Illia continued leading Valethar down the white marble bridge. The guards at the gates had been given an order to not open the gates to anyone except Illia.
She found it strange that her enemy would open the gates wide open for her. Illia demounted Valethar and patted him a couple of times. His soft fur warmed her hands in the frigid winter wind.
"I'll be back soon, Valethar, stay here." Valethar huffed, his breath creating a cloud of warm breath in the cold air. Illia began walking into the castle, the doors slamming loudly behind her. The odor of death had dissipated, but the sight of the uncleaned and dusty castle remained.
Illia peered down the hall before looking up at the stairs. She checked the hallways and underneath the staircase. Nothing. Not even Dreyden's dead body. The only thing that remained in the castle was the dusty pieces of furniture and rodents.
Illia placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and pulled a couple of inches of it from the sheath. She stepped on the first stair that led to the corridors. The marble steps had been cracked and chipped away and the wooden railings were rotting. Illia continued up the stairs until she reached the top.
She peered around the corner of the wall and looked down the hall of rooms and doors. Adeline's room was at the end of the hall. Illia assumed that was where she would find her.
Illia proceeded down the hall, pushing open doors and looking inside rooms. The rooms were dusty and old. The smell of rotting food filled Illia's senses. There must have been a fruit bowl nearby. The chairs and beds were covered with sheets and the once beautiful canopies were dirty and frail.
Illia closed the doors one by one until she reached the end of the hall. The faint smell of chamomile and lavender drifted through the opening in the door.
Illia pushed it open slowly and put one foot through. She continued into the room, the wood sighing beneath her feet. When Illia stepped through the door, she saw Adeline resting in her bed. Her eyes were closed so Illia presumed she was sleeping.
When Illia reached Adeline''s bedside she noticed movement beneath the sheets.
"I knew you would come," Adeline uttered huskily. Illia paused her movements, noticing Adeline's appearance. Her lips were dry and chipped, her arms were feeble and pale, and her under eyes were dark, her eyelids heavy. Illia almost had to look away. As much as she did not want to admit it, she loved Adeline. Even if they were not blood sisters, they had still grown up together.
Illia kneeled by Adeline's bed and held her hand. "Tell me, Ady, what is happening to you? To your kingdom?"
Adeline's eyelids fluttered. "My kingdom has been starving and dying for months. But now because of my illness, it's even worse. I suppose I could have tried harder to save us," Adeline's free hand drifted to her stomach. "Now my organs are failing, my child and I are both dying, and there's not much I can do. Because of the lack of resources in the village and the castle, there is nothing that can treat me,"
Illia held Adeline's hand tighter, her hand warming Adeline's. The corners of Illia's lips tugged down as she thought about how hard it must have been for Adeline.
"The child is dying?" Illia did not know what else to say, but she needed more information.
"Yes," Adeline's voice was a whisper. Illia closed her eyes and rested her head on their conjoined hands.
"Did you and Selene talk?" Adeline said, her eyes remaining closed.
Illia's head rose as she tried to meet Adeline's eyes. "Yes. She said she was sorry and that she didn't mean to hurt me, or any other lousy excuse she could think of,"
Adeline squeezed Illia's hand back. "She is trying, Illia. You have to understand that she did not mean to hurt you. There was nothing she could do. Telling you earlier would only make things worse. She wanted you to be able to stay focused on one thing at a time,"
Illia let a tear slip from her eyes. It was difficult enough to watch her 'sister' die, but now she thought about Selene.
"We need to stop this, Adeline," Illia glanced at the colliding warriors outside the window. "War is not going to help your kingdom. Nor is it going to save you and your child,"
"I have told you, Illia. Because my kingdom is dying, we don't have the resources to save me and my child. Even if we won this war, we would not be saved from the death that is to spread across my kingdom,"
"That is where you're wrong. If we stop this war and join the two rival kingdoms together, Veraxin can share our resources with Astrean. But that can only happen with peace. Not war,"
Adeline's eyes opened slightly. She looked at Illia'sand noticed that she had not looked into her eyes for months. Adeline noticed how deep of a blue they were. Just like Selene's.
"I'm sorry Illia, so sorry. For everything that I have done or said. It is all my fault and I promise I will make it up to you. I will do this for you. Astrean and Veraxin will become one," Adeline placed her hand on top of Illia's and tried her best to crack a smile.
