A Husband’s Vow

Emily's heart felt like it was being torn apart piece by piece. She had always known that her days were numbered, but somehow hearing her brother confirm that there was no hope left to cling to—it made everything feel so much more real, so much more final. The weight of her impending fate settled over her like a shroud, suffocating her as she stood there, struggling to keep her composure in front of Adrian.

She had fought so hard to be strong, to keep the truth hidden from Niklaus, from everyone. But now, with only twenty-five days left, the fight felt meaningless. She was exhausted—emotionally, physically, spiritually. All she wanted now was peace, a brief reprieve from the storm that raged inside her.

Adrian's face was etched with guilt, his usually confident expression marred by the heavy burden of failure. It broke her heart to see him like this—her strong, protective brother who had always been her rock. But now, even he couldn't save her from the curse that had sealed her fate long before either of them had been born.

"I'm sorry, sister," he said quietly, his voice heavy with sorrow. "We searched through every book, every scroll we could find. Jade and Queen Sienna... they did everything they could, but it wasn't enough. We couldn't find a way to save you. Father... he's devastated. I'm so sorry, Emily. We've... we've given up."

Emily's breath caught in her throat. The words hit her like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of her. They've given up. She had always known this day would come, that the people she loved most would reach the end of their hope. But hearing it out loud, from the one person who had always been her beacon of hope—it shattered her.

For a moment, she stood in stunned silence, her mind reeling as the finality of his words settled over her. She could feel the tears threatening to spill, but she blinked them back, forcing herself to stay composed. She wouldn't break—not here, not in front of Adrian.

"It's okay, brother," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She offered him a weak smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I never really expected to live, not truly. You and Father... you gave me hope when I had none. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

Adrian opened his mouth to say something, but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears, the guilt and helplessness evident in every line of his face. He had failed her, and that knowledge was eating him alive.

Emily reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "But remember your promise, Adrian," she said, her voice trembling slightly as she struggled to hold herself together. "You promised me you'd be happy. Just like you are now... after I'm gone."

Her brother's face crumpled at her words. "Emily, don't—"

"Please," she interrupted, her eyes locking with his, pleading. "Promise me you'll live your life. That you'll find happiness, even after I'm gone."

Adrian swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "I promise," he whispered, though the words seemed to choke him.

Emily gave his arm a gentle squeeze before turning away, her heart so heavy it felt like it might break her ribs. Each step she took felt like she was walking through quicksand, her body weighed down by the overwhelming sadness that threatened to consume her. She had hoped for so long, and now that hope was gone. The only thing left was the countdown to her final day.

She needed to find solace, comfort—anything to quiet the storm of emotions raging inside her.

There was only one person who could provide her with that peace. One person who could calm the chaos without questioning her, without needing answers she wasn't ready to give. One person who would comfort her without hesitation, no matter how distant or strained things had become between them.

Niklaus.

He was the only one who could make the world feel safe, even as it threatened to fall apart around her. His love for her was unlike anything she had ever known—fierce, unwavering, and unconditional. Even when they had fought, even when she had pushed him away, he had loved her with a passion that couldn't be rivaled. And right now, that love was the only thing she needed.

She needed comfort—needed the only person in the world who could ease the pain in her heart, even if just for a moment. The one man who loved her more deeply than she ever thought possible. The one man who would do anything for her without hesitation.

Without another thought, Emily made her way through the crowd, her eyes searching for him. She found him standing by the balcony, his figure silhouetted against the night sky. The moonlight cast a soft glow over him, accentuating the strength and power that radiated from him. But beside him was the princess of Eldoria.

Emily's heart broke, her body trembling as she stood on the balcony, watching the waves crash in the distance. She had come to Aquarion for the ball, dressed in the finest gowns, surrounded by laughter and celebration, but inside, she felt hollow. Just 25 more days, and she would cease to exist.

The promise of death loomed over her, suffocating her every thought. The hope her father and brother had given her was a cruel mirage—an illusion that had kept her clinging to the possibility of survival. But that hope was gone now. They had given up. Everyone was giving up. And soon, even Niklaus would too.

The thought cut through her like a knife. She had fought so hard to remain strong, to pretend that everything was fine, but she couldn't lie to herself anymore. She was terrified. She would die, leaving Niklaus to pick up the pieces of a shattered life. And as much as she wanted to protect him, the truth was inescapable.

Emily wandered through the crowd, her vision blurred by unshed tears, until she found him—standing by the balcony, the moon casting an ethereal glow over his powerful frame. He was the embodiment of strength, but beside him stood the princess of Eldoria, Isolde.

Emily stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest. She trusted Niklaus, but seeing him with another woman, hearing the vile words that spilled from Isolde's mouth, sent a wave of nausea crashing over her.

"Marry me, King Niklaus," Isolde purred, stepping closer to him, her hand outstretched as if she could claim him. "I promise I am far better than her."

Emily's blood ran cold. Her vision tunneled as she watched Isolde's hand hover in the air, poised to touch Niklaus. For a moment, she felt as though she was drowning in her own despair. But then, before Isolde could make contact, Niklaus stepped back, his eyes burning with a dark, dangerous intensity.

"No one," Niklaus growled, his voice low and threatening, "no one touches me." His glare was so fierce that Isolde visibly recoiled, her confidence shattering like glass beneath the weight of his words. "I will behead you right now if you ever think of laying a hand on me. I will be taking over your kingdom in a few days, so I guess no one would mind what happened to the royal family, and where their dead bodies are."

