Delicate Flower

Chapter Twenty Two ♡

        ⚠️ *Chapter contains Gore scenes*

         D E L I C A T E   F L O W E R
           Chapter Twenty Two:
       The Beast Behind the Crown

     The golden glow of the late afternoon bled through the high, arched windows of the war chamber. The air inside was still, too quiet for a place once roaring with strategic disputes and thunderous declarations. Now, only silence sat beside King Maximus of Volkei as he leaned back in the throne meant to intimidate -and it did, effortlessly.

His broad frame was draped in obsidian armor, the heavy leather hugging the stretch of his muscles, shadows collecting beneath the cut of his jaw. His piercing gaze- cold, unreadable-stared toward nothing, yet burned through everything. Today, he looked more like a tyrant than a ruler.

A gentle rap at the door broke the silence.

"Enter, Princess." His voice was low, the single title sounding more like a warning than an invitation.

Princess Alexa stepped in, her sapphire gown rustling softly. She smiled, coy and calculated, the kind of smile that came from knowing exactly the effect it had. She paused just inside the doorway, bracing one hip against the frame like an arrow ready to strike.

"Your Grace," she purred, eyes drifting over him as though he were a prized artifact. "I hope I haven't disturbed you in your... reflections."

He lifted an eyebrow, reclining slightly. "That depends," he replied, voice cool, dangerous. "Did you come bearing gifts... or threats?"

She glided to the desk's edge, resting her slender fingertips atop it-close enough to touch, far enough to tease. "Why not both?" Her tone lightened, but her gaze stayed sharp. "Volkei stands at the brink of new treaties. My offer could stabilize trade routes, secure your northern border, and bring a lasting peace to both our lands."

He leaned forward, his heavy brow lowering in amusement. "You wonder if I've re-considered it?"

Alexa laughed softly, eyes alight with cunning and delight. "I know you have. Consider this my formal courtship-endorsed by duty, but fueled by... enthusiasm." She tilted her head and, with a wicked grin, presented a small figure behind her. "May I introduce my closest friend and counsel-Lucia." A faint, innocent chuckle followed as she gestured. "My secret to happiness and my most trusted confidant."

Lucia bowed politely, dark-haired and demure, hands folded delicately. Maximus's gaze slid over her but didn't reveal approval or suspicion, he merely noted her presence, filing it away for later.

"Politics," he said slowly. "An endless game. But... tell me, Princess, what does Volkei offer to you if we forge this... union?"

Alexa's eyes sparkled. "Access to Volkei's markets, shared defense, and truthfully... the cheers of our people under one banner. A union of passion and pragmatism."

Just as she was about to lean into his seat, the chamber door slammed open with a deafening bang.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!"

All heads turned. The velvet silence shattered.

Gregg burst in like a storm wrapped in flesh, his auburn hair wild and face drawn with rage and panic. His fists were clenched, his eyes bloodshot, his chest heaving with each word. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and hadn't stopped running since.

The guards immediately moved to intercept, but with a furious snarl, Gregg shoved past them, stumbling straight toward the throne.

"TELL ME WHERE IS SHE?!"