Chapter 21: Forbidden Love
The cold air seeped into her bones, a stinging pain pricked with every touch of fabric on her skin. Shapira slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the lingering fog of a nightmare and a churning nausea. The strong scent of spices and herbal concoctions stung her nose, vaguely soothing, but failed to calm her wildly racing heart. She remembered the cold splash of water, the surreal touch of Anya's hand, and then darkness. She lay on a soft bed, covered by a thick, warm blanket, far more luxurious than her servant's cot. Every inch of her body ached, especially her chest, as if her lungs were still filled with water and fear.
A sturdy figure stood beside her, unmoving like a sentinel statue. Shapira tried to move her head, and a soft but worried whispered voice greeted her.
"Shapira? You're awake?" It was William. His tense face now softened slightly, but his eyes still conveyed deep exhaustion and guilt. He moved closer, touching Shapira's forehead with the back of his warm hand. "Your fever has gone down, thank goodness."
Shapira tried to speak, but her voice was just a hoarse cough. She swallowed, her throat dry. "The lake … Isabelle …."
William nodded slowly, his jaw hardening. "I know. I'm sorry. I should have been more careful. I should never have let you out of my sight." There was a thick tone of regret in his voice, a guilt that burned his soul. He pulled a chair closer, sitting beside Shapira, his eyes never leaving her. "I … I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you."
Shapira looked at him, there were deep lines of exhaustion on William's face, dark circles under his eyes, and clear worry shining through. She tried to offer a reassuring smile, though it felt difficult. "I'm fine … you saved me."
"No, you are not fine," William cut in, his voice now firmer, yet still gentle. He observed the scratches on Shapira's arm, which were wrapped in bandages. "You nearly drowned. And … and you saw her again, didn't you? Anya."
Shapira nodded, tears began to well in the corners of her eyes. "She … she smiled. And she helped me … she took my hand." Flashes of Anya's face, so similar to her own, yet with a different gentleness, still haunted her. "I … I don't know what any of this means, William."
William let out a heavy sigh, his hand gripping Shapira's cold one. "It means you have a strong connection to this world, Shapira. More than we ever imagined. And it means … I must protect you more. I will not let anyone harm you again." He rose, walked to the door, and motioned to the two guards standing outside. "Stay here. Make sure no one disturbs Shapira's peace. No one." His voice was low, but filled with command. Returning to Shapira's side, he knelt by the bed. "I swear, Shapira, Isabelle will pay dearly for her actions."
***
William's anger was like embers burning in his chest. As soon as Shapira was deeply asleep, enshrouded by sedatives and the security of guards, William rose. He could no longer contain his seething anger. He knew Isabelle was in the palace, perhaps enjoying a cup of tea with his mother, as if nothing had happened. William's steps were swift, his breath ragged, his cloak billowing with every turn of the quiet corridor. The jasmine scent from the palace gardens, which should have been calming, now felt suffocating, reminding him of the peaceful moments almost snatched away from him and Shapira.
He arrived at Queen Eleanor's study. The thick oak door was slightly ajar, revealing the silhouettes of the Queen and Isabelle sitting opposite each other. Isabelle's crisp laughter was audible, sickening to William.
Without knocking, William pushed the door wide open, creating a deafening thud. The air in the room immediately tensed. Queen Eleanor, who was gracefully sipping her tea, gasped. Isabelle, who had just been about to recount something, froze, her smile fading from her face.
William's eyes, as blue as a winter sea, glared sharply at Isabelle. There was no hesitation, no mercy. Only a blazing fire of wrath. He stepped forward, each stride echoing an unspoken threat.
Isabelle tried to smile, hiding behind a mask of innocence. "Oh, William! What is this? You seem very angry." She tried to touch William's arm, but William roughly swatted her hand away, startling Isabelle.
"Don't pretend, Isabelle," William hissed, his voice low and dangerous, like distant thunder. "You know exactly what you did." He forcefully pulled Isabelle's hand, his grip strong, almost painful. "You pushed her into the lake! You tried to kill her!"
Isabelle shrieked, trying to free herself. "What are you talking about? Let go of me! I don't know anything! I was just… I was just trying to teach her a lesson!"
