THE TYRANT'S BABY

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Rosalind

Selene's eyes scanned the final words on the page while her heart began sinking deeper with each sentence. 

THE END. 

It read.

Her hands trembled as she slowly closed the book, but the pressure of Rosalind's fate crushed her chest. Tears welled in her eyes that blurred her vision, and before she could stop herself, they spilled down her cheeks.

She choked on a sob, pressing the book tightly against her chest as though holding onto it would somehow change the ending. "No... no, she didn't deserve this," she whispered, her voice cracking with grief. The image of Rosalind—broken, abandoned, and forgotten—flashed through her mind, and Selene's tears flowed harder.

But it wasn't just Rosalind's story that stung. It was too close, too familiar. She could feel the pain as though it was her own. Then, her mother's face flashed before her eyes—the woman who had been left to fend for herself when she found out she was pregnant with Selene. She remembered the long nights and the quiet tears her mother thought she didn't see.

Selene bit her lip as the sobs started coming stronger now. Her mother had tried to stay strong, but illness had stolen her away when Selene was just a teenager and it left her completely alone. She had to grow up too fast and learn to survive in a world that had never been kind to women like her mother... or like Rosalind.

"I couldn't help her either," she whispered with her small and broken voice. The pain of abandonment, of watching someone she loved fade away, echoed inside her, along with the fresh sorrow for Rosalind's fate. It was as if she was grieving for both of them—her mother and the fictional character that had become so real in her heart.

Selene buried her face in her hands as the tears flowed without end. The anger she felt toward Alaric, toward the world that let this happen, simmered beneath the surface. But all she could do was cry and mourn a life that never got its chance to be happy—just like her mother.

The emptiness she felt inside was overwhelming. It was an ache she had carried for so long. And so she buried her face in her hands while her body shook with sobs. Rosalind's fate, intertwined with the pain of her own past, felt unbearable. Her chest ached, and her tears wouldn't stop.

But just then, as she was drowning in her overwhelming emotion, something strange began to happen. The book in her lap grew warm and an unsettling heat radiated through her fingertips.

Confused, Selene glanced down. 

The book felt almost alive, pulsating with energy. She flinched and gasped as she was startled and almost instantly released it from her grip. The moment it hit the floor with a dull thud, the atmosphere in the room shifted.

The pages of the book fluttered open on their own, as if caught in a breeze that didn't exist. Then, without warning, a gust of wind shot from between the pages, swirling through the room. Her heart skipped a beat. What was happening?

Before she could react, a brilliant, golden light erupted from the book's spine, flooding the room with warmth and brightness. The air around her shimmered, filled with soft, glowing particles that floated like stars in the night. Selene gasped, her breath catching as the light intensified. Its glow was so powerful that it forced her to squint.

A strange force tugged at her and pulled her towards the book. "What the—?" she muttered, trying to stand, but her feet wouldn't move. The golden light swirled faster, forming a vortex that seemed to stretch beyond the edges of the room, as though the very fabric of reality was warping around her.

The wind roared now, howling in her ears, and the book's pages flipped violently, faster and faster. The bright light engulfed her, making it impossible to see anything but a sea of gold. Selene's heart pounded in her chest. Panic surged as the pull intensified, lifting her off her feet.

Her body floated helplessly toward the glowing vortex. "No, no, no!" she cried, trying to reach for something—anything to hold onto. But there was nothing. The room around her disappeared, swallowed whole by the brilliant light.

And then, with one final blinding flash, Selene was sucked into the book. The world around her collapsed into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selene's scream vanished into the whirlwind of light as it consumed her completely. The spinning chaos of golden swirls and gusts of wind suddenly ceased, plunging her into silence. When she opened her eyes again, her breath caught in her throat.

Gone were the walls of her apartment and the modern streets outside. Instead, she stood in a world that looked as though it had been plucked straight out of history. Rough-hewn stone buildings lined the streets, and uneven cobblestones stretched out beneath her feet. The air smelled of wood smoke and damp earth, with a hint of something unfamiliar yet ancient.

Around her, people moved in simple, coarse garments—tunics, cloaks, and woolen dresses, their feet clad in rugged leather boots. The streets were bustling with activity: horse-drawn carts creaked by, chickens scurried through the dirt, and vendors shouted over each other to sell bread, fresh vegetables, and salted meats. A distant bell tolled, its deep sound reverberating through the air, signaling the passing of time in this new, strange place.

Selene's breath quickened as she looked down at herself. The soft, modern clothes she had worn were gone, replaced by a rough-spun wool dress. The fabric was coarse and scratchy against her skin. Her hands were no longer smooth from urban life but were now slightly calloused, as if she had been working with them for years.

The world around her felt oppressively real. This wasn't a dream or some passing fantasy. The towering wooden gates and the faint sound of steel clanging from the distant smithy told her one thing: she wasn't just in another place. She had been thrust into a different world—a world that matched the time and setting of the book.

Her pulse raced and her mind started spinning as she tried to make sense of it. She recognized the towering castle in the distance as its dark spires pierced the gray clouds above. It was the same castle King Alaric ruled described in the book. The castle where Rosalind had been trapped in her tragic fate.

A cold shiver ran down Selene's spine as she took in her surroundings. Her clothes were that of a servant, much like Rosalind's when she first entered the castle. "No, no, no..." she whispered to herself, her panic rising. She looked around frantically, unsure what to do next.

Before she could gather her thoughts, a woman rushed towards her, lifting her kirtle while her face was etched with concern.

"Amaris! You gave me such a fright!" the woman exclaimed, breathless as she stopped before Selene.

Selene turned slowly, her mind struggling to catch up, but she focused on the woman's face.

"You vanished without a word, all in a daze. I thought something dreadful had befallen you!" Rosalind exclaimed, her voice soft yet laced with concern. "Pray tell, what is amiss? Your eyes... they're all red and puffy. Have you been weeping?"

Selene's heart raced, and a chill ran down her spine. "Wh-who are you?" she stammered, her voice trembling as she searched Rosalind's face for any sign of recognition.

Rosalind chuckled lightly, though there was an edge of nervousness in her laughter. "Do not jest, Amaris. I am your lady Rosalind, and you are my faithful handmaiden!" she replied, her smile bright yet tinged with confusion.

Selene's eyes widened in shock, and she felt as though the ground had shifted beneath her. "Amaris...?" The name echoed in her mind. The reality of the situation finally came crashing down around her like a wave. She stood frozen while her heart was pounding, as the truth began to sink in. She was inside the very world of the book she had cherished, standing face to face with the character she had empathized with so deeply.

"What... what is happening?" she whispered, grappling with the impossibility of it all.

Rosalind's expression softened further, her brow furrowing with concern. "You seem quite lost. Is it the market's chaos that distresses you? Come, let us find a quieter place."