The Pressure of the Crown

Elysiel, seated on the throne, watched the fairies working in the palace, always avoiding her gaze, always teetering on the edge of something unspoken. She knew that the situation was about to explode.

Seraphis's words echoed in her mind… about Arabella's treat to go against him and the clear warning that her council was betraying her trust, rebelling in silence. But now, before a formal summons to an emergency meeting, she knew that the tensions would finally come to a head.

In the grand hall, the council of fairies was gathered. Lirian, Lynore, Therion, and the other advisors waited, their expressions filled with expectation and, in some cases, fear. The loyalty they once had for Elysiel was fractured, and now the only thing binding them was their growing concern for the future of Elandor.

Elysiel entered the hall with her head held high, but inside, she felt the weight of that crown. The pressure was mounting, and the decisions she would have to make were nearing a point of no return. Seraphis's power still enveloped her, pulsing within her like a living presence, and even if she tried to ignore it, the connection between them bound her in an inescapable way.

As soon as she sat on the throne, Lirian took the floor, his eyes serious and his tone heavy with tension.

— Princess, this meeting is of the utmost urgency. — he began, his voice calm but full of worry. — The kingdom of Elandor is in a state of agony. The pact with Seraphis has brought shadows to our land, and your people are growing more distant each day. The situation can no longer be ignored. Something must be done.

Elysiel remained silent for a moment, allowing Lirian's words to reverberate through the hall. She knew there was truth in what he said. Elandor was changing, the shadows were deepening, and the people were becoming increasingly distrustful. But the bond with Seraphis was not something she could simply sever. It was part of her now.

Lynore stepped forward, her eyes filled with worry.

— We understand that the pact seemed necessary at the time. — she began, her voice soft, almost pleading. — But the price we're paying is becoming too great. Our people are afraid, the light of Elandor is fading. And you… you are changing. Seraphis's power is consuming you.

Elysiel looked at Lynore, feeling a tightness in her chest. It was true. She could feel the changes within herself. The darkness she shared with Seraphis was no longer an external entity, but something intertwined with her very soul. Every decision, every emotion, seemed tainted by that dark power. And yet, she could not turn away from it. The power strengthened her, empowered her. And without it, Elandor would have been destroyed by the plague.

Therion, always the most direct, finally spoke, his voice sharp.

— We need you to make a definitive decision, Elysiel. — he said bluntly. — Either you break the pact with Seraphis and save what remains of Elandor, or… you condemn us all to destruction. There is no more time to delay.

Those words hung in the air like a final blow. Elysiel knew this was what they had wanted from the start. They wanted her to choose between her kingdom and her new power, between the light she had sworn to protect and the darkness that now consumed her. But what they didn't understand was that there was no simple choice. The bond with Seraphis was deeper than any of them could imagine.

— You think I can simply break the pact? — Elysiel responded, her voice cold but steady. — You think that by walking away from Seraphis, everything will return to the way it was? That's not how it works. The pact is rooted in me, in Elandor. If I break it, our kingdom will shatter. Seraphis is the only one keeping the shadows at bay. Without him, we would be swallowed by far worse forces.

Lirian, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward, his expression tense.

— But what if Seraphis is the problem, not the solution? — he asked, his voice soft but challenging. — Elysiel, we love you. We want what's best for you and for Elandor. But you're being consumed by something beyond your control. If you continue down this path, I fear you will destroy everything you swore to protect.

Lirian's words struck Elysiel like a sharp blade. She could hear the fear in his voice, the fear of losing not just his princess, but the friend she had once been. But there was something they did not fully understand. The power she now possessed wasn't something she could simply reject. It was a part of her, and the price of that power was something she was beginning to grasp.

— You think you can save me. — she said, her voice now colder, almost indifferent. — But you don't realize that Elandor is already beyond the salvation you imagine. The pact with Seraphis was the only thing that kept us alive. Without him, we all would have perished to the plague. Yes, there is a price to pay, but I'm not the only one paying it. You must choose too. Elandor will only survive if we stand united.

The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive. The council was divided between fear and the need for action. Elysiel watched them, feeling the pressure mounting inside her, as if the very darkness within her was demanding a decision.

Lynore looked at Elysiel with a sorrowful expression.

— Princess… I beg you… do not condemn us.

Elysiel rose from her throne, her presence filling the hall with an overwhelming force. Seraphis's power flowed through her with an intensity that was now impossible to hide. She was aware that to keep this power, to keep Elandor standing, sacrifices would have to be made.

— You want loyalty. You want me to choose between my kingdom and my power. — she said, her voice echoing through the hall. — But what you need to understand is that there is no separation between these things. Seraphis's power is now part of Elandor. And if you cannot accept that, then there is no place for you in this kingdom.

Her words hung in the air like an ultimatum.

The council remained silent, glances exchanged between Lirian, Lynore, and the others. They knew that Elysiel was asking for something that many of them could not give. She was demanding absolute loyalty—loyalty to what she had become, to the power that now ruled.

— And if we do not accept? — Therion finally asked, his voice tense.

Elysiel looked directly at him, her gaze firm and unwavering.

— Then you will face the consequences. — she said, her voice icy. — I can no longer tolerate doubts or betrayals. This kingdom needs strength, and any weakness will be eliminated. If you are not loyal to me, to Seraphis, and to what we are building, then you are against me. And I cannot allow that to continue.

The hall plunged into a deadly silence. Elysiel's words were clear. The moment of decision had arrived. Elysiel knew she had just crossed a line, and the choice she demanded from her council would forever change the fate of Elandor.