Maya woke to the cold sting of iron shackles biting into her wrists. The room was dark, damp, and silent except for the steady drip of water echoing in the distance. Her head throbbed, and her body ached from the bruises left by Kael's soldiers. She tried to move but found her legs chained to the stone floor.
Her mission to free the warriors had failed. They had made it out of the cells, but Kael's forces had overwhelmed them before they could escape. The soldiers she tried to save had been killed, and Alex... Maya didn't know if Alex had been captured or had managed to flee. She clung to the hope he was still out there.
---
The door creaked open, flooding the room with torchlight. A tall figure stepped in—Kael. His golden armor glinted, a cruel smirk on his face. Maya stiffened, summoning every ounce of courage to meet his gaze.
"Princess Seraphina," Kael said, his voice smooth yet sharp as a blade. "Or should I call you Maya? Quite the little rebel you've been."
Maya said nothing. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear.
Kael took a step closer. "I must admit, you've caused me quite a bit of trouble. Those raids of yours—bold, but foolish. Did you really think you could win? You’re a girl playing at war.”
“You won’t win forever,” Maya spat, her voice hoarse but defiant. “The people won’t stand for your rule.”
Kael laughed, a cold, mocking sound. “The people? The same people who grovel at my feet to avoid the gallows? They don’t care who sits on the throne, as long as they survive.” He leaned down, his face inches from hers. “You’re alone, little princess. No army. No allies. And now, no hope.”
Maya clenched her fists, anger surging through her. But he was right—she was alone. She had failed, and the weight of that failure pressed down on her like a crushing stone.
---
Days turned into weeks. Maya remained Kael’s prisoner, locked in a dark cell beneath the palace she once called home. Each day, a guard brought her stale bread and water, never saying a word. Her body grew weaker, but her spirit refused to break.
Kael visited often, taunting her. He delighted in reminding her of her failure and the destruction of her family’s legacy. But Maya refused to show him her pain. She knew that as long as she held onto her defiance, he couldn’t truly win.
One evening, Kael brought her to the throne room. The sight made her stomach churn. The grand hall, once filled with light and music, was now dark and oppressive. Kael sat on the throne, his soldiers lined up on either side. Maya was forced to kneel before him, chains rattling.
“Your people need to see their so-called queen,” Kael announced, gesturing to the guards. They dragged Maya to a balcony overlooking the city square. A crowd had gathered below, their faces a mix of fear and curiosity.
Kael stepped beside her, his voice booming. “This is the girl who dared to defy me! The last of a broken line, a symbol of a failed kingdom.” He turned to her, his expression cold. “Say something, Princess. Show them how strong you are.”
Maya’s throat burned with unspoken words. She looked out at the crowd, searching for a spark of resistance, a sign that her efforts hadn’t been in vain. But all she saw were bowed heads and weary faces. The people had given up.
“You’re wrong,” she said finally, her voice quiet but steady. “This isn’t over. As long as people remember what true justice is, you’ll never truly win.”
Kael smirked, but there was a flicker of irritation in his eyes. “We’ll see how long your defiance lasts,” he said, signaling for the guards to take her away.
---
Back in her cell, Maya replayed the scene in her mind. She had planted a seed, however small. Maybe someone in the crowd would remember her words. Maybe Alex was still out there, planning her rescue.
Her hope wavered, but it didn’t die.
---
One night, weeks later, Maya heard a faint noise outside her cell—a soft tapping, almost too quiet to notice. She sat up, straining her ears. The tapping grew louder, and then the wall behind her shifted.
A hidden door opened, revealing a familiar face. Alex.
“You’re alive,” Maya whispered, tears springing to her eyes.
“Barely,” Alex replied, a grim smile on his face. “But I wasn’t leaving without you.”
He unlocked her chains and helped her stand. Maya’s legs were weak, but her determination was stronger than ever.
“Let’s go,” Alex said. “We’ve got a kingdom to take back.”
Though battered and broken, Maya knew her fight wasn’t over. She had lost this battle, but the war for Eldara was far from finished.
