“Mother, place your seal on this decree.”
Caelan entered, the chill of the night wind trailing behind him, his guards flanking him as they faced me with drawn weapons.
My heart froze over. I took a few measured steps forward and tilted my head to look at him.
“Why can’t you wait a little longer? Just one more year, and you’ll take full command. I have never clung to power...”
“Mother!”
His dark eyes bore into mine, unyielding. “Forgive me, but I can’t wait.”
Why couldn’t he wait? It was only one more year! Was it really so unbearable?
The child I once knew had changed, standing here now, leading a coup against me. He was unrecognizable.
“Bring him in!”
Caelan’s voice was cold, and soon enough, the disgraced Regent Lord, Alistair, was dragged into the chamber, his clothes disheveled.
“You insolent wretch!” Alistair spat, struggling against the guards. “How dare you turn against your own mother? Are you not afraid of divine retribution?”
He was forced to the ground, his body weak but his eyes blazing with rage.
Caelan’s face remained expressionless. In one swift motion, he drew his sword and severed Alistair’s arm, splattering blood across the floor.
A few droplets landed on my face, mingling with my hair.
I gripped the chair beside me to keep my balance, my blood freezing in my veins.
He really did it. He severed the Regent’s arm as if it were nothing.
“Mother, shall I kill this beast for dishonoring you?”
Caelan smiled as if asking me about a trivial matter.
“What?”
I stared at him, stunned and confused.
Suddenly, he gripped my shoulders tightly, his eyes burning with intensity.
“I said I want to kill him. Ever since I was eight years old and saw him enter your chambers, I swore I would. I’ve waited seven long years. Isn’t that enough? Or… Mother, do you hesitate because you still care for him?”
Anger surged through me, hot and unrelenting. My fingers dug into the chair so hard I feared they’d break.
In those early years, alone with Caelan in the palace, I had faced countless schemes and threats. We had no one but each other.
Every decision I made was for him, to ensure his survival.
Even if it meant submitting to Alistair, all of it was for my son.
Caelan knew this. Why, then, would he use this to shame me?
“Answer me, Mother!” Caelan’s voice grew colder as his gaze locked on mine, his intensity unrelenting. “Shall he live, or shall he die?”
If I said he should die, would it bring him peace?
But Alistair was the Regent, and killing him would plunge the realm into chaos.
If Caelan was to reclaim the throne peacefully, Alistair couldn’t die – not by his hand.
“You cannot kill him!”
I bit down on my anger and spoke through gritted teeth.
I wanted to explain my reasoning, but before I could, Caelan’s sword flashed, and Alistair’s head fell to the ground.
“Mother,” Caelan’s smile turned to a sneer, “you’re nothing but a shameless... disgrace.”
His words struck like a blade to the heart. Was this truly the child I had sacrificed everything for?
My vision darkened, and the next moment, I collapsed to the ground.
Before I lost consciousness, I thought I heard him call out to me, his voice panicked.
I had never once guarded myself against my son.
Even if he was a child I found abandoned in the cold.
That year, when I entered the palace as queen, the king was already bedridden with illness. I understood that my marriage was nothing more than a tool in the hands of those who sought power.
I lived cautiously, never daring to step out of line, fearful that any misstep could bring disaster upon my father, who was stationed at the kingdom’s distant borders.
The only reckless thing I ever did was save him.
At the time, I didn’t know who he was. I simply saw a young boy freezing in the snow, and I couldn’t bear to let him die. So, I ordered my maid to bring him into my chambers.
It was only later that I learned his identity – he was Prince Caelan.
His mother had been Lady Seraphine, a princess sent to marry the king in a fragile peace treaty – my predecessor as queen.
But after a war reignited between the two kingdoms, Seraphine had taken her own life.
A prince with such a history – who wouldn’t have wanted him dead?
Chapter 2 A Life Saved“Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous to save Prince Caelan. I should quietly send him back before anyone notices,” Viola, my maid, whispered urgently.
Viola was loyal, brought with me from my father’s estate, and she always had my best interest at heart.
