,INNOCENT LOVE

The laboring queen's cries echo through the corridors as Arthur strides into her chamber.

Despite the chaos surrounding him, his mind fixates on the storm that brewed earlier with Madin.

His words were harsh, but seeing those marks on Madin's body shakes something deep within him—something he can't quite name but feels acutely. Betrayal? Pain? Or perhaps guilt?

He pushes the thoughts aside as he approaches the queen. This moment requires his focus.

The birth of his child—a future heir—is an event of monumental importance. But even as he sits by the queen's side, offering words of comfort, his mind betrays him, dragging him back to the confrontation in Madin's room.

As the hours pass and the child is born, Arthur forces himself to remain present, maintaining the image of a dutiful father and king.

Yet, the moment he steps out of the chamber, the weight of Madin's words crashes down on him.

"Are we even still together?"

The bitterness in those words replays in his mind like a haunting refrain. Is it true? Has he pushed Madin so far away that their bond has shattered entirely? Arthur doesn't want to believe it, but the evidence is there—those marks, the defiance in Madin's eyes, the venom in his tone.

When he returns to his quarters, he expects to find Madin sulking or seething, perhaps waiting for another argument. But the room is empty.

His chest tightens as unease grips him. He calls for a servant. "Where is Madin?"

The servant hesitates. "I… I haven't seen him, my lord. Perhaps he's in the palace gardens?"

Arthur dismisses the servant and begins searching the palace himself. The unease quickly grows into panic as he checks every familiar corner and hiding spot. No one has seen Madin.

By the time Arthur returns to Madin's room, his fury is boiling over. The chamber is untouched, except for a few missing belongings—enough to make Arthur's heart sink.

Madin has left again.

He slams his fist against the wall, the dull pain doing little to temper his rising rage. How dare Madin leave again? After everything they've been through, after everything Arthur has done for him, how can he just disappear?

As the adrenaline courses through his veins, another thought strikes him—a terrifying one.

Jeremy.

The way Jeremy lingered earlier, his concern for Madin's well-being… Could he have helped him escape? Arthur's jaw clenches, and his fists tighten.

"Guards!" he bellows, his voice reverberating through the palace.

When the guards arrive, his tone is cold, commanding. "Bring Jeremy to me. Immediately."

Moments later, Jeremy is dragged into the room, his expression defiant despite the guards' firm grip on his arms.

Arthur doesn't waste a second. He strides up to him, his voice sharp and accusing.

"You helped him escape, didn't you?" Arthur's tone drips with venom.

Jeremy lifts his chin, his voice steady. "I did."

Arthur's nostrils flare as his anger erupts. "How dare you! Do you have any idea what you've done? Where did he go? Where is he?!"

"I don't know where he went," Jeremy snaps, glaring at the prince. "And I wouldn't tell you even if I did. Haven't you done enough to him already?"

Arthur freezes, the accusation hitting him like a blow. "What are you talking about? And how dare you talk like that to me?!"

Jeremy's calm cracks, his voice rising with fury. "First , you can kill me if the way I talk to you right now gets to your nerve my king. Second, what am I talking about? How you've treated him like dirt! How every word you throw at him is laced with anger or indifference. You've broken him, Arthur—every single day, little by little. And you don't even see it."

Arthur's fists clench. "You dare—"

"Yes, I dare!" Jeremy shouts, cutting him off. "Because someone has to! You think you can claim Madin as if he's your possession while treating him like nothing more than a prisoner? You've pushed him to the brink, and now you're angry he found the courage to leave?"

Arthur's face darkens, but Jeremy isn't finished. "You think you've been hurt by his leaving? What about the pain you've caused him every single day? What about the nights he spent crying himself to sleep because you wouldn't show him a shred of kindness? You don't deserve him, Arthur, and you know it. So why don't you go back to your dear wife and leave that boy alone!"

The room falls deathly silent, Jeremy's words hanging in the air like a blade poised to strike. For a moment, Arthur's expression falters, but the anger quickly returns. He gestures to the guards.

"Take him to the dungeons," Arthur orders coldly.

Jeremy stiffens, but he doesn't flinch. "Go ahead," he says bitterly. "Throw me in your cell, kill me if you want. I don't care anymore. Just know this—you'll never find Madin, and even if you do, you'll never have him the way you want."

Arthur doesn't respond. He turns away as the guards drag Jeremy out of the room. His heart pounds in his chest, Jeremy's words cutting deeper than he wants to admit.

As the door slams shut behind them, Arthur sits heavily on the edge of Madin's bed. For the first time, he allows himself to wonder if Jeremy is right. Has he truly destroyed the very person he claims to care about? And if so… can he ever fix what is broken?