Zareth remained at her side long after the palace had fallen into silence.
The grand chamber, usually a symbol of royal elegance, had become something quieter.
Dim candlelight trembling against carved gold walls, making the night feel a little lonely.
And at Elira’s chamber, the air was heavy with the scent of crushed herbs and spilled medicine.
Elira lay restless on the bed, her breathing uneven, her skin still warm from fever.
Every so often, she stirred as if trying to escape something unseen.
Zareth did not leave her hand for hours.
He had fed her the liquid medicine while she was asleep.
His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles, steady, and grounding.
“Be calm.” he had murmured once, though she could not hear him.
He had heard her muttering something in sleep and he had brought his ear closer only to hear broken whispers of pleas, “Adrian please don’t go, don’t leave me!” A slight smile tugged at his lips, he didn’t respond but he held her tightly and placed a gentle kiss on her hand.
The night felt heavy but it was worth it.
But as the first hint of sunrise crept through the tall windows, painting the room in pale gold, Zareth slowly released her hand.
He leaned down once, brief, restrained and adjusted the blanket over her shoulder.
His gaze lingered on her face as if memorizing it.
Then he stood.
The shift in him was immediate.
The softness vanished beneath controlled steel.
The king returned.
By the time he stepped out, his guards bowed low, sensing the danger that clung to him like a shadow.
And the palace, still unaware, began to wake.
****** Elira woke with pain.
It wasn’t sharp at first, just a deep, aching heaviness in her body, as though she had been dragged through something she could not remember.
Her lashes fluttered open slowly, and the bright morning light stabbed at her eyes.
She groaned softly, turning her head.
The air was wrong.
Thick with herbs.
Bitter and overwhelming.
It clung to her tongue even before she fully inhaled.
“My princess …”A gentle voice called her out.
Lillia and Rosa,already dressed, stood beside her bed, their faces held deep concerns.
Elira frowned.
“What happened…?” She wanted to ask but her throat felt dry and hoarse.
Rosa offered her some water and she took some sips, wrinkling her face to adjust with the bitterness of her mouth.
“What happened?” She finally asked looking at their faces as though the answer could jump out from it.
A pause.
Rosa stepped forward quickly, forcing a soft smile.
“You… overexerted yourself at the banquet, my princess ” “That’s not…” Elira pressed her hand to her forehead.
Her memories were broken shards.
Music.
Heat.
A corridor.
Someone holding her wrist.
A voice calling her name.
And something snapped.
Adrian?
Her chest tightened.
“Where is Adrian?” she asked immediately.
The room went still with confusion.
Lillia’s eyes flickered for a second.
“He….he was not here my princess ” That answer landed wrong.
Elira pushed herself slightly up, pain shooting through her body.
“Don’t lie to me.” Neither of them responded.
Adrian is her lover.
They have heard of him from her, they knew of their relationship, but never met him.
Rosa opened her mouth to speak but at that moment, Elira clutched her head.
She felt a sharp pain hit her and she sat on the bed.
“My princess!” Lillia called out coming to her side.
“I don’t feel good” she said and Rosa quickly reached for the door.
“I will call the physician.” ****** The royal physician arrived quickly.
She carried a small pouch of dried herbs and a metal case that clicked softly when she set it down.
“Your Highness,” she said, bowing slightly.
“Let us ensure your recovery.” She said and Elira nodded Elira didn’t resist when the herbs were placed near her nose, but the moment the scent reached her, her stomach twisted violently.
“No….wait..” She barely had time to turn away.
She retched once.Then again.The maids rushed forward, startled.
“Princess!” They called out while the physician’s eyes sharpened instantly.
“Stop,” she said firmly, stepping closer.
“Everyone, give her space.” Elira was trembling now, one hand gripping the bedframe, sweat breaking across her brow.
The smell alone felt like poison in her body.
The physician watched her carefully.
She stepped closer, taking Elira’s wrist and examined her Pulse and then paused and her body.Then she checked again just to be sure and her expression changed,not dramatically, but enough for anyone trained in court medicine to notice.
Then her expression shifted to that of shock but not wanting to scare the young woman who stared at her with innocence, she smiled softly.
“…I see,” she murmured.
Lillia hesitated.
“What is it?” The physician straightened slowly.
“Leave us.” “No,” Elira whispered weakly.
“They can’t leave me” There was a brief Silence.Then the physician sighed and stared at her for a long time and then she spoke calmly “Your Highness… you are with child.” The words did not immediately land.
Elira blinked once, Then she blinked Twice.
