Married To My Sister's Husband
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...
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