"A lesson?" William gave a hollow laugh, a sound alien to him. "What kind of lesson? A lesson in what it feels like to drown? Do you think I'm that foolish? I saw you, Isabelle. I saw the entire poisoned charade, and I saw you at the lake. Enough!" He dragged Isabelle from her chair, closer to the door.
Queen Eleanor, who had initially been transfixed by the scene before her, finally found her voice. "William! What are you doing?!"
***
Queen Eleanor rose from her chair, her teacup clattered onto the table. Her elegant face was now filled with fury. She stepped towards her son, her gaze sharp and judgmental. The strong jasmine scent from her body spray filled the room, contrasting with the escalating tension.
"William! What are you doing? How dare you be so rough with Isabelle?" Queen Eleanor reprimanded in a high tone, her hand raised as if to slap her son. "Release her at once! She is my niece, a Lady from a distinguished family! You are shaming us all!"
William didn't budge, his grip on Isabelle's arm not loosening in the slightest. He looked at his mother, his eyes still blazing. "Shaming? You speak of shaming, Mother? This beloved niece of yours nearly killed Shapira! This beloved niece of yours poisoned herself to frame an innocent girl! That is what's shameful, Mother!"
Isabelle, now gasping for breath, seized the opportunity to hide behind Queen Eleanor. "William, don't listen to him! He's lying! Shapira is just a servant! She doesn't belong in this palace, and she must be the one trying to frame me!"
Queen Eleanor looked at William with a cold gaze, as if he were a stranger. "Is that so, William? Are you so blinded by the charm of that servant girl that you accuse Isabelle of this heinous act without proof? You know, she is the daughter of Lord Valerius, one of Astellia's most influential nobles!"
William laughed sardonically. "Proof? You want proof, Mother? I have a witness who saw Isabelle drop poison into her own drink! And I myself saw her push Shapira into the lake! What more do you need?" William said it loudly, every word laden with honesty and disappointment.
Queen Eleanor sighed, her jaw hardening. "Even if that were true, William, you cannot act like this. There are manners, there are palace laws. You are a Prince! You must control your emotions. This argument will solve nothing, it will only make us appear weak in the eyes of the nobility. It will only provoke a scandal!" She emphasized the word 'scandal' as if it were the greatest sin.
"Scandal?" William retorted, his voice rising. "The scandal already existed when you allowed these dirty intrigues to happen right under your nose, Mother! Shapira almost died because of Isabelle's foolishness and selfishness! I will not let this continue. Not anymore." He looked at Isabelle, who was trembling behind Queen Eleanor. "You will leave this palace, Isabelle. Right now."
***
Isabelle gasped, glaring at William in disbelief. Queen Eleanor too was startled, a flush of red spreading across her usually pale cheeks. The air in the study felt heavy, thick with William's suddenly booming authority.
William stepped forward, past the still-silent Queen Eleanor, standing directly before Isabelle. His eyes still blazed with burning fury. He raised his hand, pointing towards the palace's main entrance. "From this moment on, I forbid Lady Isabelle from ever setting foot in this Astellia palace again! You will return to your father's castle, and you will never come back here. Not as a guest, not as a relative, not as anything!"
Isabelle stammered, "William, you can't! I … I won't go! I'm innocent!"
William leaned in slightly, his voice menacing. "You dare defy me, Isabelle? After all you've done? I will make sure your father knows every intrigue and lie you've woven here. He will know that his daughter tried to poison people, tried to murder an innocent person. I'm sure Lord Valerius will be delighted to hear of this disgrace." The threat was deadly, targeting Isabelle's greatest weakness, her family's reputation.
At that, Isabelle lowered her head, her body trembling with fear. She knew William wasn't bluffing. A desperate sigh escaped her lips. She glanced at Queen Eleanor, seeking support, but the Queen merely stood rigid, her face taut.
William continued, his tone now echoing through the entire palace, as if he were speaking to every wall and every servant who might be eavesdropping. "And anyone," William's voice boomed, "anyone who dares defy this command of mine, anyone who dares grant her entry or help her return, will deal directly with me. There will be no exceptions. Is that clear?"
