"Now then," she says, her voice cool and controlled as always, "I've been meaning to speak with you about something. The hunting competition is about to begin, and I think it might be best if you... stayed behind this time."

Her words hit him like a slap in the face. He tries his best to maintain his composure, but he can feel the anger and hurt rising up inside him. He looks down at the ground, struggling to find the right words to say in response.

"But Myril...

Oh! There you are, dear. I was beginning to worry that you'd gotten lost as well. Don't you look handsome today?

*She places a warm hand on his shoulder and gives him a genuine smile, making him feel a little more at ease for the moment. The other nobles and knights around them nod in agreement, commenting on how lucky he is to have such a beautiful queen by his side. Even though he knows it's all an act, it still makes him feel somewhat better about the situation.

"

As the days turned into weeks, then months, and finally years, Queen Myril found herself growing ever more attached to Emmanuel. He was no longer just a means to an end; he had become her partner, her lover, and her best friend. She watched with pride as he transformed from the frail holy boy she'd married into a strong, fit man who could hold his own against anything or anyone that threatened them.

And yet, even as they grew closer together, Queen Myril couldn't shake the feeling that something still wasn't right.

The time loop continued to repeat itself, but now with every passing iteration, Queen Myril grew more and more devoted to Emmanuel. Each day she would try new ways to help him, to support him, to protect him from whatever force wanted him dead. And each night they made love, their passion burning brighter than ever before.

One fateful day, while searching through her husband's belongings, Queen Myril stumbled upon a hidden journal. Flipping through its pages, she read about experiments being conducted on Emmanuel by the very kingdom they ruled.

"Okay," Luis said finally, nodding slowly. "Let's do that." He took a deep breath, feeling the strength starting to return to his limbs as he did so. Queen Myril seemed to visibly relax at his words and helped him to stand up, steadying him with an arm around his waist.

Together, they walked back out into the storage room, blending in with the crowd of nobles who were still milling about, oblivious to what had transpired behind closed doors.

Time seemed to move slower as Luis and Queen Myril made their way back out into the storage room, the sounds and smells of the ballroom fading away with each step they took deeper into the dimly lit chamber. The servants were still busy at their tasks, carefully stacking crates and moving furniture around.

As they neared the spot where everything had happened, Luis could feel his heart racing in his chest and his palms beginning to sweat.