The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 290: Death

Chapter 290: Death

Deep within the gardens of the royal palace, Dahlia and Zoran were sharing a round of tea and snacks with one another while also being immersed in a friendly game of chess. It was an old hobby they picked up back when they were alone. Well, the latter taught the former since she had no memories about the game to try and pass the time, but that small gesture eventually spiraled to them just enjoying playing against one another whenever they had the chance. And now, with both of them being together again after so long, they finally had the chance to play a few rounds of classic chess against each other.

"Let me set up the board," Zoran hummed as he laid out the pieces with him taking the white pieces for himself. "You still play black, right?"

"You know me too well," she beamed at him as she prepared two cups of tea for the both of them. "Here’s your tea, by the way."

"Thank you, Dahlia," Zoran smiled back at her, her heart fluttering as she sat down in front of him. "So, shall we play?"

"Of course," she nodded. "After you..."

Zoran made the first move. Then Dahlia, then Zoran again as they went through their usual routine and openings. Some things never changed, she supposed. They still played the same openings, still favored the same pieces, all while their tactics subtly improved with each match that they played.

Dahlia couldn’t help but smile as she moved another chess piece on the board. It wasn’t much, but spending time with Zoran like this again almost felt like a dream come true for her. It almost felt like they were back to those days when they were alone in their old hideout, content with nothing but their presence alone as they spent time with one another.

"This is nostalgic, isn’t it," Zoran chuckled as he moved a chess piece in retaliation to Dahlia’s move. "I still remember teaching you how to play this game. You were so bad back then."

"Hey, in my defense, I was quite literally new to the game," Dahlia cheekily replied as she made her move. "It’s not a surprise that I’d constantly lose to the person that taught me. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll lose again here."

"I wouldn’t be so sure," he replied, his brows raised as he deliberated on his move. "You’re actually getting better the more we play."

Dahlia blinked as a sense of pride bloomed within her. To think that Zoran actually thought she was getting better... It almost made her feel grateful for the night she spent reading chess tactics in the royal library while waiting for him to return.

Then again, getting her memories back probably helped. It also didn’t hurt that she actually knew how to play before she lost her memories.

"Seriously, where are these moves coming from?" Zoran playfully whined as he did his move, his rook devouring her queen with a small topple. "I know I should be winning, but why do I feel like I’m still losing?"

"You just took my queen, Zoran," she giggled as she promptly responded by devouring the rook that just did the deed with another rook which also happened to pin down his own queen on the other side of the board. "You’re up on pieces. I’m down to just two rooks and a knight."

"And despite that, your positioning is a nightmare to play against," Zoran complimented her as he hovered over their board. "There’s no possible way that I can even penetrate the wall of pawns you set up on your side of the board."

Dahlia grinned at that. It was a common tactic that she did back when she casually played before... everything else that happened in her life. She frequented a few chess hobbyists to play against them, and she picked up a few tactics from them that made life annoying for any of her opponents.

"They’re just pawns," she chuckled as she used her rook to begin setting up a checkmate on Zoran. "You can take care of them easily."

"Not if they’re arranged that way," Zoran sighed as he did nothing except play to her tune. "You’re getting too good at this."

She smugly smirked even as her cheeks turned red at his compliments. "I only learn from the best."

Their match continued, all the while, Dahlia continued to play perfectly as she slowly began to pressure Zoran’s king into a corner. From where she looked at the board, she could already tell that it was her game to win.

"You’re about to win," he pointed out. "You’re about four moves from checkmate."

"So it would seem," she hummed in approval. "But maybe I’ll miss it, you know? I’ve blundered into losses before."

"Your tone tells me that won’t be the case this time though," he scoffed. "Come on. Let’s finish this."

Dahlia smiled as she raised her pieces to move them, one move going to another until all that was left was the winning move. She blinked as she stared at Zoran’s warm smile, her heart beating madly as she etched this moment in her mind as one of those precious memories that she refused to get rid of...

"Well? Do it."

She blinked as she found herself unable to move her piece. Just seeing him so peaceful... it reminded her of the fact that he was going to die here... with her...

"Dahlia?"

She didn’t know what to do. Should she tell him? Maybe then they’ll think of something to prevent it from happening. Or maybe it’ll only make things worse, and even more, he might just leave her again.

But then, he’d live... And that was all that mattered.

"Zoran..." she muttered, her winning piece standing right in front of his king as he spoke. "Seer Tarah shared a vision with us a while ago. In it, you’re going to die."

"W-What? Now isn’t the time for jokes," Zoran chuckled.

"You’ll... You’ll die here in the palace," Dahlia admitted, tears forming in her eyes even as she toppled over his king piece. "We don’t know how, but it can happen... A death that fate ordained..."

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