Elara woke with a scream, her breath catching in her throat.
The chamber was still cloaked in half-light, shadows long and quiet. Her silk nightdress clung to her damp skin as she sat upright, her heart thudding against her ribs.
It wasn't a dream. There was smoke. Screams. That voice, sliced through the grand hall like a blade.
She looked beside her. The sheets were smooth and untouched. Cold where Kaelos should have slept.
Of course, he wasn't there. He never came back last night. Her wedding night and her husband could barely look at her, let alone touch her.
She pressed trembling fingers to her temples, willing her thoughts into order. But the silence only made the weight of the night press harder on her chest.
A sharp gasp tore from her lips before she could stop it.
Moments later, the door creaked open.
A girl entered with hesitant steps, no older than Elara herself. She had braided long brown hair and a face that held both youth and something more. In her hands, she held a pile of towels. Though her eyes were drowning in concern.
"Your Highness—are you alright?" she asked quickly, setting the towels on the table.
Elara exhaled shakily and pulled the covers closer. "I'm fine. It was just… a dream."
The girl bowed her head. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to intrude. I heard a sound—"
"It's alright." Elara studied her more carefully. "Who are you?"
"I am Hallel, Your Highness. Your maid," she said softly. "Assigned to you from the moment you arrived."
Elara nodded slowly. "Hallel." She said the name softly. She was cleaner than most servants Elara had seen with a striking beauty that was hard to ignore.
Hallel curtsied again, more formal this time. "Shall I prepare your bath, Your Grace?"
"Yes. Please," Elara murmured, still trying to gather herself.
Hallel moved with quiet precision. Soon the scent of lavender filled the chamber as steam curled up from the bronze tub. Elara sat in silence while Hallel poured the water, her mind drifting away.
"Tell me something," she said, her voice breaking the calm. "That woman last night… the one who appeared at the wedding. Do you know who she was?"
Hallel paused her hands briefly still. "I do. That was Ashgi. She… used to be the High Priestess of Aldovia."
Elara looked up. "A priestess?"
"Yes, my lady. She once served the royal circle, blessed births and oaths. They say she was close to the king… and even closer to Prince Kaelos."
Elara raised an eyebrow. "How close?"
Hallel shook her head. "That, I do not know. Only that when Prince Kaelos fell ill some years ago, Ashgi tried to heal him using forbidden magic. Magic that nearly killed him."
Elara inhaled sharply.
"The king banished her," Hallel went on, lowering her voice. "Stripped her of her title, had every symbol of her priesthood burned. Since then, her name has been buried."
"But she came back," Elara whispered. "From what I saw nothing about her is buried. If anything she cursed us."
"She didn't name a curse," Hallel said cautiously. "But… her words were like a blade. The court is frightened. They say prophecy is worse than any spell—because it can't be undone. After all, she is a seer."
Elara's gaze dropped to her hands.
Was that what this marriage was now? A stage for ruin?
Hallel helped her into the tub and washed her hair with steady, careful hands. Afterwards, she dried and dressed her in a soft gown of emerald silk, cinched with silver embroidery.
She pinned Elara's curls into a loose braid and tucked a few pale flowers behind her ear.
"You look lovely, Your Highness," she said gently.
Elara forced a smile. "Thank you."
A knock came at the door.
"Princess Elara," a voice called from behind it. "Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence in the royal garden."
Elara glanced toward the door, then back at Hallel.
"She's kind," Hallel offered softly. "The Queen. You don't have to be afraid."
Elara stood, smoothing her dress.
"I'm not afraid," she said quietly.
But even she didn't believe it.
______
The palace gardens were quiet in the morning light, bathed in a soft golden hue. Dew clung to the rose petals, and birds flitted through the hedges, unbothered by the unrest that had shaken the kingdom only hours before.
Queen Alaina stood near a marble bench, a pair of shears in hand as she clipped roses into a woven basket. Her gown was simple but elegant, pale blue silk offset by the silver in her braided hair.
When Elara arrived, the Queen looked up and smiled.
"Elara," she said warmly. "Come. Walk with me."
Elara curtsied before stepping beside her. "Your Majesty."
They strolled beneath the trellises. The rustle of leaves and the faint splash of a distant fountain made the world feel deceptively peaceful.
"I imagine you didn't sleep much," Alaina said gently.
Elara hesitated. "No, Your Majesty. I didn't."
The Queen nodded as if she'd expected it. "Ashgi's return was… unsettling. To say the least. I'm sorry that your wedding was touched by such darkness."
Elara glanced down at her hands. "Who is she really, if I may ask?"
"A mistake I had hoped was long buried," Alaina replied, her voice steady. "She once served this kingdom as our high priestess. Revered. Powerful. But she let ambition twist her heart. When Kaelos fell ill years ago, she defied every sacred law to use magic that even the gods warn against."
"She claimed to have raised him," Elara said quietly.
