The pale morning light filtered through the curtains of the royal chambers, casting a soft glow over the room where Queen Julie lay. The once-vibrant queen of Valorian was now a fragile figure, her breathing shallow, her face pale and drawn. The scent of fresh herbs and medicinal salves hung in the air, but everyone knew that they could do nothing to stave off the inevitable.

Thomas stood by the bedside, his heart heavy as he watched his sister’s chest rise and fall weakly. His armor was absent, leaving him feeling more vulnerable than he’d ever felt on the battlefield. He had fought countless wars for Valorian, always emerging victorious, but this was a battle he couldn’t win.

“Thomas…” Julie’s voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper.

He leaned in closer, gently taking her frail hand in his. “I’m here, Julie. Save your strength.”

A weak smile tugged at her lips, though it was tinged with sorrow. “Strength… I don’t have much left, my dear brother.”

Behind them, Alexander stood, his imposing figure a stark contrast to the gentle scene before him. His cold blue eyes were fixed on his wife, yet there was something unreadable about his expression—something that sent a shiver down Thomas’s spine. The king had always been a distant figure to him, even when they fought side by side, and now, as the man he despised the most stood watching, Thomas felt the familiar tension rise within him.

Julie’s hand tightened slightly around his. “I need you to promise me something, Thomas.”

Thomas’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Anything, sister. What do you need?”

Her eyes flickered toward Alexander for a brief moment before returning to Thomas. “Promise me… you’ll take care of our son. Promise me that you’ll stay by his side.”

“Of course,” Thomas replied without hesitation. “He’s my nephew. I would protect him with my life.”

But Julie shook her head weakly. “That’s not all… I want you to promise… that you’ll marry Alexander after I’m gone.”

The words hit Thomas like a blow to the chest. He froze, his heart pounding as if he had been struck down in battle. “What? No… Julie, you can’t ask me to do that. You can’t mean that.”

Her grip tightened again, and she looked at him with such desperation in her eyes that it cut through his shock. “Please, Thomas. I’m asking you to do this for me… for our son. He needs a stable family. Alexander… he needs you.”

Thomas’s throat tightened as he tried to make sense of her request. Marry Alexander? The cruel king who ruled with an iron fist? The man who had taken Julie as his queen but kept a harem of concubines for his pleasure? Thomas had always respected his sister’s choice, even if he never understood her love for such a man. But to marry him?

“I can’t… I can’t do that,” Thomas whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. “Julie, he’s… I hate him.”

“I know,” Julie whispered, her voice weaker now. “But I see something in him… something more. You… you could be the one to bring it out.”

Thomas turned his gaze toward Alexander, who remained silent but watchful. The king’s expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that made Thomas uneasy. Was it guilt? Or something else?

Before Thomas could respond, Alexander stepped forward. His voice was low, but it cut through the room with authority. “I’ve given her my word. When she passes, we will be married. You don’t have a choice in this, Thomas. You owe it to her.”

Thomas’s anger flared at the king’s cold words. “I don’t owe you anything, Alexander,” he spat, his fists clenched at his sides. “And I won’t be your puppet, not even for her.”

Julie’s hand tugged weakly at his, drawing his attention back to her. “Please, Thomas. I wouldn’t ask this of you if it weren’t my final wish. Do it for me… and for our son.”

Tears welled in Thomas’s eyes as he looked down at his sister, his heart breaking with every word she spoke. He had always been there for her, always protected her, but this… this was too much. How could she ask him to bind himself to a man he despised?

But as he stared into her eyes, so full of love and desperation, he knew he couldn’t deny her. He couldn’t refuse her dying wish.

“I’ll do it,” he finally whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll marry him… for you.”

Julie smiled, her eyes closing as relief washed over her. “Thank you… Thomas. I know… I know it will be hard, but in time… you’ll understand.”

Thomas pressed a kiss to her forehead, his tears falling onto her skin. “Rest now, Julie. I’ll take care of everything.”

