The King’s Shocking Discovery

It had been months since Elena left the palace and her whole life behind, blending into a new life where her name no longer echoes through the palace walls. In her quiet life, she gave birth to a son. A boy with striking features as his father, a resemblance that reminded him so much of the king, Maxwell. This makes her heart aches. She named him Theodore, a name that meant a gift from God, a silent tribute to her gratitude for seeing her through the encounter that changed everything. She had sworn to protect him, nurture him with the love he deserved, and that promise remained unbroken. 

 Eight years passed. 

 Back at the palace, the walls had been in a state of unrest and melancholy. The king is yet to bear an heir with Queen Francesca, despite years of marriage. The absence of a child had cast a long shadow over the royal household, deepening the king's quiet frustration. The king had sought every medical intervention, exhausted every possible remedy but all to no avail. Despite the wealth, the power and influence, he felt like he had nothing. As time flew by, the distance between him and Francesca grew, their marriage unraveling and falling apart bit by bit. 

 Then one fateful day, a noble man from the kingdom was passing through, when he stopped for a cup of coffee at a modest cafe. Amongst the whispers, hums of quiet conversations and the scent of freshly brewed coffee beans, his gaze landed on a woman. "Could she be ?" He whispered to himself. She was different, no crown, no elaborate dress, her glow was down, only an air of quiet resilience. He watched, observing every details others might overlook. Queen Elena was one whose presence and beauty could not be mistaken, her aura, her voice and her kind gestures. "Indeed she is the one, Queen Elena, could my eyes be playing tricks on me ?" He then noticed a little boy by her side. His features, his age, the time that had passed since the queen's mysterious departure. The pieces began to align, and a suspicion swayed his mind. 

 Could it be ?

 His curiosity became his mission. He made a short conversation with Elena to get a clear view of her and her son, but Elena couldn't recognize him. He sought answers from within, asking the right questions, piecing together a truth. As realization dawned on him, he became very certain that he had met Queen Elena, and that Theodore was no ordinary boy. He was the heir the king never knew he had. 

 Could this be the beginning of a new dawn?

 He quickly got in his car and ordered his driver to drive straight to his kingdom and head straight to the palace. He could have called, texted or email, but he knew this was an information that needed to be delivered in person, no secondhand report could match the satisfaction of seeing king Maxwell's reaction firsthand. 

 Getting into the royal hall, he barely even caught his breath before declaring, "your Majesty, I come baring great news. She lives your majesty, she's alive. Queen Elena lives and…. She has a son." 

 Maxwell heard this echo from his chambers and ran down to the main hall upon hearing the name Elena. 

 "What was it you said?" He asked in a commanding voice laced with a bit of hope and joy. 

 "It's true your majesty, I saw her myself. She's alive and she has a son I think could be yours." 

 "Elena? A son?" He whispered to himself with a mix of emotions of hope, disbelief and joy. 

 He immediately summoned his aides, security and some members of the royal household. "You must take me to her at once. I don't care how far away she is, I have lost her once and now, I would make no mistake of letting her slip away again." 

 But as the royal convoy set out, the Queen mother couldn't help but wonder. She was thrilled to hear the news, despite her initial hatred towards Elena, all she wanted now was a grandchild, for his son to have his heir. But would this be a start of a long awaited reunion, or the spark that would ignite a greater war? This was not just a royal matter but a personal one. So many questions were asked within her. Will Elena welcome Maxwell with open arms, or will she seek vengeance? 

 And Francesca? She stood there emotionless, confused trying to process what she had just heard as the palace whispers kept buzzing behind her ears. What would be the fate of her marriage after this?