Another Choice (The Fate and Destiny Chronicles Vol. 2)

Headed Home

I still remember our conversation in that little room six months ago from now, I remember it all so clearly...

"What's going on, Annabelle?" Caspian had asked me worriedly and nervously as I closed the heavy door behind us with a heavy sigh. "I need to talk to you about something important" I told him quietly as I met his gaze that was inquisitive as he tried to figure out what was happening. As far as he knew he would remain a part of the counsel and I would rule but I wrote in a clause during the creation of the counsel that if a bloodline ever ended or was left without heirs the closest related royal bloodline would ascend the throne. He thought it was in case anything ever happened in the future but little had he known when he helped set up the clause that it would be the reason he would soon rule in my place. "I haven't told anyone else and I need this to stay between us" I told him as I anxiously fidgeted my hands. "Annabelle, spit it out. Your kind of scaring me..." He said as he watched me closely.

"Promise me first, give me your word you won't tell anyone...not even Darren." I said as I fought back the tears in my eyes that thankfully weren't bloody. "I promise you, you have my word, just tell me", he said hastily as he crossed the room and came to stand face to face with me. I could tell he was worried and afraid. "What is it?" He asked sounding a little nervous and very worried as he spoke and I bit my lip quietly before letting out a shaky breath as I tried to think of how to say it properly. "Annabelle" He said to me firmly, "Spit it out" he ordered. So, I did in a quiet voice that I worried he wouldn't hear, "Your about to ascend the throne" I told him finally looking back up at him and based on the look of his face he had heard me. His face was full of shock and I knew he was truly baffled as he struggled to put two and two together. "When I leave to make my choice, I am not coming back because I'm dying" I told him, "As the new law states the throne falls to you". We lapsed into silence as the heavy truth hung in the air between us and I struggled to watch as he backed away from me and ran his hands through his hair as the news sank in. "How long have you known?" He demanded angrily as he turned and looked at me with eyes and facial expression full of so many emotions, I couldn't even begin to describe his expression.

I wiped a tear that fell free as it ran down my cheek, "I've been sick for a while and I knew that I wouldn't live long enough to rule for long but I had to be crowned to set everything up right" I explained to him. He didn't want to rule, wanted nothing to do with politics or the throne. I actually had to fight him to get him to even stay on the council but now he realized I only kept him on the council so that he would be forced to rule in my place. "How could you!? He shouted at me in tears, "How could you hide this? How could you do this to me? Why!?" He demanded. My answer to that one came far too easily, "Because I know you are capable and I trust you to build on what I have started here, I trust you won't send us back into war" I said simply. "I'll do it, but you should have told me!" He told me angrily and for a moment I realized he must have come to care for me as much as I had him. It's funny to me. We infuriated one another to no end and yet we had come to love one another as family. "It stays between us though" I told him.

"Things are too fragile and new to risk word getting out, just be ready to step up when the time comes" I elaborated as I fought the urge to beg his forgiveness. I felt guilty for dooming him to a life he'd never wanted, he wanted to leave this awful place as we discovered his twin brother Caine had when Aiden took over. He just wanted to find his brother and live a life without politics or royals. Only now by law and promise would he have to take the throne he never believed his family should have; he would take my place as ruler. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself" Caspian said softly as he came forward and pulled me into a tight hug that I returned. "I'll be fine, I promise" I swore to him, "I knew this day would come and I'm not afraid. You shouldn't be either" I said firmly.

I then pulled away from him and left him alone in the small room that had been our goodbye. He just didn't know it yet. I headed straight for the guest room where Darren had been packing a small bag, he had healed impressively so the healers could not prevent his leaving of the palace. He planned to head home and what he didn't know yet was that I planned to go with him. It was time for me to go home too. Call me a liar. Call me a coward. Whatever you wish. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him yet about my illness. I couldn't tell him about the fact that I was dying. It was wrong of me but I wanted to protect him from feeling more grief any sooner than he had to.