Chapter 1: The Weight of a Crown
The grand hall of the Sylvaris palace loomed ahead, its arched ceilings adorned with banners of golden suns and verdant vines. Princess Celestine pushed the heavy oak doors open, her footsteps echoing in the vast space. At the far end, on a dais of polished stone, sat her parents. King Aldric wore his silver crown, his face set in grim determination, while Queen Elara's calm composure betrayed none of the turmoil Celestine felt brewing.
"You summoned me, Father?" Celestine asked, her voice steady but laced with unease.
Aldric leaned forward on his throne, his hands clasped. "Sit, Celestine."
"I'll stand," she replied, her green eyes narrowing.
The king exchanged a glance with Elara before taking a deep breath. "Very well. I'll not waste words, as this will be hard enough to say. The council has approved the alliance with Tharavos, and with it comes the condition of marriage. You will wed Prince Kaelen within the month."
The silence that followed was deafening. Celestine blinked, as if she hadn't heard him correctly.
"You can't be serious," she said, her voice a whisper.
"It is already decided," Aldric said, his tone firm. "This union will end the bloodshed and bring prosperity to Sylvaris."
Her chest tightened, a mixture of rage and betrayal surging through her. "The bloodshed they caused? The war they started? How dare you, Father! How dare you ask me to marry into a family that's drenched in the blood of our people?"
"This is not a request," Aldric replied, his voice clipped.
"Then it's a command?" she shot back, her voice rising. "You're commanding me to betray everything I've ever known? Everything you taught me? Tharavos is the enemy!"
"They were the enemy," Aldric corrected sharply. "This marriage ensures they will be our ally. Their armies will no longer march on our borders, and their grain will fill our stores. Without this alliance, Sylvaris will starve, Celestine. Do you understand that?"
Celestine's fists clenched at her sides. "You think they'll honor this alliance? You think they won't turn on us the moment they see weakness? You're a fool if you believe that!"
"Watch your tongue," Aldric snapped, his voice like a crack of thunder.
"I will not," she spat, stepping forward. "You're asking me to destroy myself for a peace that won't last! Do you even care what this will do to me?"
Elara finally spoke, her voice soft yet firm. "Your father cares deeply, Celestine. This decision was not made lightly. You are strong enough to endure this, for the sake of your kingdom."
Celestine's laugh was hollow, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Strong enough to endure what? A loveless marriage? A lifetime in a foreign court, surrounded by people who hate me? Who will never see me as anything more than a pawn?"
"Enough!" Aldric roared, rising from his throne. His face was taut with frustration. "You think this is easy for me? You think I want to send my daughter away? I would gladly give anything else, anyone else, but this is the only way to secure our future!"
"There has to be another way," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please, Father. Don't do this to me."
Aldric's eyes softened momentarily before hardening again. "There is no other way. And you will do your duty."
She shook her head, her voice trembling with anger. "No. I won't. I refuse."
The room fell silent as the two locked eyes, both unyielding. Then Aldric's expression darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "If you refuse, Celestine, I will have no choice but to deal with... complications."
Celestine's breath caught, her entire body going cold. "You wouldn't."
"Don't test me," Aldric said, his voice low but heavy with menace. "I will do whatever it takes to ensure this alliance. Even if it means spilling blood that I'd rather not."
Her heart felt like it had been ripped from her chest. The man she had always called Father was using the one thing she cherished most against her. Her tears threatened to spill, but she forced them back, lifting her chin defiantly.
"So this is what I mean to you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "A tool. A piece on your chessboard."
"Celestine—" Aldric began, but she cut him off.
"No," she said, her voice sharp. "Not anymore. You've made your choice, my king."
The title hung in the air like a blade, cutting deeper than any shout could have. She turned on her heel, her emerald gown swishing behind her, and strode out of the hall without a backward glance.
The doors slammed shut, leaving Aldric and Elara in heavy silence. Elara reached out to her husband, her voice quiet. "You've pushed her too far."
"No," Aldric said, his voice hollow. "She'll see reason. She just has to."