''Some women fear the fire, some women simply become it.''
Evellíne embarks on a journey with her parents to England, as a request of Queen Judith and her son, King Alfred. They barely met and the connection between them is so strong that in a blin...
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Evelline, wrapped in a warm blanket of sheep wool and accompanied by Alfred and Margot, walked slowly down one of the gravel paths in the garden of the Wessex Abbey. The royal soldiers, including Bearman; which she had forgotten to ask his name; who when he realized that she was staring at him, nodded slowly as if to say a '' mission complete. '' His other two companions were not there, which was a good sign. The girl could hardly bear the anxiety of knowing the whereabouts of the soldiers and especially about Hvitserk.
They all walked silently down the passageway.
Judith's funeral was over minutes ago. The body was found by one of the Queen's servants, who screamed loudly alerting everyone. The healer was called and analyzed her for only a few seconds, and immediately concluded that it was sudden death. How terrible it was that Evellíne was there in the room, witnessing the fateful moment, while in tears Alfred held the dead mother's cold hands.
"What have you done, Evellíne?" Was the only thought that echoed like an eternal and infernal echo in her head.
However, the vows that bound her to the king were nothing compared to the invisible ties that attached her to the child she carried in her womb. He was their treasure, their gift and their future, their beginning and their end. All her happiness was contained in that child. The fear itself was never by losing her position as princess or wife of Alfred. But for the safety of their progeny. That little creature needed her love and protection to survive. She had to keep him safe, she had to protect his future. Their future.
Unfortunately, Judith got in the way. What else she could have done? In the end, every action has a consequence.
They've been walking for only a couple minutes and Evellíne had to admit defeat. She was tired. She had always been tired in recent times. Her body and even her mind were slow. Every movement and every thought required a great effort as if her body and her brain were trying to fight against a hurricane. She had prayed for relief from this exhaustion in the silent darkness of the abbey's chapel, but her prayers had gone unanswered.
''It's everything all right,?'' As always, Alfred had noticed the discomfort of his wife.
"Yes, I just ... It was a difficult day," replied.
Alfred nodded.
The King's melancholic eyes made her feel even more guilty. She missed his smile. She wondered when she would see it again. And then the decision was made. Tomorrow.
In the next day, Alfred would know he would be a father. She had no more to hide such blessing from her husband. The announcement of a new life would ease a little bit of all his suffering.
As they headed for their quarters, Evellíne dropped onto the bed, rested her head on the seat next to the chair, and released the tears of disappointment and guilt she had been holding back until then. She remembered her mother's warning - that she would face many trials in her role as queen. She had accepted that truth, though at the time she had not really assimilated what it was required of her. She did not know, then, that she might feel so unhappy one day. However, she should endure everything, if not for herself, at least for the good of the child she carried in her womb.
