The sharp clatter of hurried footsteps echoed through the stone corridors of the castle. Queen Elira's fingers were like iron around the trembling maid's wrist, dragging her forward with such force the girl stumbled, her cries muffled by the thick, suffocating air that reeked of despair.
The maid choked on a sob. Her bare feet scraping against the rough stone floor leaving faint smudges of blood as she tried to wriggle free. ''P-please, Your Majesty. I've served you faithfully—please!''
''Quiet!'' Queen Elira snapped, her voice reverberating off the cold stone. Her green emerald like eyes burned with a mixture of determination and something darker — something almost desperate.
Prince Kaelen followed close behind, his brows furrowed, his lips trembling as he whispered, ''Mother... we still have time. Please, reconsider. This isn't right.''
Elira's pace quickened. The heavy train of her gown brushed against the cold floor, the rhythm matching the frantic beating of her heart. ''Enough, Kaelen!'' she hissed, not sparing him a glance. Her voice wavered, betraying the fear simmering beneath her cold determination.
The dark corridor twisted and narrowed, leading them to the castle's basement —a place long forgotten. where torches flickered weakly against the damp, crumbling walls. The air was heavy with the smell of decay, the faint glow of the torches barely illuminating the shattered furnitures and layers of dust that coated the floor.
The sigils carved into the floor glowed faintly, pulsating with a dark, unearthly energy that sent shivers down the queen's spine. Each symbol seemed alive, twisting and writhing as though hungry for the offering they required.
Kaelen flinched as he stepped inside, his green eyes darted between the ominous markings, the trembling maid and the Queen.
Elira threw the maid forward, the girl collapsing onto the cold, hard ground with a gasp of pain. Her trembling hands pressed against the stone as she dared to lift her gaze, only to find Elira pulling a thin, glinting blade from her gown.
''No...no, please,'' the maid begged, her voice a broken whisper.
Prince Kaelen stepped forward, his face pale. ''Mother, stop!'' he pleaded, grabbing her arm. ''There must be another way. This—this is madness.''
''Do you think i want this, Kaelen?'' Elira snapped, her voice trembling, not with anger but with fear. ''Do you think I've worked this hard for you, only for him to take it all away? He is not a child anymore, Kaelen. He is old enough now—old enough for the King to start looking at him differently. To see him as an heir. Do you know what that means? He could take your place in throne.''
Her hands clenched tightly, nails biting into her palms as her mind raced. she nearly said it—nearly blurted out the dark, treacherous thought that had haunted her for years. He might not even be mine.
The memory struck her like a sudden wave, pulling her back to that stormy night. she had screamed until her throat was raw, gripping the sheets as pain tore through her. Arden's birth had been nothing like Kaelen's. Her first son had come into the world with ease, a blessing. But Arden...
The storm had raged outside the palace walls, thunder shaking the foundations as she labored. Just before darkness claimed her, she'd caught a glimpse of the child. His hair black like hers. She remembered the detail clearly. But when she woke, weak and feverish, the baby in her arms had fiery red hair, the exact shade of the King's.
The nurses had whispered reassurance, but doubt had taken root. How could a memory so vivid, so sharp, be wrong? The question had gnawed at her for years. Now, looking at Arden, with his cold silver eyes and his unnerving presence, the doubt had festered into something far more sinister.
She shook her head, forcing the thoughts away. ''You have to fight for what's yours, Kaelen. Because if you don't, he will take everything.'' Her voice broke on the last word.
Kaelen opened his mouth to respond, but the words never came.
She then turned to the maid, gripping her wrist with a strength that belied her slender frame. The girl screamed as the blade bit into her palm, a crimson stream spilling onto the stone floor.
The blood pooled, seeping into the grooves of the carved sigils. The chamber seemed to pulse with life as the markings ignited, glowing an eerie crimson. Kaelen looked away, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists.
The maid clutched her bleeding hand to her chest, her sobs wracking her fragile frame.
The Queen's breath faltered, and for a moment, she considered stopping. But the power in the room swelled, the sigils pulsing with light, and she knew she couldn't turn back. For Kaelen, she reminded herself, though the words felt hollow.
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The throne room was a stark contrast —a sanctuary of gold and light that masked the darkness lurking beneath. Arden stood before the King, his red hair catching the light of the grand chandeliers hanging above them. The boy stood straight backed, hands clasped behind him in a stance that made him seem older than his twelve years. His cold calculating eyes met the King's unwavering gaze.