But this child… I looked at his feverish, flushed face, and I simply couldn’t bear to abandon him.
The wars between kingdoms – what could they possibly have to do with a helpless child?
If I truly sent him back, he would likely be dead within days. How could I live with myself?
“Mother... mother...” the boy mumbled, his small hand suddenly grasping mine, calling out in his fevered dreams.
“How could such a small child be guilty of anything? I am the queen. Can I not even protect one little boy?”
“But Your Majesty...” Viola began again, but I cut her off with a raised hand. I knew exactly what she was going to say.
The palace was cold and ruthless. The emperor was frail and sick, with little time left. I had entered this palace only to become a widow in all but name – how could there be any warmth in such a place?
But this child… fine. I would at least protect his life.
I knelt before the Queen Mother’s palace for three days and three nights, and at last, she relented. She agreed to let me raise Prince Caelan.
However, she asked me, “This child will never sit on the throne. He can’t offer you protection. Do you still wish to do this?”
“I have no regrets.”
I understood her meaning. As queen, I could easily adopt another prince and raise him as my own, ensuring that he would become emperor. Then I could secure my position and influence in the palace.
But I didn’t want to take another woman’s child, and I didn’t want this little life before me to wither away before it had even had a chance to bloom.
The Queen Mother sighed, though her gaze softened slightly.
Deep down, perhaps, even she felt some compassion...
From that day on, her attitude toward me changed. She became warmer, more willing to teach me the ways of palace life – how to rule as queen and manage the vast and treacherous court. Through countless lessons and grim examples, she showed me how to survive in this pit of vipers.
Three years later, the emperor passed away. My father, returning in triumph from the battlefield, brokered an alliance with Lord Alistair, the most powerful man in the kingdom.
Against all expectations, Alistair supported the ascension of eight-year-old Caelan as emperor.
On her deathbed, the Queen Mother cursed me, pointing a trembling finger in my direction: “You will bring ruin to the realm!”
…
I woke with a start, back in the familiar surroundings of my chamber.
Viola, red-eyed and weeping, was at my bedside. Seeing me stir, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
For a long while, I sat there, disoriented, trying to piece together the events of the previous day.
Caelan had launched a coup, taking the palace by force. He had even lured Lord Alistair to his death.
I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to ease the splitting headache, but the tears came, spilling through my clenched fingers.
“Your Majesty...” Seraphine began to cry alongside me.
“Please, don’t grieve too much. Lordling… His Majesty is confused right now. He’s not thinking straight. He stood vigil over you all night after you collapsed. He just left for court a little while ago...”
She still called him ‘lordling,’ her heart clearly aching for him. She couldn’t believe that Caelan would do something like this.
I had always remained calm, no matter what had happened in this palace.
Even in the face of knives and swords, I had never felt fear like I did now.
But Caelan – my Caelan – this betrayal was like a knife driven deep into my chest.
I spent the entire day searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
It was only late at night, long after the palace had fallen silent, that he finally appeared, reeking of alcohol.
“You’re still awake, Mother? What’s the matter? Thinking about Alistair and can’t sleep?”
He staggered over, his steps unsteady, and grabbed my hand. His eyes were bloodshot, his face haggard.
“Caelan, you’re drunk.”
I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened, his strength far greater than I expected. The small, soft child I once knew had grown into a tall, imposing young man.
“I’m not drunk, Mother.”
His voice was almost a plea as he leaned closer, his head resting heavily on my shoulder, his body pressing me back into the chair.
“Stop thinking about him. Think about me instead, alright?”
His words sent a chill through me. “Caelan, snap out of it. Get off me!”
But he didn’t listen. Instead, he leaned in even more, his weight pushing down on me. His scarlet eyes were filled with a wild, suppressed rage that I had never seen in him before.
“Why won’t you answer me? What does he have that I don’t?”
Chapter 3 Marry You“Have you lost your mind? I am your mother!”
If I still didn’t understand his intentions, all these years would have been in vain.
My own child had developed unthinkable feelings for me…
Fury and shock coursed through me as I raised my hand to slap some sense into him, but he caught my wrist in a firm grip.
