13The Final Chapter: A New Day
The halls were finally cleared, and while there was great loss for everyone. There were greater gains. Trent was known as a more than just ruler his first time around, not that I'd ever reveal that and now that I'd given him back the throne he was exceeding my expectations. His second rule was again tempered by a council, which he'd immediately restored and according to all the proper traditions people were selected from all walks of life to come to the castle.
I'd finally been given an opportunity to bury my half sister and my aunt, when the servants were scouring the castle her body had been discovered in a tower. They'd been cleansed and buried in the gardens under one of the fruit trees, deep within the sanctuary. I felt like they would have liked it there and the king regent of Matalai himself was in attendance with Elaine. She'd barely made it there with Eduard attacking the ship, and the king had insisted on escorting her back to aid in the situation as well as make sure she would be safe. Unfortunately they'd missed all of the fight, even with their magically expedited travel.
It seemed as though things were finally righting themselves in the kingdom.
There was still the issue of the uprisings in the north, and my father's supporters were doing anything they could to create chaos. It seemed as though he had bonded with a great deal of powerful people and that created more trouble than I'd anticipated. I'd made a promise to Felix that I would protect his country, and so Elaine and I were currently en route with his unconscious body back to his homelands. I was grateful to have Trent to look after my own.
I was a proper princess now, and despite Trent's urgings, I'd made my decision to marry Felix a public affair. I wasn't sure if that would halt the attempts on his country, but now they would at least offer a modicum of caution to anyone who thought to do so. My family's armies were superior than a great deal of others around the globe and with my now deceased father's people on our side we weren't a country to be trifled with. It felt weird thinking they were mine, I still didn't feel like royalty.
My current goal was to return him home and then I would set about trying to find Salvaya. She might be the only one who could shed some light on Felix's condition. I had a hunch that she was taken during the final battle and somehow Felix had tried to intervene on her behalf, which had resulted in this. It just seemed like something he would do.
I had to believe that was what had happened, and that it was reversible. I had to hold on to something.
I ran my fingers through his hair, brushing it away from his too pale cheeks. It seemed like the longer his hair grew, the more frail his body became. If I didn't find a way to wake him soon he'd die.
"I know this has been hard on you, but I'm here too you know."
Elaine's voice broke my train of thoughts and I instantly felt guilty, I'd been a little more than just contemplative on this journey. I was sure I'd made for horrible company.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little lost right now."
"We'll figure this out okay?" Elaine stated, moving to kneel in front of me and taking both of my hands in hers.
"It's just I feel so helpless when I look at him." I whispered, fighting back another wave of tears. I'd been crying more than I was comfortable with lately, but it just seemed like to despite how well things were going I was losing everything I held dear.
Elaine wrapped her arms around me, and I found myself leaning into the comfort of the gesture.
"What would I do without you?" I whispered.
She laughed softly, "Well luckily you won't have to find out."
I pushed myself away out of her arms and took a few steadying breaths.
"What am I going to do? I couldn't find anything that would tell me how to wake him up, and the only lead I have is your sister and I'm pretty sure she's locked up in Erik's stronghold."
"We'll just have to go get her. It's as easy as that."
The castle Felix had been so excited for me to see was finally in my line of sight and I was overwhelmed by how majestic it really was. The sun was reflecting off of every surface. The castle was constructed entirely out of pearls, the kind that shined in the light and reflected a myriad of colours.
I understood why he'd thought this was the most beautiful place on the planet, with the blue waters and the pearls; it probably was. I wish he could have seen my reaction for the first time himself. The tears began to flow freely down my cheeks again and I brushed them hastily away. Felix wouldn't want my sadness, he would want my determination to succeed and that determination is what is going to restore him.
I'm going to save him and our story will have that happy ending.
An aging man in military garb stood outside of the castle looking solemn, he stood out despite the fact that there were dozens more waiting. His features resembled Felix and I just knew this had to be his father.
The carriage that had carried them from the boat to the castle took longer than seemed possible to climb its way up to the front of the castle. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to his father, the king was known to be a fair and wise man. He'd want an explanation for the state of his son, and likely a more elaborate one
What could I tell him other than my own assumptions?
It was hot when we stepped out of the carriage, and I insisted on waiting until the guards took the makeshift bed carrying Felix out of the carriage before greeting anyone. I'd just have to hope nobody was offended.
When I finally turned to greet the man who I'd assumed was his father, he was smiling at me rather proudly.
