Elara waited impatiently in her chambers for Xena to arrive, contemplating an appropriate punishment for her neglect of duties. While she brooded, the King's guards approached the two guards stationed outside her chambers. Elara overheard the commotion.
"What is going on here?" she demanded, yanking open the door.
The guards exchanged nervous glances. "It's the King, Your Majesty. He's been gone for a while, and we simply wanted to inquire if—"
"You are his personal guards, yet you come here to ask if we've seen the King? Have you lost your minds?" Elara snapped, her anger flaring. "How could you lose the one person you're supposed to protect?"
The guards bowed their heads in silence.
"Well, what are you standing around for? Find him!" Elara ordered, slamming the door in their faces. She returned to her chambers, seething. She couldn't shake the suspicion that Xena's disappearance was somehow connected to Aldric's absence.
*****
Xena made her way to the Queen's chambers, her emotions a tangled mess of fear, anxiety, joy, and anger. She worried about her mission, her love for Aldric, her sister's safety—everything felt so uncertain. The opulence of the palace, with its marble floors, fine linen curtains, and grand chandeliers, reminded her that this was Elara's home as much as Aldric's. Elara was the most powerful woman in the kingdom and could have Xena killed long before she ever got the chance to complete her mission.
When Xena entered the Queen's chambers, she found Elara sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair, eyes fixed on her reflection. It seemed as though Elara hadn't noticed her.
"Your Majesty, you called for me?" Xena asked, her voice soft.
Elara didn't turn, continuing to brush her hair as she spoke. "Did I call for you? Your duty in this palace is to attend to my every need, yet here I am, brushing my own hair."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Xena replied, bowing her head.
Elara scoffed, rising from her chair and gliding toward Xena, her dress trailing behind her. When she reached her, she lifted Xena's chin with cold fingers.
"You might have seduced Aldric into forgetting you're just a maid. Perhaps you've even convinced yourself of that. But I haven't forgotten," Elara said, her tone icy. "And I'll make sure you remember your place."
Her silver ring grazed Xena's cheek, its coldness sending a shiver down her spine. "You look like such a sweet thing," she mused, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Xena remained silent, unsure how to respond. Denial seemed futile.
"Leave my chambers. I'll call for you when I need you," Elara commanded.
****
Xena left, feeling uncharacteristically shaken. She had faced worse in her life, yet the Queen's words struck a nerve, reminding her of the vast distance between herself and Aldric—a distance she could never truly bridge.
***
Aldric spent the latter part of the day in his study. The guards had informed him of Elara's concern over his absence, and he knew he would need to explain himself. Though he often spent time alone or even slept in separate rooms, he understood it would be unfair to dismiss her concerns entirely.
"Aldric, where have you been? The guards were looking everywhere for you. What happened?" Elara asked, rushing to his side, her voice filled with feigned concern.
"I just wanted to be alone for a while. I must've dozed off," Aldric replied, offering a half-hearted excuse.
Elara frowned, though she tried to hide her disappointment with a forced smile. She knew Aldric was too intelligent and cautious to simply fall asleep somewhere no one could find him, but she chose to let it go.
"Those incompetent guards had no idea where you were, even though they were supposed to be watching over you," she said, her frustration evident.
"Don't blame them," Aldric said defensively. "I usually stop them from following me to certain places in the gardens. I prefer solitude."
"Don't speak to me like I'm a child, Aldric," she replied sharply. "I know you're more than capable of defending yourself, but this was... strange."
Aldric's explanation didn't satisfy her, but she said nothing further, unwilling to waste the moment. He soon lost interest in the conversation, eventually falling asleep. Elara lay beside him, silently fuming. She could no longer pretend everything was fine—she was determined to get rid of Xena.
*****
The following day unfolded without incident. Xena and Aldric returned to their respective roles, behaving as though nothing was amiss. As night fell, Aldric's thoughts turned to the secret meeting they had arranged for the next day. But Xena didn't show up.
Fear had gnawed at her all day. She couldn't shake the feeling that the Shadow King might lose patience and strike on his own. Instead of completing her mission, she had gained a new enemy in the Queen. Xena's mind was racing, filled with doubts and fears. She wanted to meet Aldric, but her terror held her back.
Meanwhile, Elara enlisted her former maid, Anna, to keep a close watch on Xena.
*****
That evening, Aldric's heart sank when Xena didn't appear. He knew she was always fearful and hesitant, but her absence left him devastated. Something beyond the Queen was frightening Xena, but Aldric couldn't figure out what it was. His world, his happiness, had become centered around her. The days that followed were filled with meetings, but his mood remained foul, and he avoided the palace gardens, too disheartened to go.
****
Xena, too, was conflicted. She knew she needed to focus on her mission. But each time she thought of harming Aldric, her heart ached. Though it was necessary, she couldn't bring herself to imagine killing him. She knew she couldn't defeat him in combat—he was stronger, and his guards would never stand by and let her kill their King. Poison, she decided, was the only option. Aldric had relaxed his policy on food tasting, believing his new staff to be trustworthy. She began researching deadly poisons, ones that wouldn't be easily detected in food or drink.
To gather the necessary materials, Xena had to leave the palace several times. Her absences didn't go unnoticed by her friends, Rose and Lily, or by Anna, who was now spying for the Queen. Xena hid the books she acquired, studying them when she was alone. But every time she came close to choosing a method, her heart refused. She loved Aldric too much to carry out her mission coldly.
****
One evening, she headed toward the gardens, hoping to find solace at the spot where she and Aldric were supposed to meet. But she quickly sensed she was being followed. Instinctively, she walked aimlessly for a while before rushing back to her room. She was convinced one of the Shadow King's assassins had been trailing her. The war between her mind and heart grew fiercer.
She knew what she had to do—but what she wanted to do was another matter entirely. Her sister, Lilith, was still in danger, and every moment Xena hesitated brought Lilith closer to death.