Lord Zoltar turned to her with a menacing look, his eyes cold and hard. His face showed a fierce expression that radiated a silent threat. The intensity of his gaze made Lady Rosamund's heart pound in fear. This was not the man she had agreed to marry years ago.
"There isn't another way," he said. Letting out a heavy sigh, he added, "If only you had given birth to a son, we wouldn't be facing this doom. Then, I could have a male heir to rule in my place. But a girl, that is, a woman, is useless and worthless. They are good only for marriage and breeding."
Lady Rosamund's heart sank. She knew he was right, and yet, she couldn't accept it.
"If they get her, what will happen to her?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
He hesitated before answering, "They will take her, and she will never come back. We will never see her again. You know what will happen to her—either death or a life of misery."
Lady Rosamund widened her eyes in horror as she imagined the worst possible fate for her precious daughter. "No, I can't do this," she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. "I can't lose her."
"We have no choice," he repeated, his tone resigned. "She is the only one they will accept."
Lady Rosamund was overwhelmed with despair. She couldn't believe what was happening. Her own daughter, the child she had loved and cared for since the day she was born, was about to be sacrificed to be a cannon fodder.
"Is there nothing we can do to change their minds?" she asked with desperation.
"We have tried, but the dark forces are too strong. They won't be persuaded."
"Who are they actually?"
"I don't know exactly, but they are powerful and ruthless. If we defy them, they will destroy us."
"But how can we just give up our daughter?" Lady Rosamund cried.
"Because, unlike you, I can think about the greater good," Lord Zoltar sneered. "And the greater good is our people, and not the daughter of a woman."
"How can you say that?" Lady Rosamund gasped in pain.
"Because it's the truth," he said coldly. "Now, stop being emotional and focus on the bigger picture."
Lady Rosamund's shoulders slumped in defeat, knowing there was no way to convince her husband to change his mind. She seemed to fall into a pit of sadness. She knew he was right, but it didn't make the pain any easier to bear.
"When do we have to do this?" she asked.
"Tonight," he answered. "I have arranged everything."
"Tonight?" she asked in disbelief. "You mean after the party? No, I can't do this."
"You have no choice," he said harshly. "If you refuse, I'll punish you."
Lady Rosamund looked up, surprised. "You wouldn't dare," she challenged.
He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. "Try me," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
She recoiled, realizing she had no choice. Her husband was a cruel man, and she couldn't imagine what he would do to her if she disobeyed him.
"I will make sure we're well-compensated," he assured her.
"What do you mean?"
"If we give them what they want, they will give us something in return. Something we've wanted for a long time."
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
He hesitated before answering, his voice heavy with meaning. "Power," he said. "With their help, we will rule this land. No one will ever challenge our authority again."
"But, at what cost?" Lady Rosamund asked. "Our own daughter's life?"
"Yes," he said coldly. "And we will do whatever it takes to achieve our goal. Even if it means sacrificing her."
Lady Rosamund stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man she had once loved was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating monster. No matter how hard she tried to dismiss his ideas, it was futile as he would always have his own way. The realization weighed heavily on her, leaving her feeling powerless in her struggle against his ruthless plans.
She knew she had to think of another plan and come up with the best idea possible.
Letting out a heavy sigh, she said, "I suppose you're right," but her mind raced with other thoughts.
Of course, she wouldn't let this happen. She was determined to save her daughter from such a terrible fate. But, how? How could she save her child when she was powerless to stop her husband's plans?
"What do we do now?" she asked.
"We'll wait," he said. "Tonight, when the dark forces open their gate, we will give them the sacrifice. And then, our dreams will finally come true."
"Do you think she'll survive?"
He paused, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know."
After a brief pause, she glanced at her husband and asked, "How would you manage that? How can they be certain it's our daughter?"
Lord Zoltar let out a chuckle. "Oh, they'll know. They always know."
Lady Rosamund was confused. She couldn't understand why her husband was so calm and relaxed. It was as if he was confident the dark force wouldn't be able to tell their daughter from another girl. But, the idea of her daughter being sacrificed was terrifying. She had to do something to save her.
"How?" she asked.
"Because of her beauty," he answered. "She's different from the others, and the dark force can sense that. They're attracted to her like a moth to a flame. They won't be able to resist her, no matter how hard they try."
She was surprised by his answer. She had no idea her daughter was so special that could attract the enemy. But, it didn't make her feel any better. It only meant that her daughter was in even more danger.
"You're right," she agreed.
"Yes, and we will use that to our advantage," he said with a malicious smile.
Lady Rosamund's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression calm. "What do you mean?"
"They're obsessed with her," he said. "And that makes her the perfect bait."
"Bait?"
"Yes," he confirmed, a twisted smile crossing his face.
Lady Rosamund's heart lurched at the thought of putting her daughter in such danger. She didn't want to agree with her husband, but she also didn't want to risk defying him.
"How?"
"Don't worry, my love. I have a plan," he said, his tone filled with confidence. "We will lure the dark force into a trap and destroy them once and for all."
Lady Rosamund felt a glimmer of hope, but it quickly faded. "But, how will we do that?"
"Leave that to me," he said. "You just need to follow my instructions, and everything will be fine."
"Please explain your plan to me. I need to understand how it involves our precious daughter."
He smiled, "We will send her to the dark forest as a sacrifice. They won't be able to resist her. And then, when they're distracted, we will attack and wipe them out."
"But, isn't that too risky? What if they harm her?"
"They won't," he said, his tone dismissive. "The dark forces need her alive. If they kill her, they will be unable to open their gate. We will be safe."
"I'm not so sure."
"Trust me, my love. It will work."
She hesitated, but nodded in agreement as she had no choice.
As the night fell, and the stars came out, the atmosphere became eerie. The wind was blowing hard, and the leaves rustled in the trees. A full moon shone brightly in the sky, casting an ominous glow over the town.