I once was a Duchess

page 27

    before I knew it I had fallen asleep during the long journey. As I thought we'd set up camp, eat, and rest up and continue our journey the next day. But when I awakened Gerard was still full off energy not being tired in the slightest while he continued to hum away a upbeat song to keep his journey more entertaining than it already was.

I slowly lifted my body up off of the pillow, As the wagon continued to wobble and unsteadily move. I open my eyes lids, Slightly squinting trying to adjust and see everything more clearly. 
"I hear someone is awake." Gerard says with a big smile on his face.
"Finally I won't have to endure this journey alone!" He says 

The moon was out and bright, As you could hear crickets and the sound of the long grass swaying in the wind. 

"You've been up this whole time?
"Yea surprising right? At this rate we'll make it by morning." 
"You never get tired do you?"
"Nope."
I slowly climb my way to the front of the wagon, Trying to climb to the upper half of the wagon. 
"What was that Leo guy talking about earlier. I was curious but I didn't want to pry into anything."
"About what?" I asked
"That journal in your hand."

Without thinking I had kept the journal tightly in my hand, Not letting go in the slightest bit. I then enter the key around my neck into the lock and it pops open. 
"Weird I got this key from the landowners of Tilia's Villa yet it fits this diary that was across town."
"You sure are lucky aren't you." 
"Maybe a bit." I say laughing

I began to skim through the book, Reading the diary entries until eventually the back of the book was left empty and not written on. Eventually I made it to the back of the book as two letters fell from out of the back of the book.
I open the letter and I began to read.

" Dear sister,
There isn't a moment I feel sorry for leaving you in that castle all alone to endure much. After I stepped down from the crown I thought you would be happy and could have everything you ever wanted. But in truth I just wanted to escape my marriage to another man. I am in love,Venazula. I have been in love with this man for quite some time. And the thought of being unhappy in a marriage that would be filled without love, I just couldn't do that to myself. I Would have stayed in line for the throne but my dear husband would have to retire his status and since he is the only heir to it his family would be pushed down with no heir to inherit his title.
I thought our father would cancel the wedding after my hand in marriage was gone, but instead he offered you to the man I didn't want myself to marry. It was already too late I tried to come back but I left the throne behind and thus our father remained angry at me and refused to let me come back. 
I am so very sorry, little sister. Please forgive me for placing you in this situation. Please forgive me for neglecting you. And please find happiness along the way. Don't resent our family any longer. Soon I will welcome a baby into this world and I would love nothing more but for our children to play and be close to one another because you are still my darling little sister.

Love yours truly, Elizabeth Valdenmont~" 

My heart sank, Seeing that name written on paper I hadn't seen a while. There my mother's name laid on the paper with his signature I remember all to well written smoothly at the bottom. 

My mother was the sister of Queen Venazula, Evaline's mother. All these years all these glares I got and lonesome interactions was because in truth they seen me as a child of love and not the common story of a child of politics and power.

My mother hid the truth all those years, With Queen Venazula never ever coming around and harboring that anger within her. The anger of how her sister abandoned her to marry a man she did not want. Placed into the role of Queen without wanting to be just yet, Having her hand in marriage being offered at the age of seventeen to a man she didn't love.
My heart sank realizing who my mother's side of the family was. She always kept a tight lid on who her mother and father were, never inviting her family over and celebrating with my fathers side.