A ROYAL OBSESSION

Maya walked out of the room, her gaze locked onto Leon as the guards escorted her outside.

Her eyes turned misty, and a single tear escaped, questioning whether he might reconsider, but she didn't know this man well. There was not a single emotion in those eyes, he just didn't care.

The guards maintained a firm grip on her, guiding her without roughness.

As they descended the staircase, Maya's attention shifted to her servant Nadira and the other maids gathered below. Nadira held a lantern, and upon catching sight of Maya, she quickly fell to her knees. "I'm sorry, your majesty," she said, brimming with regret. "This is all my fault."

Maya shook her head bitterly. "No, it's my fault," she replied quietly, continuing forward.

Nadira rose, eyes filled with sympathy, joined by the other maids who couldn't believe the turn of events. Especially Nadira, who had never imagined the king would punish his bride by sending her to the dungeon.

But the harsh reality was that the king enforced his will upon anyone, leaving no one above reproach within the castle walls.

"I warned you that this would end badly. She should never have ordered the curtains to be opened," one girl muttered to Nadira.

"I feel terrible for her. The dungeon is far darker than here; how will she manage?" Nadira lamented, her frown deepening. She started to turn away, heading for the stairs when one of the girls grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" the girl questioned.

"We need to plead with the king!" Nadira insisted.

"Never attempt that," Joan advised sternly. "You could find yourself thrown into the dungeon as well. I've served longer than you and know he has no tolerance for pleas. He doesn't listen; it would only complicate matters for you."

Nadira's brows knitted in frustration, her lips parted in disbelief. "What are we supposed to do then? No one deserves to suffer in the dungeon," she said defiantly.

Joan replied with resolve, "There's nothing we can do, Nadira. We must hope that her majesty returns unbroken."

Nadira bit her lip, guilt gnawing at her. She was the one who had contributed to Maya's predicament, and if only she had insisted more vehemently that the king disliked the curtains being opened, perhaps this outcome could have been avoided.

Shaking her head in disappointment, she finally lifted her gaze towards the balcony, only to freeze in fear.

The other girls followed her line of sight and gasped, spotting the king standing there, gripping the railing with a hardened expression.

They averted their eyes immediately and hurried to escape the area. While the other two made their way towards the right, Nadira walked with her head bowed, taking a different route as they scattered.

Leon departed, his boots echoing ominously on the marble tiles as he retreated to his chambers. A night in the dungeon would serve as a lesson for Maya—one she would never forget.

*

*

*

Maya's heartbeat raced as she trudged alongside the guards through the dark corridor. The torches flickered on the walls, but as they approached the dungeon, the light dwindled until it vanished entirely, plunging the space into darkness. Only the guard's lantern provided any illumination.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she felt an overwhelming sense of isolation, wishing desperately for a different outcome.

The moment she crossed the threshold into the dungeon, the iron gate slammed shut behind her, followed by the resounding sound of the lock engaging. She turned to face the guards, who bowed their heads before preparing to leave.

"Wait!" she commanded, halting them in their tracks.

She looked at the guard holding the lantern. "Please leave that here. I need the light," she asserted.

The guard exchanged a glance with his companion, who nodded. The guard set the lantern down before bowing again as they exited.

Now alone in that silent, damp place, the only sound was the retreating footsteps of the guards until they faded completely.

Maya positioned herself in a corner on the cold ground, her legs pulled tightly to her body to fight the biting chill. Her silk robe offered little warmth, but the flickering light from the lantern provided a faint beacon of comfort. As long as there was light, she could withstand the darkness.

Her thoughts drifted back to that moment, and she found herself grappling with the reality that he had thrown her into the dungeon.

How could he do that to her, his wife? His words resonated in her mind: she was only a wife by name, he had said, not by right.

It was a statement that had struck her like a slap, leaving a sharp pain in her chest. The way he glared at her, harsh words spilling from his lips over a minor mistake, was unforgivable; he had condemned her as if she were a criminal guilty of a horrific act.

She felt a surge of disgust for him, her fists clenched in anger. Couldn't he make an effort to understand her? Didn't he have his own fears?

He claimed he didn't care about her likes or dislikes—how cruel could a person be?

The rumors about him were true; he was cold-hearted, cruel and dangerous. What kind of man sends his wife to a dungeon as punishment? She had never envisioned their marriage beginning this way, but one thing was clear: she despised him for the torment he had inflicted and for the hurtful things he had said.

If only she had never married him, if only she had stayed home, immersed in the bickering of Eliana and her daughter, and Michael. She would gladly choose that over this twisted life.

And Peter—her heart ached for him. He had accepted their separation without a fight, and she hadn't spoken to him since; not knowing how he was fared left her feeling shattered. At the very least, she would have appreciated his effort, but he had done nothing, leaving her utterly broken.

Sighing softly, she rested her chin on her knees and stared at the ground, lost in thought.

Moments passed before she noticed the flicker of light; something had obscured it. Glancing up, she squinted at the lantern, realizing a rat was hovering above it.

Maya stood and moved to the front of the cell to shoo the rat away.

Sensing her approach, the rat scurried across the lantern, knocking it to the ground and extinguishing the light.

"No" she thought, the darkness enveloping her instantly. Panic set in as her heart raced. Breathing quickly, she swallowed hard, gripping the sides of her dress as her feet instinctively backed away. Her gaze darted around the cell; the only sound was her accelerated breath. It felt like something was lurking, ready to pounce.

Maya gasped as her back hit the wall. "Please, God," she silently prayed, desperate to escape this nightmare. Another nightmare that would haunt her. The panic was overwhelming—she had to calm herself, but her racing heart contradicted her thoughts.

She sank to the ground, hugging herself tightly, focusing all her energy on regaining her composure. And then she heard it—a voice. "It's all your fault, Maya," it mocked, cruel and accusatory, mirroring her dark surroundings.

"If only you weren't alive, this wouldn't have happened. You're nothing but a mistake. Everything you do leads to failure—you're the reason you're in this place," the voice continued.

Maya shook her head, heart pounding faster, tears pooling in her eyes. "No one is here with you… You've always been alone, and you will continue to be alone," it taunted, seemingly relishing her distress.

"No, please," Maya pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

"You're alone. No one is here for you," It continued and she envisioned her mother leaving her, Aunt Eliana shutting her away, and now this dark cell. Overwhelmed, she felt like she was drowning.

"Please stop," she begged, clutching her head, desperate to silence the torment, but it wouldn't relent. The voice grew more insistent, and as her grip on reality slipped, she begged once more, until she lost consciousness, surrendering to the darkness.