William's words reverberated throughout the study, penetrating the quiet corridors. A clear and uncompromising message. He had drawn a line. Queen Eleanor stared at her son, her eyes filled with burning anger, but also a touch of disbelief. She had never seen William this bold, this resolute, especially for a servant.
"William!" Queen Eleanor shrieked, her anger finally erupting.
***
Queen Eleanor stepped forward, standing between William and Isabelle, her eyes blazing with fury. She glared at her son with a gaze that almost pierced him, as if William had just insulted the honor of the entire royal lineage. The jasmine scent in the room now felt thick, intermingled with the smell of tension and anger.
"William! You have no right to do this!" Queen Eleanor roared, her voice echoing off the walls of the room. "Isabelle is my niece, my own flesh and blood! Only I have the right to banish her from this palace! Who are you to issue such a decree?" She crossed her arms over her chest, her posture radiating absolute authority. "You are overstepping your bounds, Prince! You have allowed your blind affection for that servant to cloud your judgment!"
William stood tall, not intimidated in the slightest. His blue eyes met his mother's gaze with equal intensity. "Blind affection? It's not blind affection, Mother. It is justice. And Shapira has her place here, more so than Isabelle. She didn't poison anyone, she didn't try to kill anyone!"
"Justice?" Queen Eleanor scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "What justice are you speaking of, William? You are banishing Isabelle for a servant from who knows where, a woman with no family name, no discernible honor! Do you know how crucial Isabelle is to Astellia's stability? She is the key!"
William frowned. "Key to what, Mother? Key to Shapira's destruction? Key to endless dirty intrigues?"
Queen Eleanor sighed, as if dealing with a foolish child. She lowered her voice slightly, but it remained full of menace. "I planned to betroth you to Isabelle, William! This isn't just about your childish affections! This is about alliances, about solidifying your power in this court, about ensuring Astellia remains the dominant force in Nymira! Lord Valerius is a crucial ally, and Isabelle is his only daughter!"
William slowly shook his head, his expression shifting from anger to disappointment. "You … you had this planned?" His voice trembled, not from fear, but from the betrayal he felt. "You would sacrifice Shapira, and even my happiness, for your political ambitions?"
"This isn't a sacrifice, William! This is responsibility!" Queen Eleanor shot back. "You are the heir to the throne! Love won't win wars or defend kingdoms! Isabelle has a pure lineage, a strong network of nobles, and she is an honorable noblewoman. She is far more suitable to stand beside you than that servant!"
"I don't care about lineage or noble networks! I don't care about your cold political ambitions, Mother!" William raised his voice, every word leaving his lips filled with unshakeable conviction. "I will never marry Isabelle! You can betroth yourself if you wish, but I … I will never do it!"
Isabelle, hearing that declaration, gasped, her lips trembling to hold back tears. Her hopes shattered.
Queen Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment, her chest rising and falling rapidly. When she opened them again, her eyes were piercing, filled with a fresh vengeance. "And what about Shapira, Prince? Do you think she will be safe after this? Do you think the nobles will accept her as queen? You are too naive, William! Love alone is not enough!"
"Love is what matters most, Mother! And I only love Shapira!" William declared, his voice firm, an undeniable proclamation. He had chosen his side, and no power in Astellia could change it. "Only her! I will marry her, no matter what you or any other noble says! If that means I have to give up the throne, then I will!"
Queen Eleanor gaped, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her face flushed scarlet, veins protruding on her neck. "You … you dare speak like that? You would choose a lowly servant over the kingdom you inherited? You would throw all of this away for … for a mere fantasy?"
"It's not a fantasy, Mother! It is true love!" William retorted, his anger and determination merging. "And I will protect her with my life! You and Isabelle will never be able to separate me from Shapira!"
Queen Eleanor stared at her son, her chest rumbling with fresh fury and resentment. Her eyes blazed sharply, as if a storm raged within her. She never imagined her son could be so stubborn, so defiant of her. Her hatred for Shapira now burned even brighter, mingled with shame and frustration. She clenched her fists, unable to utter another word, for she knew this debate was far from over. This was merely the beginning of a larger war. A war between love and ambition, between justice and power, that would test not only William and Shapira but also the entire foundation of Astellia. She knew she had to find a way to destroy Shapira and William's love, no matter the risk. No matter the cost.