"I'm glad to finally meet you, what is your name?" He whispered in my ear when he pulled me into an embrace.
"Selece, I'm Selece." I answered feeling a bit off-balance.
"Good, this is all very good." He mumbled not looking at me.
"Well, come on then. I have a great deal of things to discuss with you, we should talk in my study." He continued, looking up at me with those same dazzling eyes that I'd come to know over the last few weeks. The same eyes I missed.
The guards made to follow him and he waved them off.
"I need to speak with Selece alone. This is a matter of uttermost urgency and I don't want any interruptions under any circumstances short of war." The King ordered, looking around the courtyard.
The guards slowed their pace and stopped following us. Elaine however continued.
"You girl, you can wait with my son alright? Keep him safe for us." The King ordered, and I could tell the command irked her.
"Anything you say to me can be said in front of her." I clarified, much to her relief.
The king looked skeptical.
"I would still prefer this meeting to be just us, if that doesn't offend you." He answered me gently.
I sighed, and motioned towards Felix. Elaine nodded, understanding.
"Alright, lead away then."
The king's study was a large room with high ceilings and beautiful windows overlooking the water. The airy feel of the place made me like it instantly, in fact I seemed to take to the entire palace more quickly than I'd thought possible.
"Where are my manners," he began with a cough. Slightly flushed, and sat down on a sofa.
I looked at him slightly confused at his reaction.
"My name is Antonius, but you can call me Tony." Antony extended a well-worn palm towards me in greeting.
"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances." I answered, metaphorically ripping the bandage off to preemptively deal with the pain. Even so, I struggled to maintain my even breathing. Spending all that time with his unresponsive body had taken a toll on me.
Antonius placed one of his calloused palms over mine.
"Everything is as it should be child, my son will be fine if you continue on your course. I'm not sure if you know this but our family can see things." Antonius stated kindly.
"So that's why you're not upset? You understand that he will be fine and so you don't push yourself to invest yourself emotionally in his coma?" I asked, searching his face for clues.
"You're spot on. I know he'll be fine and Felix understood what would happen if he went to see you. My son made his choice, and he put his faith in you. I plan to do the same."
"What do you mean he understood?" I asked him hesitantly.
"Felix in particular has always had the same recurring set of dreams from the time he was old enough to explain what he saw."
I nodded, still not understanding.
"I mean to say, he has been dreaming about you his entire life. The mysterious girl from his visions and his own mysterious end. They were just flashes, glimpses. For a long time they terrified him." Antonius answered.
"He knew this was going to happen?" I asked, not quite understanding why anyone would choose a coma.
"Yes, well, the future isn't certain. Our family is merely given glimses of what could be. The alternative without you is much worse, we've seen all kinds of horrors if your father hadn't been defeated. Had he taken your blood, the whole world would have been doomed. His powers would have grew and become even more twisted, he would have even had the attention of the gods. It would have started a war like we've never seen."
I was momentarily stunned. Our plan, that had been so straightforward to execute; had saved the world?
"What do I do now, how do I help him? I've spent days researching in our private library and I've come up with nothing that worked to revive him." I asked Antonius cautiously, my eyes never leaving his face.
"It isn't going to be easy." Antonius began, looking away from me out the window. The waves seemed to calm him.
He turned towards me with a watery smile, "You have to seek out the seer, my mother, for your answers. She had a vision about my son, and left in search of the proper herbs she would need for the spell."
"Where can I find her?" I asked him eagerly, standing up.
"I recently saw her in a vision, she was on the savage isles and there was a red ship. I don't know much more than that."
A red ship. The dagger? She was with Artuzo.
"Is there anything else I can do him before I leave? I'll leave today, it's going to take a long time to get to her." I asked him tentatively.
He hesitated.
"If there's anything else I could be doing, you need to tell me everything." I prodded him a little more forcefully, he was leaving something out I was sure of it.
"He wouldn't want you to, but you could bind yourself to him. Generally our royalty will do it in marriage, and it allows him access to your gifts. It should stop him from deteriorating as quickly and it might even give him the nudge he needs to wake up. Unfortunately it would put serious strain on you, not to mention your lives would be connected so you would become afflicted as well and that's why I think he wouldn't want you to do it. Even as his father I'm having a difficult time asking, but if he's to survive the months you need to cure him I think it's the only way."
Bind myself? Did everything come down to binding and linking? This sounded a lot like what my, what that monster had been all for.
"Do you love my son Selece?" Asked Antonius cautiously.
