Stuck In Between

Chapter Ten

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𝓒𝓗𝓐𝓟𝓣𝓔𝓡 𝓣𝓔𝓝
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╰➢ Chapter 10, let's go!

In Y/n's chambers, the air was thick with the scent of herbs and sweat. Queen Solana sat beside Y/n, wiping the sweat from her pale skin with a damp cloth, her expression heavy with worry. Y/n had been unconscious for half a day now, her body motionless except for the shallow rise and fall of her chest. The doctor had been there only moments ago, cleaning and stitching up Y/n's wounds. Solana had insisted on wrapping the bandages herself, carefully following the doctor's instructions to make sure everything was perfect.

As she worked, her hands were gentle, but her mind was racing. She couldn't help but feel powerless, despite her efforts. Wiping away another bead of sweat, Solana looked down at Y/n, seeing the young woman she had come to care for. Y/n's face, usually strong and full of fire, was now pale, her expression calm but distant.

Meanwhile, in the throne room, King Venali listened to his knights as they presented their theories about the destruction of Y/n's home. Their voices droned on, but their guesses were all wrong. Venali knew this in his heart. He kept his face composed, but his mind was elsewhere. Suddenly, the doors to the throne room opened, and his butler approached with a letter in hand. Venali took it and unfolded the parchment, reading the grim news: a woman, brutally murdered near a blacksmith shop. She had been stabbed multiple times, her throat sliced open. His men had yet to identify her, but Venali didn't need to wait for confirmation. He knew Y/n was behind it. he will ask her when she wakes up.

Sighing, he handed the letter back and dismissed his knights, their assumptions lingering in the air like empty echoes. Once they were gone, Venali rose and left the throne room, his thoughts heavy as he walked down the long corridor. He barely noticed the distant voices at first, but they grew louder until he recognized them.

"Father!" a young voice called.

Turning, Venali saw his two children, Prince Kailu and Princess Ulesse, running toward him, their faces flushed with concern.

"Yes?" Venali asked, stopping as they approached. He noted the urgency in their expressions.

"What happened to Y/n?" Ulesse asked, slightly out of breath.

Surprised, Venali raised an eyebrow. He had always assumed his children didn't care much for Y/n, given their indifferent attitudes toward her.

"Why do you ask? I thought you didn't like her."

Ulesse exchanged a glance with Kailu before replying, "We're just worried, Father."

Venali smiled softly at her response, touched by their concern. "Come with me," he said. "I was on my way to her chambers. Your mother is with her."

They followed him down the hall until they reached the doors to Y/n's chambers. Venali knocked once, receiving no response. He knocked again, hearing a faint voice from inside.

"Who is it?" came Solana's tired voice.

"It's me, and the children," Venali answered.

"Come in," Solana replied.

The door creaked open, and they stepped inside. Queen Solana sat by Y/n's side, her eyes full of worry. She looked up at Venali, her gaze filled with sadness, and he could see the weight of her burden etched in every line of her face. She had done everything she could; cleaning Y/n's body, wrapping her wounds, but it didn't feel like enough.