Chapter 229 Ultimatum (II)
Everyone's jaws dropped when Klaus threatened the High Queen. His decision to openly confront the forest ruler left the elves, especially Arwen and Lord Aymon, fuming. They viewed this as a reckless and disrespectful act, and Lord Aymon quickly drew his sword, followed by the other elves.
"Your Grace, allow me to behead this man," shouted Lord Aymon angrily.
Naturally, his words sent the crew members into a panic, and they quickly rose and unsheathed their weapons as well. The room became tense, and it looked like a fight could break out at any moment. Klaus, on the other hand, smirked.
"Lord Aymon! Watch your words!" the High Queen scolded her followers. "He is our guest. How dare you want to execute him!"
Her words restrained the elves and defused the tension in the room. However, Lord Aymon was not satisfied. He frustratingly pleaded with the High Queen to rescind her order.
"Your Grace, I humbly implore you to reconsider this request. This man has crossed the line," Lord Aymon begged, glaring at Klaus with anger. "He dared to threaten you, Your Grace. This is unforgivable."
Arwen chimed in, "Right, Your Grace. They're no longer your guests if they threaten to kill you."
The chamber grew even tenser due to Lord Aymon and Arwen's comments. The crew members started preparing for the worst. After all, they were in enemy territory. They might not make it out of there alive if a battle broke out.
However, the High Queen was furious instead. She berated them, saying, "I am your queen. How dare you command me!"
Her words left Lord Aymon and Arwen confused. They tried to explain their reasons, but the High Queen wouldn't listen. Eventually, she ordered Arwen and Lord Aymon to leave the queen's chamber.
"Both of you, leave my presence and clear your minds."
Lord Aymon and Arwen hung their heads in frustration and apologized to their queen before leaving the room. Meanwhile, the crew was still uncertain about what would happen next. They had realized that Klaus's problem with the elves in this village was much more complex than they had ever imagined.
The High Queen gave Klaus a sharp look. Though her face showed anger, she was actually scared. She tried to appear strong in front of her followers. After seeing his face, she was sure that Klaus was the man in her dream. A man who would turn this forest into a sea of flames. That's why she let her dignity be trampled rather than sacrifice her people.
On the other hand, Klaus simply smirked. He had no intention of doing this. Klaus actually wanted to take a gentler approach. But after seeing how the elves treated his crew, he changed his mind and put the elves in their place.
"So, now you know who's the boss, huh?" Klaus mumbled.
Taking a deep breath, the High Queen tried to calm herself. Her anger disappeared, replaced by a gentle smile. It allowed the crew members to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Damn, I almost shit myself," Justin whispered.
"Yeah, our boss always manages to give us a heart attack," Akio grumbled.
The High Queen could hear their whispers. If these humans still had worries, it meant she was still in control of the situation.
However, Klaus wouldn't allow that to happen.
"So, my queen, do you want to kneel now or later?" Klaus taunted.
Just as the situation was calming down, Klaus raised tension again. The crew members held their breath, while the elven guards clenched their teeth. Even the High Queen was on the verge of losing her composure.
"You know, I can't do that. I'm not just the ruler of this forest; I'm also a representative of my people. If I submit to someone else, it means I'm selling out my own kind. I hope you understand that," the High Queen carefully reasoned, trying to both justify her actions and avoid offending Klaus.
"But more importantly," the High Queen continued, trying to change the subject, "I want to know why you've come here. I'm sure you're not from this world."
"I won't answer your questions until you make them normal again," Klaus shot back with a piercing tone.
He pointed at Gavin, Olivia, and Michael. They were still standing and smiling despite the tension in the room. They were like mannequins, empty and soulless, which infuriated the crew.
"Ah, I see," she said.
When the High Queen snapped her fingers, Gavin, Olivia, and Michael suddenly fainted. The queen ordered her guards to take them to the guest room, but Klaus refused it.
"Let my crew take care of them."
After he said this, Akio and several other crew members rushed to their unconscious friends.
As Joanna checked the condition of the three, the High Queen explained that she had cast a calming spell on them because they had revolted and injured some of her guards when she brought them before her. Of course, as a queen, she had to take action before there were casualties. She hoped they understood.
The High Queen showed no remorse as she stated her reasons. She didn't even apologize. This understandably angered the crew members, but they kept their anger to themselves. They didn't want to escalate the situation and left everything to Klaus.
"So, can we continue our conversation?" the High Queen asked.
Listening to her words without a hint of guilt, Klaus huffed. "Not until you step down from your throne. I don't want to talk to you while you're looking down at me."
The guards were furious at his rudeness, but the High Queen didn't take the bait.
"You know I can't do that. I'm speaking as the voice of my people. Therefore, I must speak as a formal queen," she reasoned.
Klaus chuckled upon hearing her excuse. He then walked toward the throne, ascending the red-carpeted stairs. This triggered reactions from everyone, especially the elven guards.
"Stop! Don't come any closer!" one of the guards shouted.
The warning didn't deter Klaus. He kept walking towards the throne. On the other hand, his crew held their breath as they witnessed his actions.
"What the hell! What does your brother even think?" Justin whispered, biting his lip.
"I don't know! Just trust him," Joan replied.
"Shit! If any of the guards attack, kill the queen," Akio said nervously.
On the other hand, the High Queen was consumed by panic as Klaus got closer to the throne. The elven guards really wanted to pierce their spears into him, but the High Queen raised her hand, instructing them not to attack.
The chamber grew tenser as Klaus stood right in front of the High Queen. Lowering his head, he sneered at her.
"Now, it's better. My neck doesn't hurt anymore," he taunted.
Clutching her hand, the High Queen contained her anger. She held back her anger as she was humiliated in front of the guards. Her dignity was wounded, but she couldn't do anything about it.
She couldn't bear this humiliation any longer.
"I think we should talk privately," she said, trembling.
Klaus grinned. "Good, now you know your place."
The High Queen stood up from her throne and descended the stairs. She ordered her guards to prepare rooms for the guests. On the other hand, the crew couldn't stop wearing dumbfounded expressions when they heard her decision. They weren't sure what had just happened, but they breathed a sigh of relief. Then, the guards reluctantly escorted them.
Everyone left, leaving the High Queen and Klaus alone in the chamber.
She couldn't bear to face Klaus, torn between anger and shame.
"Let's find another place. This place makes me sick," the High Queen grumbled.
Klaus smiled and said, "Sure."
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