Queen Maeve blinked, taken aback by the unexpected suggestion. "I beg your pardon?" she exclaid, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Most would have been fearful to make such a suggestion, especially with the shock evident in the queen’s reaction, Elena remained composed and unyielding. She had beco brazen, unafraid to speak her mind. "You heard right, your majesty. If your son is so interested in the human, why not let both of them marry?" she repeated, her tone unwavering.
"Marry her?" Queen Maeve echoed, incredulous. "Why would you propose such a thing?" Her mind raced, trying to comprehend Elena’s motives behind such a proposal.
Queen Maeve’s voice carried a mixture of incredulity and suspicion as she echoed Elena’s suggestion. "Marry her? Why would you propose such a thing?" Her mind worked quickly, attempting to decipher Elena’s motives behind the unexpected proposal.
Elena shrugged casually, her expression nonchalant. "Isn’t it obvious?" she replied. "Valerie is not interested in , and frankly, I don’t like him either."
Her words were delivered with a straightforwardness that left Queen Maeve montarily speechless. A pounding sensation began to throb at Maeve’s temples as she struggled to make sense of the situation. What in the Fae was going on? She had never been this confused.
"Not every union among the Fae is born of imdiate love." Queen Maeve said with a regal bearing, her words carrying authority and urgency, emphasizing the gravity of her ssage.
Straightening her posture, she continued with conviction, "Once you are wed to Valerie, he will fall in line. Should he falter, I will ensure compliance. The two of you are destined to govern this realm together, and I will tolerate no further discussion of the human." Her declaration rang out with a tone of finality, leaving no room for dissent.
Elena fell silent and a sense of relief washed over Queen Maeve, her tense shoulders relaxing, confident that her ssage had been well understood and that Elena would comply.
However, her relief was short-lived as Elena’s laughter broke the silence, catching Queen Maeve off guard.
"What’s funny?" The queen’s brows furrowed in surprise and confusion, her eyes narrowing as she studied Elena, searching for any hint of the reason behind her unexpected reaction.
Elena’s laughter faded, the mirth dissolving in her eyes. "So I’m expected to sit still looking pretty as the proper wife while my betrothed goes around screwing with that bitch?" She sneered.
Queen Maeve’s expression turned horrified as she rebuked her, "Language, Elena!"
Elena, fueled by frustration, rose suddenly from her seat, slamming her hand on the table defiantly, "You don’t tell what to do!"
Queen Maeve stood in stunned silence, her shock palpable as she witnessed Elena’s outburst. Known to her since childhood, Elena was once the epito of sweetness, ambition, and impeccable behavior, traits that had earned her a place in Queen Maeve’s plans for the future of Astaria. However, the Elena standing before her now was unrecognizable—a rude, brazen version of the girl she knew. Little did Queen Maeve realize, this wasn’t the Elena she cherished, but rather a vessel overtaken by a vengeful witch.
Caught off guard by Elena’s sudden outburst, Queen Maeve instinctively flinched, montarily forgetting her regal stature. However, as the reality of her position as the queen of Astaria set in, her deanor shifted abruptly. With a deliberate and controlled movent, she rose from her seat, her eyes turning steely and her expression becoming unreadable.
"Did you just raise your voice at ?" she asked, her tone icy and authoritative, as she confronted Elena’s audacity head-on.
Elena glared back and for a mont it seed like she was going to face off against the queen. However, Lola the witch that was possessing Elena was smart, and as much as the Fae Queen’s arrogance pissed her off, she needed to stay alive long enough to execute her revenge on Aldric.
Queen Maeve was still the queen of Astaria and she — Elena — was not even officially betrothed to Valerie officially yet. If the Queen were to order her execution, there was nothing she could do. She was rely Elena, a noble of the sumr court and a relative of the Queen.
As Elena lowered her head and adopted a demure deanor, her words dripped with feigned deference. "Of course not, Your Majesty Queen Maeve," she uttered softly. "Who am I to raise my voice on you? I’m not even Queen yet."
Queen Maeve, astute as ever, detected the underlying implication in Elena’s words. The hidden ssage was clear: Elena’s obedience stemd not from genuine respect, but from a recognition of her own lack of power.
"Y—you!" Queen Maeve stuttered, her finger trembling as she pointed accusingly at Elena. Her disbelief was evident as her mouth moved wordlessly, struggling to comprehend Elena’s audacity.
Suddenly, Queen Maeve regained her composure, her deanor transforming into one of fierce resolve. "Is that so?" she uttered with a cruel smile, her eyes gleaming with a newfound intensity.
With a calculated movent, Queen Maeve turned to the side and issued her command, "Is anybody there?" Her voice held an unmistakable authority, demanding compliance from those within earshot.
Responding to the queen’s summons, two guards promptly entered the room, their postures rigid and alert, awaiting their sovereign’s instructions.
Queen Maeve’s gaze lingered on Elena, anticipating a display of fear or submission. However, to her dismay, Elena remained composed, her expression unyielding and indifferent. This unexpected display of defiance only served to fluster Queen Maeve further, adding to the tension crackling in the air.
With her eyes ablaze with fury, Queen Maeve issued her decree, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere, "Take her and lock her up in her room. She’ll stay there until she cos to her senses."
Expecting Elena to plead for rcy, Queen Maeve was taken aback when all she saw was a smug smirk gracing Elena’s face. This insolent display only fueled the queen’s anger, causing her to clench her fists in frustration.
As the guards began to drag the unyielding Elena away, Queen Maeve couldn’t shake the nagging doubt gnawing at her. This version of Elena bore little resemblance to the one she once knew, prompting the queen to question whether she had erred in her judgnt.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Queen Maeve remained steadfast in her decision to betroth Elena to Valerie. She was probably having cold feet and would co back to her senses pretty soon. However, if Elena continued to resist, Queen Maeve was determined to ensure her compliance, by whatever ans necessary.
anwhile, in the dim confines of his cell, Prince Aldric sat with legs crossed, his wrists bound by shackles. Silence enveloped the space until a solitary raven glided through the narrow window, it’s dark wings cutting through the muted light. With a resounding caw, the bird perched itself upon Aldric’s shoulder, its presence commanding his attention.
Aldric’s gaze lifted to et the piercing eyes of the bird, a slow smile curling his lips as he noticed the necklace dangling from its beak, glinting softly in the dim light that filtered through the window.
A slow, sinister smile crept across Aldric’s lips as the shadow cast upon his face accentuated his ominous deanor. With deliberate movents, he reached out to accept the necklace from the raven’s grasp, its wings fluttering briefly before it took flight once more, disappearing into the darkness beyond the window.
The necklace, once bestowed upon Islinda as a symbol of protection, now dangled ominously in Prince Aldric’s grasp. With a tightening grip, he clutched the amulet tightly, a wicked smile twisting his features into a sinister expression.
In a low, ominous whisper, barely audible in the quiet of his cell, Aldric spoke, his voice laced with dark anticipation, "It won’t be long now. We’ll see soon, my little mate."
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