Chapter 8: King Aric's Demise

"Did you hear what he said to me?" Queen Nadia's voice quivered as she confronted Dagon. She had summoned him urgently the moment she entered her opulent chambers.

"I heard, my lady," Dagon replied with a composed demeanor.

The Queen's indignation burned brightly. "How dare he! I am the Queen. It should be me he loves. I should be the one carrying his heir, not that wretched maid!"

Queen Nadia's cry echoed in the chamber, her anger mingling with the bitterness of unrequited love. Her tear-filled eyes reflected a storm of emotions she had long kept hidden.

Dagon's lips curled into a sinister smile. As he watched the Queen's turmoil, he sensed the potent mixture of rage and sorrow brewing within her. Queen Nadia's desire for King Aric's affection had always been unfulfilled, even before the presence of Alia. However, such intense emotions, he believed, could be wielded to transform her into something formidable.

"Tell me, Dagon," Nadia implored, her voice now tinged with helplessness. "What steps should I take?"

"My lady, the solution is clear. Remove him from your path permanently, and your troubles will be over." Dagon's words slithered through the air.

Queen Nadia halted, her eyes widening in response.

"But that's... I can't even consider that," she whispered, her voice quivering.

"Why not?" Dagon's voice dripped with persuasion.

"Because he is the King," Queen Nadia replied, her tone wavering.

A sly smile curved Dagon's lips. "Funny, just moments ago, you were reminding me that you are the Queen. The more powerful one, remember? Prove it by removing him."

"I cannot. It's an impossible suggestion," Queen Nadia asserted.

Dagon's voice dripped with disdain. "If that's truly beyond your capabilities, then perhaps you're weaker than I believed. And here I was considering offering you a priceless gift."

The mention of a gift piqued Nadia's curiosity. "What gift?"

Dagon's eyes gleamed with a malevolent light. "A child of your own."

The notion of having her own child captivated Queen Nadia. Yet, she knew it to be unattainable due to her inability to conceive. Mages had confirmed this for her.

"You couldn't possibly achieve that, could you?" she asked Dagon skeptically.

"Is there anything I can't accomplish, my lady? But remember, certain tasks require your involvement," Dagon replied cryptically.

The notion of having a child of her own consumed Nadia's thoughts. She would do whatever it took to defy the cruel hand fate had dealt her—even if it meant ending Aric's life. His lovelessness had become undeniable, and she questioned why she should hold onto a loveless bond.

"Very well, I'll consider it. On the condition that you fulfill your end and grant me a child of my own."

"Your wishes have never gone unfulfilled, my lady. This shall be no different," Dagon assured, his form dissolving into nothingness.

********

Aric had issued an unwavering directive to Lucas: find Alia at any cost, and their search was to persist relentlessly until she was located.

Amidst a tumult of emotions, Aric grappled with an agonizing dilemma. Alia, the love of his life, bore his child, yet his royal responsibilities weighed heavily on him. He pondered the conundrum of his identity as both a devoted lover and a reigning monarch. What course of action should he take upon finding her? His thoughts remained shrouded in uncertainty, yearning for her safety above all else. Should any harm befall her, he vowed to hold Nadia accountable and extract a severe retribution.

Even as the notion took form in his mind, the grand doors of his chambers swung open abruptly, and Queen Nadia swept into the room.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Aric's voice rang out, charged with a mixture of authority and astonishment.

With her resolution firm, Queen Nadia faced him, locking eyes with an icy, calculating stare. Her intentions were clear; she had resolved to remove the King as an obstacle.

"I have come to end you, Aric," Queen Nadia declared, her gaze darkening, emanating an almost malevolent aura.

Alert and wary, Aric recognized her as an immediate threat. Before he could react, before his fingers could even brush his sword hilt, he felt a peculiar sensation. The air was being siphoned from his lungs, his very breath stolen away. Struggling against the invisible force constricting him, he found himself gasping for air that wouldn't come. An overpowering sensation of suffocation gripped him.

In vain, he reached out towards Nadia, his strength waning as he collapsed to his knees. The world around him began to blur and fade, the edges of his vision dimming. Amidst his fading consciousness, his final thoughts coalesced around Alia. The realization that he might never see her again seared through his mind as darkness closed in.

Over the lifeless form of the fallen king, Queen Nadia stood triumphant, her eyes reflecting a chilling satisfaction. Her calculated plan had borne its fruit; Aric was no longer a barrier to her ambitions. Stepping away from the scene, her lips curved into a sinister smile, and she muttered, "You pledged to be the one to end me, but I've beaten you to it."

Her departing steps echoed through the deserted corridors of the castle as a malevolent laughter spilled from her lips, a haunting sound that declared her newfound dominance. The Queen had seized control, and no force seemed capable of halting her ascent to power.