The princess trembled, her arrogance crumbling under his brutal tone, but Niklaus wasn't done. His words became more venomous, dripping with a cold, calculated rage that made the air feel heavy.

"The first and last woman in my life will be her," he said, his voice cold and unyielding. "The woman who rules my kingdom and my heart is the only one who will ever touch me. If I see you around her or me again, I swear on your life, I will ensure your family is wiped from existence."

The raw fury in his voice sent chills down Emily's spine. Tears filled her eyes, but she couldn't break down here, not now. She turned away, slipping through the crowd, her heart aching with a mix of love and despair. Niklaus had made it clear—he would never abandon her. But what did it matter when her fate was already sealed?

Emily moved to the edge of the ballroom, seeking refuge in the cold night air as she stepped out onto another balcony. She stared out into the darkness, her heart heavy with the weight of inevitability. The sea below was a churning abyss, its waves crashing violently against the rocks, mirroring the storm raging inside her.

She could still hear Isolde's offer echoing in her mind, but what haunted her more was her own impending death. What future could she offer Niklaus? What life could she give him, when hers was about to be snuffed out like a flame?

The soft click of footsteps approached her, and for a moment, she thought it was Niklaus. She turned, her breath caught in her throat, but instead, she was met with the cold, calculating gaze of Queen Sienna.

"Finally," Sienna said, her voice dripping with venom. "I've uncovered your secret. The cursed princess, hiding behind her power and her beauty."

Emily's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the queen, her body tensing. She didn't have the strength to engage in this fight, not tonight.

Queen Sienna smirked, her eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. "Are you upset that people are giving up on you?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Your father, your brother… even your husband will give up soon enough."

Emily flinched but remained silent, her jaw clenched tightly. The queen stepped closer, her words becoming more venomous with every breath.

"Do you know what's happening right now?" Sienna's voice was soft, almost conspiratorial, but the cruelty in her tone was unmistakable. "Jade is speaking with Niklaus.he's telling him everything, filling his head with all the reasons why he should leave you. Soon, your husband will realize it's pointless to hold on to you."

Emily's heart clenched painfully, a wave of nausea washing over her as Sienna's words twisted in her chest like a blade.

"Just 25 more days," Sienna whispered, her voice low and deadly, "and you'll be gone. And he'll be free of you. You'll disappear, and no one will remember you. It's only a matter of time."

Emily felt like she was suffocating, the queen's words pressing down on her like a vice. Her heart ached with every cruel syllable, each one tearing at the fragile hope she had left. Would Niklaus really leave her? Would he be consumed by the truth of her curse?

But before the queen could say more, a voice cut through the air like a knife, sharp and filled with dark power.

"Who said she's going to die?"

The voice sent a shiver down Emily's spine, and she turned slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. Standing in the shadows, his figure imposing and filled with an unearthly rage, was Niklaus.

His eyes locked on Queen Sienna with a murderous intensity, the air around him vibrating with barely contained fury.

Queen Sienna's smirk faltered as she took a step back, her confidence wavering under Niklaus's dark gaze.

Niklaus's voice was low, dripping with malice. "I will not let you—or anyone else—determine my wife's fate."

Sienna's bravado vanished entirely as Niklaus took a menacing step forward. "And as for death…" He paused, his eyes narrowing as his lip curled into a sneer. "I think you should be more concerned about yours."

The sheer venom in his tone made Sienna flinch, her body trembling under the weight of his words.

"No matter what happens, she is my wife. And she will be my wife forever," Niklaus continued, his voice unwavering, filled with an unshakable conviction. His gaze flicked to Emily, softening just slightly before returning to Sienna with deadly focus. "My wife is not someone who is threatened by lowly creatures like you."

The queen took an involuntary step back, her face drained of color as Niklaus's towering rage bore down on her.

"And tell your husband this," Niklaus added, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper, "if I see you or anyone from your kingdom try something like this again, I will wage war. And you know very well what war with Emberlyn looks like."

His final words were like the snap of a guillotine. "If I ever see you again, I will take your head and feed it to my animals."

Sienna, now visibly shaking, nodded quickly and fled, her arrogance reduced to nothing. Emily watched her go, her heart still pounding in her chest, but the overwhelming weight of her fear had lifted.

Niklaus turned to her, his face softening in the moonlight as he reached for her, his hand resting gently on her waist. His touch was both comforting and possessive, grounding her in the midst of her spiraling emotions.

"You are my queen," he whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness that almost undid her. "No curse, no fate, no one—will take you from me. Not now. Not in 25 days. Not ever."

Tears flooded Emily's eyes, and this time, she couldn't stop them. They spilled down her cheeks as she stepped closer, burying herself in Niklaus's chest, letting his strength hold her together. The overwhelming emotions she had been holding in for so long finally broke free, and she let herself cry, let herself feel everything she had been suppressing.

Niklaus wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her so close it was as if he was trying to shield her from the entire world. His heart beat steadily beneath her ear, a rhythm that calmed her even as her tears soaked into his shirt.

"Can we leave?" she whispered, her voice shaky but determined. "I want to go home, Klaus. Our home."

Niklaus looked down at her, his expression softening with love as he gently brushed away her tears with his thumb. "Of course, princess," he murmured.

Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest as if she weighed nothing. Emily clung to him, her head resting on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body and the security of his embrace.

He strode through the ballroom, ignoring the stares, the whispers, the courtly etiquette. None of it mattered. He carried her out of the palace, away from the noise, away from the cruelty and the fear.

And as they left, under the soft glow of the moon, Emily allowed herself to believe, just for a moment, that maybe, somehow, they would find a way to survive this curse. Together.