"Warning: This Chapter contains scene of abuse that may be triggering."
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Music Recommendation : Alan Walker ft Trevor Guthrie — Do It All For You
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"Your damned brother has tricked you once again, and you fell for it just as you always do!"
Those words reverberated in Valerie’s mind, causing him to freeze. The blood drained from his face, leaving it pallid, his expression etched with devastation. His eyes widened, hollow and haunted, while his lips quivered uncontrollably.
"No...," Valerie croaked, recoiling in shock. He staggered backward, his hand trembling as it rose to run through his hair, his forehead creased with lines of anguish. His gaze bore into his mother’s, desperation evident in his eyes. "You don’t know what you’re talking about!"
"Really?" Queen Maeve stood, arms folded across her chest, shaking her head in pity. "Is that the best you could come up with?"
Valerie closed the distance between them, his voice a low growl as he confronted his mother. "I am the one who took advantage of the situation, not him! I realized this was the opportunity to set Islinda and end him at the same time! Aldric did not use me! I did!"
Queen Maeve didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she sighed and reached for a handkerchief to wipe away any spittle that may have landed on her face during her son’s outburst. Valerie fell silent, his chest heaving as he watched his mother clean herself off.
Queen Maeve finally lifted her expressionless face and asked him, "Are you calm now?"
Valerie didn’t answer verbally but instead subtly nodded his head, feeling a pang of shame for not maintaining his composure as befitting his princely status. A wave of regression washed over him, as if he were once again a child in his mother’s eyes. Adding to his turmoil was the fact that he was a summer fae, known for their volatile temper fueled by their inherent power, an energy always seeking an outlet.
"Good," Queen Maeve said with a smile, her next move catching Valerie off guard as her hand connected with his cheek.
Valerie’s face whipped to the side from the impact of the slap, his wide eyes turning to stare at his mother in disbelief. Before he could react, another blow landed, the force splitting his lips open.
Wide-eyed, Valerie gazed at his mother, unable to comprehend her sudden aggression. Yet Queen Maeve’s expression remained inscrutable, her eyes icy and unyielding. The assault didn’t cease there; she summoned a fiery whip into her hand, causing Valerie to gulp nervously as he beheld it.
"M—mother..." Valerie stuttered, fear flickering in his eyes. Despite being physically stronger than his mother, he knew she wielded formidable power and could be ruthless in its use.
But Queen Maeve remained unmoved by his emotions; instead, the fear in his eyes only fueled her irritation. She had not given birth to a weakling for a son, and she was determined to eradicate any trace of weakness from him.
Sneering, Queen Maeve snapped, "You think Aldric did not manipulate you? How could you be so foolish?! Your infatuation with the human girl blinds you, making it predictable that you would undertake something as reckless as challenging him to a duel!" With a swift motion, the whip lashed out, striking Valerie across his back.
Valerie groaned in agony as the blows kept raining down on him, each one more punishing than the last. His mother’s relentless assault left him unable to bear the pain, his knees buckling beneath him until he collapsed, barely managing to hold himself up on one knee.
"All I ever wanted was for you to ascend to the throne!" Queen Maeve’s voice was filled with desperation and frustration. "I gave you everything! The best education, every advantage! Do you have any idea what I sacrificed for you?! Everything I did was to secure your future, to ensure you became the king of Astaria! And now you want to throw it all away in a foolish duel to the death?!"
"Fine," she spat, a crazed glint in her eyes. "Why should I let Aldric have the satisfaction of killing you when I can do it myself?" With a savage determination, she struck him even harder, each blow aimed to inflict maximum pain.
Valerie remained silent, clenching his teeth together as he endured the relentless onslaught. The beating seemed endless, but he bore it stoically, knowing the pain would eventually subside. His mother’s rage was justified; he had been careless, and he accepted the consequences without protest. It was his fault, he reminded himself.
The "duel báis," the death duel, lived up to its name—a fight to the death. Though technically the defeated opponent could still yield before reaching that point, for the proud and strong Fae, surrendering in the face of death brought immense shame. It would tarnish not only his own reputation but also that of his court and family. Valerie would risk losing his status as crown prince and the respect of his people. In the eyes of the Faeries of Astaria, it was preferable for their prince to die honorably in combat than to admit defeat.
Hence, Valerie silently endured the punishment, accepting it as his own fault. He knew he had not only disgraced himself but also broken his mother’s heart. As the fiery whip seared his back and tore into his flesh, blisters formed, but Valerie remained resolute. He didn’t regret his decision; he was willing to sacrifice everything for Islinda.
The thought of Islinda brought a fleeting smile to his lips, a brief respite from the agony.
He retreated into the deepest recesses of his mind. Valerie sought solace from the pain, distancing himself from his physical body. In this mental refuge, he revisited memories of his first encounter with Islinda, recalling the day fate had brought them together.
He conjured her face, and in that moment, it was no longer his mother he saw. Instead, it was Islinda, smiling down at him with tears glistening in her eyes. She tentatively reached out, cupping his face with both hands, her touch gentle yet filled with pain as she examined him.
"H—how... W—why...," Islinda’s voice trembled, tears streaming down her face.
Valerie managed a wry smile, whispering hoarsely, "I am so sorry...."
Regret weighed heavily on him, but above all, he was haunted by the memory of leaving her. If only he had known things would turn out this way, he wouldn’t have parted from her in the first place. He would have given up eveything, his throne, his power, all just to have her by his side.
Tears spilled from his eyes now, as he repeated, "I am so sorry...."
Lost in his remorse, Valerie barely registered when his mother was forcibly pulled away from him, replaced by his father’s thundering voice echoing through the room.
But in his mind’s eye, all he could see was Islinda.