Eva's Journal

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Eva's view

We got up and dressed in silence. Atlas would be leaving in just a few hours. I looked out the window and saw his brother pacing impatiently. I turned and looked at Atlas carefully choosing certain things to pack in his bag.

"The time will come. You can keep stalling but that won't change anything. Time is inevitable." He sighed but didn't turn to look at me.

"But if I keep stalling then I will be able to smell your scent and hear your heartbeat." I smiled and quickly walked to the bathroom to get my bar of soap.

"Here." I handed it to him and he smelt it. "You can have my scent now. As for my heartbeat, it won't be long now until we will be reunited. Now," I closed his bag and took his hands, "Let's go and say goodbye to Anna." He nodded kissing my forehead and embracing me. I didn't let my smile falter even for a second. I needed to be strong for him.

Atlas said goodbye to Anna who was sad he couldn't stay for her coronation. He hoped that the matter would be resolved quickly and he could return. Ever since the conversation with her parents, Anna has been able to move on. She was looking so much better and held herself the way her parents would be proud to see.

"About time, brother. Mother and father are expecting us soon. We need to get going." He nodded at Noet. The footmen were loading the carriage with Atlas' belongings. Atlas kept his eyes on me.

"I'll be back, princess." I smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"I know, princey." I replied to him, keeping the tears from falling. I watched him walk to the carriage.

Just before he got inside, Atlas ran back to me, picking me off the ground and spun me around hugging me tightly. He put me down and kissed me, his hands on my waist. The kiss was full of so much emotion it left me breathless.

"I love you, Eva." My face went red and I smiled widely. His mimicked mine.

"I love you too, Atlas." He kissed me once more before getting in the carriage.

I stayed watching as the horses started trotting out of the kingdom. My fingers fiddled with the ring on my finger given to me by my mother. I guess it was time to meet the person who gave her this. It was time to meet my father, King Leopold.

I walked inside the castle, my smile wide as I thought of what Atlas said and saw Anna instructing people. She was well on her way to making the best Queen Borealis had ever seen.

"Hello, princess." I bowed to her and she just rolled her eyes.

"Stop that." I laughed and walked with her as she walked through the corridors.

She stared out the window onto the kingdom.

"What is it like hiding yourself from everyone?" I thought for a moment before looking at her. Her sapphire eyes met mine.

"It's not fun. It's constantly playing a game of cat and mouse but if you're caught, the cat won't hesitate to kill you. I have to be so careful controlling my magic. It's a part of me and can be uncontrollable. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"I am going to announce the changing of the laws. My kingdom will be a haven for any kind, not just humans. My father took advantage of magic but I will never let it happen again, not in my kingdom." Anna looked fierce and I was so proud of her.

"Not everyone will be happy with that opinion, Anna. What will you do then?" I questioned.

"The woman army will enforce it." She looked at me. "I met with Hera after my mother's death and she told me hundreds of girls have been waiting for their chance to make real change. It's time for them to be that change." I hugged her and she held me tight.

"I am so proud of you, Anna." She embraced me tightly. "You will make a wonderful Queen." She let me go and started walking towards the meeting room.

"I will talk to Atlas when he gets back about a peace treaty with his kingdom and after I am crowned Queen, I will go to Sceneria and ask the king to sign a treaty, too." I nodded and knew I could persuade my father to sign the treaty. I am sure he would want his soulmate and daughter to no longer be persecuted for who they are.

"Well, I think I may go and visit my father. I think it's time to repair the relationship between the two kingdoms. It's less than a day's ride from here. I would like to see who my father is and help heal his kingdom, too. It wasn't a pleasant place the first time I visited."

"Well, you were rescuing me, so it wasn't a holiday." I laughed and agreed with her.

"I will find my mother and tell you when we leave. I will be back before your coronation." She hugged me again and we went our separate ways.

I found Agatha sitting in the garden, watching the town move around her. She was smiling and I knew that she was happy now her magic was back, even if she hardly used it.

"Ah, my daughter. It is lovely to see you. It's been so long since I've just watched people. I never felt as though I belonged among them." I smiled knowing how she felt.

I sat down next to her feeling the grass under my hands. I crossed my legs and fiddled with the ring once again.

"Mother, I want to meet him." She didn't turn to me but kept her eyes on the movement of the people getting things organized for Anna's coronation.

"I'm not sure that is wise, Eva. He doesn't know I am alive. What will he think if he finds out what I did?" I grabbed her hand and made her look at me.

"He will forever love you. You weren't there, in his kingdom. His subjects are terrified of him because he doesn't have you. Agatha, you are the balance in his life." She looked down but I just put the ring in her hand.

"I will be leaving in a few hours. Choose what you think is best, mother. I will not judge you in any decision you make." I got up off the ground and walked back inside the castle to Atlas' room where my things now resided.

As I was packing up my things, I suddenly felt very sick. I rushed into the bathroom and was physically ill. I heard someone come in but hardly noticed as they lifted my hair and rubbed my back as I continued to feel awful.

I wiped my face with a cloth and stood up from the toilet and went to sit on my bed. I noticed Anna was in the room, with a look of concern on her face.

"Eva, are you pregnant?"