The grand doors swung open without a sound. Maids and soldiers bowed deep as he passed, their eyes avoiding his. Each bow spoke of more than respect. It was survival in the face of something dangerous.
Silent.
Deliberate.
His footsteps echoed against polished floors as he approached a familiar door. Just as his hand reached for the handle, it opened. A maid stepped out, her eyes widening in recognition before she ducked into a bow and hurried away.
The door creaked open.
The chamber beyond seemed to exist in its own world. Vast walls bore ancient curtains depicting elven legends in elaborate detail. Golden light filtered through, casting dancing shadows across the floor.
A magnificent bed dominated the far corner, its frame carved from a single piece of ancient Sylvaire wood. The enchanted wood twisted like living branches, pulsing faintly with magic. Elven embroidery adorned the sheets. Thread of gold and silver told stories of love, loss, and rebirth.
The air hung heavy with floral scents. Jasmine and moonflower mixed with something wilder underneath. This was unmistakably a woman's sanctuary, where power and femininity intertwined.
Halodor closed the door behind him.
Click.
The world outside ceased to exist.
His eyes found the figure seated on the bed. She sat with her back straight, gaze fixed on the wall before her. She didn't move. Didn't acknowledge his presence.
"How are you faring, Amanda?" His voice came soft as he settled on the bed's edge beside her.
Amanda remained motionless, her face a mask of serenity. But inside her mind screamed in desperation.
Hal, please! The Elders are plotting something terrible. You can't let them have their way!
Her thoughts thrashed against the prison of her body, a tempest trapped behind unnerving calm.
Halodor sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging.
"Why did you leave us, Amanda? Why did you abandon Lilia and me, never to return?"
Confusion bloomed in Amanda's mind. What are you talking about? We discussed this years ago. I told you what I wanted, what I needed to do.
But her lips remained sealed. Her body stayed frozen as if carved from stone.
"The Elders believe they command me, but they'll soon understand where true control lies." His hand brushed against the intricate pendant at his throat.
"It's all part of the plan—to gain power, to become king."
Amanda's mind stumbled over his words. This wasn't the Halodor she had known. She searched his face for any trace of the elf she had once trusted, but found only shadows and secrets. Her body remained still, betraying none of the panic that surged beneath.
Wrong.
All wrong.
His hand moved to her shoulder, tracing a path across her back and up to her chin. The touch was gentle, but it sent chills of dread through Amanda's paralyzed form.
"They have no idea what I'm capable of," Halodor whispered, his voice dropping to a menacing purr. "But you'll see, Amanda. You'll all see."
Amanda's pulse quickened, her heart a frantic drumbeat as he leaned closer. His touch felt darkly intimate in ways that made her skin crawl. She fought against her own body, a prisoner shackled to silence.
How could he? This isn't Halodor. The friend who'd fought by my side, who'd pledged loyalty...
Every inch of her screamed, but her body betrayed her. What had happened to the elf she once knew? And what terrors awaited Elderglade if she couldn't break free from this curse?
The room that had once been sanctuary now felt like a cage. The floral scent that once comforted now suffocated her.
As sunlight continued to dance across the walls, casting ever-shifting shadows, Amanda could only wait in her frozen body for whatever dark future lay ahead.
The ambiance shifted then. Warm sunlight turned invasive as it illuminated the stark contrast between their expressions. Halodor's gaze lingered on Amanda's face, tracing the contours of her crimson irises and the soft curve of her lips. His grip on her shoulder tightened slightly as his breathing grew heavier.
Desire.
Possession.
"I've always admired you, Amanda," he murmured, his voice carrying unsettling weight.
"The precision of your blade, the elegance of your every movement... I've longed to be more than just your shadow."
His thumb caressed her cheek with feather-light touch, yet it sent waves of terror through her immobile body. Her eyes, once filled with trust, now reflected only horror and despair.
Her body, once her greatest weapon, now lay heavy and inert. She felt the phantom weight of his touch on her skin, each caress a mockery of her helplessness.
Halodor's hand drifted downward, fingertips grazing the swell of her chest. His eyes grew hazy with a desire that chilled her soul.
"But you were always too focused on your sword," he said, his voice like poisoned honey.
"So, I became your shield instead. I followed you into every battle, every training session, hoping one day you would look at me not just as your protector, but as your partner."
Tears slid silently down Amanda's cheeks, tracing rivers of despair across her face. Halodor leaned closer, his smile unsettlingly tender as he wiped them away.
"Don't cry," he whispered. "You're going to be a wonderful queen."
Standing abruptly, he pulled her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"And I'll be a king that this realm has never seen before. Together, we'll ensure that our legacy thrives."
"Our children will be the greatest warriors Elderglade has ever known."
The room spun around her as she processed the weight of his words. This wasn't the Halodor she knew. This was a monster wearing a friend's skin. His hand traveled down her body, each touch a violation that sent shivers of revulsion through her.
No.
Please.
"You don't have to worry about a thing," he assured her, his voice a sickly sweet serenade.
"I'll take care of everything. You'll come to understand your new role in time."
He brushed her cheek once more, his touch lingering. For a brief second, the old Halodor flickered in his gaze before vanishing, replaced by something far more sinister.
"There's nothing to fear, Amanda. Once you see the bigger picture, you'll understand. Everything... will fall into place, just as it should."
His smile grew wider, more predatory, his eyes gleaming with maddening excitement.
"As the mother of our future, you'll be revered. The elves will sing of your beauty and your strength."
The air grew thick with tension. The scent of flowers in the room became a snare around her neck. Amanda felt the warmth of his breath against her skin as he leaned in closer, eyes locked onto hers.
"With Elderglade's power at my feet you'll see how we should have ruled together from the start."
Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Every cell in her body screamed for freedom, for escape. Yet all she could do was watch, helpless, as Halodor's twisted vision for their future wrapped around her like chains.
"Your sacrifice won't be in vain, Amanda," he whispered.
As he turned away, Amanda's gaze hardened for only an instant. A heartbeat of rebellion, unnoticed.
Fierce.
Alive.
The elves would pay for her silence. Elderglade, her home, would fall to ruin under his twisted rule.
Unless, somehow, she found a way to fight back.