Jovari the Blue

Chapter 43: Confronting Kane

Kastali Dun

Claire placed a calming hand over her stomach as her ladies fussed. "Breathe, mia cralla," came Talon's soothing voice. She closed her eyes, inhaled, then exhaled. "If it's too soon, we can wait another day."

"Another day will not make a difference," she said.

Desaree pinned the remainder of her hair in place as Selphie settled a golden crown atop her head. It didn't weigh much, and yet, the moment it sat atop her brow, she felt the entire weight of a kingdom settle on her shoulders.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she muttered.

"Aya atiah bahka einshaah." Miera held her hand and rubbed circles on the back of her palm. You should eat something.

"Ni. Then I truly will vomit."

Miera sighed.

"All done," Selphie said, stepping back to admire their work.

She glanced down at herself. They'd dressed her in a long, embroidered tunic and pair of pants. She wore pieces of spriten plate mail over her clothes. Both her spriten blade and Cyrus's sword were buckled across her back. While there was little concern of weapons piercing her body, today she was a warrior. Today she would stand beside Talon to reclaim their kingdom.

"Wait—one more thing." Desaree stepped forward and lifted the lid of a small box. There was an emerald ring nestled inside. The jewel was small and wouldn't get in her way. "We want you to have this. It belonged to Princess Lena—Queen Lena. You should wear it today."

"Queen Lena? I don't—" Claire stopped herself. The name did sound familiar. And there in Talon's mind, she gathered a vague explanation of who Lena was and why she'd heard the name before.

Still, Desaree said, "Queen Lena was born of the royal line eight generations in. The first princess to live to adulthood. The first female to ascend to the throne. The first to oversee a tournament for the crown, which would later expose her mate to the world. The first to marry and mate a drengr who would be crowned king all because of her. She was the first for a lot of things—just like you. I think...I think she would want you to wear this today."

"Oh, Des!" She flung her arms around her friend, pulling her in tightly. The backs of her eyes burned, but she kept her emotions in check. There wasn't room for tears today. "However did you get this, anyway? Have you been holding onto it all this time?"

"We grabbed it when we snuck back into the tower, when we got some of your other things—and Batty." Desaree shared a knowing look with Miera and Selphie. "While we were there, I took a quick look around and saw it in this box embossed with her name and a note, left behind for someone who would appreciate it. Here—"

Desaree pulled free of her embrace and removed a small bit of folded parchment. Like everything else in the tower, magic had preserved it. Otherwise, it would probably be dust by now, seeing as the date placed it at some forty thousand years old.

Claire skimmed the note.

To a future queen of Dragonwall. This ring was a gift to me from my beloved Triston after the successful birth of our son, Theodred. It is dear to me, just as they are. I have lived a long and full life. I have the kind of son and daughter mothers can only dream of. The kind of love ballads are written for. Only now do I remove it from my finger, in hopes that another queen might come along someday and need a reminder. You are enough. You will always be enough. Never let them make you feel otherwise.

So much for not crying! She felt the tear spill down her cheek before she could stop it. When she looked up, it was to find three sets of loving eyes staring back at her.