and we promised

Chapter 9

OLIVIA

"Grandma?", I ask. She almost jumps from shock, making one of the paintbrushes in her hands fall on the ground. Grandma loves painting, but unlike me and Mom who love collecting art and looking at it, Grandma loves making it herself. She loves painting, especially flowers, and especially dead ones. As I asked her once why she wouldn't draw flowers that are alive, she told me she draws how her love looks like. I started thinking it is because Grandpa died, but Karl intervened in our discussion and said Grandma used to draw dead flowers when her husband was still alive. I didn't dare ask any further questions.

"Olivia", Grandma responds. She opens her arms, making space for me. I walk inside her arms and into her hug. She presses her lips on the top of my head, giving me a kiss. "My beautiful girl", she whispers.

I can't stop my eyes from wondering to the packed suitcases that are on her bed. I let go of her, so I can see her better and meet her eyes. "Are you going on a trip?"

She lets out a broken laughter. "I am not going on a trip, honey. I am moving away."

I think my world started spinning a lot slower, the hit of every word leaving its mark on my heart. "You're leaving?"

She nods once. "I am moving to Tregaron", she continues. Tregaron is a region in the Northern of Cordelia, most known for its beautiful lakes and countryside. It's full of nature and the life there is very peaceful.

It sounds just like something my Grandma would like.

Only... "Please don't leave", I let out, feeling how a tear rolls down my face. "Please don't leave. Why do you want to leave? Don't leave."

"Oh honey", she tells me. "I don't know if your Mom told you this, but I've been waiting to get outside of this castle for over the past twenty years."

Mom mentioned some issues my Grandma had with the palace and the people inside it, and she also mentioned her being sad sometimes, but she never put it like that. "But why?"

"That's a story for another time", she doesn't explain. It's then she has me in a hug again. "Times are changing. The future is unclear. And as someone once said, all is fair in love and war. I believe we'll soon find out just how true that is."

I can't help but feel a chill go down my spine. "What do you mean?", I ask, my voice trying to hide how uneasy I feel about this.

"I need you to listen to me, Olivia", she says, putting some distance so she can look me in the eyes. "No matter what will happen, I want you to remember one thing. You are the rightful owner to this land. No matter what will happen, you are the crown."

"Grandma, what are you-"

"I want you to promise me that you'll fight for this country."

What? "Grandma, I..."

"At least tell me you'll try. Don't promise me. Don't promise me loyalty to this land if you don't love it with every part of your heart. But promise me you'll at least try to save it. For your our only salvation, Olivia. This country was only ever supposed to have you as its future."

"Grandma, I am not the queen people think I am. I was never supposed to be queen. And Stefan..."

"Forget about Stefan. Forget about the laws and protocol and all those other things. A queen isn't born, it's made. Your actions speak for who you are. And right now, your actions say you're the only one who still represents hope."

"Grandma, I..."

She hugs me once more, and I can feel something went rolling down her cheeks. She's crying. "Rumors are true, Olivia. Prepare yourself for chaos is about to unleash itself."

If only I knew how right she was then.