"She watched him, yes," Alaina admitted. "But to say she raised him? That's her vanity speaking. The truth is simpler—and sadder. She loved power, and when it was taken from her, she turned bitter and twisted."
Elara looked ahead, toward the garden's sun-dappled path. "Do you think she'll come back?"
Alaina stopped and turned to her. "Let me be very clear, Elara. Ashgi is dangerous, yes—but her words last night were nothing but bitter foolery. They were poison. Spoken from spite, not truth."
Elara nodded, but her chest still felt heavy.
Alaina reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. "You need not be afraid. The gods watch over Aldovia. And they will watch over you, too."
Elara smiled lightly.
There was a moment of quiet between them, and then the Queen's tone softened even further.
"Now, forgive me for being forward, but I must ask… was the marriage sealed?"
Elara's breath caught, and she looked away. "We… were tired. The day was long and with the wedding drama…"
Alaina didn't press. She simply studied Elara for a moment longer, then released her hand.
"I see. Well, such things can take time."
Before Elara could respond, a voice interrupted the stillness.
"Mother."
They both turned to see Prince Kaelos approaching, his dark tunic crisp, his posture smooth as ever.
Alaina straightened, slipping easily back into her queenly poise. "Kaelos."
He bowed and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "Good morning Mother." Then turned to Elara.
"Elara," he said with a nod.
"Good morning, my lord," she replied, her voice even.
"I was just speaking with your wife," Alaina said. "And I had questions about—"
Before she could finish, an attendant appeared at the edge of the garden path.
"Your Majesty, the King requests your presence at the high table."
Alaina sighed softly. "Duty never rests."
She looked at the both of them with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You'll join us shortly, I hope."
With that, she walked off down the garden path, the scent of roses lingering in her wake.
Kaelos remained still. Elara looked away, the silence stretching between them like a taut string.
"So," he said finally, "what did my mother want to know?"
"She asked why we hadn't consummated our marriage," Elara said bluntly.
Kaelos's brow tensed. "And what did you say?"
"I told her the truth," she replied, her voice calm but firm. "That after Ashgi's disappearance and after we left the grand hall —you walked away from me. I returned to the chambers alone. I was scared… and you didn't come."
His face darkened. "How dare you?" he hissed. "Do you realise what you might have done?"
"Hold your tongue, Kaelos," Elara snapped, eyes flashing. "I told her nothing of that sort."
He looked at her like she had lost her mind.
"I said we were tired," she continued, her voice steady. "But it is nice to know that you respect your image more than you would ever respect me—or this sham of a marriage."
Elara turned and began to walk away, her footsteps sharp against the gravel.
Kaelos stood there for a moment, silent, then strode after her.
"Elara, wait."
She paused but didn't turn around. "What is it?"
"You cannot go to breakfast alone," he said. "Walk with me."
She let out a slow breath, then nodded once.
He slipped his arm through hers, and they walked side by side, the silence between them heavier than any words.
They walked to the breakfast table together, the rustle of leaves above and the crisp morning air doing little to ease the tension between them.
The royal garden had been transformed into a quiet breakfast setting, tucked beneath a flowering archway where wisteria bloomed in violet waves. Silverware glinted on white linen, and crystal pitchers held orange blossom water and chilled wine.
Queen Alaina looked up first, her expression brightening as she placed her freshly cut roses into a glass jar.
Already seated was Princess Serya— Kaelos' younger sister. Stone-faced and silent—and King Aegeus, who looked up from a scroll as they approached, his gaze sharp.
Kaelos pulled out a chair for Elara. She sat with practised grace, though her shoulders were tight. He took his place beside her, leaving a calculated space between them.
King Aegeus cleared his throat. "Elara," he said, "I would like to officially welcome you to Aldovia. I trust you've been well settled, though I know the transition may not have been easy, coupled with last night's events.
"It certainly hasn't," she replied with a measured half-smile.
"But make no mistake," he said, "this is your home now. Be comfortable. You are more than welcome here." He gestured toward the landscape.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she said, bowing her head slightly.
Queen Alaina gave a small, reassuring smile from across the table.
"You know," Aegeus continued, folding the scroll and setting it aside, "Aldovia and Alderidge have stood shoulder to shoulder through wars and winters. There was a time when half the continent sought to divide us—during the Frostfall Invasion when your great-grandfather rode with my father and their blades carved peace from chaos."
"I've heard those stories," Elara said. "My father spoke of them often. About fallen soldiers and kings before you."
Aegeus nodded. "Your father and I understood that peace is not kept by words alone. It is sealed through loyalty—and legacy."
His gaze moved between Kaelos and Elara. "Which is why your union is more than a royal arrangement. It is a symbol. A living promise that our kingdoms remain united and unshaken."
Kaelos and Elara exchanged a glance. Fleeting yet discreet.
"And with that," Aegeus raised his glass, "I say cheers—to new beginnings."
The others lifted their goblets. Elara, a heartbeat late. Kaelos slower still.
"To new beginnings," they all echoed.