“Yes, I’ve gone mad. Ever since the day I saw him step into your chambers, I’ve been insane,” he growled.
“If that old man can have you, why can’t I? I’m younger, stronger – isn’t that better?”
His words sent a chilling wave through my body, and I froze. “Caelan, you...”
But before I could finish, he cut me off, moving closer as if he no longer wanted to hear my protests.
“Genevieve, why won’t you understand? I truly love you...” he whispered, his voice filled with the raw agony of someone who had been holding in their suffering for far too long.
My heart pounded, terrified of what he was about to say.
If I allowed him to continue down this path, there would be no turning back.
I knew that if this unspeakable crime were ever discovered, not only would I be ruined, but he would forever be branded a monster, condemned for all eternity.
“Is it my death you seek?” I asked, my voice icy and unyielding, finally halting his frenzied advance.
“If you continue, you’ll see my lifeless body by morning. Is that what you want?”
I spoke with such finality, leaving no room for doubt. He needed to know that I was not bluffing.
He stared at me for a long moment, his tears suddenly falling, one by one.
I remembered so vividly the days when he was just a little boy, clinging to me as his only source of comfort in the cold, cruel palace.
I had held him, kissed him, loved him. He had been my sole solace in this barren life.
Seeing him cry like this, I felt my heart softening despite myself, and tears pricked at the corners of my own eyes.
“Mother, please rest early tonight,” he murmured, stepping away from the bed and averting his gaze.
With a stiff bow, he left without another word.
I didn’t sleep at all that night.
The next morning, Viola came in to help me prepare for the day.
That’s when I learned the horrifying truth: all the servants in my chambers the night before had been dragged away and executed.
Viola knelt at my feet, trembling so violently she could barely speak. It seemed she was nearly paralyzed with fear.
In a way, I understood why he did it. The palace was filled with prying eyes and loose tongues, and he likely did this to silence any potential witnesses forever.
But he hadn’t consulted me – hadn’t even warned me before spilling so much blood.
Was it truly for this reason alone?
I hesitated, unsure of what else to believe.
After the morning court session, Caelan burst into my chambers, practically dragging a veiled woman along with him.
When he tore the veil away, I was stunned – the woman bore a striking resemblance to me, seven or eight years younger.
A sickening realization settled over me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded.
He dismissed everyone else from the room and looked at me with a manic glint in his eyes. “I want to marry you, to crown you as my empress in full view of the world.”
I stared at him, utterly speechless. “You’ve lost your mind, Caelan. Do you truly think you can deceive the entire court?”
His eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity, his expression one of a beast about to pounce. “And if they speak out? Then I’ll sever their heads!”
I pointed at him, my voice trembling with rage. “You–!”
But he grabbed my hand, this time pleading. “Mother, please, just agree!”
I wrenched my hand free, so furious that I could feel the blood pounding in my ears.
After a moment of heavy silence, I spoke, my tone icy with determination. “The prime minister’s daughter, Lila – she is graceful, well-mannered, and intelligent. I’ve met her. She would be the perfect match for you.”
With a sharp crash, the teacup on the table shattered into pieces, knocked aside by his furious sweep.
“Do you no longer care for your father’s and brothers’ lives?”
What?
I spun around to face him, my heart seizing in fear.
His eyes blazed red with fury, his expression contorted with barely suppressed rage.
“Surely, you didn’t know. Last night, I had your family’s estate raided. Your father, the general, and both of your brothers have been imprisoned in the dungeons!”
He was using my family – my blood – to blackmail me. My fury erupted like wildfire, and I slapped him across the face with all my strength.
“What crime did they commit to deserve such cruelty? Why would you destroy them?”
His expression remained icy, his voice hard as iron. “Your family wields too much military power. They conspired with Lord Alistair and have controlled the court for far too long. If I didn’t strike first, I’d be the one sitting in a cell right now.”
I couldn’t deny the truth of his words.
If my father had known about the coup, he would never have stood by. He likely would have had Caelan dethroned and installed a new emperor.
But things should never have come to this…