I took a pause. Did I love him? We'd only known each other for a short time, but he'd quickly turned into the most reliable man I'd ever met. Reliable was one thing, but did I love him?
"Honestly I'm not sure what my feelings are, I think I could but we've only known each other for a short time." I admitted honestly.
His father seemed upset by my revelation, like I'd swept his feet out from under him.
"But I'll do this for him." I continued.
"You can't, the only way the binding works is if you love him." The king whispered, heartbroken.
"Could I have some time to sort through my feelings? This isn't something I've given much thought to." I asked him in a whisper.
"Absolutely. I'll have a servant show you to the room next to Felix's." Antonius answered graciously, but not meeting my eyes. I think I'd just broken his heart.
Antonius pulled a gold rope in the corner of the room. Moments later a kind looking older woman appeared in the doorway.
"Do you request anything my king?" She spoke softly, bending into a curtsy.
"Mirabelle could you escort our guest into the chambers adjoining my son's? She will be spending some time with us and I'd like her to be comfortable."
"Yes, follow me please." Mirabelle answered, bending again into another curtsy before leading me out of the room.
The king didn't say anything as I left.
The room Mirabelle left me in connected to Felix's chambers and I found myself unable to resist the temptation to snoop. What was he like when he was home? When there was nothing threatening us?
Would this help me sort through my feelings?
His door creaked loudly when I turned the handle and I cringed, hoping nobody noticed the sound. I didn't want an audience.
His room wasn't what I'd expected.
It was open and clean, but it looked like he collected shells. His shelf had a variety of pretty ones, arranged by colour and size. Taking a few more steps into his room, I felt my feet sink into the carpet on his floor. It was plush and felt nice on my toes.
The walls in his room were a light blue, and directly ahead of me was a balcony overlooking the water. All in all it was a peaceful place. Felix had made it sound beautiful but dangerous though and that thought put me slightly on edge.
His balcony was low enough it could be climbed and under other circumstances that wouldn't bother me. In these, where he could do nothing to protect himself; I was terrified to leave him.
I'd need this entrance to be protected, maybe Elaine could cast some kind of spell for me?
Opening the doors, I let the breeze in for now and took a few steps back into the room. Running my fingers along the shelves until I came across a sketch book. Did Felix draw?
Should I?
I quickly flipped open the pages of the book, there were some landscapes and portraits. Further into the book there were portraits of me, and the castle. Antonius had definitely been honest, there was no way he'd seen me before long enough to sketch me from memory unless he'd been having visions.
I kept flipping through the pages until I came to a drawing he'd made of the two of us. I was smiling and crying, but I looked happy. He was on his knees with his head against my stomach, using his hands to hold my hips. Was this what he saw for us? If I loved him would this come to pass? We would have children and live happily on the islands?
When I flipped the next page I had my answer. I pulled hard on the page and tore it from the bindings, folding it crisply I pocketed it. Placing the sketch pad down on the desk I grabbed a piece of charcoal and began to write out a list.
Reasons to Love Felix:
-Kind
-Funny
-Handsome
-Smart
-Strong, but knows his limits
-He'll always be faithful
-He makes me feel safe
-He's got a rebellious streak
-Caring
Reasons not to Love Felix
-I've just known him a few weeks
-Him
What were my reasons? Was I just holding on to Artuzo and a future I knew wasn't possible with a pirate? We'd never even kissed, maybe there wasn't chemistry between Felix and I?
I put down the charcoal and made my way over to the bed. Was I willing to put my life on the line for this man? Cautiously I sat down next to him on his bed.
"Looking at you like this, you look almost like you're just in a deep sleep." I whispered, brushing my fingers through his hair.
Did I love this man enough to make this sacrifice? Could I save us both and take on half his burden?
I was ready to marry this man, but I wasn't sure if I loved him? I'm so twisted.
I must love him on some level, to be able to make that kind of commitment. I had to, the idea of spending my life with him and seeing the things in his sketchbook come true made me happy.
Leaning over, I pressed my lips against his forehead. He'd always kissed my forehead.
I've got to at least try, I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't.
Quickly I made my way back towards the balcony and fastened the doors shut. Taking my time to make sure the lock was secure and then I gave the gold rope nearby a firm tug.
Mirabelle appeared in the doorway looking frantic, "Is the little lord okay?"
She looked as though she'd run all the way to the chambers.
"He will be, can you tell the king we're going to do the binding ceremony and I'd like to do it as soon as possible?" I answered.
Her eyes widened and she hurried out of the chambers.