Only Us: A Dark Fantasy Betrayal

A Traitor’s Final Stand

Dark clouds gathered over the old stone castle as Aidan sat alone in his newly claimed chambers, his fingers tapping idly on the hilt of his dagger. The wind howled through the cracks in the walls, and he listened, as he always did, for the bells of shame that seemed to echo in his ears long after they had fallen silent in the streets below.

He’d taken their lives–all according to plan–except for a loathsome knight who escaped the initial poisoning. It was only a matter of time before the bells sounded again, but this time to echo his betrayal to the crown and summon the vassals and remaining loyalist to his execution—to perform it as barbarically as they saw fit.

He would go down in history as the most reviled man in the kingdom, a lord fallen from grace, his name spoken with scorn in every corner for ages onward. Aidan welcomed it—let them curse him, let vengeance roar. For every insult cast his way, he sharpened his blades and smiled his bitter, scornful smile. He’d put up a fight, no less was expected from his forgotten ancestors who served the King till their own betrayal by kings before. He’d been haunted so long by his tarnished history, and tonight he’d righted the timeline. His family would rule or burn for their treachery.

A Love Forged in Fire

Aidan’s life had become a tapestry woven of rage, betrayal, and a dark purpose he held onto with all his might. He had lost so much and resented even more; his bitterness had been his companion; he’d abandoned any pretense of honor long ago, reveling in the twisted satisfaction of his own undoing.

As he leaned back against the cold stone, a knock resounded on his door. He didn’t move, simply stated, “Enter.”

His only remaining ally, Lenore, the young maiden who had helped him in his master plan, slipped inside, her cloak trailing the floor like a shroud. She was the last person who truly knew him—the only one who had seen the many shades of his fury and forgiven every one of them.

“They’re gathering in the square, Aidan,” she said, fear alight in her eyes. “You know what that means.”

He smirked, lips curling into a dark smile. “They gather to claim their vengeance. And why shouldn’t they? I finally got mine.”

Lenore moved closer, her voice low, a warning and a promise intertwined. “Yes, my love, they won’t stop till they have it, but remember, you are not bound to grant them either.”

“Yes,” he whispered, his voice like a blade. “I don’t think we will live to see the end of this, Lenore. My rash plans left us unprotected. If you hurry through the underground passages, you may escape their wrath.”

Lenore’s expression softened, yet her gaze grew darker, a spark igniting in her eyes that he hadn’t seen before. “And then what? I’m a known accomplice. Sir Tristan witnessed me with his own eyes, serving the guests with our tainted drink. Folly, he took his oath of abstinence from wine. Folly for us.”

Aidan squeezed her hand. “If you stay, you will die with me, the traitor to the throne. The besmirched Lord of Eversfield with a grudge deeper than the great beyond. How could I go to hell with more than my betrayal on my shoulders? With the woman I love and our unborn child with me at the fiery gates?”

She smiled and kissed his lips tenderly. “I walked this path with you. I knew what might be. I gambled like my father before me and reached for freedom no matter the cost. Nothing else matters now, only us.”

The Fury of the Mob

Together, they descended into the heart of the castle. The stone corridors wound like veins through the darkness, and Aidan could feel the ghosts of the past pressing against him, watching him, judging him. He had once been a man with aspirations, with ideals. But years of betrayal and loss had twisted him into something else entirely—an avenger who would stop at nothing to bring ruin to the family that destroyed his own.

As they stepped outside, the night air bit into their skin, cold and sharp. The townsfolk had gathered below, torches lighting the square like a forest ablaze. Their cries rose up in fury, accusations and curses thrown like stones. Sir Tristan stood at the forefront, his eyes sharper than Aidan’s own killing tools.

“Traitor!” the townspeople shouted, “Murderer!”

Aidan stood tall, his gaze defiant, as he bore into Sir Tristan’s eyes. The loose end that frayed their plan in twain. Lenore’s steady presence at his side anchored him as he spoke his final words.

“Traitor, yes. Murderer, also yes.” His smile widened. “But know this: I stand here not because I seek your forgiveness. I am no man of honor, and I’ve embraced that. My guilt runs dark and deep, and my only regret is that I did not destroy more of you sooner.”

The crowd’s fury grew, but Aidan could see the fear creeping into their eyes as well. He laughed, a low, bitter sound that echoed in the square.

Lenore stepped forward, clinging to her beloved arm, defiance and acceptance adorning her. This was the outcome from her gamble, to stand side by side with the man she loved, to die in his arms, though she wished the outcome had been sweeter, it was sweet enough to have known this unstoppable force, if at least for the miniscule moment they had together. “Only us.”

The townsfolk had been busy the whole while, piling up wood and kindling below. They threw their torches, the flames licking up the stone and casting shadows that danced in a wild frenzy. Aidan didn’t flinch as the fire grew. He took Lenore’s hand, feeling her warmth amid the chaos, and the two of them stood together as the flames rose around them.

The Fall of Eversfield

As the crowd cheered at the fire, unaware of what lay ahead, Aidan leaned close to Lenore. “There’s still time for you to escape, my love.”

She gulped as the fire rose higher, but his warmth settled her resolve. She nestled into his chest, her fingers squeezing his tightly. “Only us, Aidan. To the end.”

The flames surged higher, consuming the ancient stones as the mob struck the walls with their makeshift battering rams, the flames striking back against their foolhardy masters. Crude siege engines continued the assault and the clanging of steel upon the weakened stone echoed in their ears.

Aidan and Lenore didn’t have to wait for the flames to engulf them. The archers arrived and smooth was the sound of their toppling bodies from their high perch. They died in each other’s arms.

 

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