Vanya’s vision blurred from her tears pooling in her eyes and rolling down her face. She wiped them to grab onto her father’s hand once more as he lay on his bed losing blood by the minute. She sobbed seeing the physicians struggle to contain the situation. They were beginning to lose hope, forcing Vanya to accept the inevitable.

Her father looked at her trying to lift his hand towards her cheeks. She brought her father’s hand to assist and let her face be buried in his palm.

“Leave us,” he said to the physicians sending Vanya to panic.

“No, father. We must let them help you,” she fought but he only shook his head.

“It’s too late for me, child. I want to spend the rest of the little time I have left with you,” his voice trailed off to a whisper as he heaved for air.

She sobbed drawing closer to him.

“I must apologize, my dear. I have treated you poorly. If it wasn’t for me and my wrongdoings you would not have gone through all of this.”

She shook her head unable to fathom she was seeing her father’s face turn pale.

“Listen to me, Vanya. I never thought I’d speak of it to anyone. I have always thought I would take it to my grave. But hearing death calling my name, I must confess…”

Vanya looked to her father in confusion. Her heart started beating faster listening to her father’s words as if he was about to tear down the very image she had of her father all this time.

“...Your mother was the love of my life. She was the reason I am the King of this Kingdom. She was also the reason I came across a marvelous and talented set of individuals that I managed to bribe and convince to help me achieve my one desire, to be the ruler of the Northern Kingdom.”

“What are you saying, father? You must rest, please,” Vanya begged but he only pressed on as if he needed to tell her the truth, quickly.

“My child, I am the one that planned the assassination of my own brother, the former King. I am the one who convinced powerful sorcerers of a tribe in the East to help me kill my own brother. They are the reason I rose to power. They are also the reason I had to betray their trust, expose their involvement in my brother’s death, and pass a law to have all sorcerers gone from this Kingdom. I was too afraid it would all come to light…”

Vanya paused for a moment unable to fathom her father’s words.

“...But that was not all. When your mother found out about my ill intentions and how I manipulated her friends from that tribe to kill for me, she hated me. She was pregnant with you at the time. And one day, I come home to find her gone. She had left to go live a peaceful life in the East. Later I found that she had died during childbirth.”

“Father, this is not the time–” Vanya started as she felt a sour taste engulf her mouth listening to him.

Yet he stopped her to continue, “Please, dear. Let me finish. I…I need to tell this to you. I need to tell you that I have sinned greatly. The reason you were away for thirteen years of your life was because I put you there. I made you live in that house just like your mother wanted you to. I made Rez, the one sorcerer I had under my command, make you live in a dream, a nightmare…”

Vanya shook her head unable to believe it, yet in her heart, she knew her father was telling the truth.

“...I couldn’t bear to keep you there any longer so I asked Sir Reven to bring you back one day and end your suffering. But know that I love you, my child. That is the only reason I picked you as my heir. You remind me so much of your mother and nothing about my selfish self. I am deeply sorry for everything I have done to you. As a father…I have failed you. And I…I understand if you do not want to forgive me. I…understand.”

He heaved heavier than before as Vanya wrapped her fingers around his hands seeing him struggling for air. She sobbed louder seeing him gasp heavier and the physicians tried to help him. But before they knew it, he took his last breath and faded away.

***

Two months had passed since the day Vanya appeared back in Esmeth shocking everyone seeing the dead princess alive and well. For two months she grieved the passing of her father, the man who confessed to having trapped her for her entire childhood then somehow managed to give her a bit of a life moving her to Esmeth.

She was conflicted while mourning her father’s death along with the rest of the Kingdom. She often sought the council of Master Aren who stayed back to help her adjust. He would speak to her to calm her mind while she battled internally unable to stomach the reason for everything that had happened to her was of her father’s doing.

As for how she ended up in Shalom, in a cold wooden chest by the seaside, Rez confessed to having been ordered by her stepmother to chase her down and kill her that night. She often visited her stepmother and stepbrother in the dungeons. The former queen hurled curses at her while her son stayed quiet in a corner. Vanya felt pity for the boy seeing him dragged into something his mother desired, to have her son at the most powerful seat of the Kingdom.

Ever since the passing of the King and ending of the mourning period she was crowned the queen of the Nothern Kingdom. There was a simple coronation and an official announcement of her ascension sent out. She simply stayed away from throwing a large banquet to celebrate. In her heart, she knew she only took up the position because of the urgency to appoint the Kingdom’s next ruler.

Today was quite gloomy. The summer months in Esmeth were usually plagued by rain showering down having a mind of its own. She watched as the thunderclouds rolled in covering the barely visible sun. Her heart stayed heavy and her mind munging through everything while she picked every detail apart one by one, staring out of the window while in her chambers.

“Your Majesty,” Vanya heard the soft voice of Joan call out. She turned to see her maidservant in a lovely blue dress and with a handful of daffodils by her side.

