And then, one day, palace servants noticed the Thirasak family ring on Athit's finger. Along with this came whispers that the King intended to make an official announcement of their engagement on the day of the Summer Solstice celebration. Naturally, this caused a stir and turned the entire court upside down, but King Siriporn was dead serious. If the rules went against his intentions, he would break them and create new ones, for love must conquer all, and a man should not be a prisoner of circumstance but the master of his own destiny. But, unfortunately, not all good things are meant to be.
From the very beginning of that day, Siriporn felt strange. There was a lingering sense of foreboding and anxiety. It was like waking up suddenly in the middle of the night from a realistic nightmare, when the first few seconds are still caught between sleep and reality. Athit noticed his unease and, during breakfast, asked if anything bad had happened, solicitously taking his hand. But everything was fine; the day promised to be ordinary, and the people were living in peace. Assuring his beloved that all was well, Siriporn decided to bury himself in work today to distract himself and not make Athit worry for nothing. They agreed to meet in the garden in the evening.
So, for almost the entire day, the King attended to state affairs, held a meeting to discuss new proposals for a bill, and towards the end of the day received several people so as not to keep them until tomorrow. However, later he regretted this, for the meeting dragged on, and he almost ran to the garden, unwilling to keep Athit waiting. To his restless surprise, he was not in the garden. Siriporn stared at the empty gazebo, and the anxiety that had haunted him since morning washed over him with renewed force.
"It is getting dark; he must be in the palace."
Siriporn walked briskly, fighting the internal urge to run. Athit was not in his room, nor in the library, nor in the King's chambers. The man questioned the servants and headed back to the garden where he had supposedly been seen, this time running, his heart pounding. Having checked all the gazebos in vain, he headed deeper into the garden. All this time Siriporn remained silent, the beating of his heart racing against the pulsing in his temples. It was already so loud; there was no need to shout for Athit as if he were a lost little child—he wasn't lost, he hadn't gone anywhere. By calling out to him, Siriporn would only confirm what he feared. In the distance, near the lake behind the trees, he spotted a figure and immediately rushed there. It was already quite dark, making it difficult to make out what was happening, but upon arriving, Siriporn saw a sight that would be imprinted in his memory forever.
"No, no, no," Darika was feverishly shaking Athit, who lay before her. "What do I do?" She clutched her head with bloodied hands, then turned and rushed forward, crashing into the King. Her eyes were full of fear and agitation; her hands and her entire body were trembling.
Everything that followed was like a blur. Out of the corner of his ear, he heard Darika saying something to him, shaking him; he heard the guards arriving, the screams, and other noise, but everything around him became mere background; he saw only Athit. Bloodstains looked too bright against the white shirt and skin, turning everything else gray. He lay on the grass, leaning slightly against a tree trunk; a silver dagger protruded from his chest, and with his left hand, he pressed against a wound in his abdominal area; his other hand was also covered in blood.
Siriporn approached and fell to his knees, embracing the now limp body. The eyes were closed, as if he were sleeping; his face was relaxed and still warm. Siriporn checked for a heartbeat and pulse several times; it felt too weak.
"No, no, Athit, it cannot end like this," he pressed the youth to himself. "Please, open your eyes," he stroked his face, leaving final kisses upon it.
Previously, the King had never allowed himself such intimacy in the presence of others, but in that moment, it was one of the last things he cared about.
"Please, I beg you," Siriporn whispered, holding Athit tightly. "Gods and anyone who can hear me, please do not take him from me… Please. I beg you…"
Siriporn continued to clutch Athit to his chest, praying to all the gods to give him one more chance.
A healer had already arrived at the scene, but no matter how hard he tried, the youth could not be saved.
That night, the King's heart shattered, and dark times fell not only upon him but upon the entire kingdom. Instead of announcing an engagement on the Summer Solstice, the King held a funeral for the person he loved.
On the day of the tragedy, Lady Darika was immediately taken into custody; she became the prime suspect: she had a significant motive and was found at the crime scene. The girl herself denied everything, swearing she had not killed him, that she had found Athit already wounded, and the King did not want to believe in her involvement. Darika's family immediately disowned her to rule out any complicity, so she was left without any support.
At the same time, while the King was in his most vulnerable state, the neighboring state of Taisorai seized the moment and suddenly declared war. Barely having recovered from his loss, Siriporn led the army to the front the very next day. Later, warriors who fought beside him recounted that His Majesty had changed: he became grim, more withdrawn, and ruthless. They said he fought not only the enemy but also the grief that had settled in his heart since the tragedy. They said the King had gone mad; other lands followed Taisorai, and he conquered one kingdom after another, small and large. In the shortest time, Arichayan did not just expand its borders—it turned into a great power such as it had never even dreamed of being before.
The campaign proved too long and exhausting. Upon returning home, Siriporn suddenly fell ill. Once strong, healthy, as if created by destiny itself to rule, he suddenly found himself bedridden. With each passing day, his strength rapidly left him, and he grew worse.
It was decided to keep the King's condition a secret for the time being so as not to worry the people. Advisor Noravit was appointed temporary regent; he also oversaw the investigation of the crime. But Siriporn lasted for too short a time, never finding out who actually killed his beloved.
The people mourned their ruler for all seven days of grieving. The entire kingdom was in shock from Siriporn's sudden demise and equally anxious, as the King had left no heir, so power passed to the acting regent. Subsequently, Noravit officially declared Darika Niran guilty of murder, after which he completely overthrew the Niran clan and declared himself the sole ruler of Arichayan. And this series of tragic events led the once-prosperous state into rapid decline.