Cursed By Fate

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Chapter [X+9]: The Gathering Storm

As Ryker stepped out of Aria's room, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. The palace courtyard was alive with whispers, an unsettling buzz of urgency that tingled in the air. Nobles and guards alike wore expressions of worry and confusion, their eyes darting from one to another like caged animals sensing danger.

“What’s going on?” Ryker demanded, striding through the throng. “Why the commotion?”

“Your Highness,” a soldier replied, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. “We’ve just received word from the northern border. A war has been declared. The Dark Realm has allied with a dark force, and they’re advancing towards us.”

The words echoed in Ryker's mind, heavy and foreboding. The Dark Realm—lesser in power but now emboldened by their new alliance. His heart raced as he sought answers.

“Why now? What do they want?” Ryker pressed, dread pooling in his stomach.

“They demand a tribute, Your Highness. They want… Aria,” the soldier said, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if afraid the mere mention of her name would bring disaster.

A wave of gasps rippled through the gathered crowd, and Ryker’s fists clenched at his sides. “Aria? For what purpose?”

“They believe she possesses something of great value, something that can be used to strengthen their position against us,” the soldier explained, fear creeping into his voice. “If we wish to survive, we must deliver her.”

“No!” Ryker’s voice thundered, cutting through the murmurs of panic. “They won’t take her. I refuse to let that happen.”

The soldier nodded, but the gravity of the situation loomed heavy between them. “But if we refuse… they will unleash their army. They’re already gathering at the borders.”

As Ryker struggled with the weight of this revelation, he caught sight of his mother, the queen, watching him from the edge of the crowd. Her expression was unreadable, but something glimmered in her eyes that sent a shiver down his spine.

“Mother, what are we going to do?” Ryker asked, stepping toward her.

“We must act quickly, Ryker,” she replied, her voice cool and calculated. “This dark alliance could spell doom for our kingdom. We cannot show weakness.”

“Sending Aria to them is weakness!” Ryker shot back, anger flaring in his chest. “They will use her against us.”

The queen’s lips curled into a thin smile, a sinister glint flashing in her eyes. “Do you think we have a choice?” she countered, her voice low and almost gleeful. “If they believe Aria is of value, perhaps we can use that to our advantage. Think of what her sacrifice could do for our kingdom.”

“Sacrifice?” Ryker echoed, disbelief flooding his senses. “You want to hand her over?”

“She could be the key to our survival,” the queen insisted, her eyes shining with an unsettling excitement. “If they think they can control her, we might negotiate. And if it comes to it, we could—”

“—sacrifice her!” Ryker interrupted, fury boiling over. “I won’t let that happen! She’s not a pawn in your game.”

Meanwhile, in the palace gardens, Aria was tending to the flowers, lost in thought. She remembered the shadows that had whispered to her, warnings of betrayal and a looming darkness. She could sense the queen’s sinister intentions, and the weight of her knowledge bore down on her like a storm cloud.