“Joan!” she ran to Joan and hugged her. She had been needing Joan’s presence ever since they came back to the castle. And Joan had been nothing but supportive.

Vanya had encouraged Joan to not return to the palace if she did not have the desire to be a maidservant again. But Joan was insistent on being there for Vanya and she had not missed a day of work ever since.

“What are your plans for the day, your majesty?” Joan asked while arranging the bed sheets. Vanya gave her a hand, a practice she had picked up from living in Shalom.

“I have to meet with the royal council today, and later with the royal court. And that would be all, I hope,” she said folding a sheet and laying it across so Joan could pick it up.

Joan suddenly gasped making Vanya alert. “I almost forgot…” Joan dug into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, “...Just received it from the messenger earlier. It’s from him.”

Vanya’s heart fluttered as Joan held out the paper with a deep red seal of a house by the sea engraved on it. She quickly picked it up to break the seal and open the letter. She held her breath as she read the first lines and sighed in relief. She had been waiting for a reply for almost a month now.

My dear Vanya,

She read it feeling those words deeply in her heart. Coming to think of it, she never once remembered him calling her Jade. But seeing him address her as Vanya, not ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘my lady’, just Vanya, made her heart fill with an immeasurable amount of joy.

I apologize for how long it has taken me to write back to you. Grandma Tilly fell ill over the last two weeks. No need to worry, she is back to her annoying self once more. Betsy was let loose once more and was causing havoc last week. But we managed to discover it was Jac that was enchanting the poor cow. It surprised everyone to know little Jac was using magic.

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I have taken Jac under my wing, to help him navigate his powers and well, give support.

Roza was delighted to find out that I managed to save her grimoires from being burnt by the council. I also shared with her some of my hidden grimoires. She is insistent on blaming my open eye for how fast I could pick up everything. But I think she’s just jealous. That said I must say she’s turning out to be an excellent sorceress.

I am happy to hear that you are fighting to nullify the law banning magic. Roza wanted me to convey her thanks for your efforts on this front. She’s overjoyed, to say the least. I am sure you will emerge victorious and we have all but to thank you for your efforts to help us.

That said, how are you, dear? I hope you are as stubborn with the royal council as you have been with me. I am eagerly waiting for the time I get to see you. It has been difficult for the past couple of months, to not see your face, to not know if you are doing okay.

Know that I am nothing but hopeful of the day we meet again. Just like I promised, I will wait for you, always.

Vanya remembered that night. The night Rhohaz together with Roza and Timmie left for Shalom. She cried in his arms, overwhelmed by her father’s death and her sudden realization that Rhohaz could not stay by her side forever. He had his duties to fulfill and she could not hold him down forever.

He looked at her cupping his hands on her cheeks before he kissed her lips and said, “We will figure it out, one day at a time.”

She sobbed harder knowing that a lifetime of being away from each other was waiting for them if they were to not give up on each other now. And she did not want to let him go. As much as she was the light at the end of the tunnel for him, he was her strength to keep going through life, to live for another day.

“I promise you. I will settle everything here and come find you,” she whispered planting a kiss on his cheek while her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him into a hug.

He let his head lie on her shoulder as he whispered back, “And I promise you, I will wait for you, always.”

***

Two years had passed since the coronation of the Queen of the Northern Kingdom. There were rumors of the queen executing her once stepmother and stepbrother. There were also rumors of her brutal measures in torturing her captor, the sorcerer who kidnapped her and tortured her since she was a child. Her name carried a taste of revenge whenever spoken about but it also carried an essence of pride in her achievements in redacting the law banning magic and initiating assistance for the families affected two decades ago by the killings. She also supported initiatives to find and restore any grimoires, historical articles, and everything related to stranded tribes that carried a heavy involvement with magic.

“Are you really okay with it? The public saying you killed off your stepmother and stepbrother?” Joan asked while trying to adjust herself every so often while on her horse.

Vanya laughed seeing Joan tilt herself uncomfortably before pulling herself up to not come gliding right back down. They were walking with their horses surrounded by a few knights, through a lush green forest. Vanya’s horse Dirt seemed so delighted that they were venturing out of crowded Esmeth to somewhere spacious.

Vanya shook her head in reply to Joan, “Not in the slightest. I let them go warning them to start a new life in some remote place. I’d rather give them a blank slate to work with and a rumor like that would help them the most.”

Joan’s jaw fell realizing it was Vanya’s idea to spread the rumor anyway.

“You are too generous, Your Majesty,” Joan said pulling herself up again.

“Oh no, you don’t get to call me that anymore,” she said, a radiant smile crossing her face with her brows relaxed for the first time in two years.

“Well, they haven’t even announced it yet. So technically you are still the queen,” Joan replied while trying to keep up with Vanya’s pace.

They chuckled while approaching a familiar path. They had been traveling for days now. The journey was long yet not as tiring as they had imagined. Vanya had Joan keep her company while they fantasized about their new life almost within reach.

