Crown

Ziry Gīmigon-She Knows

Sin had ordered Seibel and the others to clean everything up and make preparations for Cheng's funeral while Ea had taken Tah Min to her chambers and decided to stay with her to console her. Astrid went with the others to the drawing room.

"So you knew this would happen? Both of you?" She asked, gesturing towards her mother and Raehar.

"...yes," Illya said somberly.

"And you didn't bother to stop it?"

"Astrid...it isn't that simple. You know that."

"...Yeah. That's what you always say. Some good your foresight is when you can't even do anything about it. What if I had said yes? What if I believed I was going to start a life with someone I loved and suddenly he was killed by an arrow that I shot! How would you expect me to live with that?"

Illya sighed. It was less out of frustration and more because she just didn't know how to make Astrid understand.

Tekina, who was present with the others, put a hand on Illya's shoulder. "That's a discussion you two should have in private. Before that, you should explain to us what Cheng meant. What does who know?"

"He mentioned a 'Sindarian Witch'...that's most likely Li. I'm positive they've found out that..." Illya trailed off. Sora grabbed her hand and squeezed it for reassurance. "That I'm pregnant." She finished.

The room fell silent.

"Is it...how long?" Kaito asked warily.

"Three months now," replied Illya.

Tekina took her hand off of Illya's shoulder. She had known for a while now that it was something along those lines. Not only that but she had noticed how Illya had been wearing more flowy clothes as of late, presumably to hide her growing baby bump.

Astrid's previous anger vanished. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"We have so many eyes on us. I didn't want to leave any room for enemies to use it against us, but it appears that they had found out regardless of my efforts to conceal it."

"Alright. Well, we can't sit around complaining about it now. What happened, happened. We have to keep going too. Astrid. Lya and I didn't tell you about Cheng's fate because if we pointed it out to you, you wouldn't have been able to make choices for you because you'd be too caught up on what you thought would be right for him. Now that everyone knows Lya's pregnant. We need to take extra precautions. After all, that battle with Sana is in the next three months."

Everyone fell silent in agreement. The more Astrid thought about it, the more she realized that Raehar was right, though she felt rather...off...about the thought that Cheng was nothing more than a simple catalyst.

"Before anything though...we'll have to hold the funeral for Cheng."

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Within the next few days, the funeral was held. Representatives of the Summer Isle had came to Solaria. Illya and the others watched as Tah Min preformed the ceremonial rights for her brother. With her Phoenix flame, she set the pyre ablaze and it was pushed down into the river. Along with the pyre, floated candles lit by Illya and the others and placed inside little loutuses. They were sent down the river with it Cheng. Everyone watched somberly as he made his finally journey down the river with a trail of lotuses.

After the ceremony, Tah Min spent much time explaining to her people that while Cheng had died in a foreign power's land, Illya had nothing to do with his death as it was willed by the heavens. Given their loyalty to Illya, it didn't take much convincing and they left with heavy hearts over the loss of their beloved Lord.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Ink flowed like a river from the pen in Raehar's hand. It had been a couple weeks after Cheng's funeral. Tah Min had been granted permission to leave and seek refuge in the capital to pray for her brother's wellbeing and try to pick herself back up. A lot had happen within the past week and Illya was just looking for a moment away from the buzzing shi in her visions. Illya walked into her room to see Raehar sitting at her desk and writing away.

"You're still writing that?" She jested.

"Illya...do you remember when we were little and we would talk about making you ruler of a land far removed from the families we were trapped in...a land where we could fulfill our dream of creating something as close to a utopia as we could possibly get?"

Illya sat down next to him. She took off her crown and set it on her lap, tracing the intricate designs with her fingers, she nodded.

"But then you were corupted and taken away and I was left with the startling realization of what that actually entailed. Wasn't exactly a fun ride...but I suppose...when you aim for the top, you tend to learn where you stand." Illya's eyes remained fixated on the delicate crown in her lap. Her gaze was soft and gentle, as if she were looking upon a fragile flower instead of a weighty power.

"Back then...when we were kids...it seemed like such a fleeting dream. Neither of us thought we'd one day get married, or have children, or have people we cared for besides each other. The one thing we were certain of, was you would one day rule...my point is...the wheel is turning...and we're going to have to be as sharp as ever if we wish to avoid the impact when we fall with the next turn."

Both of them remained silent for what seemed like ages. Illya was the one to break it, her voice cutting through the air in an evanescent whisper.

"I know...I know..." She repeated.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

3 months later

Head held high, her staff in hand, she stood on one of the southeastern islands as the sun began to rise behind her. It was the island that Tekina had proposed to her six months ago. She sighed, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Look alive Your Majesty. Here comes the King." Urek, King of the Kin Kingdom spoke from the depths of the waters around her.

Illya flipped her hair out of her way. "I hope the others in the order are ready," she whispered.

"They're ready Majesty. We've been planning this for months. For better or worse, we're behind you in this." He reassured.

Illya smirked. "Alright. It's show time."