Chapter 4

Good ending*

As dawn breaks, PRINCE ALARIC is roused by the sounds of heavy boots and clanking armor outside his cell. He braces himself for the humiliation promised by QUEEN MORGANNA. But as he lies there, a sudden resolve hardens within him; he decides that he will not be paraded through the streets like a spectacle. With heroic effort, he pushes himself to stand, grasping a nearby banner emblazoned with a pig—an emblem meant to mock him as his new house symbol.
His muscles scream and his flesh wobbles under the strain. Sweat beads on his forehead, and his vision swims from the exertion. Just as he steadies himself, ready to confront the guards with whatever dignity he can muster, the door swings open. Silhouetted against the light, a figure steps in. ALARIC, mistaking them for the queen's minions, swings the heavy banner with all his might.
CLANG! The sound of metal-on-metal rings out as his strike is blocked by a sword. A familiar voice calls out, halting him in his tracks.

ZEE (shouting): Stop, it's me!

It is indeed ZEE, but she is not alone. Behind her marches an imposing figure—her father, KING JACQ of Fedier, along with a battalion of soldiers. The noises that had awakened ALARIC were not the queen’s guards, but the army of Fedier, who came to rescue him.

KING JACQ (commanding his men): Take the prince to the infirmary, quickly! The dungeon is no place for my future son-in-law and King.

ALARIC, stunned and struggling to comprehend the turn of events, looks questioningly at ZEE. She steps forward, her expression a mix of determination and affection.

ZEE (smiling warmly): Kings do not fight wars for others for nothing. Besides, am I not a bride fit for you?

The implications of her words slowly dawn on ALARIC as he is carefully escorted out of the dungeon by the soldiers. The alliance between ZEE and himself, once a mere subplot in their struggle against QUEEN MORGANNA, has blossomed into a full-fledged political and personal union.

As they exit the dark confines of the dungeon, ALARIC feels the fresh air of the morning—a stark contrast to the dank atmosphere he had grown accustomed to. He is overwhelmed not only by his physical liberation but also by the emotional release of knowing that his kingdom, his people, and his heart are no longer under the tyrant’s control.

PRINCE ALARIC (to ZEE, gratefully): I... I do not know what to say. Thank you, Zee. For everything.

ZEE (taking his hand): There is nothing to thank me for yet. We have a kingdom to reclaim, a queen to dethrone, and a future to build together.

The group makes their way to the castle infirmary, where ALARIC’s health will be tended to, and plans will be drawn for the forthcoming confrontation with QUEEN MORGANNA. The castle, once a place of despair, now buzzes with the energy of impending revolution, as the forces of Fedier restore rightful rule.

Epilogue: A New Reign

The castle, once a stronghold of despair and cruelty under QUEEN MORGANNA, is now filled with the joyous sounds of celebration. Thanks to ZEE's efforts in revealing the truth about PRINCE ALARIC's captivity and the queen's atrocities, coupled with the military support from KING JACQ, the liberation of the kingdom was rapid and decisive. QUEEN MORGANNA's reign of terror ended as abruptly as it had begun, with KING JACQ overseeing her removal from power.
On the day of his coronation, PRINCE ALARIC—now KING ALARIC—sits on his throne, a figure of immense size and greater dignity. Despite the discomfort his bulk brings, the joy in his heart outweighs any physical inconveniences. The crown is placed upon his head, and the hall erupts with thunderous applause, the people celebrating the return of their rightful ruler.
The ceremony does not end with the coronation. In a beautifully orchestrated double event, KING ALARIC marries PRINCESS ZEE of Fedier, solidifying the alliance that saved his kingdom and his life. The love and respect between them are palpable, and the people cheer not just for their king but also for their new queen—a woman of courage and compassion.
Later, when the new king and queen find themselves alone for the first time as husband and wife, KING ALARIC turns to ZEE, his voice filled with gratitude.

KING ALARIC: Zee, without your resolve, I would still be but a pile of flesh in a dungeon. You have given me more than just my freedom; you have given me a future.

PRINCESS ZEE (smiling wickedly as she playfully gropes his substantial moobs): And who says I want you to lose any of this flesh? The people of Fedier love their partners large.

The statement brings a laugh from ALARIC, his earlier anxieties about his size easing under her acceptance and affection. He reaches for a small cake, indulging in one more sweet as a symbol of their new life together. Breaking it in half, he shares it with ZEE. Their lips meet in a kiss that seals their mutual happiness and commitment.

As they stand together, the future seems bright. KING ALARIC and QUEEN ZEE face the challenges and joys of ruling a kingdom that values strength in all its forms. Together, they will lead with wisdom and compassion, fostering a realm marked by kindness and inclusivity, where the shadow of the past is just that—a shadow, overshadowed by the light of their love and leadership. ___________________________________

Epilogu e: A New Fate

In the kingdom of Fedier, QUEEN MORGANNA awakens in an opulent room, the bed vast and surrounded by plush pillows and silken sheets. Confusion turns to alarm as she realizes her arms are restrained. As she attempts to sit up, KING JACQ enters the room, his presence commanding yet strangely calm.

KING JACQ (with a slight bow): Good morning, my queen. I hope you find your surroundings to your liking.

QUEEN MORGANNA (struggling against her restraints): I might enjoy them more were I free.

KING JACQ shakes his head softly, a hint of regret—or perhaps inevitability—in his eyes.

KING JACQ: You are to be my bride, Morganna. You will bear my children, and I will take you to bed each night.

Despite the gravity of her situation, QUEEN MORGANNA’s eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of an escape. Her gaze lands on a large painting on the wall. It depicts the very bed she is confined to, but the figure portrayed is unlike any she has seen—a woman of immense proportions, her skin a deep, rich brown, sprawled across the bed, her body so large it dwarfs everything in the room.

Seeing where her attention has fallen, KING JACQ continues, his voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and solemnity.

KING JACQ: Ah, I see the painting of my last queen has caught your eye. She was a beautiful woman, full of spirit until the day she died giving birth to Zee.

A chill runs through MORGANNA as the implications of her fate begin to dawn on her. The painting, the bed, her restraints—all pieces of a future she had not anticipated, one far removed from the power and control she once wielded.

KING JACQ (as he opens the door, allowing servants to enter with carts laden with food): But do not worry, she was much older than you when we met. You will surely surpass her quickly.

The room fills with the scents of rich, decadent food, each dish more elaborate than the last. QUEEN MORGANNA, once a master of manipulation and cruelty, finds herself ensnared in a web not of her making, destined to become the very image of excess she had forced upon others.
As KING JACQ departs, leaving her to contemplate her new reality, MORGANNA is struck by the ultimate irony—the tools of control she once wielded are now the instruments of her own captivity. Her fate, sealed by the same desires for power and dominance that once drove her, is a poetic justice delivered by the hands of those she underestimated.
The epilogue closes on a scene of surreal tranquility marred by the undercurrents of a darkly fated destiny. QUEEN MORGANNA, the new queen of Fedier, faces a future where her past cruelties will be visited upon her in a twisted echo of the lives she once controlled.