The King leaned forward. his robes pooling around him like blood. His lips curled into a smile that held no warmth. ''Arden, my son, you understand the weight of the crown better than anyone. Expectations will be high. You must surpass them.''
Arden's face remained expresionless. ''Of course, Your Majesty,'' he said, the words short and formal. He never called the King father.
The King's smile widened, but his eyes darkened. ''Good. Kaelen was... a dissapointment. Weak. But you —you are strong. Ruthless. You'll bring this Kingdom to its glory, even if it means destroying those who stand in your way.''
Arden gave a slight nod, his posture unyielding. ''As you command.''
King Darius was a figure of indomitable power. His fiery red hair fell in waves around his sharp angular face, and his eyes piercing silver eyes glowed like molten steel. There was no mistaking it..Arden was his mirror.
The king chuckled, leaning back in his throne. ''I expect nothing less. Go now. Prepare yourself.''
Arden turned, his boots echoing against the marble floor. As he reached the door, his steps faltered.
The air shifted, a sudden, dizzying preasure wrapping around him. Arden staggared, his vision blurring as the world tilted. Sweat beaded on his brow.
The golden glow of the throne room dissolved, replaced by suffocating darkness. The cold hit him first, biting through his skin like needles. He stumbles forward, catching himself as the room soun violently.
When his vision cleared, he was standing in the middle of a glowing circle, the crimson symbols pulsating beneath his feet. The smell of burning wax and copper filled his nostrils.
He looked up, his sharp eyes locking onto his mother's pale face. She stood at the edge of the circle, her hands trembling despite the calm mask she wore. Beside her, Kaelen shifted uneasily, his green eyes flickering with guilt.
The maid whimpered against the wall, her trembling bloodied palm still clutched to her chest. Her wide, tear filled eyes darted toward Arden, and she recoiled as his gaze landed on her.
Arden's eyes were like ice—unblinking, piercing, and devoid of warmth. His expression was an unreadable mask, calm to the point of cruelty.
''Mother.'' he said, the word deliberate and rarely spoken, as though it was foreign to him.
Elira stiffened. That word—it felt strange when it came from him, a title she had never fully embraced in his presence. She had poured all her love, her pride, her hopes into Kaelen. Arden, on the other hand had always been... a shadow. A child she never truly ackowledged.
For years, she had avoided his gaze, avoided the question in his eyes. But now as he stood before her, there was a quiet strength in him, a resemblance to the man she married yet utterly his own. He was no longer the little boy she had dismissed.
Her voice faltered as she spoke his name. ''Arden,'' she said softly, her gaze finally settling on him. There was no cruelty in her tone, no dismissiveness only a strange, unexpected warmth.
It shouldn't have mattered. But to Arden, it did. She was looking at him... really looking at him—for the first time in years. And even though her eyes still didn't carry the same love they held for Kaelen, they carried something.
And for a boy who had grown up with nothing but her cold indifference, that something felt like everything.
''What is this?'' his voice was quiet but sharp, cutting through the heavy air like a blade.
The Queen straightened, her trembling hands clasped tightly in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak but faltered, her throat working against words that refused to come.
''This is...'' she began. her voice trembling before she forced it steady. ''It is necessary. For the good of the Kingdom.''
''The good of the Kingdom.'' Arden repeated her words with a slow, deliberate tone, as if tasting them. His gaze flickered to Kaelen, who flinched and turned his head away. ''And you, brother?''
Prince Kaelen's shoulders tensed. ''I-I didn't want this.''
Arden titlted his head slightly, studying him like one would study a cracked mirror. ''And yet here we are.''
''Arden!'' Kaelen's voice cracked, raw with panic. But Arden didnt respond. The glow of the symbols flared suddenly, and Arden felt the pull again, stronger this time. The world tilted, his stomach churned, and his vision swam. He stumbled, the ground slipping from under him as the light swallowed him whole.
The last thing he saw was Kaelen's face, pale and stricken, his mouth forming silent words Arden could not hear.
And then darkeness.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING 'The world of Arden!' I'LL BE POSTING TWICE A WEEK, SO STAY TUNED FOR MORE. HAPPY READING!