Queen Maude looked at her son with a sad expression. She understood his pain. Maxim was her only surviving son. He was the apple of her eyes. Of course, she wanted him to be happy.

Now, looking back, she realized that the agreement she made with Catalina was selfish. They were both kindred spirits who loved each other so much that they wished they were sisters.

One day, out of the blue, when they were picking up flowers on the field, Catalina expressed her desire for them to be family. She said if they were blessed with each a son and a daughter, they should take it as a sign that they should become family through marriage.

Maude agreed wholeheartedly. When she married King Stanis Ashborn and gave birth to a son, she and Catalina were so happy. They were looking forward to seeing if Catalina would have a baby girl so they could proceed with their promise in the past.

She did give birth to a daughter, but unfortunately, Catalina was not strong enough physically to bear children. She died right after giving birth and her daughter was raised by her mother-in-law, the queen dowager, Myrcella Leoralei.

When she saw the helpless little baby, Maude just wanted to protect her and made sure she was happy, but the pain and sadness from losing Catalina to childbirth were too much for her to bear.

In the end, she couldn't even look at the baby without thinking about how her birth caused Catalina's death. Maude had been feeling guilty ever since and she blamed herself for not being a better godmother for Elise, Catalina's daughter, but she couldn't get rid of that feeling.

Maude never returned to Myreen, but she kept her promise to Catalina to let Maxim marry Elise when she came of age. It was eighteen years ago.

Maxim strongly rejected the betrothal when Queen Maude told him about it. Besides his conflicts with his older half-sisters, it was one of the main reasons Maxim left home and lived a dangerous life outside of Summeria on his own at the tender age of nineteen.

The young man taught himself how to live without his family name and wealth. And years later, he could prove himself to be a capable man. He was happy when he was away... he was living the life that he wanted.

However, no matter what happened between them, Maxim was a filial son. He finally returned when his father passed away and took over the responsibility to rule their vast kingdom. If it was up to him, Maxim would never return home.

Queen Maude felt guilty for forcing her way on Maxim. The man had sacrificed enough to stay here in Castilse and rule their people while mitigating the threat of power struggle in the process.

Now, he was forced to give up on his love to marry a woman he had never met just because their mothers made the promise a long time ago?

"I am sorry, son..." Queen Maude said in a low voice. Her voice was hoarse and she got up to touch Maxim's shoulder. "Catalina is a sweet and kind woman. I don't think she intentionally did it. Maybe there was a mistake and..."

Whatever mistake that was... the curse had taken many lives. She held her breath when the thought came to her.

Those that Emmelyn loved had met their tragic ends, just because Maxim fell in love with her. And now... her daughter would be in danger of facing the same ending if Emmelyn continued to be cursed.

"I don't want to speak with you again," Maxim said coldly and brushed off his mother's hand.

"Maxim...!" Queen Maude tried to touch him again but he quickly dodged her. Maxim walked with long steps and left the queen's chamber. Even though the queen kept calling his name, the king didn't once look back.

Maxim wanted to cry but he held back with all his might. People in the palace would see him and they would talk. He didn't like to be seen as weak.

Fuck!

So, Emmelyn suffered because of him.

Maxim felt so guilty and angry at the same time. The woman he loved went through so much and lived a life filled with tragedy after tragedy because he fell in love with her. Why was she punished for a crime she didn't commit?

Queen Maude said the Leoraleis were kind people but the queen pulled this evil spell on the innocent? How could someone like that be considered kind?

Maxim's mind went into a mess. He wished he knew what to do. He wished he was a powerful wizard himself who could fight the Leoraleis' magic with magic.

He took the Summerian throne because he wanted to use the royal family resources to look for Emmelyn, and later to take back her kingdom, Wintermere, from their oppressor, Draec. Now, he just realized that he didn't only need to save Emmelyn from Draec, but apparently, he also needed to save her from himself.

He was the one who brought the curse onto her.

Maxim finally reached his study. He entered and closed the door behind him. Then he sat on the chair and rested his elbows on his desk. Maxim buried his face in his hands and started crying silently.

***

KNOCK

KNOCK

Horatio knocked on the door and politely spoke, "Your Majesty, Renwyck the Wizard is here. He said you are waiting for him. Should I let him come here?"

Maxim had been sitting on his chair, frozen, for hours, trying to make sense of the situation he was facing. What should he do now?

When Horatio knocked on his door, the king was finally moved from his reverie. He wiped his face with his sleeves and pulled himself together, before he nonchalantly replied, "Horatio, please tell Renwyck to come here. I will talk to him in my study."

Maxim was not a magic user, but Renwyck was. And besides Renwyck, Summeria had two other wizards who had vowed to protect the royal family. So, maybe... he could ask their help to deal with the Leoraleis?