As Julie’s breathing slowed, her grip on Thomas’s hand loosened. He stayed by her side until the very end, his heart shattered as the sister he loved slipped away.

After the chamber had fallen into a heavy silence, Thomas stood alone at the window, staring out into the vast kingdom that Julie had once ruled as queen. His mind was numb, his heart aching. Behind him, he could sense Alexander’s presence. The king hadn’t moved from his place near the bed, his eyes fixed on Julie’s lifeless form.

“You’ve fulfilled her final wish,” Alexander said, his voice devoid of emotion. “You are now bound to me, Thomas.”

Thomas’s hands clenched into fists as he turned to face the king. “This marriage is nothing more than a chain around my neck, Alexander. I will never love you.”

Alexander’s lips curved into a cold smile. “I don’t need your love, Thomas. I only need your loyalty.”

With those words, the king turned and left the room, leaving Thomas standing in the darkness, his heart torn between his duty and his hatred.

And so, the knight who had sworn to protect his sister now found himself bound to her cruel husband, a prisoner of a marriage neither wanted. Yet deep in his heart, Thomas couldn’t shake the feeling that Julie had seen something he hadn’t—something that might one day bring them together.

But for now, all he felt was the weight of the chains that bound him.

To Be Continued...

The royal chapel stood eerily silent. The once-grand halls, usually filled with the echoes of celebration and power, now felt suffocating under the weight of an event no one wanted to witness. The heavy stone walls seemed to press in on Thomas as he stood at the altar, his heart pounding in his chest. The priest’s voice droned on, but Thomas barely heard it over the rush of blood in his ears.

He was dressed in formal armor, as if going into battle, but this was no battlefield. The truth was, he would have preferred to face a hundred enemies than stand here, about to marry the man who had tormented him for years. Alexander, the cruel king who took what he wanted, who ruled with fear and force, was now to be his husband. It was absurd. Unbearable.

The king stood across from him, dressed in his royal finery, his cold blue eyes fixed on Thomas as though they were the only two people in the room. There was no joy on his face, no warmth in his gaze—only that unreadable expression that had haunted Thomas since the day they first met. It felt like Alexander was sizing him up, as though even now, in this twisted moment, he was trying to assert dominance over him.

The priest cleared his throat, drawing Thomas back to the present. He glanced down at his hands, fists clenched tightly at his sides. This wasn’t right. His sister had died barely a week ago, and now he was standing here, being bound to her widowed husband. The marriage felt like a prison, one built on chains of duty, not love. But he couldn’t break his promise to Julie. She had asked this of him, and though every fiber of his being screamed in protest, he had sworn to see it through.

“I now pronounce you… bound,” the priest’s voice echoed through the chapel, his words final and heavy.

Thomas didn’t look up. He couldn’t. His gaze remained fixed on the cold marble floor beneath his feet, wishing he could disappear into it.

“Raise your head, Thomas,” Alexander’s voice cut through the air, commanding and sharp.

Reluctantly, Thomas obeyed. He lifted his chin and met the king’s gaze, his heart constricting with a mix of fury and despair. The king’s lips curved into a cold smile, as if he was amused by Thomas’s obvious discomfort.

“You belong to me now,” Alexander said softly, his words meant only for Thomas to hear.

Thomas’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching even harder. “I belong to no one,” he hissed under his breath.

Alexander’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he reached out and took Thomas’s hand, his grip firm and possessive. The touch sent a jolt through Thomas’s body, a mix of anger and something else—something he didn’t want to acknowledge. His skin burned where Alexander’s hand rested, but he refused to show any sign of weakness.

The ceremony ended as quickly as it had begun, with no celebration, no cheering crowds. There were no well-wishers, no joyous smiles. Only silence.

As the chapel doors creaked open, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the stone hall. Thomas stood frozen for a moment, unwilling to leave. But Alexander tugged at his hand, pulling him forward. The message was clear: the king was in control.