Then her breath caught sharply.
“No…” “No!!!!” Rosa’s hand flew to her mouth.
Lillia froze completely.
The physician continued, lowering her voice.
“You don’t have to panic my princess, you have to avoid emotional stress .” Elira shook her head faintly.
“That’s impossible…” But even as she denied it, her body betrayed her,nausea, weakness, the unexplained sickness.
The fragments of last night suddenly felt heavier.
Her hand tightened over her stomach instinctively and Fear began to rise.
This might be a good news to Adrian but not to her father.
She thought as her memory drifted to her mother.
Elira’s voice dropped and tears began rolling down her cheeks “My father must not know.” The physician hesitated.
“My princess, that is not possible!” “You cannot not tell him,” she said again, sharper now.
“If he knows… I won’t survive his decisions.” “You should have thought about his punishments first my princess” the physician warned and Elira cried harder.
Why is this happening to her?
What has she brought upon herself?
Then slowly, the physician nodded once.
“As you wish… Your Highness.” By midday, Elira lay pale against her pillows, refusing most food.
Even the sight of it made her stomach twist again.
“Take it away,” she whispered.
Rosa quickly obeyed.
Lillia stood by the window, uneasy.
“Should we inform Adrian…?” At his name, Elira’s eyes lifted instantly.
“Yes.” A fragile, desperate certainty entered her voice.
“I need him.” Her fingers tightened against the blanket.
“We can leave,” she whispered.
“If he knows… we can leave before anyone turns this into something worse.” They did not answer, but they did not disagree.
But elsewhere in the palace, silence was breaking.
King Budegha had arrived, his face distorted with something unfamiliar as his eyes held something darker.
Danger!
King Budegha did not go to Elira first to check on her.
He stopped at the entrance to her chamber and looked at the closed door.
After what happened last night he didn’t know how to face her.
He had failed her and he knew that, but Zareth mocking him with it ashamed him more He turned away and went to the reports instead.
He just found a way not to destroy his kingdom and now a problem has come at him instead.
Getting Zareth into going back without doing the investigation himself was troublesome , he had that feeling that his family was involved and Zareth wouldn’t hesitate to wipe them.
He thought as he marched towards the prison grounds.
Aeron.
Aeron was dragged into a lower chamber beneath the palace stone walls, no windows, only torchlight and the sound of dripping water.
The chamber prison.
His face was bruised.
His hands that were severed had chains that were put through it.
His head was hung low but he still tried to raise it amidst the pain.
Immediately he heard footsteps, his spirit came alive.
He was just a pawn in the game, he wasn’t the player.
“I swear, I didn’t plan it your highness I…” “Shut your filthy mouth!” The king yelled angrily and Aeron quieted down.
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply in anger.
The guards stepped back.
Giving them space.
King Budegha slowly walked towards Aeron.
Even though his expression was calm, one could detect the dangerous anger emanating from him.
“You dare laid your filthy hands on my daughter,” the king asked and crouched before him.
Aeron swallowed hard.
“I never wanted to do it your highness, I only followed instructions ” A pause.
King Budegha knew it.
“Instructions?” “Tell me who planned it.” Aeron hesitated and that hesitation was enough for the king to guess the answer.
“It was prince William and the queen, he said if I don’t do it he will have my wife’s head” The king’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you sure?” The king asked Aeron nodded rapidly.
“Yes your highness, I dare not lie to you” his voice sounded broken.
But king Budegha could care less.
There was a deadly Silence.
Then King Budegha straightened slowly and turned towards the royal guards, “Search every servant involved in the banquet.
I need more proofs” A pause.
“And bring me Elira.” ****** Elsewhere in the palace, Mirelle had already begun her own quiet descent into ambition.
A guard had reported to had seen Elira speaking with someone.
A man.
A commoner.
And a deadly plan began to form within her.
Since she survived the first plot, can she survive the second plot?
Being with a commoner is not a death sentence but since Elira is already betrothed to a king, it is an abomination and embarrassment to the kingdom.
Mirelle smiled as she lay her plans in bricks.
Elira would never take her place, she would make sure of that.
Meanwhile, Elira stood at the front door to the king’s private study.
It has been a long time since she was last summoned, she couldn’t even remember when it was.
She clutched the hem of her dress and released a deep sigh.
The physician had not disclosed anything to the king or had she?
Elira was still battling within herself when the doors to the king’s study opened and there stood the king looking at her with those eyes that she hated and feared at the same time.
Comment it and let me know.