Hong oversaw the death of the board member and made sure that the other board member's were present in case another traitor were to think otherwise. Choose your side and choose wisely...This was the message she quietly sent to everyone watching as he was beheaded. This wasn't her top method to handle traitors, in fact she would rather rationally discuss with them and try to make a bargain. It failed every time as each traitor decided to choose beheading instead of keeping themselves alive.

Cut off the head of a snake and another may grow in its place, huh? Queen Hong remembered someone stating. Her father had told her as he was dying to not trust others so easily after what had happened to him. Unlike her younger sibling, Shiro was not aware of the war much as our mother forbade those talks in hopes of sheltering her innocence. Hong had lost count of how many traitors and spies there were in the kingdom, but she couldn't exactly kill them all off at once. This would be rather cumbersome as the traitors family members were mostly unaware of what was going on until evidence was laid out in front of them.

Animosity towards the Red Queen was inevitable and Hong shouldered all the burden of making sure the deaths of these traitors would be properly buried in the Rose Kingdom. After all...they're still family.

Queen Hong headed towards her room as Jack followed her closely. He couldn't leave her side until she waved him away to let him carry on his duties. Night had fallen and Hong couldn't forget the stench of blood as the smell carried to her mind after the beheading of the traitor. Queen Hong felt sick, but she couldn't do anything. The traitors and spies wouldn't reveal much to the kingdom and the Thorn soldiers were already penetrating further and further into the Rose Kingdom's territory.

"Your majesty," a young man appeared as if out of thin air and bowed.

Hong turned to look at him, "What is it Ducere?"

"Per your request, I've retrieved more medicine," he handed her a bag that smelled of herbs, "Make sure you take the dosage correctly." He explained to her before he disappeared.

The nightmares she had were growing and sleep was becoming an issue for the Red Queen. I can't let sleep be in the way for future generations...She thought to herself as she hastened to her room. She placed the medicine in a teapot after informing her servants standing near her room to provide her a teapot with hot water. The medicine sank to the bottom, becoming tea and Hong poured herself a drink before going to slumber.

In the dream world, Hong stood by herself and the scenery changed to that of her father. At age 12, she had ventured with him to battle as it was becoming increasingly unsafe for her to stay in the castle. Mary-Ann was covered in even more bruises and injuries set by Hong's mother. The King of Roses ordered Mary-Ann to lay low and decided to bring Hong out to battle against their nemesis. She dreamed of her first kill again when her father was being unfairly beaten. Hong knew that her father most likely would have won, but even so...it was her duty to make sure her father kept going and winning the battle against the Kingdom of Thorn.

The images in her dream changed again as the King's own sword, the Rose, pierced right through him in the castle. Hong ran towards her father and tried to pull out the sword. Was it Hong that stabbed her own father or...?

"Hong...I need you to..."

"Your majesty," Hong startled awake as Jack stood over the Red Queen, "The Thorn soldiers are on the move again..."

Queen Hong rubbed her eyes, "This is a never-ending nightmare..."

Jack wasn't sure if she meant the continual battle with the Thorn Kingdom or whether she actually had a recurring nightmare. From his one good eye, he managed to see the teapot that emitted a strange odor. Medicine for dreams?

End of Chapter 6.........................................................................................................................