Illia smiled back and tilted her head. "I'm sorry too, Ady. What I have done is unforgivable. I killed our…your mother and your husband. That kind of betrayal does not warrant an apology. From anyone. Especially you,"
Adeline shook her head as she tried to hold her tears back. "I know you're sorry. I could see it in your eyes when you came to the ball that night. You didn't want to hurt me. I knew that then and I know that now. You never wanted to hurt me. And I never wanted to hurt you. This right here," Adeline gripped Illia's hand tighter and held their hands up. "This will save our kingdoms, Illia. Everything that either of us did before today is behind us. It's ok, I promise,"
Illia closed her eyes and felt the cold tips of Adeline's fingers.
"Thank you, Ady. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am grateful for it,"
"What do we do now?" Adeline said as she looked at Illia's hands.
"We call off the armies. Both of them," Illia looked out the window once more.
"I am in no condition to walk, Illia," Adeline said, gesturing to her body. Illia clicked her tongue and thought for a moment.
"I will have the midwife fetch a wheelchair. Your subjects deserve to hear your voice over mine," Illia said as she pulled her hand from under Adeline's.
Adeline smiled and nodded as Illia's hands drifted from hers. She watched Illia walk out of the room before closing her eyes once more.
Illia ran down the stairs hastily. She then ran into the kitchen, looking for the midwife or any maids who could tell her where she'd be. Illia saw no one in the kitchen so she ran to the dining room. It too was empty. She ran down the halls and to the servant's quarters.
When Illia opened the door, there was a maid tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth. Illia ran to the girl and removed the gag.
"Who did this? What happened?" Illia asked as she studied the girl's horrified expression.
"A cloaked man came, he was of Astrean. He took Merryweather and tied me up here," the girl panted as sweat merged with the tears on her face.
Illia held her shoulder. "It's all right, you're safe," Illia untied the ropes that had the girl bound to the chair. "Go to Adeline's room and tell her what happened. Stay with her until I am back,"
The girl nodded and ran off the minute the ties were off her wrists. Illia looked out the door and rose from the ground. She ran out of the servant's quarters and down the hall. She continued running until she reached the front door. When Illia ran out of the castle, she noticed how the battlefield had changed.
The men and women that fought and slit each other's throats were now lying dead in the dirt. Illia found Malaki in what little crowd was left. He looked drained. His movements were sluggish and tired.
Illia looked around the rest of the remaining people and noticed they too looked tired. She gazed around the fighting armies until her eyes landed on Merryweather. She was being held by a tall soldier who had a dagger to her throat.
Illia placed her hand on the hilt of her sword nervously. She began walking cautiously toward the man. He smiled eerily as he watched Illia's movements carefully.
She took a deep breath as she neared him. Merryweather's eyes were wide as the blade drew a single drop of blood from the vein in her neck.
Illia held her hand out as if taming a beast. When she reached the man he stepped closer.
"What do you have her for?" Illia said calmly.
"I was ordered to take her. To lure you away from Queen Adeline," the man said menacingly.
Illia's head whipped around to the window where Adeline lay. She tried looking into the room, but she saw nothing from the ground. Illia continued trying to see in the room when she heard a sound from behind her. It sounded like steel meeting flesh. She heard a gasp and a thud when she turned around.
Illia's first thought was, did he kill Merryweather? But, when Illia turned around Merryweather was free from the man's grip. The man was standing with the sword outstretched, blood dripping off the end. Illia looked to her feet and noticed who he had just impaled.
"Selene?" Illia said breathlessly. Selene sat on the ground with a slice in her chest, blood pouring from her mouth. Blood seeped through the wound and spread through the fabric of her gown.
Illia quickly fell to the ground beside Selene. She found the wound and began packing it with pieces of Selene's gown. Illia pulled her cape in front of her and tore a piece off and placed it on the wound. She pressed hard, panting as her hands began to shake. Selene gargled as blood filled her mouth.
Illia trembled as she braced Selene's back and sat her up. The blood poured from her mouth and down her chin.
"I told you to stay inside," Illia shuddered, her movements hurried and sporadic. Selene wheezed and gasped as she held her hand to the wound. Illia and Selene's breath both picked up as Illia scrambled to find someone to help.
She looked up and the only person that remained was Merryweather. She was shaking as well as she looked at the wound.
"Merryweather, help!" Illia shouted, her voice raspy and dry. Merryweather licked her lips and inhaled deeply.
"Queen Illia…" she hesitated. Illia looked from Merry to Selene.
"What?! Why aren't you helping?" Illia's shouts were more like sobs now, her fear growing.
"She has lost too much blood, Your Majesty," Merryweather faltered.
