THE PRICE OF WAR [Taka x Reader]

XXXI. The Letter

"She gave it to me before she ran back to the village. She looked at me and I knew two things: the first, that this letter contains the most valuable information ever written before, and the second, that that would be the last time we would see each other. I didn't know anything else until everything was over. I ran all the way here and found her... The only thing I could do was bury her and now my duty is to give you her last words. But before that... The most important thing you should know is that she loved you with all her soul. Everything she did was to protect you and keep you safe. You were everything to her and her highest priority. Do never forget that"

And after saying those words, Mayor Guldyn handed you a crumpled envelope with his hand trembling like never before. You picked it up and carefully opened it. There was a multi-page letter inside.

"I know..." he exclaimed with a clear nervousness "That this isn't the right time or place. But you should read it carefully. And if in the end you decide to burn it, I will understand it perfectly"

You looked at him intrigued and began to read:

Dear Aalyn,

If you are reading this it's because it's time for you to know the truth. I know that when you finish reading this letter you probably won't want to know anything about me. And I get it. I would probably react like that in your place too. But if I've decided to write this now it's because I know that I won't have another chance and above all because I would never forgive the fact that you died on the battlefield without really knowing who you are and your origins.

First of all, as you might have noticed in the first line of this letter, I know your name. I know it from the moment you were born, because as you may already know, in other kingdoms except ours, everyone is born with a name already assigned. And you weren't born in the Western Kingdom, but in Emmeldris, in the capital. Your real name is Princess Aalyn, daughter of Their Majesties King Adyrun II and Queen Lilia I and Heir to the Royal Throne of Emmeldris. I worked as your mother's maiden from her coronation until the beginning of the Rebellion, when everyone's destiny changed.

I must say that your father was a tyrant. Since he was crowned, he raised a lot of money from pointless taxes that he ultimately kept to himself. Your mother, however, had a good heart, but it was too blinded to realize your father's misdeeds. We were all starving while he kept swimming in money. Thus, the people rebelled and protests began which later led to The Rebellion. People asked for your parents' heads and burned their portraits until they attacked Emmeldris and the castle. They entered inside and began to attack us and destroy everything. The guards were unable to hold them all, and your mother and I took shelter in her room. When the despair was already unbearable, the door to the room rumbled and your mother took you in her arms. You only were a few months old. She asked me to save you while crying. I will always remember her words. She said: "Do whatever it takes, but please, save my daughter. The future of this country is in your hands" She said goodbye to you with a kiss on the forehead and asked me to flee through one of the secret passageways in the room. I remember your mother's screams when I had just left with you. I grabbed you tightly and didn't release you until we reached a tunnel that led to a river with a barge. I don't remember how, but I sailed and walked for a long time. I changed my name from Ilandre to Erymid and made you look like my niece. I fed you as best I could and wandered from town to town until I reached Hayltel. There I met Guldyn, who welcomed us. I never told him who we were.

When your parents were executed, no trace of you was found and the legend of your disappearance began to spread. Some still say that you are still alive and that one day you will reclaim your throne. The new successor was voted on and Dryon volunteered. People fell in love of his promises to end the tyranny of your parents. Everything was going well until he began to  prohibit the entry into the city of everything that came from other kingdoms. He created a network of rumors and lies to incite hatred and create an Emmeldris supremacy. You know the rest of the story.

Forgive me for all this. It's not fair that you find all this out by a letter and not by my words. But it's the only way you can believe me. Everything you just read is true, but in case you still have any doubts, the ring you see has the royal emblem engraved in gold. It belonged to your father, and no one but him had access to it. This will demonstrate your identity to everyone. Although if you want to destroy this letter and forget everything, I'll also understand it. The choice is yours. Remain anonymous or get back what's yours from birth. I will always love you whatever you decide.

I love you with all my soul. And I know that if your father had done the right thing in his day, you would be the best monarch that this world had never had the pleasure of having.

Love,
Aunt Erymid

As soon as you looked up, Guldyn handed you a large gold ring, which indeed had the royal emblem engraved on it.