The coronation celebrations, meant to herald a new age of prosperity, had instead left a lingering chill in the Grand Palace. The black roses, now kept in guarded glass cases, were a constant, unsettling reminder of Thea's return and the chilling shift in her allegiance. Yet, for the newly crowned monarchs of Aethel, the sight of their estranged sister ignited a desperate hope.
"We cannot allow her to remain lost to us," Aric, now King of Aethel, declared in a council meeting held the very next day. His voice, usually steady, held a tremor of desperation.
"Not to the Darkness Queen."
Orion, usually impetuous, nodded solemnly. 
"The tribes of the Southern Marches speak of her. Tales of a formidable sorceress, cloaked in shadow, gathering strength. If Thea truly serves her… we face an enemy unlike any before."
"And Thea herself," Cygnus added poring over ancient texts, 
"is a warrior of Aethel.
Her skills, her knowledge… if they are turned against us, the cost would be immeasurable."
Zuri, her gaze distant, was the most pragmatic. 
"We must seek a parley. A peace agreement, not just with Thea, but with this 'Darkness Queen.' If we can bring them into the fold, unite the kingdoms, then Aethel will be truly unassailable." Her words were born of a desire for unity, but also a strategic cunning. She believed Thea's past ties could be leveraged.
Their hopes, though tinged with apprehension, coalesced into a single purpose: a meeting. Envoys were dispatched to the borders, bearing a message of truce and a proposal for unity.
Days later, the reply arrived, carried by a pair of shadow-cloaked figures who melted into the forest as swiftly as they appeared. The Darkness Queen had agreed. The meeting was set for the cusp of twilight, in the ancient, crumbling ruins of Eldoria, a place whispered to be a nexus of forgotten power.
The ruins of Aethel were bathed in the dying light of the sun, casting long, skeletal shadows across the broken arches and moss-covered stones. A thick, unnatural silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant caw of a raven. The four rulers of Aethel stood together, their ceremonial attire a stark contrast to the desolate surroundings.
Then, she appeared. Not from the shadows, but as if the shadows themselves coalesced into form. 
The Darkness Queen.
She was an ethereal figure, tall and slender, draped in robes woven from what appeared to be pure night. Her face, framed by cascades of raven-dark hair, was striking, beautiful, yet utterly devoid of warmth. Her eyes, pools of obsidian, held a chilling intelligence. And beside her, a step behind, stood Thea.
Thea's posture was rigid, her expression unreadable. She wore her Aethelite armor, but it seemed dulled, as if the darkness around her had seeped into the very metal. She did not meet her siblings' gaze, her eyes fixed at some point beyond them.
"Greetings, Aethel's new crowns," The Darkness Queen purred her voice like silk over shattered glass, mesmerizing and unsettling.
"You sought this audience. 
Speak your desires."
Aric, taking the lead, stepped forward.
"Lady… Queen. We come not as adversaries, but as those who seek unity. Aethel faces many threats, both within and without. We believe that true strength lies in coming together. We offer a pact of peace, an alliance between our kingdoms and… yours."
The Darkness Queen’s lips curved into a faint, amused smile.
"Unity? A noble sentiment. And what, pray tell, would be the terms of such a… partnership?"
"An end to all hostilities," Zuri interjected, her voice firm. 
"Shared knowledge, shared resources. An integrated defense against any who would threaten our lands. And most importantly," she glanced pointedly at Thea, "the return of our sister to a place of honor within our court."
The Darkness Queen's gaze drifted to Thea, a possessive glint in her dark eyes.
"Thea is already in a place of honor, young Queen. She is an invaluable asset."
Orion, ever direct, blurted,
"She belongs with her family!
With us!"
"Does she?" the Darkness Queen countered smoothly, turning her full attention back to the rulers. 
"Or does she belong where her true potential can be realized? Where she is truly valued, not as a symbol of past glory, but as a force to be reckoned with?"
Thea remained silent, her stillness more unsettling than any outburst.
"We value her," Cygnus insisted, his scholarly mind seeking logic in the darkness. 
