Born In The Dungeons

Epilogue

"Today is an important day." Mother smiled at me through her reflection in the mirror as she brushed my hair. "You have grown so much, my darling."

I smiled widely in return, enjoying the feeling of having my hair brushed by her after so long.

We were inside the palace of Kingdom Soleil and today was the day of my coronation. Father wished for me to have my ceremony as soon as mother and I stepped foot into Soleil's territory, but I'd refused. I wanted to get accustomed to the kingdom first, meet the people, learn the customs and traditions. 

After two months of learning by my father's side as he governed his kingdom, I was ready to take the throne.

Mother put away the hair brush and started to braid my hair. I thought back to the day of my release from the dungeons. It seemed like a very distant memory. Someone else's life. That dark cell without a single ray of sunlight was no longer my home. It never was.

I'd asked mother why she kept everything from me. Why she didn't tell me that she was a princess, that we had family outside of the cell, and that my father was a God. 

"When you were born, I'd tried to escape many times. Theon had stopped visiting my cell as soon as he saw you in my arms, and Rose's visits became more frequent. I saw it as my opportunity to run away with you. I'd foolishly thought she was my friend. I should have known that she was preventing me from escaping. She pretended to help me. Even brought a key to my cell. But there were guards waiting for me every time. I couldn't leave the dungeons," she'd told me. "And I had given up trying.

"If you'd known what you know now, you would have wanted to escape. I didn't want to give you empty hope of anyone coming to rescue us. No one had in years." She'd sighed. "But deep down in my heart I had wished that you would one day see the world outside the dungeons, and I wanted you to be prepared for that day. My purpose became to teach you everything you needed to know."

I had understood my mother and I was eternally grateful for everything she had done for me. The knowledge she had gifted me served me well and will continue to serve me as long as I live. 

I braided my fingers with my mother's when she put her hand on my shoulder after finishing with my hair. "I love you," I said.

"I love you too, my darling." She kissed my cheek. Then she walked around my chair to admire her work. Tucking in a loose strand of hair behind my ear, she smiled through glistening eyes. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"She is your daughter after all." Father walked into my chambers with a proud smile on his face. 

Mother rolled her eyes through a smile of her own, her cheeks tinted red. She always had a blush on her face whenever father was near. 

"I hate to interrupt this beautiful family moment, but I need your help," Medusa said, barging in, her voice on the verge of panic. "Donkiass is in pain and I don't know what to do!"

Donkiass was the name she had given to Pegasus's two-month pregnant donkey lover. Though the donkey did not seem to find offence in the name, Pegasus was never happy to hear it. I wondered what Medusa would name their offspring.

"I'll go see what's wrong," mother said before leaving with Medusa.

Father approached me and put his hands on my shoulders, smiling at me thorough our reflections in the mirror. "You have learned everything you needed to know. I'm proud of you, Emilia. Our people are anticipating your coronation, and they are ready to welcome you as their queen."

I smiled. "I am ready to be their queen."

~~~

I sat atop a golden throne, overlooking all the people gathered in the royal throne room to witness my coronation. My golden gown and the royal pendant around my neck shone brightly under a stream of sunlight which entered through the skylight window above the throne.