My Mother Forced Me to Marry a Stone Statue to End a War — On Our Wedding Night, I Felt My Dead Fiancée's Heartbeat Inside the Marble
The morning light felt colder, sharper. Eleanor’s eyes, when I met them over a strained breakfast, seemed to pierce right through me. She had sensed my change, the subtle shift in my demeanor. My feigned obedience must have seemed too convincing.
“Silas,” she began, her voice smooth as polished stone, “Captain Reed has informed me of a minor complication with the treaty statue. A tiny hairline fracture, almost imperceptible.”
My knuckles tightened on my goblet. A hairline fracture? No. It was a lie.
“To ensure its perfect preservation for the coming wedding and the long peace, I’ve ordered it moved to the royal foundry,” she continued, her gaze unwavering. “Captain Reed’s men will oversee the application of a protective lead casing. A tradition for our most sacred artifacts.”
Molten lead. She was trying to seal Clara permanently. To ensure no one could ever discover her secret. The “protective casing” was a death sentence.
“Lead?” I asked, feigning concern. “Isn’t that… rather heavy? And permanent?”
“Only the most secure for our precious symbols of peace,” Eleanor replied, a chilling smile playing on her lips. “It will be placed in the crypt afterward, untouched for a century. A testament to the unbreakable bond of our new alliance.”
I stood abruptly. “I will inspect the process myself. Such an important artifact demands royal oversight.”
Eleanor’s smile tightened, a flicker of irritation in her eyes. “There is no need, Silas. Captain Reed is quite capable.”
“Nevertheless,” I insisted, my voice firm. “It is my wedding, after all. I should observe this sacred tradition.”
Leaving Eleanor fuming, I raced to find Captain Reed. He was already marshalling his men, a heavy sense of unease radiating from him. The rain had begun to fall, a cold, miserable drizzle that matched my rising panic.
“Captain, the Queen Dowager’s order,” I gasped, out of breath. “It’s not preservation. It’s a murder plot.”
Reed’s eyes widened, a dawning horror on his face. He had clearly suspected something, but his duty had overridden his gut. “Molten lead, Your Majesty. It’s already being prepared.”
We galloped through the rain-slicked castle grounds, the thud of hooves mingling with the distant clang of the foundry hammers. The heavy stone archway of the foundry loomed ahead, smoke curling from its chimney.
Inside, the heat was immediate and oppressive, smelling of burnt coal and metallic fumes. Workers, their faces streaked with soot, labored over a massive crucible, a cauldron of shimmering, silver-hot liquid. The statue of Clara, my Clara, lay on a stone slab, waiting.
A foreman, sweat dripping from his brow, gestured towards the crucible. “Almost ready, Your Majesty! Just another moment for the temperature to stabilize.”
The molten lead glowed, a terrifying, silent threat. It pulsed with heat, a liquid grave. My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic rhythm.
“STOP!” I roared, my voice echoing through the cavernous space.
All activity ceased. The foreman turned, startled. The workers froze, ladles suspended mid-air.
Captain Reed, standing beside me, drew his sword. The glint of steel caught the light from the crucible. “By the King’s command, halt this operation!”
The foreman looked from me to Reed, then to the statue. His eyes held confusion, but also a hint of fear.
“Your Majesty, the Queen Dowager’s orders—” he began, but I cut him off.
“These are false orders,” I declared, my voice ringing with authority I hadn’t felt in years. “This is no preservation. This is an attempt to destroy royal property and, more importantly, an innocent life. Any man who proceeds will be charged with high treason.”
The workers exchanged nervous glances. The foreman, caught between two royal commands, finally lowered his ladle. The molten lead continued to shimmer, but its deadly descent had been averted, at least for now. I looked at Clara, her marble form still, silent, so close to ultimate destruction.
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