The Kingdom of Eiscard
The Kingdom of Eiscard was not merely a kingdom standing atop the northern peaks, but a legend carved from marble and ice. A land renowned for wealth beyond imagination, where towering white palaces embraced the clouds, adorned with details of gold and silver that shimmered beneath the cold winter sun.
It possessed a fortress of steel, famous for an army that knew no mercy and walls that no enemy had dared to scratch for centuries. It was the stronghold of glory and luxury.
At the heart of this magnificent splendor sat the royal family, bearing the name Eiscard as the seal of power. A dynasty that ruled with fire and iron, never allowing weakness to find its way into its ranks.
The throne was currently occupied by King Arxon Eiscard II, also known as "The Heir of the Ice King," not only because of the frozen nature of his lands, but because his reign had known nothing but dominance and strength, just like the reign of his late father, Arxon Eiscard Breton I.
Arxon was surrounded by three queens whom he had married by his father's order to secure his hold on the throne. Each of them represented a different source of influence both inside the kingdom and beyond its borders.
Queen Elvira, the First Queen: The iron woman who ruled the palace with a fist of fire, the mother of the Crown Prince, and the true ruler of the palace's internal affairs.
Queen Melanie, the Second Queen: The owner of a poisonous tongue and the lady of endless conspiracies and webs of deception.
Queen Lauren, the Third Queen: The youngest of them all and the proudest of her beauty and jewels, infamous for her unbearable arrogance.
The king had three children with each of his queens, giving him nine legitimate heirs who were considered a treasure to their father.
But...
There was a tenth child.
A daughter who lived in the shadows of the palace corridors.
Ever since she had been brought to this palace, she had never appeared before the public, nor had she ever been introduced at any official royal ceremony.
She was the ghost that haunted the corridors, the mystery everyone preferred to pretend did not exist.
The illegitimate daughter whose blood everyone whispered was tainted and ignoble.
The daughter of the maid who was known throughout the kingdom as the spy who seduced their king for a time before fleeing.
The only thing anyone knew about that daughter was her name...
Irene.
Irene stood before her towering window, watching the mountains embrace the clouds with their snow covered peaks while the colors of sunset painted the sky.
In this part of the world, beauty was the twin of cruelty.
With features that looked as though they had been sculpted with great care, and blue eyes that carried the coldness of the oceans, Irene hid behind her silence a secret no one could have imagined.
A gentle knock on the door broke the silence of the room.
"Come in..."
One of the maids entered and bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness... His Majesty commands your presence at tonight's banquet. A celebration will be held to mark Lady Leora's confirmed pregnancy, the wife of the Crown Prince."
Irene nodded without turning around.
"Very well."
The maid bowed once again before leaving.
Irene sighed.
A few minutes later, she stood before the mirror, arranging the strands of her golden hair.
She was only invited to dinner during family occasions such as engagements or the weddings of her siblings.
But today was different.
The Crown Prince's wife was pregnant.
A mocking smile appeared on her reflection in the mirror.
What kind of theatrical performance will take place tonight?
She knew very well that the royal banquets of Eiscard had never been about food.
They were grand royal stages where everyone performed their roles with disgusting perfection.
A table filled with the finest dishes, yet overflowing with hypocrisy wrapped in protocol, and silent stabs exchanged behind ivory smiles between the venomous queens and their daughters.
As for Irene, those banquets were nothing more than silent battles she witnessed from time to time.
When the appointed hour arrived, she left her room and headed toward the royal dining hall.
The hall was a masterpiece of luxury. Black marble columns, chandeliers made of pure diamonds, and a massive royal table.
Queen Elvira had already begun her speech, raising her goblet with dignity.
"Tonight, we celebrate our great bloodline. My son's wife, Crown Princess Leora, carries within her the future of Eiscard. Pure blood that will raise our kingdom to even greater heights."
Golden goblets were raised, and the ringing of crystal filled the hall.
At that very moment...
Irene entered.
It was as though the entire hall held its breath for a single heartbeat.
She walked forward with calm and confident steps.
Queen Melanie smiled mockingly as she said loudly enough for everyone to hear,
"My, what perfect timing. Just as we are speaking about pure blood, here comes the owner of the purest blood in the kingdom."
