfather and one of the former holders of the throne, Adair Belouis approached slowly. He hobbled his way over with his back hunched and his long silver beard swaying with each step. Even though time had not been kind to his old body, Adair’s eyes were still the deepest and most luminous shade of red Azhane had ever seen.

As he got closer, Graymoor quickly got down to one knee and bowed his head to one of the most elite members of the Royal Belouis Family. Azhane noticed this and swiftly stepped in front of Graymoor, as though she were trying to keep him safe. The area went quiet once Adair stopped his advance.

The two stared each other in the eyes for what felt like an eternity, neither side showing any sign of weakness. Adair averted his gaze towards Graymoor as he continued to bow, sizing him up with a few curious raises of his eyebrow. He then turned his eyes back to Azhane and after a brief moment, he simply smiled and nodded.

“I can’t say that I’m not a little disappointed in you, but… I will respect and honor your choice. Part of your position is to make decisions for yourself and it seems as though you are finally capable of doing so, even if those decisions go against our traditions.” He said with a stern tone, his voice still incredibly strong despite his feeble stature. Adair then turned his attention to Graymoor again.

“Young man, raise your head.” He demanded, his tone continuing to radiate heavy amounts of power and influence.

Graymoor quickly looked up and immediately felt a sense of fear race down his spine. Adair’s red eyes were absolutely deadly as he glared at him.

“Treat her well and cherish her for as long as you live. And know this, if you ever hurt my Granddaughter in any way, your life will end by my hands. Do I make myself clear, boy.”

“Grandfather! Don’t be like-.”

Adair glared at her as he held up one finger, prompting Azhane to cease her talking. He turned his attention towards Graymoor again and waited for his reply.

“I will treat her like the Queen that she is. You have my word, sir!” Graymoor loudly replied, bowing his head once again and shaking off his fear.

“Hmph, good.”

Adair turned back to Azhane and reached out to take her hand. He gently rubbed it as he smiled warmly.

“Congratulations on your selection and happy birthday, my dear. I wish you the best in everything that’s to come. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be going for the night.”

Azhane smiled and nodded before leaning over and giving him a hug. As their embrace ended, she kissed him on the cheek. He said his goodbyes and began his trek through the crowd again, followed closely by his subordinates and guards.

She let out a heavy sigh as Graymoor got to his feet, feeling relieved that everything worked out favorably. Azhane then looked at all of the guests that quietly stood by with baited breath and smiled.

“Alright everyone, please enjoy yourselves! Let the party begin!”

She happily motioned her hands towards the dance floor. The room erupted in applause and cheers once the festivities officially got underway. Azhane turned around and grabbed Graymoor’s hand, gripping it tightly as she smiled. He returned the smile and the two began to enjoy Azhane’s party to the fullest.

The birthday festivities continued and the chatter all around the room was still about Azhane’s decision. Two of her closest friends, Trisha Cartwright and Vanessa Des Moines, couldn’t believe what had just taken place and they were eager to discuss everything.

“That was completely unexpected. I wouldn’t have guessed this happening in a million years.” Trisha said with an excited tone.

“I know, but can you blame Her Majesty? Graymoor Penult is certainly the better choice. Well established family, a Blade Monarch, has served the Belouis family for years, and not to mention his.. Looks.”

Vanessa shifted her lustful gaze towards him and admired his chiseled physique.

“I don’t blame her at all! But I do wonder, was there something between them? For such a random selection, they seem awfully familiar and close already.”

She noticed how touchy-feely Azhane was with Graymoor, seeing her link arms with him and caressing his sleeve gently while they laughed it up during a conversation.

The party began to die down and people started leaving the castle, having had a good time. The last of the guests exited as Azhane said her goodbyes and thanks for the gifts. She exhaled loudly and wiped her tired eyes.

“Graymoor, would you like to escort me to my room? I’m exhausted.” She asked with a hefty yawn.

“Ah yes, Your Majesty. Shall we?”

He gave her a charming smile while he held out his hand. She gladly took it and they began to head to her bedroom. They arrived and Graymoor gently closed the door behind them.

“Goodness, that party was so long. My feet are killing me.” Azhane quipped as she kicked off her heels.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect it to run for that long. But, it’s all worth it since it was your birthday, Your Majesty.”

Azhane nodded and made her way to the bathroom, telling Graymoor that she would be right back.

He stood there patiently, looking down at the golden ring resting on his finger. He still couldn’t believe that he was about to marry into royalty. His thoughts were swiftly interrupted by Azhane entering the room again, wearing a short and revealing blue nightgown.

The straps were pencil thin, the top revealed an ample amount of cleavage, and the length barely reached half past her thighs. Graymoor had seen Azhane’s body on many occasions, but this time felt different than before. His heart skipped multiple beats as he admired her stunning body.

After sneaking a glance, he quickly averted his gaze to the side while she took a seat on her bed. She crossed her legs and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Whew, it feels so good to not be in that tight dress. I can finally breathe again.” Azhane said as she stretched her arms above her head, causing the gown to rise even further up and show off her inner thigh. Graymoor continued to look off into the distance as he stood near the door.

“Why are you standing over there? I know your feet must hurt too, come sit.”

