The Cursed King

Note:

This chapter is dedicated to DespinaNY. Thank you so much for gifting a castle to "The Cursed King" yesterday. Sending a big hug to your little lycan! xx

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The next day, Elise went out of her chambers and visited the royal doctor, Zaff, to ask him for help. A part of her hoped that similar to a sleeping potion that he once gave her, there was something she could drink to help her emotions.

Elise did not wish to hurt the people she loved in anger. She realized yesterday she was out of line and she must have given Loriel a scare for trying to kill herself.

She did not wish to let her insecurities and problems get the better of her at all. No… she must take care of her meltdowns.

So it was with a fervent hope in her heart that Elise met with the royal physician. She met him and sat down to explain her situation to the man and ask for his advice and possible treatment.

"Zaff, I've become so emotional for the last two months," Elise said. "When Loriel pointed out that I was eating more than usual, I got mad at him and I began to nitpick all of his actions. I have said the most horrible things to him… I can't even recognize myself anymore."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else that I need to know so I can understand your condition?"

Elise looked down at the table. "Well, yesterday was the day where I finally realized that I needed help. I went to the tower and nearly threw myself off… but Loriel saved me and I still got mad at him. Deep down, I know it's not his fault, but I just said the most horrible things to him."

"I see. Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I will conduct a few tests with you, okay?"

"Yes." Elise nodded fervently.

The doctor was listing down all of the symptoms and worries of the queen. Even though Elise didn't realize it at first, even some of the things that she didn't think were a big deal were something that shocked the royal physician.

When Zaff finally realized what it was, even he was shocked but hid it as he told the queen of the results.

"Your Majesty, do you remember my diagnosis over a year ago?" He looked at Elise deeply. There was an urgency in his voice. This made Elise feel strange. What was happening to her?

Elise nodded weakly. "How could I forget that you said that my miscarriage caused many complications? You mentioned that I'll never be able to conceive after the last one."

It was the downward spiral from that point. Even though Elise and Loriel did their best to be happy together and maintain a good relationship, Elise's insecurities always ate her up from that point.

Zaff took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, my earlier diagnosis was apparently wrong because you are pregnant again. All of the symptoms dictate your pregnancy and the tests show the same results."

"What?" Elise asked in shock. Her body trembled and she gripped her chair. "What did you say?"

"You are carrying a child again, Your Majesty," Zaff said. "Congratulations."

Tears streamed down Elise's cheek. She needed some time to take in the information she just received. The queen looked at Zaff carefully, trying to see any signs that he was joking… or he said something entirely different, and Elise was actually hallucinating.

However, the physician repeated his words and smiled, making Elise realize that she was not dreaming.

Zaff did say that she was pregnant. Gosh…

A faint smile slowly curved up on Elise's face.. She placed a hand reverently on her stomach and didn't know what to feel except for the boundless joy in her heart. "Oh, I see. Thank you, thank you, Zaff."

"Shall I inform His Majesty of the good news, Your Majesty?"

Elise shook her head. "Please keep it a secret, Zaff. I'll tell Loriel myself so I can reconcile with him. I'm sure that he'll be thrilled to know."

"Then I will not let him know right away, Your Majesty." Zaff smiled and nodded. "Instead, I will do my best and go to the Archelaus library and research better potions and vitamins, Your Majesty. It will be necessary for you to become stronger."

"Oh," Elise blinked and glanced down at her stomach. "Like before… will it be difficult to carry the child, Zaff?"

"Yes, unfortunately so, Your Majesty," Zaff told her. "But I believe that it will be easier this time because Your Majesty will now be more careful and as the royal physician, I will make sure and attend to it and ensure its survival."

Unlike before, Zaff was promising to help Elise by doing more research in hopes for Elise and Loriel to have a child together. The idea of them suffering through another miscarriage was too heartbreaking to consider.

Elise smiled at the royal doctor and nodded. "Thank you. I will also do my best."

Once their conversation was finished, Elise worked up the courage to head immediately to Loriel's residence and went straight to his chamber. However, Loriel was nowhere to be found and instead, Elise saw Horatio.

The royal butler was managing the palace while Loriel was gone yet again.

"Um, where is His Majesty?" Elise asked. "I was hoping to speak with my husband."

Horatio looked at the queen and bowed respectfully. He was relieved to see that Elise was feeling better enough to approach her husband, but this time, it was Loriel who ran away from the palace to avoid seeing her.

"His Majesty has gone out for a trip," Horatio said.

"Oh, I see..." Elise remembered that once she pushed Loriel away, the man decided to walk out from the tower and leave her be. While she was grieving for months, Loriel also went on a five-month expedition. Maybe he was avoiding her like the last time, thinking he was giving Elise a space to be alone?

But, this time Elise didn't want to be alone. Loriel misunderstood her. She wanted to be with him. She was dying to share the good news!

"I am sure that His Majesty will return after a couple of days," Horatio told her kindly.

"Thank you."

Loriel still ordered the people to take care of his wife before he left, but the man must have been so disappointed after seeing what she had done.

How could Elise make the selfish decision of wanting to die? Even if she thought she was helping Loriel by making it easier for him to find a new wife, she would have placed an unbearable amount of guilt if he went through with it.

This time, it was Elise who was in the wrong so she couldn't blame her husband's action. It made sense for Loriel to leave and get away after going through such an ordeal of being understanding of Elise.

If she was being honest, Elise was actually surprised that Loriel had been nothing but patient around her these past two months.

Looking back, now everything made sense.. Her meltdowns, and emotional outbursts, it was caused both by her depression and her stupid pregnancy hormones.