One in a million (Prequel to 'Bad Blood')

Chapter 38: The North

Third person's POV

"And," Carl said as he welcomed Louisa and Alden back home. "How was it?" He and Chandler had been waiting impatiently for their return as they wanted nothing more than to meet the little princess.

Louisa sat down and looked down immediately afterwards. Alden, however, looked at Carl. "She didn't even look like the Cassandra we know and love," He sighed. "She changed."

"Changed?" Carl frowned. "How?"

"She said the Southern Kingdom is her home," Louisa shook her head, sniffling. "She always told me she hated that kingdom."

"She isn't going to come here, she didn't even greet us as friends," Alden sighed as he went to sit down too. "We were simply royals again."

Chandler didn't seem to fully grasp the meaning of their words and looked at his father. "Is Cassandra coming back with the little baby? I want to play games with them."

Carl's heart broke when he heard that. Especially since he knew now that he wouldn't see Cassandra or his grandchild anymore. "No," He sighed and looked down. "They're not coming, Chandler." He then patted Chandler's shoulder to comfort him, as if he was crying.

Chandler looked down then. "Why?"

"I guess she doesn't want to come here yet," He looked at Chandler. "I think she needs to adjust to being a mother first."

Chandler nodded but it was clear he didn't really understand or believe what his father was saying.

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And so, weeks turned into months and months turned into years.

For a decade, Cassandra didn't visit or speak to Louisa and Alden or anyone in the North. She stayed in her kingdom, ruling over her people and raising her only child.

Raising Amelia was relatively easy at first. She was a baby, she needed to eat and sleep. Cassandra didn't need to attend to her that much more. But now, that Amelia was really growing into a person, things were harder.

Not only was Amelia able to talk and follow Cassandra anywhere, but she was exactly what James wanted her to be: a mini version of Cassandra.

Cassandra had a hard time seeing her daughter grow to look just like her. She was happy for James, as this was exactly what he wanted, but she was heartbroken realizing that James would never experience this.

And thus, she involuntarily took some distance from her daughter. She didn't want to be absent but she couldn't bear to spend every single moment of the day with Amelia.

She got some guards to watch her, or some nurses, or someone from the Crown. Anyone to watch Amelia was fine. As long as she didn't have to do it all on her own.

Amelia didn't really question it yet, as she didn't know any better. She had grown up this way, she was simply happy when she'd see her mother back before bedtime.

"Did you have a good day today?" Cassandra asked Amelia, who was laying in bed. She and her mother would always have a small conversation before bed. It was a ritual.

Amelia nodded.

"That's good," Cassandra smiled a bit before caressing Amelia's cheek. She leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Sweet dreams, honey."

"Mom," Amelia said, stopping Cassandra from getting up and leaving the room. "What is the Northern Kingdom?"

Cassandra's heart sank as she heard those words coming out of her daughter's mouth. "W-what?"

"The Northern Kingdom," Amelia frowned, worried she was pronouncing it wrong. "What is that?"

Cassandra gulped. Keep cool, she thought. "It's a neighboring kingdom," She smiled a bit. "It's nothing, really."

Amelia kept frowning.

"Who told you about that kingdom?"

Amelia looked at her mother. "Uncle Piers did," She said to which Cassandra sighed. Piers had been making her life a nightmare, and it seemed he wasn't done yet. "He told me it's important for me to know."

Cassandra gulped yet again. "Of course," She caressed Amelia's cheek. "One day you'll rule, you need to maintain a good relationship with all the neighboring kingdoms."

Amelia nodded and seemed to understand it.

Cassandra smiled a bit before kissing Amelia and leaving the room. She then let out a deep breath before walking straight to Piers' room.

When she arrived, she entered without knocking. "What is wrong with you?!"

He dropped the book he was reading and looked at her. "What?" He put his arms behind his head as he was watching her.

Cassandra breathed in and out, trying to keep calm. "Why would you tell Amelia about the Northern Kingdom?"

Piers sat up a bit. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because it's not important."

He cocked an eyebrow. "It isn't?"

"No."

He nodded. "Yet half of her family is from there," He then looked at Cassandra. "Why shouldn't she know?"

Cassandra huffed. "All these years you've wanted me to keep the South safe and separated from the North. When you finally get your wish, you break the wall I built."

"Cas," He got up then and walked to Cassandra. "I want nothing more than for those Northerners to leave our beautiful kingdom," He then walked past her and paced around the room. "Quite frankly, I would want them to just disappear."

Cassandra didn't reply for a while. "They have left, the North is gone," She gulped. "Stop mentioning it to Amelia."

"Is the North really gone, Cas?" He walked to her, standing right behind her. "Is it?"

She was tense, she didn't feel comfortable in his presence anymore. He was the worst, he had been the worst to her. Yet there was nothing she could do.

"So the North is gone?"

Cassandra slowly nodded.

"That'd be amazing," He let out a content sigh. "All Northerners gone, burned, killed, dead..."

Cassandra gulped as she had a hard time hearing this.

"I won't rest until all Northerners have left my kingdom," He got closer to Cassandra, leaning down to her ear. "And we both know one little, Northern girl."

Cassandra huffed. "Speaking like that is a crime against the throne."

Piers then smirked. "Do you really think people would care about her if they know her true ancestry?"

"They will as she is the next in line."

Piers then showed her a look, one she couldn't make out what it was. "We'll see how that'll turn out." He then walked past her and went back to his bed, laying down on it.

Cassandra gulped once more before leaving that room. She walked back to Amelia's room and locked it, feeling much safer knowing that her daughter was protected for the night.