Arya felt numb in the following days she couldn't believe she'd lost her child and she couldn't do anything about it. She was powerless to the scheming and conniving Jasmine. She knew the truth that Jasmine couldn't conceive but she couldn't tell anyone because they wouldn't believe her and not only that, they didn't even want to see her.
She cried almost everyday, Ms Bell did her best to console her. Her workmates at the bakery noticed her change in mood they also noticed she didn't have her child. Arya had to come up with some flimsy excuse about a relative taking care of her child.
Arya had actually been looking forward to being a mother. She believed she now had a reason to live after being abandoned by the only other world she'd known. Ever since she was a 14 she was raised to be the future empress, though her time in the castle wasn't easy, that was the only world she knew.
When she was suddenly thrust out of that life, she was confused. She didn't know how to live her life from then on. Though Ms Bell was at her side and made things a little easier in navigating her new circumstances, she still didn't feel like she had a purpose. Having her son changed all that. She had wanted to live her best so she could provide for her child.
In time it was announced that Jasmine had given birth to a beautiful baby boy who was going to be the Crown Prince. The news dramatically stated that Jasmine worriedly hoped for Cedrics safe and truimpant return to Kajun after the war, so he could see their child. Arya rolled her eyes at what was being said.
****
Almost a year later Cedric returned to Kajun vitorious having succesfuly taken over the opposing kingdom and was now assimilating it into Kajun. Jasmine was made Empress and "her son" was crowned the Crown Prince. Cedric was said to have been proud that Jasmine had given brith to a son and was upset he wasn't able to witness the birth herself. He named the prince Aston. The news spread across the empire of the prince who had golden eyes just like the emperor and lilac hair just like Jasmine.
This shocked Arya to the core, her son had brown hair. This meant that whoever
Arya realized Jasmine was dying Aston's hair. Arya couldn't believe it. She wondered for how long Jasmine would be able to keep up this facade. Was she just going to keep dying Astons hair his whole life? What if as he grew up he began to look more like Arya in terms of facial features. She wasn't sure how she was going to hide that. Arya couldn't understand what Jasmines plan was in the long term.
She would have to just wait and see how it turned out.
A year passed and Arya and Ms Bell continued to live in the village working their jobs. Arya felt like an empty shell of herself that just had to keep on moving. She continued to feel like she was being watched and she knew Jasmines spys' were watching her. Making sure she wasn't trying anything. Life in the palace was said to have been wonderful the emperor and empress were said to very much in love and living together happily with their son.
Almost half a year later and then suddenly it was announced that Jasmine was under arrest. She was under suspicion of having deceived the emperor about the crown prince. She was currently under investigation.
Apparently, Cedric had seen Jasmine dying their Aston's hair and knew something was wrong. Arya was surprised by how quickly Cedric had come to find out the truth. Just a year and a half.
Before she knew it one morning Imperial knights made their way to her village and came to her house. They told Arya they had been sent by the emperor to bring her back to the castle.
As a part of the investigation into Jasmine. Arya wasted no time and left with them together with Ms Bell to head to the castle. However she wasn't going inorder to see Cedric and prove she was innocence all along. She was going so that she could see her son. Not a day went by that she didn't think of him.
Arya couldn't believe this moment was actually happening. After nearly a year and a half of suffering she was finally going to see her son again. It had been so long since she'd been to the castle, 2 and a half years to be exact so she was a little nervous about going back. Upon arriving at the castle she was quickly taken to the emperor.
Cedric who seemed to have changed a lot since she last saw him. He was taller, stronger, muscular but most noticable more cold looking. Arya noticed him look her up and down. She realized he must have been taken aback by her commoner/peasant appearance with no make up and glamerous clothing he had last seen her wearing. She didn't care how Cedric thought of her appearance though.
After a brief moment of
"I recently discovered that Jasmine may not be the mother of the Crown Prince. Whilst he is undeniably of royalblood due to his eyes. His hair color matches neither my own nor Jasmines. It resembles yours. After questioning Jasmine she confessed that you are Crown Prince Astons' true mother. " He paused for a moment. "So now I want to ask you, Are you the Crown Princes' mother? "
"Yes, I am." Arya slowly answered.
Cedric bowed his head in shame. "Jasmine told me everything. You were were never infertile Jasmine drugged you in an attempt to make you infertile."
Arya explained to Cedric what had happened to her when she left the palace 2 years ago. From how she found out she was pregnant a month after she left to Jasmine taking her child.
Cedric listened to her whole story we'll use your statement in the trial against Jasmine. She will most likely be taken to the Azir prison."
The Azir prison was a maximum security prison for high profile criminals. Lying to the Royal family would definitely make you a high profile criminal.
Although, Arya was happy her name had finally been cleared, there was one thing that important to her. "May, may I see the crown prince?" She politely asked Cedric.
Cedric looked at her carefully, "Of course." He agreed.
He lead her to Aston's nursery where a nanny was inside tending to him.
The nanny placed the child in Aryas' arms. At first it didn't feel real. Her arms began to shake and then tears began to stream down my face. She couldn't stop them. To see his golden eyes beaming at her. "My son." she cried as she hugged him closer to her.
"I love you." she said as she hugged him. She felt like she was going to break down She repeated telling Aston she loved him to the point where it felt like a chant. Aston perhaps sensing his mother's sadness began to cry as well.
"I'm sorry." Arya apologized to Aston as she gently swayed him in her arms. Then he stopped crying.
Arya continued to lovingly embrace Aston until Cedric let out a cough to get her attention. She looked at him and saw an expression in his face she couldn't quite understand.
"Arya, as you are the true mother of the Crown Prince, I would like to offer you the opportunity to be empress once again."
Arya hadn't expected to be offered the position but regardless she had already thought about it. She was not returning to the castle.
Arya had had a miserable time in the castle from Cedric's affair to the humiliation that came with it. Being drugged to become infertile. Cedric divorcing her and getting the shameful title of a dethroned empress. But nothing could compare to her having her son taken away from her. She could never return to the castle after all that because what if it happened again? Cedric found himself another woman who tried to sabotage her again.
Arya looked at her child for a moment before she turned to face the emperor. "I will not be returning to the castle Your Majesty." She said with conviction. "I would like to continue the life I'd been living as a commoner. "
" I understand that I won't be able to see the crown prince Aston again if I I only ask if I can stay with him for the rest of the day. Just to get to
If Aston wasn't a crown prince and his father the Emperor of all people she would have fought to have custody over the child as well but in this case there was no other choice but to allow him in the castle.