Chapter 151
My breath caught. "What?"
He gave a small smile. "I have always known you weren't human, my queen. From the moment you first came under this roof, from the moment I inspected you when you were first with child, I suspected you were an otsayak."
A chill ran down my spine. "Then why didn't you tell anyone?"
He raised a brow. "Why would I? Your past does not concern me. Your bloodline does not dictate how I see you. You are my queen. And that is all that matters to me."
I stared at him, my heart pounding. "You truly don't care?"
He shook his head. "Not in the slightest."
Emotion swelled in my chest. I didn't even know his name. I just saw him as the royal physician, nothing else.
Yet he had known what I was and he didn't care.
After feeling like I was drowning in judgment and hostility, his words were like a lifeline.
"I don't even know your name..." I swallowed hard.
"Aldric. Aldric your Majesty."
"Thank you. Aldric."
He inclined his head. "I will always serve you, my queen. No matter what you are."
I let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand over my stomach. "And you're sure the baby is well?"
Aldric smiled. "More than well. In fact, I would say the birth is near. You will meet your child in three moons, no less."
Three moons.
I felt a rush of emotion—excitement, nervousness, something almost too vast to name.
"That soon?" I whispered.
He chuckled. "Soon enough. You should begin preparing. Sometimes the birth can happen sooner, or a little bit later. Either way, you should be prepared."
I nodded, feeling a rare spark of happiness. "Then I will."
For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe again.
........
The castle halls felt colder than usual as I walked back to my chambers. Not from the chill creeping through the stone walls, but from the glares, the whispers that followed me like a shadow. Servants who once bowed with polite smiles now barely looked in my direction. Guards stood stiffly as I passed, their expressions unreadable, their hands gripping their swords as if expecting me to attack.
I had expected the hostility after Rowan revealed the truth, but it still cut deep. Deeper than I had imagined.
I tried to ignore it as I made my way to the war room first, to see Rowan. He and his men were gathered, pouring over maps and discussing the approaching battle and strategies to overtake Braam. I lingered outside for a moment, listening to the murmurs of strategy, the weight of war heavy in the air. Then, I stepped inside.
Rowan looked up immediately, his dark eyes softening as they landed on me. "Ariadne," he said, his voice a mix of relief and concern. He had started to use my real name ever since the truth had been revealed. He didn’t care what anyone else thought about it.
“Come here."
I obeyed, slipping past the circle of men who barely acknowledged my presence. As soon as I was close enough, Rowan took my hands in his, squeezing them gently.
"They're getting closer," I murmured. "Aren't they?"
He nodded. "Braam's forces are moving fast. We estimate they'll be at the castle gates in the next few days. It’s time to go meet them head on."
My heart pounded. "Then you have to go.”
Rowan exhaled, bringing my hands to his lips. "Yes. And you have to stay here. I can’t risk you getting hurt and you know the battlefield isn’t a safe place.”
The words sent a chill through me. "Rowan..." I glanced around, lowering my voice. "When you leave, they will all turn on me. They already hate me. If you're not here—"
"No one will touch you," he interrupted, his grip tightening. "You are their queen. And you have to start acting like it. Do not let them intimidate you.”
I shook my head. "It's not that simple. You don't see the way they look at me. They don't want me here. They want me gone. They would do anything to have that.”
Rowan's jaw clenched. "Then make them understand that you are not leaving. That you are my wife, the mother of my child, and the Queen of Zaire. No one will intimidate you. No one will make you feel unwelcome in your own home."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know if I can do that."
"Yes, you can." His hands cupped my face, his touch warm, grounding. "You are strong, Ariadne. I need you to believe that."
Tears burned at the back of my eyes. "What if you don't come back?"
Rowan's gaze darkened. "I will. I promise I will.”
"You can't promise that."
"I can," he said fiercely. "Because I have something to fight for. I have you. And our child. And I will do whatever it takes to return to you."
A tear slipped down my cheek. Rowan wiped it away with his thumb, his expression unreadable. "I can't lose you," I whispered.
"You won't." He kissed my forehead, lingering there for a moment. "But I need you to be strong while I'm gone. For our people. For me."
I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent, memorizing the feel of his lips against my skin.
When I opened them, I nodded. "Alright."
Rowan smiled, but it was laced with sadness. "That's my queen."
The war room fell silent as his men watched us. I knew they were waiting for him, but I wasn't ready to let him go.
I reached up, threading my fingers through his hair, pulling him down into a kiss. It was desperate, filled with everything I couldn't say. Rowan kissed me back just as fiercely, as if trying to etch this moment into his memory.
When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine. "I will come back to you."
"You'd better."
He chuckled softly, brushing one last kiss against my lips before stepping back. "Stay safe, my love."
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.
Then, without another word, Rowan turned and walked toward his men, toward battle.
And I was left standing there, alone.
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