Fleur set the pen down and flexed her stiff fingers. She sat back in her chair and passed the back of her hand over her face. Fleur was sure that she had ink splotches on her face. Ink stained her hands and the edges of her sleeves. A yawn escaped her mouth and she shook her head.
"Have you finished with it?"
Fleur looked up and gave Nikolas a sad smile. "Yes, it is finally done." Fleur gave a sigh as she closed the book and ran her hand over the smooth leather cover. "The world needs to know my Mother's story. It is their story as much as it is mine. She did what she thought best and held true to her heart."
Nikolas squeezed her shoulder gently. "She was a good Warrior Queen. The people loved her."
"She had a lot of enemies Nikolas. I can't help but think that she could've survived longer if she had chosen a different path."
"Would you have wanted to be anything else?"
Fleur shook her head slowly. "No I guess not. I just wish that I had had more time with her."
"We all do Fleur, but Barrie died. She died how she lived."
"How did she live Nikolas?"
"She lived bravely."
Fleur smiled at Nikolas. "She was brave. It takes a brave woman to give up her child and to not let resentment and anger cloud her judgement."
A knock sounded on the door. Nikolas walked over and opened the door. A smile broke across Fleur's face as she Beau and Cinderella standing there. Her foster parents had never had anymore children once their young son had died. They had put all of their being into raising Fleur alongside Barrie.
"Are you nervous daughter?"
Fleur shook her head as she stood and moved towards them. "No Papa. I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Beau gave her a fatherly smile and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Barrie said something to that affect once."
Cinderella nodded as she moved forward and wrapped Fleur in a hug. "She would be so proud of you Fleur and so would Johann. They both loved you so much. Barrie was the joy of her father, but you were the apple in his eye. He spoiled you like you were his own daughter."
Fleur laughed and wiped tears from her eyes. "I miss them both Mother. Will it ever get easier?"
"Time heals all wounds child. You just have to wait long enough."
Fleur hurried to where her Grandmother stood in the doorway. Johnny stood beside her, supporting her weight and keeping her from falling. Johnny gave her one of his cryptic looks before he offered her a smile. Fleur smiled back at him as she helped draw her Grandmother into the room.
"You shouldn't be up walking around Grandmother."
Beau gave a booming laugh. "Reprimand has never affected Mother. If it had, then she wouldn't have fallen in love with Johann."
Grekken offered them a smile. "I've always liked to live on the edge."
Fleur took a deep breath as she stood. "I remember something that Mother had told me once." Fleur paused and looked down at the book that now rested closed on the desk. "She told me that she wasn't Cinderella." Fleur looked up at her Foster Mother. "I didn't understand it then, but I think I do now. I now understand what she meant by those words and I'd like to repeat them, but with a different name."
Fleur turned and looked at her reflection in her study window. She reached up and brushed raven black hair out of her face. Familiar eyes stared back at her out of a face that resembled her mother. The only thing that was from her father was her eyes. They were the same color as his, at least that's what both her Foster Mother and Mother had told her. Fleur smiled at her reflection before she turned and looked at her family. Her eyes were drawn to the open doorway where her betrothed stood. She gazed at him with love before she spoke.
"I am not my Mother. I am not Barrie."