The air outside was thick with the scent of rain, the sky heavy with the promise of a storm. Evelyn stood outside the royal barracks, staring at the stone walls, her heart pounding in her chest. She had made up her mind this confrontation was long overdue. She could no longer let Leona’s words linger in the air, poisoning her mind and her kingdom.Leona had been allowed to grow unchecked, her influence spreading like wildfire. She had played her part in Adrian’s survival, yes, but now, it was time for her to face the consequences of her actions.Evelyn’s hand clenched into a fist at her side as she approached the door. Every step felt heavier, like the weight of her choices was pulling her down. But she had to do this. For herself. For Adrian. For the kingdom.Inside the barracks, Leona sat in a dimly lit room, her gaze fixed on the floor. She was waiting waiting for the inevitable. When the door opened, she didn’t look up. She didn’t need to.“I knew you’d come " Leona said softly, h

The war hall felt like it was holding its breath.Golden banners swayed from high pillars. Torches cracked against stone walls, casting a flickering glow on the solemn faces gathered around the war table. Adrian stood at its center, his fists clenched on the aged wood. His crown lay beside a half-finished map, ignored.His voice, when it came, was low but heavy. "If you stand with me today, it’s for the kingdom not for promises I made in a war tent"The statement dropped like a sword into still water.His commanders exchanged glances. Some shifted uncomfortably, others lowered their eyes. The atmosphere thickened with hesitation.Abron, his right-hand man, stared at the map but didn’t speak.General Corin scratched his graying beard, brows tight. “Sire… Leona is saying you promised her a throne"“She’s lying " Adrian growled. “We had an alliance. Nothing more"“And what of the letters spreading in the capital?” another officer asked, his tone cautious. “The ones with your seal?”Adria

The garden behind the chapel was damp with morning dew, the air crisp with silence. Stone angels stood sentinel over the royal graves, their faces carved in eternal sorrow. Beneath a marble arch, Adrian knelt before a headstone draped in ivy and royal cloth.“Queen Mirena of Valemire. Beloved Mother. Steel Beneath Silk"He laid a single white lily on the stone, fingers brushing the engraved words. His breath left him in a shudder.“I swore…” he whispered, voice thick, “I swore I’d never become the kind of king that breaks his queen"The wind rustled the trees, almost answering him.He bowed his head lower, gripping the earth. “You told me to love like a lion. Fierce. Loyal. Just. Not... like this. Not with my daughter crying in hallways and my wife sleeping in silence"The memories struck hard and fast.Evelyn’s laughter under the golden orchard trees.Her hand slipping into his on coronation day.The way her eyes lit up when she told him she was pregnant.And then, her face pale with

“Elara!” Evelyn’s scream pierced through the air, raw and desperate, as her daughter’s small, fragile body collapsed in front of her. Her hands flew out, catching Elara just before she hit the floor. The girl’s limbs were limp, her head falling back like a rag doll in Evelyn’s trembling arms. The silver goblet she had been holding slipped from her little fingers, rolling across the polished marble floor with a hollow clang, spinning twice before falling still. “No…no, no, no!” Evelyn sobbed, cradling Elara’s head close to her chest. Her vision blurred with tears as panic surged through her veins. Her breathing came out in sharp, ragged gasps, but she couldn’t focus on anything except the eerie stillness of her daughter’s body. Adrian was already there, his face twisted in horror. He dropped to his knees, pressing his palm to Elara’s cold cheek. “No…not like this… Elara… breathe! Open your eyes, baby, breathe for me!” His voice cracked, helplessness seeping into his usually comman

Adrian stares at Evelyn’s tear-streaked face, then nods..,silently.The only sound in the room was Elara’s shallow, weak breathing.Tick.Tock.Tick.Tock.Adrian stared down at Evelyn. Her hands clutched his shirt like a lifeline. Her face was soaked with tears. Her lips trembled as she looked up at him eyes wide, terrified, and broken.She had never begged for anything in her life.Not for a crown. Not for safety.But now she was begging for Elara.“I’ll never forgive you,” Evelyn whispered, her voice hoarse. “But I’ll never forget this, either.”Adrian slowly dropped to his knees. He didn’t speak.He just nodded.One slow, silent nod.Behind them, Leona smiled like a cat who had finally caught the mouse.“Well,” Leona said, stepping forward. “How beautifully tragic.”Evelyn turned away, unable to look. Her body shook as she kissed Elara’s forehead, then stood up.“I can’t watch this,” she whispered.Adrian reached for her hand, but she pulled away. “Don’t,” she said, her voice flat