The familiar path turned into a familiar view of small brick houses with thatched roofs lined so haphazardly by the seaside. The cool sea breeze welcomed them on the hot sunny day as they entered a place so close to their hearts.

Vanya had been dreaming of this day for years now. The day where she gets to relish in the salty breeze, silky sand, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. She never realized then, how much this little village by the seaside would mean to her now.

She turned back to address a man on a horse behind her, “How do you feel to be back home finally?”

Rez, his body feeble and his smile weak looked up to see an unfamiliar place. The home he remembered was in the East, a place that no longer existed. Shalom was not his old home but it was the home he needed to come back to.

“Thank you, your majesty. You have been so kind to let me live,” he said, lowering his head in a bow.

Vanya only waved her hand, “Please, we’ve discussed this before. No need to thank me. I’m sure you cannot wait to see your mother. She’ll be thrilled to have you back.”

Vanya smiled knowing Tilly would be overjoyed to see her youngest once more. And Vanya could not wait for it. She was glad she looked into the reason Rez started working for her father. She found that he was tortured for days on end before being given the option to work for the King or be beheaded. Seeing how Rez thought the rest of his family was dead and gone, he vowed to be loyal to the Helfan family to save his life. She understood his reasons and reverted her decision to have him locked up forever.

They approached the quiet village and made their way to Tilly’s home. A few villagers spotted her and joined her and the rest while they got off their horses to greet them.

Vanya looked around in anticipation not finding the one person she was most looking forward to. She quickly went by the flimsy gate to Rhohaz’s home. She knocked on the door. No one answered.

Her nibble feet went around the house to see that Tilly’s home was also empty. But before she turned around to leave she caught a glimpse of someone at the beach.

Her legs picked up pace and soon she was running down the silky sand in her boots to the tall figure standing there. Suddenly her foot caught a stray branch and she stumbled falling on the sand.

“Ouch!” she said holding on to her ankle when an arm reached her and picked her up effortlessly.

Her body leaned on his as their eyes met. His pale eyes so detailed with the grey and blue hue, gazed at hers as they slowly turned golden and rimmed in bright yellow. She at once felt the relief in her ankle. Her heart was too full with seeing those pale eyes that would occasionally turn golden as if to take her by chance, surprising her by displaying a beautiful glow.

“You are here?” he said letting her stand inches away while he observed if it was really her and not an imaginary creature tricking him.

“Why? Have you forgotten your promise already? Perhaps found someone else?” she poked at him seeing his widened eyes tracing every part of her face.

He smirked to reply, “What promise?”

Vanya’s mouth gaped open in shock as she was about to throw some harsh words his way when he suddenly caught her waist and pulled her closer to crash his lips on hers. It was a much-awaited and desperately needed kiss. They could not pull away from each other until Rhohaz finally stopped to ask her the reason for her visit.

“What brings you to Shalom?”

She smiled saying, “Well, you are in luck. I’m here to stay.”

Rhohaz peered in shock, “To stay? For how long?”

“I’m hoping I would get to spend the rest of my life here–”

Rhohaz caught her shoulder in shock before asking, “What do you mean?” His lips were already smiling but his mind was confused for it lacked all the details.

Vanya paused to breathe before saying, “I gave up my position as Queen of the Northern Kingdom.”

She could not believe the words coming out of her own mouth. All her life she trained to be the Queen of the Northern Kingdom but here she was giving it all up out of the desire to live in a lonely village close to the sea where she could sink her feet in the silky sand and gaze at the clear night skies.

“What? You gave up the throne? Are you sure–”

“I am,” Vanya replied even before Rhohaz could finish asking his question, “And to my luck, I found the perfect person to take over. Aren knew of the former King’s son. Aren had helped him when he was a baby to escape the palace and had kept a close eye on him since my uncle’s passing. I met him personally a year ago. I was able to train him for a year. And he’ll be coronated as the new King next week, the rightful heir to the throne.”

Rhohaz listened carefully to Vanya seeing how she eagerly explained everything.

“But enough about it. I just couldn’t wait till next week to make the trip down here. And by then it wouldn’t have been a surprise anyway,” she beamed at him.

“I can’t believe it. You are really here,” he whispered as it properly sunk in. He held her closer as they looked into each other’s eyes.

Rhohaz cupped Vanya’s face with both hands, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks.

“I have dreamt of this day for so long. The day I could finally have you beside me.” He pressed his forehead to hers.

“Are you sure? Are you sure you want this for the rest of your life?” he asked once more.

Vanya closed her eyes, a joyful tear escaping down her cheek. She felt it in her bones, the serenity filling her soul. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Rhohaz swept her into a deep embrace as the sound of the waves crashing serenaded their reunion.

As the sun dipped lower towards the shimmering waters, Rhohaz reached for Vanya’s hand and lightly kissed her fingers. Arm in arm, they made their way up the sandy shores and towards the lonely village by the seaside. A new chapter in the horizon.

The End.