All Chapters of His Unbeloved Queen: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

-Katherine-Silver’s birthday arrived, and I missed Darius more than ever. He had been gone for nearly three weeks, and I knew he must have just arrived on the dark side of Adorna.“Happy birthday, my queen,” greeted another princess of Adorna, a young girl from a much smaller kingdom. I could see the disdain in Silver’s eyes. She looked down on her simply for her origins. I stood by Silver’s side, forced to show my support, while she wore her usual red and gold, and I donned black and silver. Her other ladies clustered around her, while Acan laughed and chatted with other lords and princes. Silver was being showered with presents, which were beginning to resemble a small fort behind her. Her boys, clearly bored, spotted the gifts and dashed over, ready to have fun.Silver let out a loud yell just as they were about to open one of the presents, freezing them in their tracks. But what did she expect?“Get over here now!” she commanded.They walked back to her, heads bowed, and I rolled

-Darius-I stood by a large fire while most of the camp slept. We had begun planning our first attack, scheduled for a few days from now. Mostly, Quinn and I had been riding along the border, searching for the best way in, but the forest was dense and vast. There was no apparent weakness, and we would have to take a risk.I had learned that Quinn had earth powers, which would be advantageous in battle, as he could manipulate the ground to shape it to our needs.“Darius,” Quinn called, approaching me.We had grown comfortable around each other, and I had told him to call me by my name. He brought me something to drink, and I thanked him.“Worried?” he asked.“Just thinking.”“You’ve got that worried look on your face.”“Oh, I have a worried look?” I teased.He nodded and took a sip from his cup.“Is the attack not going to go as planned?” he inquired, knowing the other generals were pushing me to execute their strategy.“It is,” I confirmed.“Then what?”“I’m simply wondering if whateve

-Katherine-The day flew by as I worked with Acan, and he became increasingly chatty the more time we spent together. It was interesting to suddenly talk to him as if we were friends. I had been his wife for so many years, but now I was just his sister-in-law, which shifted the dynamic between us.“So what do you hope for? A boy or a girl?” I asked.“Oh, that’s a tough choice,” he chuckled.Was it? He had two boys, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t actually want a girl.“I’ll be happy no matter what,” he finally answered.I knew he felt he had to say that to avoid trouble.“So, other than working, how do you and Darius spend your time together?” I inquired.“Riding and training,” he replied.“Maybe we should go riding sometime.”I glanced up from my work and saw Acan studying me with an intrigued look in his eyes.“Yes, maybe we should. We haven’t done that much, have we?” he asked.“No, I don’t think so. But that’s because you always spend your time with Darius,” I pointed out.

-Katherine-My Dearest Katherine,The battle did not unfold as I had hoped. We underestimated our enemy, believing they were few in number and engaged in fighting among themselves. How wrong we were. They stand united, skilled in combat, and remarkably resilient. Though they may appear barbaric, they are far from it. They are clever—far more clever than I ever anticipated. Now, I find myself at a loss. I fear for my own safety and that of my men. Their doubt weighs heavily on me, and I dread the thought of failing to protect them. Each life lost demands a scapegoat, and I’m that target. I will bear this burden willingly if only I knew how to save the rest. Yet, I am uncertain if victory in this war is within our grasp.You should have seen the dark wave approaching us. It felt as though we were all doomed. I desperately hope we are not. I pray daily for a way back to you, for a solution to our plight. Time is fleeting, and I must act soon. I must show them I am still fighting, even whe

-Darius-I read the tragic news of Silver’s pregnancy. Although I didn’t like her, I never wished for her pregnancy to end in such a way. One letter was from Acan, mentioning it briefly, but another from my wife worried me more. Katherine expressed her belief that Silver’s miscarriage was her fault, and I was unsure how to respond.I knew she was willing to go to great lengths to destroy Acan and Silver’s lives, but this felt different. But at least she had removed the bracelet from Silver and vowed not to use it again. I understood her desire for revenge, but I didn’t want her to lose herself in the process. I knew she realized that, but I was still uncertain about what to write in my letter to her.I knew she was expecting a letter, though. I had been here for weeks, unsure how to proceed with the attack. The generals and I argued daily, uncertain of our next move.“Darius! Darius!” Quinn burst into my tent, breathless and agitated.I looked at him, puzzled. He was pointing behind hi