Behind the Royal Mask

When Heart Stops Beating

My dear prince,

Pardon my writing because I am writing in a rush. I know you are angry with me because I hid my identity from you. The truth is, I was scared, Alaric. Of how you'll see me if you realized I was a part of a group you viewed as a criminal. Would you cast me aside if I tell you the truth? Would you start hating me? I couldn't bear you looking at me with hatred.

Over the time I spent with you, I grew closer to you. And I thought it would be the last thing I do – falling for a noble. But you were different, Al. You saw me as more than just a name or a role, and in your presence, I found something I never knew I wanted, something I thought I'd lost forever: peace.

You made me believe that there could be goodness even in a world so stained with corruption, even in a palace filled with deceit. You saw the parts of me no one else had ever looked at, the parts I tried to bury deep inside, and you didn't turn away. You were everything I could ask for and yet I broke your trust.

The only way I could redeem your trust was to take the potion and buy you enough time. I don't know if an antidote exists, and if it does, it might not work. It might be too late for you to save me when you finally win.

But even if it is too late, I want you to know that I don't regret a single moment we had together. Even in my final days, I hold onto the hope that, somehow, I made a difference in your life. That I was more than just a fleeting shadow that passed through your world. You made me feel seen, Alaric. You made me feel worthy of love, of kindness, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

I don't know what's going to happen in the end. Maybe I will fade from your memory like so many others. Maybe this letter will never reach you, but I write it for you nonetheless, because there are things I must say that my silence can never hold.

I love you, Alaric. That's something I realized too late. And if I can leave you with anything, let it be that you never doubt your worth. Never doubt the goodness that still exists in you, no matter what the world tries to take from you.

You are a king in ways that you haven't yet realized, and even if I don't get to see it, I know that one day, you will lead this kingdom into the light. You'll do the right thing, even when it's hard, even when it feels like the world is against you.

I want you to be happy, Alaric. I want you to live a life that's full of love and joy, and maybe one day, you'll find peace. Please, don't carry the weight of my mistakes with you. Let me go, and find the strength to forgive me, even if you never can.

As for the life we could have had... I know it was never meant to be. But just once, I wanted to believe it could be. And I know you would have fought for it. For me. For us.

Yours forever

Beatrice

Alaric's heart pounded in his chest, each beat a desperate throb that pushed him forward as he ran through the winding corridors of the palace. His breath came in sharp gasps, his legs aching from the strain, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was getting to her—getting to Beatrice. 

Every step felt like an eternity, and his mind raced with fear and guilt. He could hear nothing but the sound of his own pulse, drowning out everything else, until he finally reached her door.

He slammed into it, the door crashing open under the force, and he stumbled inside, frantic, his eyes darting across the room.

It wasn't Beatrice who met his gaze first.