QUEEN SANDRA.

　　I dressed myself up, putting on a lilac silk gown and a pair of matching sandals. I looked in the mirror at my reflection, so regal, so beautiful.

　　Yet I felt horrible.

　　I leave the room to go to the garden. The wide garden where many plants grew had been a safe space for me. I closed my eyes and began to recall what had happened in the morning.

　　‘Get out,’ he said coldly. Having just woken up, I was surprised to see him up so early. Still confused at the moment I reached out to him

　　“What do you-?”

　　In a flash I found myself being pushed away with a force I could only describe as harmful. I was still reeling from the shock when he spoke again.

　　"I said Get. The hell. Out of my room."

　　I fought the tears in my eyes at his words. I knew that he didn’t like me and I knew that he had been an unfaithful bastard, but to treat me like this, to almost harm me I had never expected it from him.

　　I felt colder and subtly shifted the bed sheets higher. I felt the atmosphere becoming colder, or was that just my fear?

　　"Perhaps you have gone deaf. Should I push you out myself?" I saw him look at me, his eyes a mix between disgust and rage. I felt my heart break once again.

　　“no.” I breathed out first, shaking my head before speaking in a stronger tone “no i'll go.”

　　I held myself back from doing anything. Knowing that I won’t win against him. As both an act of pettiness and self preservation, I carried the sheets along with me. I looked at him lounging on his headboard before I turned around and shut the door behind me.

　　As I left the room, humiliatingly only in a sheet, I still held back my tears.

　　As I passed the people around me who I knew would whisper and gossip about me, I held back my tears, holding my head high and ignoring them.

　　Knowing that he wouldn’t care to harm me brought me down to a new emotion. A mix between rage and the pain of heartbreak filled me as the first tear came out, followed by another. my breathing became heavier until I couldn’t hold myself anymore.

　　Overwhelmed with the feelings of sadness and rage, I fell to my knees shaking like a leaf. I could feel my magic simmer inside me, ready to burst out at the slightest provocation.

　　The image of his cold eyes as he threatened me to leave was the last straw.

　　I give a loud roar, crying out with all my heart to relieve myself of all the pain and heartbreak. I felt my powers flow out in a burst, as my mouth released a purple beam of magical energy. I roared until I had expended plenty of energy before I fell and let my tears flow as I sobbed.

　　“My lady.” I could hear a voice which felt far away. I ignored it and continued to sob my heart out.

　　“My lady” felt closer now. Through my anguish I did not bother to look.

　　I soon heard a slight scream of pain which finally brought me to look at the person. To my surprise, it was one of my personal maids, Clarisse. I looked around me to see a slight haze of purple around me. Did I unconsciously erect a barrier? That must be why she got injured.

　　"My lady!" My maid, Clarisse, ran to me rather than hitting the barrier head on like I believed she had done earlier, she stopped at the boundary, hitting the magical barrier lightly with her hands. I did not let her pass the barrier I had set up.

　　“My lady please let me in” she cried out

　　“Leave.” I told her tears were slipping out of my eyes.

　　I didn’t want someone to see me in this state, much less a maid. It has been evident that I barely have any power or sliver of respect in this place. I recall how I had found one of the maids, sleeping with Jake blatantly. Later on, when I tried to discipline her, she had the gall to sneer at me.

　　You are less than a wife in his eyes. Everybody knows that.”

　　I recall the words she said to me that day. Even as I left his room, I could see the way the maids looked at me, some with pity and others with mirth.

　　I was a queen, yet my title felt just as hollow as the color black in a rainbow.

　　I had no love from my husband, nor respect from my servants.

　　I kept on crying and sobbing in abandon, ignoring the calls of my maid. I wanted to let myself drown in sorrow at this moment.

　　I did not feel when the barrier broke, nor did I detect the sound of footsteps approaching. It wasn’t until I felt warm arms around me that I knew that the barrier had broken.

　　I fell into the warm embrace my maid gave, wanting a respite after all that I have been put through.

　　“My lady, please tell me what is wrong.” She asked

　　I told her everything I had been holding back, from his hatred of me to his obsession with the elf bitch. I told her about his numerous cheating attempts with different people including a maid and many more. Finally, I told her the events that had happened that day, before slipping back into sobs.

　　She rubbed my back and ran her hands through my hair in an attempt to comfort me.

　　“My lady. We, your personal servants, will stay by your side no matter what.”

　　“As for the matter with Master Jake…” she trailed.

　　I looked at her, wondering what she would say about the matter.

　　The maid looked unsure and secretive as she averted her eyes. “I think there is someone who could help you.” The maid murmured.

