Crowning Glory (In Bloom Book 2)

23: Myths, Legends, and Truth

"What's the meaning of this? Princess Meleanor has returned to the stars....Rest in peace, dear child of the night."

"She never backed down before the humans, not once. She was our pride and joy."

"How noble she was!"

"May the night bless her."

A series of mourning voices filled the air. An invisible presence. When they spoke, it sounded like they were standing in front of us. The sounds of the Senate.

Lilia scoffed at their grief, "Meleanor was noble? She was our pride? That's all a load of garbage! The hell does any of that even matter now?! She's gone!"

Along with Her Majesty, the Queen, the Senate were responsible for carrying the laws of the Valley. I had only met them for less than a minute and I already got an idea of the kind of people they were.

Despicable. Narrow-minded. Sour. And very old.

A lady hissed, "You shut your vile little mouth, you lowly bat! Have you no shame?! You left the princess behind on the battlefield! And you call yourself the General of the Imperial Guard?!

I could envision the senator's sneer as he said, "Haven't you been told? A dirty little bat has no business at a dragon's side."

Baul defended, "General Vanrouge was protecting the heir under an imperial decree from Her Highness, Princess Meleanor. You have no right to-"

"That's enough, Baul. The Senate is right. From hereon ... .I relinquish my title as General of the Right and resign from the Imperial Guard. My subordinates were simply following my orders. I ask that you please be lenient in their judgment."

"You're not just going to lose your title. You're never stepping foot within the capital again!" a senate woman threatened.

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Sebek told me retired military leaders will reside in lavish mansions around the capital or other parts of the Valley. Instead of that, Lilia chose to live in a quaint little cottage deep in the forest, far away from anyone.

When Silver questioned his father's choice of residence, Lilia simply said the air up in the mountains of the capital city never agreed with him. He never took his son there either. But, that never stopped Malleus from coming to visit them in the forest.

But now, the Crown Prince was leaving him. The egg slipped out of Lilia's embrace and floated away to the direction of the castle.

"Farewell....Malleus," Lilia said quietly before the egg vanished.

I felt like my skin was about to be lit on fire. I wanted to fight the Senate against their decision. "Meleanor gave the General instructions to hatch her egg in her place. The loss of the Valley's heir will be in your hands! If the Princess won't curse you from beyond the veil, I will."

Grim tapping my leg helped to ground me to the present and remind me of the current situation.

Per il amore del grande sette....I've become too invested in this timeline.

With his head hung low, Lilia walked the road leading away from the castle, down the Mystic Mountains.

Baul quickly stepped in his path, "G-General! Wait! You're turning your back on Princess Meleanor's decree?!"

"I'm not a part of the Imperial Guard anymore. Her decree has nothing to do with me."

"But-"

"I don't belong here anymore. There's nothing left for me to protect."