Leon stood in his bed chamber, a red ball glowing like fire hovering ominously before him, exuding an otherworldly energy.
"The fast has been disrupted and there shall be consequences," the voice from the fire declared.
Not bothering to respond, Leon rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him, all because of that woman, Maya.
She was a constant source of frustration, and he was determined to rid himself of her chaos.
How could a person look so calm yet incite such rage within him?
She pushed him too far, and he teetered on the edge of losing his composure.
The worst of it all was that she dared to kiss him—an act he had never allowed before. He was a man who valued his privacy and kept his distance; that kind of intimacy was never his goal, but now she had crossed a line that could not be overlooked.
Leon was acutely aware that consequences were looming, not just for her but for everyone involved, himself included. It all traced back to her, and with his fists clenched by his sides, the fire was extinguished, leaving only trails of smoke in its wake.
The dungeon wouldn't dissuade her; she had yet to learn her place, and he intended to punish her fiercely, ensuring she would think twice before defying him again.
Later that evening, a servant was sweeping the castle floor, clearing away petals that had scattered across it. Suddenly, she pressed her head with one hand, gripping the broom tightly as she struggled to maintain her balance. But she wobbled and collapsed, unconscious.
Another servant, carrying a basket toward the castle's large doors had seen it, and she dropped the basket in a panic as she rushed to aid the fallen colleague, only to sway and join her on the floor, out cold.
The guards were next— stationed by the door, they yawned simultaneously, their tired eyes betraying their exhaustion as they closed them, slumping to the ground and promptly snoring loudly.
Meanwhile, Leon remained in his chamber, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on his desk as he focused intently on the papers before him. Then came a knock at the door. His gaze shifted, irritation brewing at the prospect of being disturbed, especially if it was Maya.
"Come in," he commanded tersely. To his surprise, it was one of the guards entering, though his expression remained impassive.
"Your majesty… We have a problem," the guard announced.
Leon's thoughts raced to the consequences of the disrupted fast. His eyes narrowed. "What problem?" he demanded.
"Everyone's asleep. Only a few are awake, and they're not responding. They're alive and breathing, but they won't wake up," the guard explained.
So, this was the price for breaking the fast. He expelled a sigh of relief; it was a problem, yes, but not one he couldn't handle. "I'll be out shortly," he replied firmly as the guard nodded and exited.
Feeling the unusual chill in the air, Leon donned a coat from the side of his bed before stepping out. He made his way to the chamber where Maya was supposed to be. She had better not be sleeping when he entered; she had brought this mess upon them.
Without bothering to knock, he swung the door open and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind him.
The breeze caressed the curtains, fluttering them as he surveyed the room, catching the lingering feminine scent of roses—it was evident she had prepared for sleep. Well, that was not going to happen until she made amends for the chaos she had caused.
There she lay, sprawled across the bed, her brown hair cascading over the pillow, her body tucked beneath a duvet, clad in a white silky nightgown. She appeared peaceful, a stark contrast to the trouble she had been causing him.
"You have an audacious nerve sleeping right now. Should you even be asleep?" he demanded, yanking the duvet off her body, noting the slight frown etched on her face as she sensed the cold.
Leaning in, he tapped her shoulder with a resolute urgency.
Maya stirred, frowning as she shifted again, but he wouldn't let her escape that easily. "I will wake you with water if you don't respond," he warned, tapping her more forcefully.
And she finally opened her eyes, a frown etched across her face. "Your Majesty?" she inquired, locking her gaze onto his. Leon straightened his shoulders, annoyance crossing his features.
"Get out of that bed and fix the problem you created," he said, his voice icy as he peered down at her.
Maya frowned, confusion evident as she raised her eyebrows and parted her lips slightly, her eyes scanning the room. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
Leon clenched his jaw. "First, I need you to be fully awake," he replied, his eyes piercing into hers from above.
Maya blinked, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her mind, while Leon rolled his eyes inwardly at the delay. "Are you awake now?" he challenged.
She nodded. "Good. Now, get out of bed and come with me," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"What's going on? Why do I have to come with you? Where are we going?" she pressed, her eyebrows knitting together in frustration. She still couldn't grasp why he had disrupted her sleep.
Leon chose silence, but the sharp look he gave her made her grumble under her breath as she slid out of the bed. "Fetch a jacket; it's cold," he stated imperiously.
She swallowed hard and headed for the cupboard, retrieving a pink woolen sweater and putting it on. With that, Leon strode out of the chamber, and Maya followed behind, her feet dragging.
They descended the stairs together, Leon leading the way, his grim expression fixed as he surveyed the servants sprawled across the ground like discarded items. He was irked by the disorderliness.
Now fully awake, Maya hugged herself, her gaze wandering around the room to take in the sight of the sleepy maids and guards. She recognized some of them from the kitchen earlier. "What happened here?" she whispered, concern creeping into her voice. Leon halted, turning to face her.
"Are you asking me? Shouldn't you know better?" he retorted, spinning on his heels.
"What do you mean?" she inquired, puzzled by the accusation.
"If it weren't for your actions, this wouldn't be happening," he declared emphatically.
"How is this my fault? Did I cast a spell or something?" she fired back, her tone laced with sarcasm, prompting him to clench his jaw.
"You disregarded the rules. This mess is yours to fix, and I expect you to do so," he muttered under his breath. "Your disobedience has consequences, and this is one of them."
For the first time, she stepped closer to him, defiance evident in her posture. "Why should I care? You're just as involved in this," she stated firmly.
Leon's eyes narrowed. "What?" he asked, menace lacing his tone.
Maya inhaled deeply, before her lips parted to speak. "Our... This isn't just my problem; it's ours. You broke the rule too," she asserted, standing her ground despite her fears.
****
Eventually, the priestess was summoned to address the situation. As she performed her rites, humming and sprinkling whatever around the candles, Maya and Leon stood side by side, silence stretching between them as they observed her work. Outside, the wind howled violently against the windows, and the candles flickered, casting shadows on their frowning faces.
When the priestess finished, she turned to Leon. "Your Majesty, there's a solution," she announced.
"And what is it?" Leon demanded, impatience creeping into his voice.
The priestess smiled, glancing at both of them. "You and your bride need to be tied together with a silk thread and work through your issues without anger."
"How is that a solution?" he challenged, skepticism evident on his face.
Maya, equally confused, protested silently at the idea of being tethered to him. "I'm not doing that," she thought.
"That is the solution," the priestess insisted firmly. "You can verify it with anyone; they will give you the same answer."
Leon and Maya exchanged reluctant glances, frowns deepening as they both recoiled at the thought of being tied together.
"However, there's one final condition: you mustn't sleep," she added.