Chapter 44: "Conversation with the Dethroned King"

Ely was led by the new head maid to her room. As she walked forward, she noticed that the servants couldn't look straight into her eyes. They watched her as if they never saw her before. Ely knew this was because they chose to side with the new King which they viewed as a kinder person than the previous King.

Those who were very loyal to Maro either fled as soon as they saw that there was something wrong with the wedding ceremony like Minister Holter and some mercenaries, or got caught after refusing to serve King Seiro like the past head maid. A few others chose to hide their loyalty to the previous King while serving the new King, like Solomon the physician, and loyal officers currently in travel due to their duties, like Minister Anna, decided to hide somewhere for a while.

When Ely entered her room, she noticed that a female mercenary was standing inside.

"Excuse me, you can wait outside," she told her.

"I apologize, my Queen," she uttered, bowing her head, "But King Seiro has ordered you to be guarded strictly, even inside your room."

The middle door connecting to the King's chamber suddenly opened. "You may go for now," King Seiro ordered her, and the female mercenary exited the room.

"What are you doing in Maro's room?" Ely glared at him, "That's not yours. Find another room."

"Everything he owned is mine anyway. I just took it back," he slowly approached her. "Ely, aren't you curious... what might have happened to my twin brother?"

"I am..."

"Why don't you ask me? Or perhaps, you're afraid of the answer?"

Ely trembled, and she couldn't help but shed tears. Yes, he was right. She was afraid to hear what kind of terrible thing they might have done to him.

But she wouldn't know his condition if she wouldn't ask, so she mustered up her courage. She wiped her tears and said, "Please take me to him."

But King Seiro demanded, "Only if you agree to marry me, then I shall take you to him."

She knew it was a trap. But what could she do? With strict security, she knew she would have a hard time escaping. If only there wasn't a mercenary assigned in her room, she could disguise herself as a maid once again and exit the palace like what she did in Leoniva City. She weighed everything in her thoughts. In the end, she decided to agree.

"I want to see Maro first, then I'll agree to your condition."

"Great. Come with me."

That same night, King Seiro and Ely, together with some mercenaries following them behind, headed to the prison dungeon. In the deepest part of it, the dethroned king Maro was being whipped as he kneeled, and his screams echoed in that dim place.

Upon hearing it, Ely ran towards the direction of the screams and saw her beloved man with his back bleeding badly because of the whips he received from the dungeon officer. His hands were locked with a metal cuff, in which the chain was attached to the stone wall.

"Stop it!" Ely quickly dashed forward and pushed the dungeon officer. She cried and cried, seeing how her beloved man had suffered. She remembered the time when she washed his back happily in the bathing room, but now that same back had blood oozing on the skin, and it was as if she felt his pain. Ely peeked at Maro's face, then uttered, "I'm sorry… I was too late-"

"Did you know about it?" Maro suddenly looked at her with a serious expression, "How long have you known that your husband and my twin brother are the same person?"

"Maro… Let me explain-"

"ANSWER ME, ELIZABETH!"

Ely's lips trembled. She knew that if she opened her mouth and answered him honestly, she would hurt him emotionally, as painful as the physical pain that the whips had caused.

Seeing how she couldn't answer, he pleaded, "Ely, please be honest and answer me."

Ely gulped before she said, "I realized it ever since we stayed in the war site… going home from Leoniva City. But let me explain, that time I was not sure about-"

"How the hell did you know about it?" he growled.

"It… It was the priestess of the Temple of Destiny."

Maro widened his eyes in shock. Ely had met the priestess, but she never told him anything about it. "Why didn't you tell me about everything?!" he asked her.

"I don't want to see him die again. That time, you just got angry at me for secretly leaving the palace, and I thought you'd hurt him if you knew…" she continued to cry, "I regret not believing in your innate kindness at that time. Everything's different now, I accepted the fact that Adam is not Seiro because he couldn't remember a thing about being my husband before. So Maro, my past is nothing but a distant memory, and you're the one I love-"

"Stop it," Maro was hurt when he heard about this. Yes, it was a grave experience to see your loved one die in front of you, and he understood it. But what pained him the most was when she chose to keep everything a secret from him despite being officially lovers. "Leave," he said coldly.

Ely tried to touch his face, but he turned away.

"I said... LEAVE!"

King Seiro grabbed Ely's arm and helped her to stand up. He looked down on the kneeling Maro as he held her shoulders tightly, "Now that everything's clear, nobody can stop me from marrying Ely anymore," he then turned to the dungeon official and the mercenaries, "Call the physician and tend to him... Then whip again tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"No…" she faced the king, "Please don't hurt Maro-"

"Ely. He refused to listen to you," King Seiro carried her in his arms when she refused to walk, "I'll take you to your room to rest."

Maro glanced at their backs as they walked away. He thought that despite not remembering his past with Ely, his kind twin brother is capable of loving her better, and it would be for the best now that Ely had reunited with the husband she had longed to be with.

…

A few days had passed, and King Seiro, together with Prince Kaio, General Lum, and the mercenaries, reserved time in order to tour the nation. They visited every village and city to make them recognize his presence as the new King. They even gave out several sacks of grains and crates of seafood to the commoners. Because of their deeds, they were able to gain their trust easily.

Except for one person.

For these past few days, Ely just stayed in her room, refusing to speak to anyone. Whenever King Seiro got back from his travel, he entered her room through the middle door, but she would pretend to be asleep. Most of the time, she refused to eat. There was not a single day wherein she wouldn't shed tears for the dethroned King.

And then, the lonely Queen of Ballad fell sick, a week before her and Seiro's scheduled wedding.