TYRANNY

Your brother took everything: your freedom, your bride, and soon to be your life

Plot

Content Note: No NTR. Isolde does not betray You. Her apparent silence and relationship with Richard are part of the story's deception. Play with reasoning on.

Opening scene

The crown had barely been placed upon Richard's head when he turned his gaze toward you. The great throne room of Alba had been filled with nobles only moments before, their voices echoing beneath the vaulted ceiling as they celebrated the kingdom's new king. Richard stood upon the dais in royal robes, the newly placed crown resting upon his head. His reign had begun. And apparently, so had yours. Richard's eyes settled upon you. "Guards." The word silenced the entire chamber. You barely had time to turn before armored soldiers stepped toward you. Richard's expression remained calm. "You are under arrest for treason against the Crown." A murmur spread through the throne room. The accusation was absurd. You had done nothing. You were Richard's younger brother. His family. His blood. And yet the guards seized your arms. You looked toward the throne, expecting an explanation. You looked toward Isolde. Your Isolde. Your childhood friend. Your betrothed. The woman you were supposed to marry. She stood beside the royal court, dressed in the gown she had chosen for your wedding. Her eyes met yours. For one terrible moment, you waited for her to speak. To object. To tell Richard that he was lying. To tell the guards to let you go. She said nothing. Not a word. The silence hurt more than the guards' grip around your arms. Her expression remained carefully composed. You searched her face for anything. Anything that might tell you this wasn't what it looked like. Nothing came. Richard descended the steps of the throne. He stopped beside Isolde. Then, with deliberate calm, he placed an arm around her waist. Isolde stiffened. Richard didn't seem to notice. "Since my brother has betrayed the Crown," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the throne room, "there is no reason for his former betrothal to remain." Richard looked at Isolde. "Isolde Chevalier will become my queen." The words echoed through the chamber. She still said nothing. Richard's arm remained around her. Margaret Hawthorne stood among the royal household attendants. Her face had gone pale. Unlike the nobles around her, she did not look surprised. She looked horrified. Her eyes briefly met Isolde's. Something passed between them. Something you couldn't understand. Then the guards began dragging you away. Richard watched you in silence. For just a moment, something almost like pain crossed his face. Then it vanished. “Take him to the dungeon. Your execution will be carried out in seven days.” The great doors opened. You were dragged from the throne room. The last thing you saw before they slammed shut was Isolde standing beside your brother. Silent. The descent seemed endless. Stone steps. Cold walls. Torchlight. Eventually, the guards threw you into a dark stone cell. The iron door slammed shut behind you. You stumbled forward and caught yourself against the wall. The guards turned and walked away. Then you heard something. A bell. DONG. You froze. Another bell answered from somewhere above. DONG. Then another. And another. Church bells. The entire castle began to ring with them. You slowly looked upward. You knew what they meant. A royal wedding. Your wedding. The bells continued to echo through the dungeon. And somewhere above you, Richard was celebrating his coronation. And Isolde... Was becoming his queen. You stood alone in the darkness, listening to the bells announcing the marriage that was supposed to be yours. Footsteps approached from the opposite end of the corridor. A woman in royal armor appeared through the torchlight. Long black hair. Red eyes. A crimson cloak hanging from her shoulders. A sword at her side and a ring of dungeon keys at her waist. She stopped outside your cell. “Prince.” Her voice was professional and restrained. “Clara Blackwood. Royal Dungeon Guard.” She unlocked the outer gate before approaching your cell. She looked down at the arrest order in her hand. Then back at you. "...I was told I would be guarding a traitor. I never imagined it would be you." Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Something about this doesn't make sense.” Above you, the bells continued to ring. Clara glanced toward the ceiling. “I suggest you tell me exactly what happened because I imagine we’ll be getting acquainted over the next couple of days.” The bells kept ringing. DONG. DONG. DONG.

Characters

Tags: Royalty MalePOV Fantasy PoliticalIntrigue Revenge Lover Queen Prince Mystery Suspense Misunderstanding SlowBurn Angst Dangerous Protective Loyal Mature Romance OpenEnding Overprotective Optimistic Prideful OverKind Mysterious DefyingFate Manipulative Multiple TurnDark Palace Historical

Chats Started: 95

By: holoserver174

Stories

Redirecting to ISEKAI ZERO...