The Fall of Vequera

Chapter forty-eight | Vasily

LOCATION: ARCADIOS, VEQUERA

YEAR: 622 C.E

VASILY KNEW THE QUEEN WOULD NOT SURVIVE THE WEEK.

The royal doctor, Sir Aleixo had stated that the queen should've lost the baby months ago before the pregnancy even truly began. Her age had been a factor in that. The queen was six and forty and she would not make it to her forty seventh name day. She exceeded his expectations, but it would cost her life. But Vasily figured something was off about how quickly she was dying, and he wasn't the only one. Prince Erato had come to him weeks before with his own concerns, but it hadn't sunk into his mind until now as he stared at the queen. Her belly was swollen. The queen's skin was dry and cracking.

At first, he thought it was because she hadn't bathed in a few days but even when she had bathed before it remained the same. Nikolai also had become more irrational and subjected anyone around him with his rage filled outbursts. Like he was paranoid. But he kept having the same thought, Was Nikolai stupid enough to attempt to kill the queen? Vasily knew Nikolai had tried to Valia countless times but Killing a princess would not have the same repercussions as killing a queen. Vasily shook his head, getting rid of the thought before it began to plague his mind.

"Have you thought of my proposal?" She asked as she leaned against the headboard of her bed. Vasily sat down next to the bed.

This queen in front of him was nothing like the queen he had met as a child. "Your proposal is madness; Isabella and you know it. Many of the nobles have already sworn to Nikolai and their loyalties are still fresh in their minds. Nikolai will never do as you wish and by the look on your face, the boy already knows. So, can you just give up?" The queen glared at him, but she said nothing. Vasily sighed as he stared down at her stomach. He wondered if the babe was still alive. Sir Aleixo said the babe might be stillborn, but months have passed since then and the queen said the babe had been more active in the last few weeks.

"Do you remember when you first arrived at the palace?" She asked suddenly with bright and amused eyes.

He nodded softly, "You were still under your father." Vasily exhaled then calmed his heart as he continued to focus on his breathing. The queen had a blanket draped over her lap, but she removed it as she tried to stand but she failed. "Well, I knew he was going to die before he even did. His heart had been giving him issues for years. He wanted so many things, but he could not achieve them before his death, so he asked me to and I did what asked of me. But I failed at one thing...I did not give him the heir that he would have liked nor would my mother had. I failed them both but it's not-"

"What are you getting at, Isabella?" He cut her off, coldly.

Still on the bed, the queen ran a hand over her face before letting it fall to her side. "Nikolai isn't what he would've wanted for the realm." The queen often lied to try to force him to see her way of things. He fell into her traps early into their marriage but now, he saw through them. "And yet, you named him heir. You push and pull with your decisions on what you think is best for the realm. But Isabella, you know nothing on what is best for the realm. Everything you've done this far has damaged the realm...the kingdom. This babe will not be some savior." His voice came out cold and empty. The king wanted to believe that the babe would be a savior, but Vasily was tired of hoping. There was no hope left in his heart. He could not bear it much longer.

"Nikolai will not go to Goldenstone, and the babe will not replace him." He stated. "You may be the queen, but you are a dying one and you have made your choices, so you must live with them. He will be king and if the babe survives then what happens to it is up to me."