“Ah right, sure.” He nervously removed his boots and uniform jacket. Graymoor took a seat next to her and looked forward in a stiff manner, his body rigid like a statue.

“Why are you so nervous? This is so unlike you.” Azhane quipped with a playful laugh.

“Oh, umm. Well, it’s a little difficult to look at you, considering your um… Clothing choice.”

His reply was both respectful and awkward as his face became slightly flush.

“Huh?”

Azhane simply looked down at herself, now noticing the deep amount of cleavage she was showing and her extremely exposed thighs. At this moment, she looked more like a high end prostitute than a Queen.

“Ohhh, I see. Sorry, this is my most comfortable gown. I usually sleep in it after long days such as today.” She replied with a soft laugh, finding his continued respectfulness to be rather cute and admirable.

“Ah, makes sense. Well, as long as you’re comfortable, Your Majesty.”

He continued to face forward, staring at the wall with a stiff posture. Suddenly, Graymoor felt Azhane’s soft hand on top of his and she began to speak.

“You know, I don’t mind if you look at me. I don’t mind it at all.”

Graymoor turned his head towards her and looked at Azhane in all her provocative glory. She smiled back and stared with her deep red eyes. She then shifted her hand and started to hold his, interlocking their fingers together.

“Sorry if all of this is so sudden, me choosing you out of the blue like that. But… I just couldn’t choose anyone else. I’ve had feelings for you for so long and we’ve known each other for years. You know everything about me and I don’t know, I just… feel so safe and normal with you.” Azhane stated, finally revealing her true feelings to him.

“I know this may seem like I’m forcing you into a new lifestyle, but please heed this selfish request of mine. Stay by my side forever.”

Azhane’s voice was incredibly gentle and showed a vulnerable side of her that Graymoor hadn’t seen before. He gently smiled back and gripped her hand tighter.

“This might come as a shock to you, but I’ve honestly felt the same way. Every time we’re together, my heart races in ways that no combat situation has ever emulated. I’ve had to suppress myself fully around you because I was a mere servant. How could I possibly tell you how I felt?” He said, shifting his posture to better face Her Majesty.

“And forcing me? Never. I’ve fully accepted any and all tasks given to me over the years, simply following my orders out of honorable obligation. But this request here? I happily accept it of my own free will and wouldn’t have it any other way. Being able to see that smile of yours everyday til the end of time is all I ever wanted.”

Graymoor continued to reveal a surprising amount of his feelings, catching Azhane completely off guard.

Azhane couldn’t believe the words she was hearing, causing her to look quite perplexed by Graymoor’s confession. He then brought her hand up towards his face and kissed it tenderly.

“I will gladly marry you, Azhane.”

His charming voice assaulted her in so many different ways, causing Azhane’s heart to leap out of her chest. He had never said her name in such a way before, completely dropping the “Your Majesty” he would typically say. She cleared her throat and collected herself before entertaining a reply.

“Well look at you being all bold now. I’ll forever be in your care then.” Azhane said with a gentle laugh, her face slightly flushed.

After sharing a brief moment, Graymoor let go of her hand and began to pat himself down as though looking for something.

“Ah, here it is! I almost forgot to give this to you.”

He removed a small, slender box from his pocket. She accepted the gift and quickly opened it. Inside was a platinum necklace with a dark purple stone dangling at the bottom.

The necklace was simple, but the craftsmanship and cut of the stone was exquisite. Azhane held it up and the whole thing sparkled in the light.

“I got that stone from the Strand of a frost wyvern I slew many years back. That mission in the Melspire mountains was a treacherous one, but it was worth it.” He said while setting the box to the side.

“The color is usually lighter, but when it gets exposed to oxygen, the Strand crystalizes and reacts. As a result, the hue shifts colors and grows darker. The deep purple reminded me of your abilities and I thought it would look good on you.”

“Wow! This is gorgeous, thank you so much!” She happily replied, mesmerized by the stone’s glistening beauty. Graymoor stood from the bed and motioned for Azhane to do the same so he could put it on her.

She quickly did so and handed him the necklace, turning around in the process. He unhooked the clasp and slid it onto her neck, making sure it was secured perfectly.

“Happy birthday.”

Just as the words left his mouth, Azhane turned around and got up on the tips of her toes to kiss Graymoor on the lips.

He was shocked to feel Azhane’s soft and moist lips on his, causing him to slightly stumble back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to kiss him deeply. Graymoor, now stabilized, placed his hands on her hips to support her and enjoyed the passionate moment for a while longer. Their faces finally separated and Azhane began to smile.

“I will cherish this gift for as long as I live.” She softly said. Graymoor nodded and returned the smile, still holding onto her tightly. Azhane then looked over towards the ground behind her, smiled and turned her attention back to Graymoor.

“You should’ve been bold like this from the beginning. Would’ve made my choice even easier.” She snickered, feeling Graymoor’s strong hands tightly gripping her buttocks.

“Oh! Sorry!” He quickly removed his hands, causing Azhane to chuckle. In one smooth motion, she swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the bed.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep. I’m tired.”

He agreed and the two hopped into bed, getting much needed rest after such an eventful day. No longer were they a Queen and her subordinate, but now equals to be married.