Chapter 26: Seizing the throne (3)
The news of Elena being the illegitimate daughter of the late queen traveled around the Enchanted forest. It became the talk of the town and the center of every gossip in all the kingdoms. It was announced that Elsie will be taking her rightful place at the throne and will be Esteban's bride.
Esteban rushed back to Atria from Izmia to see Elena when he heard the news. He came back to the palace and went straight to Elena's bedroom but she wasn't there. Elena had locked herself in the secret chamber, she lay on the bed lifeless as her eyes stared at the ceiling. Her tears flowed down from her eyes nonstop as she recalled her embarrassment in the throne room. She let her emotions loose and allowed herself to feel every emotion that came with the pain of Elsie's betrayal.
The wedding preparations went on as planned and everyone else got ready for the wedding. Lola was very worried about Elena and wanted to be by her side but Elsie demanded them to attend to her.
Esteban tried to get into the secret chamber but he had no idea how to open the door. He walked away to look for Lola in hopes that she would be able to help him. He asked around and learned that she was in princess Elsie's room. He walked to her room and went in without waiting for the guards to announce his arrival or the permission of the princess.
Elsie was busy trying on Elena's wedding dress when he came in. He stared at her in the dress and couldn't describe how angry he felt about seeing that. He had the dress made for Elena and never expected to see someone else put it on. He looked at her and directed his eyes to Lola.
"I need your help, come with me," he said and turned away.
"That is not a way to behave. You can't just come in here and command my lady to do your bidding," complained Elsie. She walked over to him and took him by the hand and pulled him towards the bed. "First tell me how do I look?" she asked him.
"You look absolutely beautiful," he complimented and she smiled. "Even a lowly servant would look gorgeous in Elena's clothes," he added and Elsie lost her smile. She clapped her hands twice and all the servants and lady royals left the room.
"I wanted to talk to you about Elena. I want you to know that I never meant to hurt her and I am willing to give her back the throne if she fulfills a condition of mine," she said.
"And what condition is that?"
"I want Elena to forgive me and accept me as her friend once again," she said.
Esteban considered what she said and thought about whether to tell Elena about it or not. He had come to realize that Elena was not someone to be forced into doing something that she didn't want to do. He walked back to Elena's room with Lola, he asked her how to open the door and she showed him. Esteban opened the door and rushed inside to see his love.
He found Elena lying on the bed with no intention of getting up. He went to the bed and lay next to her and took her in his arms. He held them very close to him and gave her all the warmth that she needed. He comforted her and tried to calm her down, Elena's body was very cold and she was freezing. He rubbed her hands to make her warm and hugged her even tighter.
"You are my life Elena and I am never going to leave you," he said to her but she couldn't hear him. Her mind was replaying the events that took place in the throne room in her head. The faces of all the people present were an image that she would never forget in all her immortal life. Her entire body and soul were burning with rage at what they did to her and she vowed to get her revenge on everyone responsible for destroying her life. Her life and her dreams have been shattered and the people that she has let into her house.
The relatives and the elders walked into Elena's room and found Lola waiting outside the secret door. They asked for Esteban and told her to let him know that they wished to speak to him. Lola opened the door and went inside she informed Esteban of their visit and returned with him. The relatives sat with him in the garden for a talk.
"We wish to speak to you about your marriage to Princess Elsie," said Lydia leading the conversation.
"And when did I say that I will be getting married to Elsie?" he asked them.
"You never said it but the reason you were marrying Elena was to unite our two kingdoms and that is still something that we wish for. We want you to accept this proposal and deliver the dream that Elena had," they said and he felt like vomiting. They don't give a damn about Elena and they pretend like they are doing this for her good.
"I understand that but I don't want to marry Elsie."
"You will marry her and bring peace to our two kingdoms," said a sweet voice from behind them. They all turned around to see the source of the voice. "Mother," whispered Esteban.
Esteban went to his mother and hugged her. It had been forever since he had last seen his mother and hugged her. He held her so tightly and took in her comforting scent. He needed the hug after everything that happened, there was no way he could ever imagine marrying another girl apart from Elena but he also needed to please his mother.
He had to somehow convince her to let him marry Elena at all cost. He had fallen in love with Elena and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and more importantly, he owed Elena a debt for freeing him from the clutches of the witches who had trapped him with their spells.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone