"Puerta Cerrada! Puerta Cerrada!
This is the unfortunate reality of your wife's fertility, akin to a firmly shut portal," asserted Queen Catalina. Queen Catalina was a sovereign of unparalleled distinction, maintaining the kingdom's operations with an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove. Tragedy, however, had left its indelible mark on her. The loss of her consort and solitary offspring within the span of a single year - one to the merciless throes of war, the other to a relentless, unforgiving ailment - had transformed her once warm heart into a frigid, impenetrable fortress. Her heart had become a bastion of ice, a testament to her unimaginable sorrow."Catalina's words, laced with bitterness and resentment, echoed in the grand halls of the palace. 'How could one individual be so devoid of purpose, so barren to a kingdom as magnificent as ours? Seven years, Alejandro, seven long, fruitless years and your wife has failed to bear an heir,' she spat out, the venom in her heart mirrored in the harsh lines of her face.
Across the spacious room, amidst the deafening silence, stood 'Rey Alejandro', as his loyal subjects fondly addressed him. He remained rooted to the spot, seemingly oblivious to his mother's harsh rebuke. His mind, however, had embarked on a journey down memory lane, traversing back to a time when his mother held nothing but affection for Esperanza. It was a time when their love was so palpable, it almost seemed as though it was Catalina herself who was betrothed to Esperanza."
After enduring hours of what could only be described as 'fruitless discourse', Catalina and Alejandro found themselves gravitating back to the grandiose table they had abandoned earlier. This once jovial gathering place was now a battlefield, brimming with palpable tension.The castle's inhabitants, from the diligent maids to the stoic guards, had been engulfed in a wave of euphoria upon the revelation that their beloved Queen Esperanza was expected to bear a child. This news had ignited a spark of hope that had brightened the usually somber corridors of the castle but alas, this joy was short-lived. The castle's esteemed physician, a figure of reverence and authority, returned with a somber countenance weeks later. His previous proclamation of joy was now replaced with a grave retraction that sent ripples of shock through the kingdom.Esperanza, still cocooned in blissful ignorance of the harsh reality unfolding around her, turned to her loved ones with a serene smile. Her melodious voice, usually a source of comfort, now echoed eerily in the silence, "Mother? Rey? What is happening? Will my child be safe?"
Catalina, her voice seething with unmasked fury, retorted, "What child do you speak of, woman?"
"Mother!" Alejandro implored, attempting to diffuse the escalating tension by gently resting his hands on Catalina's, which lay rigidly on the polished mahogany table. His efforts, however, proved futile. Catalina, her anger unabated, abruptly withdrew her hands from his calming touch. With an air of defiance, she rose from her seat and marched towards her private chambers. The echo of her silver stilettos, each step a testament to her indomitable spirit, reverberated ominously throughout the grand dining hall. Alejandro could only watch helplessly as the matriarch retreated, leaving behind a wake of unease.With a heavy sigh, Alejandro turned to the shell-shocked assembly. His voice, usually filled with authority, now wavered with a tinge of disappointment, "You may all depart now, the feast has concluded." His gaze lingered on Esperanza, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, further amplifying the melancholy that had descended upon the room.
As Alejandro stood in solitude on the grand balcony, he observed the stream of distinguished guests making their departure. Each figure, shrouded in the evening's obscurity, seemed to carry with them a piece of the night's somber atmosphere, their silhouettes melting away into the darkness. The imposing gate, with its intricate ironwork, closed with a resounding echo, the sound amplified by the profound silence that had befallen the estate. The chief guard, a stalwart figure of authority, ensured the gate was locked securely, his actions performed with an almost ceremonial solemnity.In the quietude of the moment, Alejandro found his thoughts drifting back to his mother's words, a haunting refrain that echoed in his mind, "Puerta Cerrada, Puerta Cerrada". The words, a poignant reminder of his mother's wisdom, seemed to reverberate around him, filling the air with a sense of profound contemplation. The phrase, once uttered in the familiarity of his mother's voice, now served as a stark reminder of the closed doors and the ensuing solitude that he found himself enveloped in.
As Queen Catalina reclined on the solitary bed, a bed that once echoed with shared laughter and whispered secrets with her now-deceased husband, she found herself entranced by the blank canvas of the ceiling. It served as a silent screen onto which she projected her most cherished memories. Her mind wandered back to the halcyon days of her youth, to the tender moments she had spent with her beloved before he was cruelly snatched away by the relentless jaws of war against the neighboring empire.The events of that fateful day were etched into her memory with the precision of a master sculptor. She recalled the foreboding sense of dread that had enveloped her, prompting her to implore her husband to tread cautiously on the battlefield. She had beseeched the General, a stalwart figure of authority, to shield her husband from harm's way.
Her thoughts meandered further back in time, to her humble beginnings. Despite her origins in a destitute family, she had ascended to the throne and won the heart of the late king. As she lay there, a solitary figure bathed in the soft glow of dawn, she realized she had journeyed through the labyrinth of her past all night. The sun's gentle caress on her face served as a poignant reminder of her sleepless night, a night spent reminiscing after the trials of the previous day.