*Few Hours Earlier*
Queen Seraphina had finally made up her mind. She could no longer stand by, silently watching as her husband, King Alaric, and his insidious accomplice, Lord Thane, descended further into madness.
Their plans had grown darker with each passing day, and now, they intended to execute the Flarefolk—people who had already been broken by the collars that bound their powers. Seraphina knew she could no longer play the role of a silent consort. She wasn't just Alaric's wife; she was the Queen of Eldoria, and she had a duty to protect its people.
Slipping into the invisibility cloak Elias had given her long ago, a token of his trust and love, she set out with a heart full of resolve. The cloak would shield her from sight, but nothing could still the pounding of her heart as she followed Alaric's path to District Two, where the cells were.
It was here that the Flarefolk—those who bore the dangerous power of fire—were being rounded up, a fate Seraphina knew all too well would end in their death.
As she approached the cells, she saw Lord Varric's soldiers surrounding the area. But what shocked her more was the sight of the Flarefolk, bountiful in their numbers, being led like cattle by Lord Thane himself. Seraphina's heart sank as she saw their weary faces; many of them were resigned to their fate.
These were not threats; these were citizens who had lived in compliance, their wills broken by the collars around their necks.
From her concealed position, Seraphina watched as Lord Varric strode toward the group, his face twisted in anger. She knew Varric was a man of pride, one who valued his position as the commander of Eldoria's military forces.
Seeing his soldiers commandeered without so much as a word from the King had clearly set his temper afla.
"Alaric," Varric spat as he approached, his voice dripping with anger. "What is the aning of this? You dare to give orders to my soldiers without so much as informing ? I am in charge of all military operations in Eldoria!"
King Alaric, standing nearby with a cold detachnt, rely rolled his eyes at Varric's outburst. "Spare your tantrums, Varric," he said dismissively. "These Flarefolk are a threat. They all are—collars or not. I'm simply ensuring the safety of my kingdom."
Varric's eyes narrowed. "Even the ones who've complied? Even the ones who've lived peacefully under your rule?"
Alaric's patience had clearly worn thin. Without looking at Varric, he gave a simple command. "Thane, take care of him."
In an instant, Lord Thane moved, his attack swift and rciless. Varric, taken off guard, barely had ti to react before Thane's blade sliced through the air, severing two of his fingers with a sickening thud. Varric winced out in pain, clutching his hand as blood poured from the wound.
"I should have just done this from the start," Alaric muttered, his voice cold and devoid of remorse. His gaze then shifted, and for a mont, Seraphina felt the icy grip of fear tighten around her heart. His eyes seed to scan the area, as though searching for sothing unseen.
"As for you," Alaric said, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "Co out. I can sense your fear."
Seraphina's blood ran cold, her breath hitching as she realized he was speaking to her. She clasped her hand over her mouth, trying desperately to calm her trembling. She had been so careful, so sure that the cloak would hide her, but Alaric had always been perceptive, attuned to the smallest disturbances in the world around him.
"I said co out," Alaric repeated, and before Seraphina could react, he was beside her, his presence a dark shadow that lood over her. With a swift, cruel motion, he ripped the cloak from her, revealing her trembling form to the world.
For a mont, they stood there, husband and wife, but all the love that once bound them was now shattered, lying in pieces at their feet. Alaric's expression was unreadable, a mask of indifference as he regarded her. Seraphina, struggling to hold back tears, could barely find her voice.
"Alaric… what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and sorrow.
Alaric's eyes hardened, devoid of the warmth they once held. "What I must," he said coldly. "For the sake of Eldoria."
Alaric's eyes bore into Seraphina with a cold intensity as he stepped closer, his voice low and threatening. "For the last ti, Seraphina, are you with or not?"
Queen Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest, her emotions swirling in a tempest of fear, anger, and defiance. The man before her was no longer the husband she had once loved; he was a monster, consud by power and madness. She felt her stomach churn with disgust, not only for him but for herself—how had she let it co to this?
She straightened her back, eting his gaze with all the strength she could muster. Without breaking eye contact, she spat at the ground, her defiance clear in the act. It wasn't the first ti she had spit at him, but this ti, it wasn't just an act of rebellion. It was her final answer.
Alaric's lips curled into a cruel smile. "I see you've learned your lesson," he said with a twisted sense of satisfaction. He wiped the smirk from his face and leaned in closer, his voice dripping with contempt. "But tell , Seraphina, where is your precious Elias Ashdown now? Off sowhere, playing hero for people who are already slaughtered like livestock?"
Seraphina's chest tightened at his words, but she held her ground. "Elias won't let you get away with this, Alaric," she whispered, her voice unwavering. "He'll stop you."
Alaric threw back his head and laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the chamber. "Elias Ashdown?" he sneered. "He's nothing. A fool chasing after a lost cause. He's off on so aningless quest, and you—well, you've made your choice."
He turned away from her, waving a hand dismissively to the guards who stood at the ready. "Guards, seize her. Execute her for treason."
The soldiers hesitated for just a mont, their eyes flickering with uncertainty, but the authority in Alaric's command left no room for doubt. They stepped forward, closing in around Seraphina with grim determination.
Alaric turned back to her, his eyes glinting with malicious glee. "Let's see if your precious Elias can save you now," he said, his voice mocking as he burst into mad laughter.
As the guards advanced, Seraphina's mind raced. She had no weapons, no magic powerful enough to fend them off. But she had sothing far stronger—faith in Elias, in the man she knew would co for her, no matter the odds. Alaric's laughter filled the room, but Seraphina closed her eyes, whispering a silent prayer to the gods that Elias would find her before it was too late.
Even in the face of death, she wasn't sure why, but she knew one thing for certain: Elias would co.
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