Soft laughter spread around the table.
Irene ignored the remark.
She had become accustomed to hearing such words.
She walked toward her brother Leonard and his pregnant wife Leora, then bowed politely.
"My congratulations to both of you. I hope your child will carry the strength of Eiscard in the future."
Leora answered coldly while gently placing a hand over her stomach.
"Thank you..."
Irene then took her seat.
Although every eye remained fixed on her, she paid no attention. She planned to stay only long enough to obey her father's order, then disappear as she always did.
The sound of clinking goblets echoed through the hall.
A few minutes later...
Queen Elvira spoke while elegantly cutting a piece of meat before her.
"The past years have been fruitful for both Eiscard and His Majesty. Seven of our sons and daughters have already entered political marriages, and each marriage has become another stone strengthening the wall of our influence. His Majesty has tightened his grip over the neighboring kingdoms through blood and marriage."
Queen Melanie nodded slowly while wiping her lips with a silk napkin.
"Indeed, Queen Elvira. And now all eyes are upon your daughter Selena. The King of Oakland has never stopped sending gifts and letters asking for her hand for his Crown Prince. She has become the greatest prize every kingdom dreams of obtaining."
Queen Lauren did not let the opportunity pass without boasting about her own daughter.
"And do not forget, Queen Melanie, that my daughter Adeline captured the attention of the mighty Romelian Empire from her very first appearance as well."
She laughed softly before continuing.
"I mean, our sons have already married. Now the kingdoms compete merely for the chance to propose to Selena and Adeline, simply to bring the name of Eiscard into their royal families."
Proud laughter echoed throughout the hall, and the legitimate heirs exchanged victorious glances.
Amid the celebration, Queen Melanie slowly turned her head, her eyes settling upon Irene.
She was quietly eating at the far end of the table, like a statue surrounded by noise.
Melanie stared at her for several moments.
Then she spoke with a voice as sharp as a blade, as though reminding everyone of something unpleasant.
"But I wonder..."
A mocking smile spread across her face before she continued.
"While everyone competes for Selena and Adeline, what role will the maid's daughter play in His Majesty's web of influence? Have you considered marrying her to the warden of the Northern Prison? Or perhaps to one of the forgotten commanders guarding the borders? It is unfortunate and unfair for the beauty she claims to possess to remain hidden within these corridors without serving any purpose, while continuing to bring nothing but shame upon your name..."
Suppressed laughter rose from the daughters of the queens.
Then suddenly, without any warning...
King Arxon slammed his iron fist onto the table.
The impact was so powerful that even the diamond chandeliers trembled, and the crystal goblets shook violently upon the table.
Melanie flinched.
At that very moment, she realized the grave mistake she had made without even noticing.
A terrifying silence fell over the hall.
Spoons froze in people's hands.
The princesses' faces turned pale.
King Arxon slowly placed his goblet upon the table, then lifted his eyes toward Queen Melanie.
There was not a single trace of emotion in his gaze.
Only a terrifying coldness like eternal ice.
At last, he spoke in a deep, calm voice that was frightening enough to make one's bones tremble.
"Melanie... Despite your age and your position as the Second Queen, you still have not learned how to control that sharp tongue of yours. And now your arrogance has led you to insult my name in my presence by placing the word 'shame' beside it. How dare you presume to decide what I should do in my place?"
Melanie's hand trembled as she gripped the edge of the table and lowered her head in fear.
But the king continued without even blinking.
"Even if she is the daughter of that traitorous maid, never forget that I am the one who kept her alive, and I am the one who allowed her to bear my name and sit at my table. What you have just said is a challenge to my judgment and my authority."
A suffocating weight settled over the hall.
Then he continued in a tone that treated human beings as nothing more than possessions.
"That girl, and everyone sitting at this table, belong to the throne of Eiscard."
"And if I ever decide to marry her off, I will marry her to whomever I wish and whenever I wish. No one has the luxury of objecting before me."
His voice became even harsher.
"Neither you, nor something as 'pure blood,' will dictate how I rule my kingdom, nor will you stain my name and my legacy with something as filthy as shame."
The tension throughout the hall grew even heavier.
As for Irene...
Her face remained completely expressionless as she silently watched everything unfold with her sharp blue eyes.
To be continued...