They exited the chapel together, side by side, but the distance between them felt like a chasm. The cool evening air greeted them outside, but it did nothing to ease the heat building in Thomas’s chest. His body ached with tension, every muscle screaming to break free from the chains this marriage had wrapped around him.

Once they were out of sight of the few onlookers, Alexander turned to Thomas, his expression unreadable. “You may hate me all you want, Thomas, but this is our reality now. You will learn your place in this marriage.”

Thomas yanked his hand out of Alexander’s grip, his eyes blazing with fury. “This is no marriage. It’s a prison sentence.”

Alexander’s smile was cold, his eyes narrowing. “Call it what you will. You belong to me now. And whether you like it or not, we are bound by more than just a promise.”

Thomas’s breath caught in his throat at the insinuation in Alexander’s words. He wanted to deny it, to scream that there was nothing between them except the memory of Julie. But deep down, there was a part of him—a small, quiet part—that feared what Alexander was saying might be true.

Without another word, Thomas turned and walked away, his steps heavy and determined. He needed space, distance from the man who had just claimed him. He needed to breathe, to escape the suffocating weight of this unwanted bond.

As he made his way through the darkened corridors of the palace, his mind raced with conflicting emotions. He had always been a man of duty, always put his kingdom, his family, above his own desires. But this… this was too much. How could Julie have asked this of him? How could she have expected him to live like this, tied to a man he despised?

But there was no escaping it now. He was married to King Alexander, bound by the chains of duty and a promise he couldn’t break. And though he hated the king, there was a growing fear in his heart—fear that one day, those chains might bind them together in ways he never expected.

In the privacy of his chambers, Alexander sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the door where Thomas had disappeared. His cold demeanor masked the storm brewing inside him. For years, he had admired Thomas from afar—his strength, his courage, his defiance. There was something about the knight that had always drawn him in, even though he had never dared to act on it.

But now, things were different. Thomas was his, bound by marriage, by promise. And though the knight’s hatred was palpable, Alexander couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction. The bond had been sealed, and now, Thomas would be forced to confront the tension that had always existed between them.

The king’s hand tightened around the armrest of his chair as his mind wandered to thoughts he had long tried to suppress. He had never allowed himself to truly want anyone, never let desire rule him. But Thomas… Thomas was different.

And now, he had him.

But the question lingered in Alexander’s mind: would Thomas ever see past his hatred? Could there ever be anything more between them?

Alexander wasn’t sure. But for the first time in years, he allowed himself to hope.

To Be Continued...

The night sky stretched endlessly above the royal palace, stars twinkling like distant promises that seemed out of reach. Thomas lay in his quarters, staring at the ceiling, his mind churning with anger, confusion, and sorrow. His body felt like it had been through a war, though he hadn't lifted a sword in days. The weight of the wedding ring on his finger burned, a constant reminder of the prison he now lived in—a marriage to a man he despised.

He had avoided Alexander since the ceremony, retreating to his chambers as soon as the opportunity presented itself. He had no desire to face the king or pretend to play the role of a devoted husband. This wasn’t a marriage; it was a farce. A twisted joke that fate had played on him.

The door to his room creaked open, and Thomas’s body stiffened as he sat up quickly, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger he kept by the bed. His heart pounded as he watched the figure step into the room, the flickering candlelight illuminating Alexander’s cold features.

“What do you want?” Thomas’s voice was sharp, laced with bitterness.

Alexander closed the door behind him, his movements slow, deliberate. His presence seemed to fill the room, as if he had brought the very tension that hung between them. He didn’t answer right away, his blue eyes studying Thomas with a look that made the knight feel both exposed and defiant.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Alexander finally said, his voice low and commanding.

Thomas scoffed, rising to his feet. “What did you expect? That I’d come running into your arms after the ceremony?”

The king’s gaze darkened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he took a step closer, his eyes never leaving Thomas’s. “This is our reality now, Thomas. Whether you like it or not, we are bound to each other.”