Illia's head whirled to Merry and she gave an accusing look. "No, no no. Help her! She's ok, just help me!" Illia shouted as she continued ripping pieces of fabric from her cape. It was only bits and pieces now.
Selene looked up at Illia and held her face in one of her hands. "Illia," she croaked.
"No, don't talk, we can get you help," Illia looked around frantically.
"I tried to get you back Illia…and when I couldn't Veraxin fell…please, for me, bring the light back into our kingdom." Selene smiled, crimson blood coating her teeth.
Illia shook her head and closed her eyes, feeling Selene's hand on her cheek. "Not without you," she wept.
Selene's hand loosened on her cheek as her eyes faded. Illia opened her eyes as she felt Selene's hand slip from her face. Her eyes widened as she held her hand.
"No no no," Illia cried as Selene's limbs relaxed. Life slowly faded from Selene's eyes as her hand fell to the ground. Illia grabbed it and held it in hers.
"Mother?" she said silently as any remaining life in Selene faded away. "We needed more time. Please, come back," Illia sobbed into Selene's chest.
Merryweather kneeled by Selene and Illia. Illia held Selene in her arms and rocked her slowly. She threw her head back and screamed into the murky sky. Merryweather closed her eyes and bowed her head. Illia's screams overtook the sound of metal clanging and soldiers shouting.
Malaki heard her scream from across the battlefield and quickly ran to her. When he reached Illia she was leaning over Selene's body as tears fell from her eyes.
Malaki sat in the dirt beside Illia and placed a hand on her back.
"What happened?" he said quietly, inspecting Selene's wound. He noticed the glaze over her open eyes and paused. He removed his hand from Selene's body.
Illia remained silent and her head stayed down. Merryweather looked at Malaki.
"Astrean sniper, Your Grace,"
Malaki closed his eyes and bowed his head in respect. "I'm so sorry Illia,"
Illia's head rose as her eye's widened. "Adeline," she almost whispered.
"What?" Malaki said as he looked at Illia. She stood from Selene's body and looked at the castle behind her.
"The sniper said that he only brought Merryweather out here to lure me away from Adeline. I need to make sure she's safe," Illia turned to walk away from Malaki. "Please put her in a casket and take her to the chapel."
Malaki nodded empathetically as Illia began walking toward the castle. He was concerned at how quickly Illia seemed to grieve.
She picked up her pace into a run when she remembered why she was going to the castle. Illia ran through the doors of the castle and up the stairs.
When she was running down the hall, she noticed Adeline's door was open. Illia had told the young woman to go to see Adeline but she figured she would have closed the door. That is when Illia noticed a fallen candle holder.
She ran down the hall and threw the door the rest of the way open. When Illia opened the door, she saw Adeline unconscious against the foot of her bed. The young woman was tending to her and trying to wake her. Illia looked at Adeline's hand and noticed a bloody dagger. And laying face-down in front of Adeline was Niklaus with a puddle of blood surrounding him.
"Ady?" Illia said as she ran into the room. She stooped down to Adeline and put her hair behind her ears.
"What happened?" Illia asked, now looking at the woman.
"N-Niklaus came and he tried to kill her and she grabbed a dagger and stabbed him," the woman's words were hurried and frightening.
Illia nodded. "It's ok, you're safe. What happened to her?" she looked from the woman to Adeline.
"She fell unconscious, Your Majesty. I do not know why. Perhaps fear or stress,"
Illia placed her hand on the back of Adeline's neck. "I must take her to Veraxin to get help. Here, help me carry her," Illia gestured to Adeline's legs. The woman grabbed her legs while Illia held her arms. "We will take her to the front and I will have a carriage take her to Veraxin,"
The woman nodded as they began carrying Adeline out of the room. They walked slowly and carefully down the stairs until they reached the bottom.
Illia and the woman carried Adeline out the front door and lay her on a bench. Illia called one of the knights to gather a carriage for Adeline. Illia walked to the edge of the bridge, where the castle ended and the battlefield began. She stood tall as she looked over the kingdoms.
Illia found a horn nearby and blew it to catch the attention of the soldiers. The clanging of swords halted when the sound of Illia's horn sounded throughout the field.
Soldiers looked at Illia in shock. Stopping a battle was forbidden in all five kingdoms. It was disgraced to keep man from completing a kill.
"Queen Adeline and I have decided to sign a treaty that would call for peace between Astrean and Veraxin! This battle will stop and we will know peace!" Illia shouted. Soldiers looked at each other and slowly put their swords back in their sheaths.
