Yesterday had been an awakening for me as well as my kingdom. The most powerful lesson gifted to us, not all things are as they seem.
Once everything was found or made to order, we decided to turn in early. Braxton needed to meet Raithian for training first thing the next morning, and I wanted him to have a good night’s rest. We had recently learned that magic was a lot more consuming than we imagined possible.
“Are you okay?”
Braxton’s voice pulled out of my thoughts, and I turned to see him already turning down the bed while I still stood in the middle of the room. Blinking, I nodded, wiping my hands over my skirt. “I’m fine, there is just a lot in my mind.”
“I can imagine—” He paused when he lifted my pillow to fluff it, and my father’s letter fell on the floor.
Sighing, I walked towards him and retrieved it. “I was reading it the other day,” I explained, shaking my head, and placing it on the night table.
“Well?” he asked as though he couldn’t believe I hadn’t told him about it. “What did it say?”
“The expected… That they love me, and they know I can win this war. That I was born to be the queen and fight for my people. That they believe in me.”
A troubled expression captured his features. “Not that it isn’t a beautiful message, but was that all? It kind of seems like adding pressure on your shoulders during an already stressful situation.”
“I didn’t finish it.” I shrugged. “I already know what they expect from me. I’ve known my entire life.”
Becoming pensive, Brax took the envelope from the table and opened it.
“What are you doing?”
“Your parents wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of writing you a secret letter and saving it in the back of their painting, knowing it would only be found afterIdiscovered the accord, just to tell you to ‘fulfill your duty’.”
Sighing, I folded my arms over my chest and watched him read from the start. His eyes seemed confused while he found exactly what I had told him it said, but then suddenly widened. He turned the page, disbelief growing over his features, and making me drop my arms. “What? What is it?”
Emotion gleamed in his eyes when he finally finished, handing me the page. “I think you should read it yourself.”
Reaching for it, I found the place where I had stopped last time.
“Evie, I want you to know that your mother and I are extremely proud of you for carrying our legacy. We love you as our caring daughter, as the strong and selfless woman that we are certain you became, and the benevolent queen we know you will be. The Queen of the People.
I believe with my entire being that Caelisium can be saved, but it took great death for the Warlock King’s empire to rise, and something tells me it will take great death for it to finally fall.
You were born for this, Evie. You are smart, courageous, and strong. Our legion will follow you blindly. Freeing Caelisium is your destiny… But it does not need to be your undoing.
You probably expect me to tell you to make your mother and I proud. To ask you to rise above everything you think possible, to even forgo your own happiness, so you can keep fighting as hard as possible for our world. To leave it all on the battlefield if it means honoring and protecting the kingdom your mother and I created together. To uphold our legacy, but I will not.
Fighting for this world cuts away a part of us with each battle, with each death, with each retreat. It can numb your heart until you can no longer feel the losses or the disappointments, because it is easier to stand strong and fight while you are numb…
Do not let it, Evie. Be the strongest one of us, better than your mother and I were.”
Stunned by what I was reading, I glanced up at Braxton, tears slowly brimming in my eyes. Smiling at me, he caressed my cheek and motioned for me to continue. My breaths came faster, but I turned the letter, my eyes once again grazing the words.
“I know from experience that the need to save this world can consume you.
This life of hardship and sacrifice is not something I ever wished for you, Sunshine, and at some point, it has to stop. We cannot continue losing generation after generation for a dream that may take many more lifetimes to come true, or it might not come at all.
It is because of this that I want to give you what most of us never had.
A choice.
A chance to live your life the way you deserve. Pair with someone, have a family, and enjoy the happiness we are all owed. I have never believed in giving up, but your mother taught me the importance of moving on, so I want to offer that to you.
You do not owe us anything, Sunshine. You do not have to sacrifice yourself for us.”
A sob caught in my throat, tears falling from my eyes as Braxton’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his chest.
