The Kingdom of Solamaris bathed in sunshine that morning, but inside the palace, shadows flickered through the cold hallways while maids and officials, who lived close to King Miklos, bustled in front of the closed door of the royal chamber. The monarch had been suffering from an unknown illness for some time.
Petrus, the royal advisor, was chipping away at the stones in the antechamber of the chamber, pacing back and forth, awaiting the terrifying news that would change the conduct and, possibly, the entire politics of Solamaris, which for years lived in peace with neighboring kingdoms. He doubted that the heiress would be able to lead alone, since she had not yet completed her preparation. However, he would be at her disposal.
He stopped abruptly when the door was opened and one of the maids invited him in. He did not hesitate, walking with firm steps towards the bed of his old dying friend.
— My dear, Petrus — the king said, panting — I don't think I have much time.
— Don't say that, my king. You still have...
— I have to act quickly — he interrupted him. — I need you to witness my last act and make it count.
— I will do everything you ask of me, my king.
— Just make her comply with the decree — he requested, before a coughing fit that left him extremely tired.
With trembling hands, Petrus watched him sign the paper next to the royal seal, letting the pages fall onto the sheets. Miklos' eyes were still lucid, as he tried to keep the air in his lungs, following the movement of his friend's pen, whose signature shone just below his. He nodded, when the pages were rolled up, tied with a ribbon and placed in a wooden box locked with a key.
Petrus left the room, worried. He had not read the document, but he could imagine its contents and that worried him greatly. He had a vague idea of what awaited him, because he knew of Ayla's temperament.
That was the last night of Miklos' reign, much to the sadness of his subjects, who were used to accompaning him when he went to the great oak tree, sitting carefree in the city's central square, waiting to hear the requests that came pouring in. He listened to them patiently, while Petrus wrote them down. He was loved and cherished by his people.
There was great commotion at his funeral, where the coffin was exposed for a few hours under the same oak tree, before being returned to the palace. Ayla was distressed and inconsolable, because in two days she would be crowned queen of Solamaris. Of course, she felt prepared for such a feat. Blessed with Nordic beauty, she attracted captivating glances that flattered her, but she knew that she needed to follow in her father's footsteps to win the people's sympathy, since she had always been overprotected within the walls of her kingdom. The night after the king's burial, Petrus found her in the round hall for meetings and strategies.
— What do you want, Petrus? — she asked, worried, seeing the scroll with the royal coat of arms in her hands.
— My queen — he bowed. — I bring your father's last wish. I will give you a few minutes to read and sign it, making you aware of what will happen along your coronation.
— Is my coronation tied to any condition? — she asked, feeling shivers down her spine.
— I will return shortly, madam.
Petrus left her and Ayla quickly broke the royal seal and began to read the conditions imposed by her father, feeling livid. She never imagined that he might not trust all the preparation she had had to lead her people, much less that he would be capable of humiliating her in that way, forcing her to submit to a marriage under the condition that he would exclude her from the succession to the throne if she disobeyed him, passing it on to a distant cousin. Her hands shook with anger when she found out who had been chosen as her consort.
— How long have you known about this, Petrus? — she asked, dropping the sheets as he entered the room and picked them up.
— Since the night before your father died — he replied, scrutinizing her.
— Why did he do that? — Her clear eyes sparkled in the candlelight.
— I don’t know, my Queen. Perhaps he feared for his life, since never in all of Solamaris have we had a female successor to the throne. He loved you and never regretted not having a male to replace him.
— I understand his concern, but why Galahan?
— Why not? — he asked — He is a great strategist and the people adore him.
— The women adore him. That’s what you should say, Petrus. Galahan is a scoundrel and you must remember that Father went back on his promise to me.
— But now things are different, Ayla. King Taurus needs to ally himself with Solamaris, because Aluzia is about to be attacked by the barbarians. It is vitally important that we become his allies, which will ensure the union of our kingdoms against the tyrant Mephilis. According to our informants, the damned one is almost convincing Árida to turn against us and we cannot, under any circumstances, let that happen. Galahan will be able to convince King Clavius of the strength our armies will have when they unite.
— And for that, I will be the one sacrificed — she said, in an arrogant tone.
— It will not be a sacrifice, my Queen. Think that an heir will be well regarded. Besides, the king will only be your consort.
— Leave me alone, Petrus — she demanded, while sitting in one of the chairs.
Fate is sometimes a cruel enemy that appears every now and then to collect the recklessness committed. The image of the man who destroyed her life formed before her eyes. His black hair shining in the moonlight as he took her in his arms, sheltered by the castle's immense gardens, left her breathless. So much time had passed and her heart still beat wildly just by hearing his name, however, the love she felt turned to hate when he simply left her and never came back. Her father confided in her that the agreement had been broken, without any further explanation. She suffered, but she learned from one of the maids, whispering as she brought her clothes, that the wretch had been caught in lewd acts with her sister's friend. They said there was a bastard heir, but the poor girl had been taken from the kingdom of Aluzia and no one had heard from her or the baby since.
Ayla's mind was racing. She had almost let herself be fooled by that beautiful face, lost between spicy kisses and empty promises. If the maid hadn't warned her that someone was approaching, she could have found herself in a situation that would have infuriated her father. And soon she would be face to face with him again. Her refusal to comply with her father's decree would dethrone her, and she would never allow that. Solamaris was her kingdom, and she would not let any scoundrel take it over. She needed to act cautiously, however, her heart only beat with the flame of revenge and she would have it, even if it meant moving worlds and funds to become a widowed queen, and then, she would rule Solamaris alone, even if that costed her integrity. She would have plenty of time to come up with a plan after the wedding.
