Regal [h.s au]

60. One day

AMELIA

I watch the small girl giggle as she runs through the tall grass, two braids resting over her shoulders jumping up with each of her movements, little legs working fast beneath the layer of her skirt reaching her ankles. Her arms are outstretched as she chases a butterfly, big innocent eyes focused on the delicate little thing flapping its colourful wings.

Not hearing a certain someone approaching her from behind, she screams when she feels a pair of hands lifting her up in the air before the person turns her small body around. Her eyes meet the identical ones of her father, her full lips immediately pulling in a grin. "Daddy!"

Zayn smiles endearingly at his little girl, kissing the tip of her nose. "Hey, beautiful. You've wandered a bit too far from home."

"Butterfly..." she mumbles, looking around and searching for it. Suddenly, she reaches for the small flower crown on her head, putting it on Zayn's. "Pretty daddy!"

"Thank you, angel." Zayn lets out a chuckle, grinning when she squeezes his cheeks then pinches his nose.

I look away with a faint smile on my face, crossing my arms over my chest as I focus my gaze on the setting sun slowly disappearing behind the horizon, turning the surface of the sea and the sky a beautiful shade of orange. A light breeze is blowing, carrying a few of my unruly curls caressing my cheeks and neck. My previously long hair is now chopped off, falling just a little past my shoulders.

"Amie!" I hear the familiar excited voice of my four-year-old niece.

Turning around, I smile at her, watching as she waves at me with both hands. "Hey, you two."

"Apologies for being late, I had a few orders that needed to be finished today," Zayn says, adjusting the eye patch he's been wearing ever since he lost his eye in the war.

When I left Solis, I travelled the seas with Adrian and my father for almost two years, experiencing many adventures and healing slowly day by day. Once I felt it was enough, I moved to the Golden Island to live with Zayn and Lillian. My father accompanied me, deciding it might finally be time for him to settle somewhere on land. My sister and I decided to let him stay with us and we'd slowly learned to forgive him for his mistakes.

After coming to the Golden Island, it wasn't easy to adjust to my new life. Zayn managed to find a job as a blacksmith considering he learnt the craft from his father. I had been helping Lillian with taking care of Sofia intensely until the little girl grew up enough for me to be able to get a job as a midwife. I have become exceptionally good at it and helping women give birth brings me joy, especially when I get to hold newborns in my arms. Lillian opened up a little bakery and is enjoying every moment of working in it.

"Don't worry, you know I don't mind looking after her." I can't help but notice how she resembles Lilly more and more with each day. "Listen, you go home with her and I will join you soon. I have something I need to do."

Zayn smiles a little and nods, understanding what I mean. Every day I do the same. "Don't be long."

The walk to the cemetery doesn't last long, but the incline I have to climb makes my heart beat faster and quickens my breathing. My eyes glance over the lines of gravestones sprawling in front of me until they stop on the familiar willow tree, protecting the ones I've come to see with its long branches hanging down. Tucking my hair behind my ears, I slowly walk towards it, pushing the branches aside.

I look down at the three graves belonging to my son, my mother, and most recently, my father. The sight always brings me an immense sadness that I can't seem to shake off. I kneel down on the ground and raise my hand, letting my fingertips lightly caress the engraving of the name on the tombstone settled in the middle.