　　“What”

　　“I…there’s a witch!” she blurted out before speaking in a quieter tone. “There’s a witch who lives somewhere in the forest. The witch is known for making the most effective love potions. They say that nobody can outmatch her love potion and will all succumb to it. Even a powerful person.”

　　'Like Jake’ I thought to myself.

　　To my surprise, Clarisse began to stutter out an apology. I wondered why until I realized.

　　Ever since I was born, I have been known to have a very good resting bitch face. Looking at my face, she must have probably believed that I was angry at her words while I was simply being contemplative.

　　While Clarisse was stuttering out an apology, I held her hand, making her pause to look at me.

　　“Clarisse. How do you know this?” I asked her. I had to be sure that her information was credible, or at least credible enough to trust.

　　The maid looked down before saying “A friend of mine, she was in love with a high mage, a friend to the other high mages. Most of all, he had a wife, who he loved very much. She tried her best to seduce him. Nothing she tried worked, the man stood steadfast to his wife.”

　　“Then she found her ways to the witch and she gave her the potion. My lady” she said eyes gleaming with excitement “it worked like a charm. The moment he drank it without notice, he came to visit her that same night. Days after the wife who he had loved for many years was divorced and dismissed, and till now the both of them are still together.”

　　My eyes gleamed. If what she was saying was true, a potion so powerful that even a high mage could succumb to it…it felt like a dream come true! If she is able to get a hold of such a powerful potion, then Jack would let go of his obsession with that…stupid elf. For once he will have his eyes on her and her alone.

　　She thought about him kissing her lovingly, waking her up in the mornings with kisses and whispers of love, rather than humiliatingly threatening her out of his room.

　　And what if it didn’t work? Such a thought no doubt came to her mind. But if it didn’t work, it was not a problem. She would move on and think of something. However, the option was too great to pass up.

　　It was a gamble that she was willing to take.

　　“Clarisse, do you know where this witch lives?” I asked the girl.

　　The maid looked uncertain before she nodded. I”I followed my friend there. I remember the way my lady.”

　　“good.” I said, nodding my head whilst thinking of the happiness that I will gain after this.

　　The maid nodded in assent before casting a worried gaze upon me again “My lady. We must go. It is not right for you to be here.”

　　I nodded standing up with her aid. I felt disoriented as I stood my vision a bit blurry and my legs feeling like jelly. Due to my emotional outburst of power earlier, I had become drained and tired. Luckily I had Clarisse, who held me and supported me.

　　“Take me to my room.” I commanded her. I needed to rest and recuperate.

　　My maid nodded and supported me in leaving the garden, back into the building.

　　She walked the hallway with a slight sip in her step. As she supported me no doubt we will have had to pass Jake’s room. I paused while looking at the door to his chambers, making her stop and look at me questioningly. I thought of the humiliation I faced, the many memories still fresh in my mind.

　　“My lady?” I turned to see my maid still looking at me questioningly.

　　Giving her a nod I resumed my movement, walking away from the door.

　　I reached my chambers, luckily seeing nobody as we passed. The moment I sat up on my bed I wanted to sink down fully and melt within the soft silk covers. I looked at the sheets which were on a heap on the floor. Those sheets were a testament to my forced exit earlier. I turned away from the sheets the moment Clarisse noticed.

　　“Burn them.” I ordered her. She didn’t say a word as she nodded, reaching up to pack the sheets in her arms.

　　“My lady, is there anything else that I can do for you? May I possibly ask the kitchen to deliver some food?” Clarisse asked.

　　“No. I said. There was no need for food after all. Despite my weakness I did not need food. It was a simple case of magical draining. It was nothing that some sleep wouldn't solve.

　　“I’m sure you have other duties to attend to.” I looked at her.

　　The brown haired maid looked hesitant. “well…yes but.”

　　“go.” I said, looking away from her “complete your duties. I need to rest. We’ll talk about our previous matter later.” I finished.

　　With my head turned away I could not see her response. I heard a small “as you wish my lady.” Followed by the sound of footsteps and the door closing.

　　Once she was gone, I turned till I was facing the ceiling, feeling the spark of hope that had run through me. She will meet with this mysterious witch tomorrow, and if what she says is true, then soon she will have Jake all to herself.

　　He will be all mine.’ I thought giddily to her.

　　With my thoughts of hope, I could not help but imagine different scenarios of us together continuously. Soon my eyes became heavy and my limbs felt non-existent. In less than a minute after that, I let my eyes fall and my body fell into a deep slumber, all with a smile on her face.