The Maiden's Vow :Chapter 4

The air was heavy with tension as the two Queens, Lillian and Evie, sat upon their thrones, their piercing gazes fixed upon the delicate figure cradled in the maid's arms. The crowd of citizens, gathered within the grand hall, stood in rapt attention, their collective breath bated as they beheld the tiny, fragile being.

The child's features were a marvel, a true marvel of nature – big blue eyes that shone like sapphires, pale skin as delicate as alabaster, and a wild tangle of blonde hair that seemed to shimmer in the flickering torchlight. As the child sucked its thumb, its gaze remained fixed upon the ceiling, its expression serene and untroubled.

Queen Lillian's voice, low and husky, cut through the silence like a knife. "Bring the child," she commanded, her eyes flashing with an inner fire.

But the maid, her face set in a determined mask, refused to budge. She stood tall, her arms wrapped tightly around the child, her eyes flashing with a quiet defiance. "I am truly sorry, Your Majesty," she said, her voice firm and resolute, "but I cannot do that."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a flurry of whispered mutterings and shocked exclamations. Queen Lillian's face darkened, her eyes blazing with fury as she rose from her throne, her long, regal strides eating up the distance between herself and the maid.

"The child," she repeated, her voice dripping with venom, "now."

The maid's eyes flickered, a hint of fear dancing in their depths, but she stood firm, her grip on the child tightening. "This child," she began, her voice steady, "is my responsibility, bestowed upon me by the late Queen Sofia. Her dying wish was that I care for him as if he were my own."

Queen Lillian's face twisted, a snarl curling her lip. "And so, he is, as well as our child. Bring him forth."

The maid's voice remained firm, unwavering. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I cannot do that."

As the maid turned to her fellow maiden, a whispered conversation ensued, their words hushed but urgent. The crowd's mutterings grew louder, a sense of unease settling over the assembly.

"We found an unknown woman dead in front of the palace last night," the maiden revealed, her voice trembling. "And I heard she was brought here by Queen Lillian."

The crowd's gasps and exclamations erupted into a cacophony of sound, a chaotic maelstrom of shock and outrage. Queen Lillian's face paled, her eyes darting wildly as she struggled to regain her composure.

The Royal Priest, a wise and venerable figure, stepped forward, his eyes shining with a deep understanding. "The maiden is right," he declared, his voice calm and authoritative. "The late Queen Sofia entrusted this child to her care, and we must respect her wishes."

Queen Lillian's protest was cut short by the Priest's raised hand. "And the Prince," he continued, "has a strong protection spell upon him. Any form of harm that seeks him out will meet its end."

As the Priest gently took the child from the maid's arms, a surge of electricity seemed to bolt through the air, though it remained invisible to the naked eye. The child, however, merely blinked its big blue eyes, its gaze never wavering from the ceiling.

The Priest's eyes locked onto the child's, a look of wonder and awe crossing his face. "This is the crowned Prince," he declared, his voice filled with reverence, "the future King of Eldrida, who will restore our great kingdom to its former glory."

As the Priest raised the child high, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd, their voices whispering in unison, "Our King..."

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