Chapter 112 Chapter 111
Evelyn.
"Yes, Duke Ethan just left the palace to go and access the situation." Amaris told me. "According to the rumors I've been hearing, the situation is really dire. I just hope everything turns out okay" Amaris explained and I felt anguish flood my soul, my body filled with icy fear. "Have you seen the Alpha King yet?" Amaris asked and I shook my head.
"I'm on my way to his chambers, though. Hopefully is still around."
"Okay, then... Good luck." Amaris said as I started to walk away from her.
"Good luck!' I yelled back as I quickened my steps. The Alpha king's chambers soon came into view and withw a hesitant knock, I pushed open the doors and walked into the his chambers. I met him standing in front of the full length mirror in the room, putting on his armor, a grim expression on his face.
"Your majesty..." I called out, trailing off as I met his eyes through the mirror, the words that I wanted to say stuck in my throat. He finished wearing his armor and came to meet me, fixing me an impassive look even as my heart pounded with fear and worry. Searching his eyes, I tried again. "What's happening?"
His eyes met mine, a mixture of concern and determination in his gaze. "Evelyn, we're under attack. The kingdom is facing a threat we had anticipated, but not in this scale." he explained, his voice urgent. "I need to lead my army, head to the front lines and find out who is responsible for this." He stated, a serious expression on his face.
Fear clutched at my heart as I took in his words. "What can we do? How can we help?" I asked, desperate for a plan, for some way to push back the encroaching darkness. He fixed me another pensive look again and I could feel my heart shriveling in fear. Staring at bus hands, he removed a ring from it, the one that contained the seal of authority as the Alpha king and stretched it out, prompting me to collect it.
I stared at the ring in his hands, before directing my gaze back to his face. When I realized he it was meant for me, I took it with shaky hands. "The kingdom is in your hands now. You have to take care of it in my absence." He announced gravely.
"W-what!? But I don't know how to... I'm not..!!" I started to blabber when he placed a hand on my shoulder, gazing into my eyes.
"I need you to stay safe. We're mobilizing our forces, and I must lead them. Trust that I will defend our kingdom, our home. Take care of things here. You're the only I can trust now. I'll come back to you."
"Okay..." I forced out, my voice trembling as tears spilled out of my eyes, I hurriedly cleaned them off, not wanting to cry in front of him as I clutched the ring in my hands tightly. How much adversity do we have to go through before I can be truly happy with him?! He lifted my chin with his fingers, before leaning down to press a kiss to my lips. Though it was brief, it still caused me to catch my breath. Without another word, he donned his cloak and stepped out of the chambers, leaving me with the fear they things could go awfully wrong.
Feeling a mixture of pride and anxiety, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. The kingdom was under siege, and my role in this battle was uncertain. All I could do was hope for the safety of those fighting for our home and wait for Kieran's return.
With a heavy heart, I retreated out of the king's chambers, wearing the ring on my fingers and feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders. It was so heavy I felt like I would buckle under the weight, my mind consumed by worry for the kingdom and the man who held my heart.
Morticia's unsettling words at the dungeon came to mind and I felt a chill run through me, causing me to pause in my tracks. Surely, she didn't have a hand in these things, did she? There's no way I could tell, I would have to see her by myself. I looked out the window once again, watching as the dark smoke rose high in the sky, and the organized chaos below.
The echoes of conflict outside served as a constant reminder of the perilous reality we faced, and in the midst of uncertainty, all I could do was wait for the dawn after this storm, praying for the safety of our kingdom and the ones I held dear.
Glancing at the ring on my fingers, I steeled myself, taking a deep breath as I closed my eyes. I would not let Keiran down, I would guard this kingdom with everything I had in me. At least, it would be much better than doing nothing.