“Bound by a promise I never wanted to make,” Thomas snapped, taking a step back. “Julie’s gone. She’s the only reason I agreed to this madness.”

A flicker of something—pain, perhaps—crossed Alexander’s face at the mention of Julie’s name. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the familiar cold mask that the king wore so well.

“You think I don’t know that?” Alexander’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “I know you hate me, Thomas. I’ve known it for years. But this… this is bigger than either of us.”

Thomas felt his anger flare again. “Bigger? This is about control, Alexander. You’ve always wanted to control everything—your kingdom, your people, even your wife. Now, you want to control me.”

The king’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity. “I don’t need to control you, Thomas. You’ve always been bound by duty. You will do what’s right, no matter how much you hate it.”

Thomas’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. Alexander wasn’t wrong. Duty had always driven him. It was why he had agreed to this cursed marriage in the first place—because he had made a promise to his dying sister, and no matter how much he loathed the king, he couldn’t break that promise.

“I don’t care about duty anymore,” Thomas growled, his voice thick with frustration. “I can’t live like this, pretending to be your husband.”

Alexander took another step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “No one said you had to pretend.”

Thomas’s breath caught in his throat, and he took another step back, only to feel the edge of the bed against the back of his legs. There was something in the way Alexander was looking at him, something dark and intense that made his skin prickle with a mix of fear and something else—something he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“You can hate me all you want, Thomas,” Alexander continued, his voice low and steady. “But that doesn’t change what we are now. You’re mine. And I won’t let you run from it.”

The words sent a shiver down Thomas’s spine, but he forced himself to hold his ground. “I will never be yours.”

The king’s lips curved into a cold smile as he closed the distance between them. “We’ll see.”

Before Thomas could react, Alexander reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him close with a force that took the knight by surprise. Thomas’s breath hitched as his chest collided with the king’s, his heart racing as he felt the strength of Alexander’s grip.

There was a moment—brief but undeniable—where something shifted between them. The air seemed to crackle with tension, the space between their bodies disappearing as Alexander’s gaze locked with Thomas’s, intense and unyielding.

Thomas’s mind screamed at him to push the king away, to break free from the closeness that was suffocating him. But his body betrayed him, frozen in place as the weight of Alexander’s presence pressed against him.

“You can fight this all you want,” Alexander murmured, his breath warm against Thomas’s skin. “But it won’t change what we are now. You can’t escape it.”

Thomas swallowed hard, his pulse quickening as he stared into the king’s eyes, feeling something stir deep inside him—a mixture of fury, desire, and fear.

“I don’t want this,” Thomas whispered, though his voice lacked the conviction he wished it had.

Alexander’s grip on his wrist tightened, and he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against Thomas’s ear as he whispered, “Maybe not. But you’ll learn to.”

The words sent a shock of heat through Thomas’s body, and he jerked back, breaking free from Alexander’s hold. His heart pounded in his chest as he took a step away, his hands trembling with a mix of rage and something else he couldn’t quite name.

“You’re wrong,” Thomas said, his voice low but firm. “I’ll never be yours, Alexander. Not in the way you want.”

Alexander’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t move to close the distance again. Instead, he watched Thomas with an intensity that made the knight’s skin prickle with unease.

“We’ll see,” the king repeated, his voice a quiet promise.

Without another word, Alexander turned and left the room, leaving Thomas standing there, his heart racing, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and anger.

As the door closed behind the king, Thomas collapsed onto the bed, his body shaking as he tried to process what had just happened. He hated Alexander—he had always hated him. But there was something in the king’s touch, something in his gaze, that made Thomas feel things he didn’t want to feel.

The chains of duty had bound him to this man, but Thomas couldn’t shake the growing fear that there was something more pulling him toward Alexander—something he couldn’t fight, no matter how much he wanted to.

And deep down, that terrified him more than anything.

To Be Continued...