Interlude: Meanwhile, the Dark Queen... Part One
Interlude: Meanwhile, the Dark Queen... Part One
The Sacred Peak of Olympias. Home of a dragon, and the current location of the Dark Queen’s Castle.
“Haugh... I’m hungry...” The Dark Queen Maredia wandered about the kitchen. The freeloading dragon and his daughter, Maredia’s friend Olivia, weren’t home, even though they had planned on coming home for the summer break.
“My Queen Maredia, if you would like, shall we have dinner early?”
“Absolutely, yes!”
Clowria pulled some bread and cheese from a basket. She was Maredia’s close friend, a foster sister who had been raised together with her.
“Oh, sandwiches? Good, good. I just started a new series, so food I can eat with one hand while reading is exactly what I need!” Maredia gave a full-faced smile. “You really get me, Clowria!”
“I’m happy to hear that. Would you like some honey in your hot milk?”
“Of course!”
Putting the quickly constructed meal on a tray, she brought it to Maredia’s room at the top of the Western Tower.
“Thanks for dinner!”
“Please enjoy, Your Darkness.”
For the first time in a while, it was just the two of them alone at home. As she ate her cheese sandwich, Maredia stared at Clowria. She was her close partner who had been with her since they were young. She was always at Maredia’s side, always thinking of her.
A thousand years ago, when they had launched their attack on the Human Realm, she fought ferociously as the captain of the dark-kin guard until the last. When Maredia was defeated by the human heroes and her beloved library was sealed, there was no way she could go back to the Dark Realm, yet Clowria never left her side. When she fell into a deep depression and refused to leave her castle, Clowria was still always there for her.
She was her beloved other half. That’s how Maredia felt.
...She’s far too good a woman for someone like me.
The fact she was always there to hold her hand, swearing allegiance to an idiot Dark Queen like herself, it made Maredia want to indulge in her kindness forever.
“Is something the matter, my beautiful Queen?” Clowria asked with a smile, noticing her gaze.
“Hau, n-nothing!” She kept munching away at her sandwich. Dry bread and dry cheese. Despite how he looked, that elder dragon was quite the cook, and this meal was almost sad in comparison to what he could make.
But still. It was delicious. While it may not have filled her stomach like their usual fare, it filled her heart just as well.
Her life had changed completely when the elder dragon had come for that first visit with Olivia, but Maredia had no regrets about that. In fact, she found her new lifestyle quite fun. She never thought someone like herself would get the chance to attend an ordinary school! But in the end, her true place was at Clowria’s side. She felt that with all her heart.
“My lady?”
“Haugh...nothing. Though I wouldn’t mind some tea once I’ve finished eating.” Paying no mind to her manners, she held her new book in one hand as she nibbled at her sandwich.
Clowria smiled just like always. “Very well, my Dark Queen.”
She knew she was being totally spoiled by Clowria’s kindness—but still, she loved just being here with her.