Chapter XXXVII: Expectations
As the king departed for the Theran Islands, tension simmered in the harem. News of Isabella's pregnancy sparked jealousy and resentment among the concubines, who harbored dreams of bearing the king's first child themselves. Lady Dara's fury was particularly intense, prompting Lady Belet to arrange for Isabella to have her own private chamber, away from the brewing storm of envy and rivalry.
Two months later, Isabella's emotions regarding her pregnancy were a whirlwind of anticipation, love, and wonder. She found solace in her secluded chamber, where she was pampered by the maids and allowed her thoughts to wander to the future as she watched her stomach grow. She envisioned the joy of becoming a mother and pondered the impending return of the king from war, wondering how their dynamic might shift with the arrival of their child.
Isabella grappled with uncertainty about the future of her relationship with the king. While she cherished the tender glance he bestowed upon her before departing for war, she couldn't shake Lady Belet's cautionary advice about the fickleness of the king's affections. Observing the other concubines reveling in the garden served as a stark reminder of the reality of their existence: all were mere instruments of the king's pleasure, and the notion that he would forsake thirteen for the sake of one seemed improbable.
Lady Belet visited Isabella in the evening to check on her and the baby. After a brief exchange, Isabella leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "Tell me, Lady Belet, what was it like in the harem during the late king's reign?"
Lady Belet's expression softened with reminiscence. "It was a different world back then. The late king had over fifty concubines, and most of them weren’t much more than slaves, like myself."
Isabella's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Fifty concubines? That's... That’s a lot."
Lady Belet nodded gravely. "Indeed. It was a tumultuous time, especially for the late queen."
"The queen?" Isabella's interest was piqued. “I had no idea the late king was married. Was she King Alaric’s mother? What was that like for her?"
A shadow crossed Lady Belet's features. "Yes, the late queen was the Dragon King’s mother. She suffered greatly. Imagine watching your husband take countless mistresses, fathering children with each of them."
Isabella's heart sank at the thought. "That must have been unbearable."
"It was," Lady Belet agreed somberly. "The late queen endured immense pain, knowing she could never truly hold her husband's heart. I arrived in the harem shortly after their marriage. It was very sad to see."
"Why do you think the king continues this legacy, knowing his mother suffered so much over it?" Isabella questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Lady Belet sighed, her gaze distant. "The circumstances are different now. The king released all his father’s concubines before taking his new ones. Unlike his father, he has no interest in taking a wife and having a queen by his side. Perhaps he feels unbound by the expectations of marital fidelity."
Isabella absorbed Lady Belet's words, a mixture of sadness and understanding washing over her.
Eight years before…
As King Alaric's entourage approached the gates of the Castle of Allendor, the tension hung heavy in the air. Gone were the jovial exchanges and warm welcomes of their past visits. King Aldrus, standing at the castle gates, greeted his old friend with a curt nod, his expression unreadable.
As they conversed over matters of state, Aldrus's mind raced with strategies to safeguard his kingdom against the impending storm. He knew that Alaric's dragons loomed ominously on the horizon, harbingers of chaos and upheaval. And yet, amidst the facade of diplomacy, Aldrus braced himself for the inevitable clash that would shape the fate of their realms.
"Alaric, my friend," he began, "I hold your friendship in the highest regard. But we both know the shadows of conflict loom ever closer. I’m aware it’s a matter of time until you bring your war to Allendor."
Alaric nodded solemnly, “you summoned me here, my friend. I am willing to listen to you.”
Aldrus gestured toward the window. The king’s daughter, Princess Isabella, played with her maids crafting flower crowns in the garden."Isabella, my only daughter, my heiress," he declared. "I propose a union—I shall give you her hand in marriage. This way you get Allendor and not a single drop of blood needs to be spilled. My only condition is your pledge to dissolve your harem and take her as your sole wife and queen."
Alaric's brows furrowed in contemplation as he regarded the spirited girl below. "A noble proposition, Aldrus," he replied. "But I won’t make any promises. Besides the political implications something like this could hold for me, your daughter is too young, it would be nearly a decade until she’s old enough for marriage. But I will give your offer the consideration it deserves."
Aldrus nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Think on it, Alaric," he urged. "For the sake of my people, in honor of our friendship."
King Alaric's gaze followed Isabella's graceful movements in the garden, a flicker of admiration crossing his face. He weighed the offer carefully, knowing the potential consequences of his decision.
As the journey away from Allendor continued, King Alaric found himself grappling with his friend's proposal. Perhaps it would be good for his final movement in this war to be a peaceful alliance, to cement a new era to come. Yet, a few months later, unsettling news reached him through a couple letters intercepted by his spies; King Aldrus planned to barter Princess Isabella's hand to the Crown Prince of the Theran Islands in exchange for military support against the Dragon King’s Fire Army.
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