***
The royal hall was crowded with guests. The red cloak covering Ayla's white robes shone under the flickering of the candles. Her long hair was braided and countless flowers and pearls adorned the links, making her face even more beautiful. Her clear eyes watched everyone, remaining proud as she walked to seal her fate. She glanced at Galahan's back before he turned towards her, feeling herself tremble when their eyes met. He smiled, filling the room with exasperated whispers from the young women, jealous of her luck. ‘‘Bad luck’’, she thought. She approached the handsome Prince and had her hand kissed by her father-in-law, King Taurus, who did not hide his contentment.
She let the marital words enter her ears, repeating them without enthusiasm. Anger swelled in her chest as she saw him smile in all directions, in constant flirtation. That had been the most difficult ‘’yes’’ of her entire life. When she felt the crown being placed on top of her head, her heart calmed down and only then did she have the courage to face him. The scepter was in her hand, not his. And her desire was to throw it at that head full of perfidy, but she would not do it in front of the audience that expected so much from her.
The marriage needed to be consummated and she would do it, because an heir was essential, but she would not make his life so easy. She made him think that she was submitting, pretending to be happy and safe in his arms, yet well aware of his plan. Galahan exuded vivacity as he walked through the streets of Solamaris, usurping her father's place in the hearts of his people, making her just a supporting character as he continued to be a flirt. The kingdoms were strengthened and all she could do was wait.
— Did you send for me, my Queen? — Petrus approached, entering her chambers.
— Give me news of the barbarian — he ordered, making Petrus frown suspiciously.
— I don't think you should worry about that, madam. Let...
— I won't let my imbecile husband make such important decisions as this — she held Petrus' gaze, who nodded before passing on the information.
— He retreated, however the man is a conqueror and his army, even though smaller in number than ours, is still worrying. He is a madman and is always looking for allies, aiming to expand his kingdom.
— I heard that he has a daughter and that she usually rides only with her maid and Mephilis' right-hand man. Find a pretext for Galahan to find her. The damned man will fall for her charms and that will bring her father to me.
— I don’t think this is a good idea, my Queen. Mephilis might declare war on Solamaris.
— He won’t, Petrus.
— I don’t know what you have in mind, my Queen, but this is not wise. Who knows what he might do to you? I can’t allow it.
— I will become his ally.
— Our advisors will never allow it, my Lady. The people will be capable of rebelling, which could lead to your downfall — he said, frightened. Ayla smiled at his perplexed look.
— I will convince them. I will be the martyr Queen.
***
Ayla's plan worked. Maíra, the Princess of Avanis, had allowed herself to be seduced by the handsome gentleman who never thought about the consequences of his actions, as long as he was satisfied. The poor woman found herself, between afternoons of passionate romances where she always managed to escape from her maid by riding wild, in love with Galahan and carrying his child in her belly.
Although this was the plan, Ayla felt once again her hate moving her. Petrus, who always followed Galahan without his knowledge, brought him news of the commotion at the Castle of Avanis, according to his sources. The thief had been caught red-handed with Maíra by Mephilis himself, suspicious of his daughter's foolish smile and, upon discovering that the man who had stolen his daughter's purity was the King of Solamaris, he became so enraged that he declared war. However, Ayla anticipated and sent him a letter requesting his presence.
Upon seeing the man everyone feared, she felt a chill run down her spine. He was nothing like the monstrous image she had in her mind. Mephilis was virile, still young, with striking eyes in an admirable face. They spoke behind closed doors and Galahan's fate was sealed.
The news of the betrayal spread throughout Solamaris and, although Galahan was admired, there were those who secretly hated him for his excessive debauchery. The suffering image of Queen Ayla had become the object of compassion for her people and no one cared about the cruel fate of her unfaithful husband. Mephilis washed his daughter's honor with blood, turning Queen Ayla into a young and beautiful widow. However, her freedom would once again come at a price.
The handsome tyrant, after a week of royal mourning, entered Solamaris with his army, marching through the streets, staring at the people with cold eyes until arriving at the castle. Ayla, surprised, welcomed him into the round hall.
— My Queen — he addressed her, taking her slender hands — your beauty has captivated my heart — he smiled before kissing them. — You had what you wanted and now I desire what is mine. — He grabbed her by the waist, staring into Ayla’s thirsty eyes before stealing a kiss from her.
Ayla did not push him away. On the contrary. She felt her body respond to the touch of Mephilis’ rough hands. Perhaps what she needed was right in front of her. A union with the tyrant would bring a political strength to her kingdom that she never thought she would have on her own, while at the same time she would be adored for sacrificing herself for the people. After the tyrant left her, Petrus entered the room, worried, finding her smiling.
— My Queen, the presence of this man…
— It will bring great benefits to me, Petrus. I will marry him.
— This union will not be well received.
— Yes, it will, because Solamaris and Avanis will be one. And when Mephilis' heir is born, I will hold him in the palm of my hand.
— I thought love had no place in your heart and that your dream was to rule Solamaris alone — he scrutinized her, interested.
— That's right, Petrus, but dreams can be postponed, even more so when an opportunity presents itself. Mephilis is a handsome man and rules with strength. I will be adored and will rule with the strength of my mind, just like you, daddy, who once dreamed of ruling with mommy. Unfortunately, she died before King Miklos, whose mysterious illness paved the way for my coronation. Perhaps her wish was to rule through me, however... I have other plans, daddy — she looked at him, holding his gaze.
— How did you know? — Petrus asked, his mouth open at her cunning.
— Contrary to what everyone thinks, mommy was a wise woman and taught me many things. But her secrets are safe with me. We are very similar, don't you think?
She smiled once more, admiring the forests of her kingdom, while Petrus's eyes fell to the ground, thoughtful. It doesn't matter how much longer. One day Solamaris would be hers alone.
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