Veils Of Betrayals
The grand throne room of the palace resonated with urgency. The king, clad in worn yet majestic armor, sat upon his throne, his calloused hand resting on the intricately carved armrest, he convened an emergency meeting with the advisors. His piercing gaze swept across the gathering to his right stood eunuch Jeong .
"Desperate times call for desperate measures", Lord Joseon, the welfare advisor, urged. "We must consider all options to defeat the demon lord".
General Gwon, countered, "we can't sacrifice pour own people. It's unconscionable".
Chancellor Edwin's wise eyes narrowed. "Perhaps there's another way. A strategic lure, not a sacrifice". The debate raged on, tensions simmering. The king expression turned grave. "Enough! He commanded, his voice echoing through the chamber. "we' II explore all options, but we mustn't forget our duty to protect our people".
As the meeting concluded, the king rose from the throne, Jeong following closely behind. The king existed the throne room, traversing the labyrinthine corridors to his private chamber.
Queen Lirien awaited him, resplendent in a flowing, sapphire gown with intricate silver embroidery. Her raven hair was coiled atop her head, secured with a delicate pearl pin. Her piercing emerald eyes sparkled, through worry lines etched her pale skin. Six ladies stood behind her, their hands clasped together, heads bowed in reverence. Each wore matching lavender gowns, their hair styled in elegant braids.
As the king entered, the ladies curtsied deeper, their faces hidden behind delicate fans.
"My king, Queen Lirien said softly, her voice trembling.
The king gaze swept past her his jaw clenched. "Lirien I have no time for pleasantries he glowed"
The Queens eyes widened, hurt flickering across her face. "My lord what troubles you?
The king stride lengthened, his departure swift, Lirien gaze lingered on his retreating back, sorrow etched on her features.
The king entered his chamber, the room was dimly lit, with only a few candles illuminating the space. A large, ornate desk dominated the center of the room, adorned with piles of books, quills and an inkwell.
He sank into his chair, running his hands through his hair. Before him lay a report from the state, detailing the growing unrest among the people, but his mind wasn't on the report.
As he read, a flashback seized him- the demon lord words echoing in his mind. "Your first love, wasn't dead, dowager is the secret behind the black magic"
His eye widened, his heart racing. He slammed his fist on the desk.
Jeong! He bellowed
Jeong burst into the room. "Your Majesty?"
"Summon shaman Hwa-young, he ordered.
Jeong bowed and hastened to obey
Shaman Hwa-young arrived her white robes billowing behind her. A black sash cinched at her waist, and her black her was coiled atop her head.
Hwa-young bowed deeply. "Your Majesty
The king gaze pierced hers. "What do you know about my first wife and Queen Dowager?
Hwa-young eyes darted nervously. "Only rumors, your Majesty"
The king's voice dropped to a growl "speak the truth, or face my wrath"
Hwa-young trembled. "Queen Lyra....i was ordered by the Queen Dowager to make a black magic to kill Queen Lyra
The king face darkened. "Why?
"Queen Dowager sought to maintain control through marriage to her niece, Lirien. She's been guiding Lirien's actions, ensuring her grip on the palace remains".
The king mind reeled. Betrayal and deceit swirled around him.
And the child, he demanded
Hwa-young voice barely rose above a whisper. "The child is Queen Lyra's son
The king anger boiled over. "You 'II pay for hiding this truth".
"Does my current Queen know about Queen Dowager manipulation?"
Hwa-young hesitated before nodding. "Yes, your Majesty. Queen Lirien is aware".
The King face darkened. "Summon her". Jeong hastened to obey.
The Queen entered, her elegance faltering as she beheld her husband's thunderous expression. Her lavender gown cascaded down her figure, intricate silver embroidery glinting in the candlelight. Six palace maids followed closely their heads bowed.
Queen Lirien's smiled faltered as she approached the king. "My lord, what troubles you?"
The King gazes pierced hers. "You know exactly what I speak of"
Queen Lirien eyes darted to Hwa-young, then back to the king. explain your involvement with Queen Dowager, the king commanded.
Lirien composure cracked. "I only sought to secure our kingdom's future"
"By deceiving me? the king voice rose
Lirien's cheeks flushed. "I did what was necessary"
The king's anger boiled over. "you 'II pay for your treachery".
Hwa-young trembled. "Your Majesty, please...….
