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

Chapter 39: Battling the South

Cassandra's POV

As time went on, the North seemed a distant memory in a distant past. No longer did I see it as my home or my safe heaven. No longer did I want to take Amelia there. No longer did I wish to ever go there again.

Though, I missed Carl and Chandler, and Louisa and Alden. I missed them all so dearly. It hurts to hurt the people I care about, my family. But it hurts even more to return to James's home without him being there. I didn't want to experience the North without my beloved James, it wouldn't feel like home. So I never returned.

The Crown and Piers were pleased about that. They praised me for my leadership thus far and were convinced that I finally found my way in life. 

Except for my lineage. They didn't like Amelia being partly Northerner. They deemed her as not pure and a bastard. They knew nothing! She was not a bastard, she was a true royal, but they didn't know. No one knew, except for Gregory.

I worked so hard to clear Amelia's name, to make them realize that she will be the next in line and that she has been raised like a true Southerner. She never knew the North and she never will.

I did have debated about telling her about her father, about the North, about her real family. Somewhere inside me, I wanted to tell her. I wanted to share my amazing time in the North, with Louisa and Alden, with Carl and Chandler, with James...

She deserved to know. She should know. But I couldn't find the courage to actually tell her the whole story. I didn't want to confuse her or fuel any insecurities she might have. I wanted her to be strong, especially against the Crown and Piers.

She'll learn the truth one day. I'll tell her when she's older, perhaps. Or when she visits the North. But would I really be able to tell her?

No, I wouldn't.

So I wrote about it all, about my journey thus far, in my diary. About becoming a queen, about my desire to have a family, about James, about the North. She'll get to read it when the time's right. And, hopefully, she'll understand that she really is a real royal.

Piers's children, Vincent and Lorena, were deemed real royals, real Southerners. Why? Why were they deemed real Southerners and my baby girl wasn't? Because both their parents are Southerners, the Crown would say. And I couldn't argue that...

Piers gladly accepted their decision. He agreed with them. I just don't understand him anymore. When we grew up together, he and I were so close. We were great friends. I'm not saying we were always agreeing with one another, but we wouldn't backstab each other like we are doing right now.

I just don't trust him. I can't trust him. For years he has told me how Amelia should leave, how she doesn't belong here. How could he? My brother... He already took James from me, now he's trying to take Amelia too. Why does he do these things to me?

Over the years, I didn't feel supported by the Crown as I felt like they sided more with Piers. And Piers was obviously against me. But Lord Gregory was on my side. He was the only friend I had left still, my main support system.

One day, I received the devastating news that he was killed in front of his house. Little was known about the crime. When I told the Crown, they were visibly taken by the news but Piers smirked. I just knew he was responsible somehow. He had taken someone else I cared about. Now, I had no one left.

Except for Amelia.

After James, after Gregory... I knew Pier's next target would be Amelia. She's the last person I care about. The only person that matters to me. I couldn't bear to lose her, I couldn't and I didn't want to give him the pleasure of 'winning'. I had to do something.

So I tried to find evidence for Piers's involvement in James's 'accident' and in Gregory's murder. I talked to soldiers, I asked them if they saw something, if they had heard something, if there was gossip going around. I went through his room, I went through his papers, I went through his trash. I needed to find evidence against him. I needed evidence. I knew he was responsible, but I had nothing to prove so. I merely had our conversation. It would be his word against mine. 

Nevertheless, I was determined to get him, to punish him, and to keep my daughter safe from him.

But, before I could do anything to really punish Piers, my eyes were shut forever and I would be reunited again with my beloved James.

The end