Christian

His name, Christian, was whispered with awe across the lands. He was the embodiment of cruelty, a king whose reign branded him with ruthlessness, whose gaze pierced the very depths of the soul. But even in this black abyss, there was a single ray of light—Lily, his queen. Her tenderness was the only force capable of softening his temper.

Everything changed when Lily passed away. A vicious flu took her too quickly. News of her death spread like a death knell, and even the stones roared in despair. They knew: without Lily, the kingdom was destined to fall.

And so it happened. Christian plunged into an abyss of madness. Taxes were raised several times, condemning the people to starvation. The scaffold became a weekly bloodbath. The king waged wars, seeking solace from his heartache in the chaos of battle. But the emptiness grew, consuming the last vestiges of humanity.

Then his mother proposed a new marriage. Even the church gave its blessing, to save the country from ruin. Christian resisted fiercely.

But today, a soft knock sounded in his chambers. A frail girl entered, followed by her maids. Her dress seemed too large for her delicate frame. She bowed deeply.

"Felicia," said the maid.

She grew up in an orphanage where there was neither love nor warmth. She wasn't even eighteen when this marriage was proposed. She accepted to save the kingdom and herself from hell. It was her last hope.

Christian sat by the fireplace with a glass. Alcohol had become his only comfort. His eyes were blank and empty. He didn't deign to look at her.

“I’m not going to sleep in the same bed with you,” his rough voice rang out.