The brilliance of the sun flooded the cell, illuminating every speck of dirt in its unrelenting glow. Mary, who had been awake for hours due to the uncomfortable confinement, remained motionless upon awakening. Her concern was to ensure that little Juli received every recommended hour of sleep, regardless of her own discomfort.
Nurturing her child with motherly care, Mary was interrupted when the cell door creaked open. Instead of the usual stern commands, a guard entered with a somber expression. John, her former personal guard, stood there, his face reflecting both sympathy and sadness. Overwhelmed, Mary addressed him, "John," her voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and nostalgia. John gently took Juli into his arms, allowing Mary to rise, yet another bout of coughing blood seized her frail frame. "My Queen, are you okay?" John inquired with genuine concern. Mary managed a faint smile, "John, my dear, I'm no longer your Queen, but your care warms my heart. I am fine, though time seems to be slipping away."
With a nod from John, the pair made their way through the labyrinthine corridors, ascending from the depths of despair towards the regal halls above. The transition felt akin to emerging from demonic fires into celestial realms, yet the irony was that Mary was about to face her own version of hell in this apparent heaven.
Their journey led them to the King's chamber, where a scandalous scene unfolded. Elara, in a state of undress, lay atop the King, who reveled in the moment. John discreetly exited, leaving Mary alone with her child.
The King, acknowledging Mary's presence, spoke with a touch of arrogance, "Take a seat, my love, and witness the spectacle." His actions, entwined with Elara, unfolded in a lascivious display that Mary endured with a stoic expression. Elara's moans and the King's gratification echoed through the room. Mary's countenance remained unchanged, yet her eyes betrayed the agony of repeated heartbreaks, each moment a reminder of her shattered world.
As the King reached his climax, he nonchalantly departed with Elara, callously discarding a napkin onto Mary's face. "Clean this room; your maid uniform is in the drawer," he commanded, leaving Mary to grapple with the fragments of her dignity amidst the sordid aftermath.