"Niklaus is dead! The people of Astrean are free from his hold!" she continued, watching relief slowly wave through the women, children, and men. "Queen Adeline and I have decided that for both of our kingdoms to flourish, we must come together. We must unify Astrean and Veraxin into one!"
Gasps and quiet chatter slowly echoed throughout the armies. Illia could feel tears arising in her eyes and blinked them back. She swallowed the sob rising in her throat.
"My mother…fought for this kingdom. She died for this kingdom. Her dying wish was for me and my sister to bring both kingdoms back to life, together," Illia stopped herself. Sister. Mother. She had told herself she would call neither of them by those names again. Maybe she didn't know what she wanted anymore.
"The battle is over. Go home and be with your families. Funeral arrangements will be made for any families who have lost someone today,"
Illia turned her back to the people and began walking back to Adeline. She could hear the dragging of their feet as people retreated from the battlefield.
When Illia made it back down the bridge to Adeline the carriage had already arrived. Illia and the woman put Adeline in the carriage carefully. Illia sat inside with her to be there if she woke up. The woman sat across from them and continued checking on Adeline to make sure she was alright.
Illia combed Adeline's hair and placed a blanket over her. She looked out the window at the soldiers walking home. They were covered in blood, and dirt and they were all dragging their feet. Some of them looked up at the carriage and envied Illia. They envied her lack of loss. They had died to protect her kingdom. They had lost loved ones for her. But, what they hadn't realized was that Illia had lost just as much. She would have to carry this guilt with her for the rest of her life.
As the carriage continued to carry Adeline and Illia to Veraxin, Illia noticed the snowfall. She noticed the rotting crops and dying plants. It pained her to see her home kingdom dying. But what pained her, even more, was that the death of Astrean was because of her sister's illness.
The carriage went over a few pebbles and Illia held onto Adeline to keep her from sliding off the seat. When Illia looked out the window, she noticed that they were arriving at the front gates of the palace.
The coachman slowed the horse as the carriage wheels transferred from dirt to marble.
"Easy!" Illia shouted as she held Adeline tighter. Illia's fear and sadness had been replaced by anger and annoyance. But there was still some grievance and sadness left in her heart that would never leave. It would loom like a thick fog after a rainy day. Everything that happened today would remain in Illia's heart for the rest of her life.
She closed her eyes and simply listened to the sound of the wooden wheels on the marble. She waited until the sound stopped and the passing mountains ended. They had arrived at the front door.
Illia quickly nodded her head at the woman, gesturing to Adeline's legs. The woman grabbed them as Illia carried Adeline's arms.
"Make haste now," she said as she backed Adeline out of the carriage. The young woman nodded. As they carried Adeline into the castle, Illia got the chance to study the young woman more. She looked familiar, but Illia did not know where she knew her from.
She ignored the feeling of deja vu and continued through the palace with Adeline. They carried Adeline down the hall of the Castle of Veraxin until they reached the door to the nurse's quarters.
"Lay her there, Your Majesty," the woman pointed to a cot across the room. Illia nodded and they carried Adeline to the cot and lay her down gently. The woman looked at the cabinets beside her and noticed the medicine in them. She rifled through the viles when she found one that caught her attention.
Illia knew nothing about medicines or potions so she did not know what this woman was retrieving. She tilted her head and looked at her quizzically.
"What is your name? I never asked," Illia said while the woman began unscrewing the cap to the vile.
"Raya," she said hesitantly.
Illia's eyes rose, her eyebrows tilted. "Raya? The warrior I fought that night at the ball?"
Raya nodded almost shamefully. "Yes, Your Majesty,"
Illia became more confused with every word from Raya's mouth. "But, I housed you. Why did you leave?"
Raya poured some of the liquid from the vile into Adeline's mouth and tilted her head up and then back. "Queen Adeline told me if I should try to escape our deal that she would not only kill my children but my husband as well. So I left Veraxin and went to Astrean. She told me that to make up for failing her, I could serve as her nurse throughout her pregnancy. My children and husband remained untouched, so of course, I took the deal,"
Illia's bottom lip pouted slightly. "I'm sorry, Raya, you did not deserve that. And the fact that you are still taking care of Adeline even when she lay on her deathbed, proves to me that you are not a bad person. Thank you for watching over Adeline. She might have done bad things, but she is not a bad person. I have made her life much harder for her," Illia tucked Adeline's hair behind her ear. "I killed her mother and her husband and I still thought she was worse than me. But, neither of us was as bad as our mother. She didn't care about Astrean, she only cared about her crown. Her power. I vowed to never be like her, but look at me now," Illia threw her hand in the air.