"We have always valued her. Her absence has been a great sorrow."
"Sorrow, or convenience?" 
The Darkness Queen scoffed, a subtle hint of malice entering her voice.
"You ascended to your thrones, unhindered by a princess who walked among beasts and spoke the language of forgotten powers. Was her 'loss' not, perhaps, a timely blessing for your ambitions?"
An angry flush rose on Aric's face.
"That is a cruel accusation! 
We have mourned her deeply."
"Indeed," The Darkness Queen acknowledged, her tone falsely sympathetic. 
"And yet, here you stand, offering peace only when Thea's return, and my presence, present a potential challenge. You wish to absorb us, not truly unite."
"No!" Zuri countered, 
"We wish to strengthen Aethel. To prevent needless conflict. We believe in the strength of all its parts, even those that have diverged."
The Darkness Queen regarded them for a long moment, her obsidian eyes seeming to pierce their very souls.
Then, unexpectedly
she let out a soft laugh. 
"Very well. Your sincerity, however misguided, is… quaint. I propose this: a formal treaty of mutual non-aggression. No encroachment on my territories, no interference with my… practices. In return, I will likewise respect your borders. And Thea," she placed a hand on Thea's shoulder, a gesture that seemed both comforting and controlling,
"will serve as a bridge. An envoy. A testament to our newfound… understanding."
Aric, Orion, and Cygnus exchanged hopeful glances. This was more than they had dared to hope for. A true peace, a recognized division of power, and Thea, though still connected to this dark queen, would at least be accessible.
Zuri, however, felt a prickle of unease. The terms seemed too simple, too favorable to them. There was a hidden clause, she was certain. But the desperation for peace, and the hope of reclaiming even a part of Thea, outweighed her caution.
"We agree," Aric said
extending a hand.
The Darkness Queen ignored his hand, instead inclining her head in a chillingly regal gesture. 
"Then it is done. Let the stars bear witness to this unholy accord."
With a final, unsettling smile, she melted back into the deeper shadows of the ruins, Thea following her, her silence an unnerving farewell.
Darkness's Queen POV
Fools. Utter, predictable fools. They came begging for peace, their hearts filled with that sickeningly sweet hope for 'unity.' They believed their familial ties to Thea would be their leverage. They believed they could reason with the shadows.
How utterly delightful. They walked right into my carefully laid snare. 
The 'peace treaty'? A triviality.
A distraction. A silken blindfold for their naive eyes.
They think they've secured their borders, prevented 'needless conflict.' What they've done is given me unimpeded access. They've invited the serpent into their garden, and they've handed it the key.
Thea. My beautiful, broken weapon. They look at her and see the 'lost princess,' a part of their past to be reclaimed. They see her as their weakness, a vulnerability I might exploit. Oh, they are so close, and yet so utterly, deliciously wrong.
She is not their weakness. She is their weakness. And she is my strength. A former warrior of Aethel, steeped in their traditions, their strengths, their vulnerabilities
She knows their customs, their defenses, the very beating heart of their culture.
I have spent years reshaping her, twisting her sorrow into fury, her empathy into cold calculation. She is a blade honed to perfection, and now, with this 'peace,' I have slid her right into their very court.
They believe she is a bridge back to them.
No. She is a Trojan horse. 
A spy. An internal saboteur.
While they celebrate their 'unity,' while they believe they have tamed the wild, I will be planning. I will gather my true forces, forge my most potent spells. And when the time is right, when their guard is down, when Thea has woven herself deep into the fabric of their trust… that is when I will strike. From within. Using their own beloved princess as the catalyst.
The 'greatest attack' will not come from my shadowy borders. It will erupt from the very heart of their kingdoms, detonated by the one they sought to 'save.' And Thea, my loyal, magnificent instrument, will be the instrument of their downfall. Aethel will burn, consumed by the darkness they so foolishly welcome.
Let them dream of peace. 
Let them cling to their foolish hopes. The night is long and
the true horror has yet to begin.