"Silence!" the king thundered the guards, take Hwa-young to the prison. We 'II decide her fate later".
Two guards stepped forward, leading Hwa-young away.
The king gaze locked onto Queen Lirien. "You face punishment for your Deceit leave my presence, the king ordered".
Queen Lirien stormed out, her maids scurrying after her. In her chamber, Liriens anger erupted she hurled vases, shredded tapestries, her maids cowered. "Your Majesty, please calm down".
The Queen Mother arrived, cradling Liriens child. "Darling, don't worry. We 'II resolve this".
Liriens tears streamed down her face. "The secrets out. He knows everything, Lyra is coming to take her throne from me soon!
The Queen mother's expression turned calculating. "we 'II find a way to salvage this. Together".
The king was so angry he halted fists clenched. "I'II stop them both, no matter the cost". The king stood up and walk angrily away from his chamber Eunuch Jeong was following him behind worried where could the king angrily go to. "Jeong you can leave I want to go alone "Jeong nodded in response.
He strode to a hidden door, concealed behind a tapestry. He pushed the door open, revealing a narrow stairway leading into darkness. The king descended, the air growing colder with each step. At the bottom, he entered a small, dimly lit chamber – the palace secret sanctuary
The room was sparse, with stone walls lined with ancient bookshelves. Tomes bound in worn leather filled the shelves, bearing the weight of centuries. The air was thick with dust and the scent of aged parchment. This was the palace's hidden achieve, where his father had stored sensitive records and secrets. The king footsteps echoed through the chamber as he delved deeper.
He stooped before a section dedicated to his father's reign. Scrolls and parchments lay stacked, tied with faded ribbons. His fingers trailed over the documents, searching. Ah! there- the report on Dowager's supposed death. He unrolled the parchment, scanning the text. A note written in the margin, caught his eye. Dowager fate uncertain. Rumors of dark magic. The king eye narrowed." what did my father know? He delved deeper into the archives a dusty stroll caught his eye. Unrolling it, he discovered a shocking truth
Agreement between the former King of Bethania, Queen Dowager and Minister Lee.
In exchange of 50 years of peace and prosperity, the demon lord, Xorvath shall be granted dominion over the kingdom.
Signed,
King Kongkong
Queen dowager
Minister Lee"
The king face darkened. "Treason! my own father and Dowager
He continued reading, his anger growing. The scroll revealed that the agreement had been sealed with a blood oath, binding the kingdom to Xorvath's will. But there was more: "To break the curse, a female of the royal bloodline must be sacrificed to Xorvath, willingly or unwillingly. Failure to comply will result in Xorvath's permanent dominion over the kingdom. His eye's widened in horror. "They mean to use Theodora, my own daughter". His thought racing, the king realized that Theodora was the only female heir left. Dowager plan became clear; use Theodora to seal the curse, ensuring her own power.
Stunned by the sacrifice requirement, the king eyes wandered to a nearby shelf, as if seeking solace. His gaze landed on a majestic blue tome, adorned with golden filigree. The book's title," the palace secret" was etched in bold, silver letters. He opened the book, revealing yellowed pages filed with intricate calligraphy. The categories were organized by reign, with subsections detailing births, deaths and notable events.
His fingers traced the pages stooping at the section dedicated to his own family:
"House of Bethania: Royal Lineage"
King kongkong 1 (deceased)
Queen Liana (deceased)
Children: King Mattias (Adopted)
His heart skipped a beat. Adopted? He had never known
An adjacent page listed the death toll attributed to the demon lord's influence:
500 civilians
200 soldiers
15 royal family members
The statistics were staggering
The king eyes returned to his own entry:
King Mattias (Adopted)
Birth: unknown
Parents: unknown
Adopted by: king Kongkong and Queen liana
Ascension to throne: Age 20
The words blurred as his mind reeled. His entire life, he had believed the late king and Queen were his biological parents.
The blue tome lay closed, its secrets seared into king Mattias mind. He felt as if his entire identity had been shattered. The weight of his adoption the lies, and the secrets crushed him. Tears streamed down his face, unchecked he had never felt so lost, so alone. The palace once his sanctuary, now seemed like a prison.
With tears and anger fueling his determination, king Mattias stormed through thew library, seeking answers. His footsteps echoed off the stone walls as he searched for more secrets. He scoured the shelves, unearthing dusty tomes and forgotten scrolls. The words blurred together, but he persisted.