Alaric stood in his war tent, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the map of Calithea spread across the table. The candlelight flickered against the parchment, illuminating the borders where his forces had gathered. But his focus wasn't on the map.
It was on her.
Queen Lysandra.
He had kidnapped her out of necessity, a piece of leverage to push Erythian into surrender. He had expected fear, desperation, or at the very least, compliance. But what he had found was something entirely different.
She had been present before him, unflinching with her words sharp and defiant. There had been no begging, no tears. Instead, she had looked him in the eye and told him exactly what she thought of him.
No one had ever spoken to him like that before.
And now, even with her safely back in Calithea, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
It was not just her boldness and defiance. It was the way she carried herself, the calm strength that seemed to radiate from her every move. It reminded him of someone he had known long ago, but he couldn't place it.
"Alaric."
The voice of his second-in-command, Dorian, pulled him from his thoughts. Alaric turned, masking his distraction with a scowl.
"What is it?"
"Our scouts report that Calithea is preparing for war," Dorian said, his expression grim. "They've strengthened their borders and sent emissaries to neighboring kingdoms for support."
Alaric smirked. "Let them prepare. It won't change the outcome."
Dorian hesitated. "What about Queen Lysandra? Do we move forward with the plan to use her against them?"
Alaric's smirk faltered for a brief moment before he regained his composure. "No. She's no longer a factor."
Dorian frowned and wondered why his change of heart but didn't question him.
Alaric dismissed him with a wave and turned back to the map. He traced his finger along the border, his thoughts once again drifting to Lysandra.
Why can't I stop thinking about her?
her strength captivated him. It was also the knowledge that she belonged to Erythian, or soon would. That fact alone made him want her even more.
Taking her would be the start of an ultimate victory over Erythian, a man Alaric had hated for years, his half brother. Erythian had always been one step ahead, always the favored one. Stealing his bride would be a blow Erythian would never recover from.
But it wasn't just about revenge. Alaric couldn't deny the pull he felt toward her, a pull he didn't fully understand; infact, deep down; Alaric knew that he only threatened this war to cause a delay in the marital process for Erythian and the queen.
"I'm not doing any of this for her, I'm doing it for myself, my revenge" he muttered to himself, trying to shake the thought away.
But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true.
In Calithea, Zara paced the length of her chambers, her thoughts were a whirlwind. The note from Alaric weighed heavily on her mind, the words were etched into her memory.
"…but this is far from over. Calithea will fall, and you will be the one to watch it burn."
She had shown the note to Erythian and the council earlier that day. They had dismissed it as nothing more than an empty threat. But Zara knew better.
"Alaric doesn't make empty threats," she said aloud, her voice filled with certainty.
And why would he send this to you? Lysandra's voice echoed in her mind. What does he want with you, specifically?
Zara paused, the question settling over her like a heavy cloak. She didn't have an answer.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. It was Erythian.
"We need to talk," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Zara crossed her arms. "About what?"
"The note," he said, his tone clipped. "I don't trust Alaric, but I also don't think he's foolish enough to attack us outright. He's playing a game."
"I know that," Zara said. "The question is, what kind of game?"
Erythian hesitated, his eyes searching hers. "He's never attacked Calithea, he's never wanted calithea, he's always wanted ME so why now? I think he might be intentionally targeting you?"
Zara frowned. "Why would he?"
Erythian looked away, his jaw tightening. "Maybe because of…"
"Because of you," Zara finished for him, understanding dawning on her. "I know, this is foolishness" she snarled.
Erythian didn't respond.
Zara shook her head. "You two can be the death of each other for all I care but when you bring a threat upon calithea, that's where I have a problem"
"This isn't just about me!" Erythian snapped. "Alaric wants power. He always has. And now he sees you as a way to get it."
Zara took a step closer, her voice calm but firm. "And whose fault is it that he's so power hungry? Whose fault is it that he's out for blood now?" Zara stares deep into his eyes.
Erythian's expression softened, and for a moment, Zara thought he might agree and feel humbled by her disposition and words But then he turned and left without another word.
That night, Zara couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, her mind replaying the events of the day. Finally, she gave up and left her chambers, wandering the quiet halls of the palace.
She found herself in the library, a place Queen Lysandra often went when she needed to think, The room was dimly lit, the shelves towering above her like silent sentinels; Zara found it quite comforting and she understood why it was such a comfort place for Lysandra.
She ran her fingers along the spines of the books, her thoughts drifting once again to Alaric. There was something about him that unsettled her, something she couldn't quite put into words.
"Can't sleep, Your Majesty?"
The voice startled her, and she turned to see Erythian standing in the doorway.
"I could ask you the same," she said, her tone wary.
Erythian stepped inside, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he spoke. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier."
"And?" Zara prompted.
"You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "It is my fault, I did this; he's this way because of the things that I've done to him" he added
"I know" Zara said.
"Your majesty, if we're going to do this, we need to be honest with each other."
Zara raised an eyebrow. "What aren't you telling me?"
Erythian hesitated, then sighed. "Alaric and I, yes we are brothers and yes he was the main heir to the throne but I took that away from him"
"Why did you do that??" Zara asked.
Erythian's jaw tightened. "I need you to trust me and understand that it is a reason I'm unable to share" he walks foward and holds her hands while staring into her eyes "but I promise you, it was never done out of spite and none of the things I did were intended to hurt him".
"You've just said a lot of nothing Erythian" Zara said, "you asked me today if I trusted you? How can I? When everytime I feel like there's been a breakthrough in those high walls you have, I find that we have taken ten more thousand steps back" she added.
"I just need you to trust me Lysandra, please" Erythian says with his hand gently rested on her cheek as he stared into her eyes.
Tears welled up in the queen's eyes and her eyes dart from his left eye to the right "I'm sorry, I…don't" she begins to walk out of the room hurriedly
Erythian shouted at the top of his voice. "He wants to destroy and take everything that I know and love, Alaric knows how I feel about you my queen, And now he will do everything in his power to see that he takes you from me"
Zara's chest tightened at his words and she returned. "I won't let him take me; I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for the marriage because I WANT IT TO HAPPEN for my people."
Erythian stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "I understand"
In his tent, Alaric stared at the map of Calithea, his thoughts consumed by the queen who had defied him.
He didn't just want to destroy Erythian anymore. He wanted her.
For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine it, to imagine her by his side, ruling together.
It was a ridiculous thought, and yet it refused to leave him.
A smirk crossed his lips as he thought of Erythian.
"You don't deserve her, he thought. And I'll make sure you never have her."
To be continued…