El Precio de la Fidelidad

As I sit in my chambers, surrounded by the opulence of Hivernia, I find myself consumed by the weight of my duty. The expectations of my people, the pressures of ruling, it’s a burden I carry with pride, but one that can be suffocating at times. I think of Diego, my loyal guard, and the fire that burns within me whenever he’s near. It’s a flame that I dare not fan, lest it compromise my position as a queen, but it’s one that I cannot extinguish either. I am torn between my loyalty to my late husband’s memory and the desires that I’ve come to realize are still very much alive within me.

The world would not understand, of course. They would see me as a traitor, a queen who has abandoned her duties for a fleeting romance. But what they don’t see is the complexity of it all, the intricacies of the heart. I am not just a monarch, I am a woman, with desires and passions that run deep. And it’s this very duality that makes my situation so precarious. I must navigate the treacherous waters of politics, all while keeping my secret safe from prying eyes. It’s a delicate balance, one that I must maintain at all costs, lest I risk losing everything I hold dear.

I often wonder, what would my late husband think of my predicament? Would he be ashamed of me, or would he understand the depth of my feelings? I like to think that he would, that he would see the love in my heart and the loyalty that I still hold for him. But it’s a fleeting thought, one that I push aside whenever the reality of my situation sets in. I am a queen, and queens do not get to indulge in such whims. We must remain steadfast, unyielding in our duty. And yet, as I look at the portrait of my husband, I am reminded that even the most stoic of queens can have a secret heart.