Tears of Blood (wlw)

elizabeth ackerman

DEVYN POV

"Slow down Yaseer, what's the hurry?" I ask as the car zooms through the A.M. traffic.

"This has been my fault. I want to apologize to you for everything I didn't do."

"What do you mean? Can you please stop talking in riddles? My head is killing me."

"Devyn, I've known you all your life. I've known your parents too. Looking out for your family is and always has been my purpose. I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that right?"

"Yeah."

"When your mother had you, it changed the Ackerman family. Her...infidelity tore Elijah apart. But she's not the villain people make her out to be-"

"I don't want to talk about her please." I say through my clenched teeth.

"This is important Devyn, I know you always had questions for her, and even some hate, but that's normal for someone in your position. You know throughout history, the Ackermans have claimed what they've wanted, by force or persuasion. Many times, I have disagreed with them and their decisions, but what can I do? I am just a servant and in debt to your family. My disagreement would not have mattered. That's what Elijah did, he claimed your mother. After raiding a town, in which is now district 3, Elijah fell in love with her on sight. District 3 was filled with revolutionaries that didn't want to join the Orien kingdom. The head of those revolutionaries was Elizabeth's father, your grandfather. After the Ackermans took over the district they rounded up all the traitors, your grandfather being one of them. They started to hang them, one by one, making everyone watch. But your mother couldn't watch her father die so she stepped up and walked right up to Elijah. He proposed in the most cruel way possible, in exchange for her father's life, she had to marry him. And she did."

"What? Are you serious? How come no one told me? Why didn't you?" My throat felt dry.

"I couldn't, child. I'm sorry. It was rumored that she was previously engaged to some man, but no one ever found who it was. Elijah sent out assassins many times to track down any of her possible lovers. He even forbade her to interact with her family. She was stuck in the palace, days on end, walking around the empty halls. Elijah would bring back all kinds of riches and jewels from his conquests, but nothing mattered to her since her heart was never there. She did try, she tried to accept what fate had given her. She embraced her relationship to the best of her ability by going out on rallies, by suggesting new ways to help the people, by cooking dinner at nights, and even laying in bed with him. She had Sage and Sloane and she loved them dearly. She loved everyone, and everyone knew it. The people started to cherish their new queen and Elijah used it to his advantage. For a while I thought she had fallen for him too. She'd always stay up and wait for him on the days where he would run late, ask him if he had eaten, all those things. She was a good wife, Devyn and even better mother. Then she vanished. We looked everywhere for her, but no luck. Elijah thought that our enemies had kidnapped her and threatened to wage war. But then, I remember seeing her arrive in the night, almost invisible, with a baby clutched to her. I saw her enter Elijah's room and it was hell for that night. She told him that the child was hers. He wanted to get rid of you many times but couldn't since Elizabeth was there. No one knew about this, the people were told that she never vanished but was pregnant this whole time and needed space, and now she was back with a daughter. You look exactly like her."

"This still doesn't explain anything. Who's my father? Where did she go that whole time?"

"There are some questions I have no answers to. But your father asked me to confess her, and I asked if you were really hers, and she spoke the truth."

I was suddenly more awake then I had ever been in my life. Yaseer parked the car and we head inside the Ackerman place.

"Where's Mr.Ackerman?" Yaseer asks one of the guards.