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The great hall was a place where the throne of the sovereign stood gloriously. These walls had witnessed all the previous\'s kings\' power, authority, and most vulnerable state. Standing before the throne — on the lower ground before the steps to the raised platform — was the current sovereign, the first woman who governed the mainland, Queen Aries. 

Unlike the usual attire wrapped around her to display her royal status, the Queen was nothing in a plain dress. Her feet and hands were bound by the weight no one could easily carry, staring at the empty throne. Normally, the Queen would go straight to her throne while everyone below her could only stay on the level before the raised platform where the throne was at. Tonight, however, was a unique situation. 

Aries was prohibited from going back to her throne. She could only do so once the ceremony finished. Thus, Aries took a moment to gaze at it. 

Many memories flashed across her mind the longer she stared at it. Thrones. Aries could barely remember the goodness these thrones had caused in her life. Starting from the time Joaquin marched in the land of Rikhill up until now, she was on the mainland. The good memories this power had given her couldn\'t compare to the terrible ones.

What was so good about power?

These stools were easily broken, yet the person sitting upon them could ruin many people\'s lives.

Aries breathed out faintly, swallowing down the growing repugnance in her head. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. When she reopened her eyes, she turned her back against the throne to face the members of the Raven. 

They were surrounding her, wearing uniformed black robes. The only difference was the color of their belts, displaying each of them had different ranks in the council. A few of them had brooches attached to their chest; one of those was Miguel Rothschild and Giselle. It stood as a symbol of their importance in this council. 

What a way to display their power and rank without saying a word. 

"What now?" Aries\'s soft voice pierced the stifling silence in the great hall. "Shall we start the ceremony?"

Suzanne, who was not a part of this ceremony, clenched her teeth. She stood on the side; her body was already in battle mode. If she sensed danger — which was something they already expected — she would step in. 

\'Forget about the ceremony,\' was what she kept telling herself over and over. \'Once her life is threatened, I don\'t care if there were hundreds of them. Witches… you better do your job properly.\'

Her eyes shone wildly, hearing her heart thump loudly against her chest. Aries had a plan, and the witches had been working on it to make it happen. Suzanne just had to trust Aries and those witches. Taking action now because of the quiet tension might only sabotage the queen\'s plans. 

"Sure…" Suzanne trailed off when Miguel suddenly raised a hand.  I think you should take a look at

"Chief leader, apologies for interrupting you. However, before our ceremony starts, there is a concern I have to raise." Everyone, including Aries, shifted their attention to Miguel, watching the man take a step forward. 

Miguel kept his eyes on Aries as he dropped his hand to his side. "As a member of this council, it is my duty to make sure the ceremony will proceed without a problem. In the past dynasties, all the kings were cooperative. Therefore, this council was confident we could do this tradition that dated back since the founding of the Mainland."

"This time, however, is different. The new sovereign, the Queen, had no blood relation to the royal family. She is, but an outsider the late King Maximus IV took in this land for his own reason. His death was unprecedented and thus, by the law, the queen succeeded the throne," he continued. 

"Your point being?" Aries arched her brow, keeping her icy countenance. Miguel also kept a straight face without looking away from her; it was an attitude he had never shown her until now. 

"Since you were an outsider with an association with the cursed clan, the Grimsbanne clan, I, Count Miguel, the firstborn of Duke Rothschild, one of the founding families, had to make certain you will not break this tradition."

Aries smirked, and a scoff slipped past her lips. She knew the rules of this coven. At least once a year or once every two years, the sovereign of the mainland would be humbled by the council. In other words, they were all on the same footing. The council had no obligation to hold back; anything that was said during the annual coven would have to stay within the coven. 

Not being able to approach her throne was the best display of the loss of power of the queen. Even the previous kings had to face such humiliation. No wonder Maximus IV had a great grudge against the council.

Aries rocked her head in understanding. "Aren\'t you a little late for that, though?" she tilted her head to the side. 

"Shouldn\'t you do this duty you kept boasting about before the ceremony? Or were you stalling time?" Aries blinked ever so tenderly, but her eyes grew sharper. "Count Miguel, if you are doing this to make me change my mind again, I advice you to leave the room."

"I said it before you step in here, Your Majesty." Miguel\'s eyes were challenging, looking at her as if they were on the same level. "I will not just be your mere subject once you step into this coven. My duties as a member of this council will come first."

Miguel took a deliberate pause, growing calmer with every passing second. Giselle, the chief leader of the council, remained quiet, as if she didn\'t have any plans to hasten this delay. If anything, it seemed Giselle had already expected such a turn.

"You made your decision, and so I have to make mine." Miguel glanced into the queen\'s handmaiden before he ordered, "Seize her."