"But your Majesty, she is clearly an imposter. No noble blood in her vein." A white haired woman with red eyes suddenly appeared beside his throne.
Rori was surprised by the woman. Looking at her made her bones chill. The woman's face had wrinkles as her back hunched. It was clear that she was old
The atmosphere became odd. This was the first time Rori had seen an aged being, ever. Qiras aged slowly as they had evolved to die before any true signs of aging could catch up to them. For a Qira to visibly show signs of aging, they had to be unfathomably old possibly immortal. That was what Rori thought.
"I have already chosen her. Her bloodline matters no more." Emperor Najeer seemed unbothered by the elderly woman who had just spawned next to him.
Roriana found it creepy how little of a reaction he made.
"Great In'er, may you reign supreme throughout all the lands. Your word is above all, but I am afraid I must remind you about the importance of purity. She may not be qualified for the privilege of wife," the women folded her fist together and bowed her head low while maintaining her gaze on the ground. "Is she even a virgin?"
Roriana's spine stiffened as her throat tightened. Were they talking about her?
Emperor Najeer flickered his eyes to Roriana. "Let us ask her herself."
The old woman turned to Roriana with a frown. "So are you a virgin, young lady?"
Roriana's knees trembled as her eyes widened. This question, in front of the Emperor? Her heart nearly left her chest wanting to bury itself.
She could feel the gaze of everyone on her back.
"Y-yes," she answered shortly. At this point her soul had already left her body.
"See." Emperor Najeer pointed with an amused grin. "Does that satisfy you, Khjita?"
Khjita?
Rori's sucked in air as she heard the name. Khjita were spirits trapped in between the life and the afterlife. Enslaved by a past Emperor thousands of years ago.
It made sense now why the Emperor made no response when she spoke directly to him without his acknowledgement.
"She may be lying. Please allow us to fufill our role and perform our tests on her," The Khjita pleaded with her head still hanging low.
"You are telling the truth, are you not?" Emperor Najeer asked, eyes flashing dangerously at Roriana.
"I dare not to lie." Rori responded earnestly placing her head on the floor in total submission as if she had not just revealed a very embarrassing secret in front of everyone and her Emperor.
Whatever was going on. Not dying was better.
"Take her to her assigned maidens and move her to a residence. Khjita, you may test her there," Emperor Najeer concluded.
"As you wish, Great In'er." The old woman bowed and disappeared with a satisfied look.
Then a female guard walked to Roriana and lead her away to a separate part.
Roriana was hesitant at first but she begrudgingly followed the soldier in the end. Disobedience before the Emperor was a whole other level of treason. It was pure stupidity.
As she left, Roriana looked back to see the Emperor one last time. The musicians had already began playing music again.
The girls Roriana had came in with, gazed at her with envy as the moved out. While a new set of girls danced their way in performing a different dance.
Just like that, everything went on like nothing ever happened. But for Roriana nothing could ever remain the same.
"Is what you said true? Are you really untouched?" The guard woman who was leading her out asked in a low tone. Her voice was cold.
Roriana's cheeks flushed red. "I dare not to lie before the Emperor." She still had no clue why they were asking such questions from her.
"Then I welcome you into the Moonlight Palace, my queen." The soldier said. "May you live long."
"Wh-what?" Rori stopped in her tracks and blinked at the soldier. Did she just say 'my queen?'
"I admire your bravery, your highness. If the stars hadn't shined in your favor. What you did today would have had you and your entire family dead without even a burial."
TBC
++++---++++
------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------