"I'm sitting here with my dying sister inside my safe kingdom, away from her dying one. I started this war because I wanted power. I wanted Valethar. But, when I got what I wanted even without war, Adeline wanted something of mine. She wanted Veraxin. So she declared war. We're both here because we both wanted more power. My mother is dead because she wanted power. Her husband is dead because I wanted power,"
Raya watched as Illia'a hand combed through Adeline's hair.
"This is not your fault, Majesty. Adeline was ill far before she was with child,"
Illia's hand stopped. "What?" She turned her head without looking at Raya.
"That is why she sent me to kill you. Because she couldn't herself. She was ill. She fell ill around a year after Queen Isabelle died. So take comfort in knowing that her illness is not your fault," Raya smiled sweetly, trying to comfort Illia. This new information simply made Illia feel worse. This entire time we were fighting over such silly things, Adeline was falling more ill by the day. Illia thought.
"I had no idea she had been ill that long," Illia's head dropped as her shoulders slumped.
"Nobody did. She kept it secret. She thought it made her weak, a target. So she didn't tell anyone except for Dreyden. And when he died she fell into a depressed state, which did not help the illness," Raya stopped herself.
Illia closed her eyes in guilt and bowed her head. Raya closed her eyes in embarrassment. As they both sat in awkward silence, Adeline began stirring. Illia and Raya both sat up, waiting for Adeline to fully awake.
Her head rose slowly and Illia helped her sit up.
"What happened?" Adeline looked at her surroundings as she rubbed her head.
"You killed Niklaus," Raya said almost too blatantly. Illia shot a glare at Raya and turned back to face Adeline.
"You fell unconscious under the stress and fear of the war. We brought you to Veraxin to receive help," Illia's comforting smile did not mask the pain hiding in her eyes.
"What happened, Illia?" Adeline asked again, sensing the unspoken words. She would crack Illia if it took her all day.
Illia's head drooped. She didn't want to make this moment about her and Selene. She wanted to remain silent, but she knew Adeline would press on.
When they were children, Illia liked one of the princes of Zariya. Adeline tried for months to get the secret out of Illia, but she didn't budge. She would constantly nag and whine until Illia finally cracked. Adeline would always giggle and smile when she saw them talk with each other.
"Selene is dead," Illia said quietly.
Adeline's muscles froze as her eyebrows rose. "What… how…who…" Adeline couldn't find the right question to ask Illia.
"Astrean sniper on the battlefield. We think Niklaus hired someone to kill me. They took Merryweather and lured me onto the field. I didn't know she was there and she…" Illia trailed off, finding it hard to hold the tears back this time.
"Oh, Illia," Adeline said sympathetically as the corners of her lip pulled down.
Illia's head fell as Adeline moved closer to her. She wrapped her arms around Illia's neck and pulled her close to her. Illia buried her face in Adeline's shoulder as the whisper of a sob escaped her lips.
Adeline placed her hands on Illia's shoulders and pulled her back. Her hands then moved to Illia's face.
"I'm so sorry, Illia. You deserved more time with her,"
Those six words made Illia feel even worse. She had taken time from Adeline and Dreyden.
Dreyden would never see his child grow, never teach them how to ride a horse, never show them how to be a leader. Illia would be lying if she said she didn't think about it every day. His face when he fell to the ground, The Sword of Damnation in his chest. The look on his face when he realized what he was destined to do. But, when Illia thought about it more, she did not see the worry on his face for his future, but the sadness on it for the one he wouldn't have. The sickly feeling in his eyes when he realized he wouldn't be able to watch his blood grow and flourish in his kingdom.
Adeline placed her forehead against Illia's. She let her head relax on Adeline's.
"It's ok, Illia. We will make this right. Our kingdoms will flourish as one and carry on the legacy of everyone we have lost over the years,"
You mean everyone I have killed, Illia thought. She knew that's what Adeline was thinking, or maybe what she wanted to say.
"What is to come for our kingdom, Ady?"
Adeline moved her head from Illia's. "We will gather the queens of all the kingdoms and tell them of our treaty. We will create a new title for our new kingdom and raise this child," she put her hand over her stomach. "And your child. I'm assuming you're planning on having children with Malaki?"
"I suppose. We haven't really talked about it. We aren't even married yet," Illia smiled.
"Well, that would be our first step, telling the queens."
Illia nodded and sniffed. "Let us meet with the queens and discuss this. Tomorrow night,"
Adeline smiled, filled with joy. "This is a new beginning, Illia. Our new beginning."