A Royal's Tale [COMPLETED]

Second Epilogue

Lydia

Lydia opened her eyes and sat up. The darkness of the room surrounded her. Her dream remained, the ghosts of it real in the blackness. The clarity of it made Lydia feel as if she could reach out and touch the images hovering before her eyes. She didn't move, barely breathed, not wanting to stir the dream.

Slowly the room took form and the dream faded. Lydia hugged her legs, feeling the emptiness that the dream felt behind. She blinked and tears spilled out. Her heart ached with a different type of sadness than the one she knew so well.

Zavier stirred beside her, rolling over. She could only just make out the outline of his face, shoulder, and arm.

She could wake him, curl into the comfort of his arms and fall back asleep.

But she didn't want to fall back asleep, afraid the dream would be wiped away with another.

Sliding her legs out of the blankets, she quietly slipped off the bed. She retrieved her silk robe from the edge of the bed and padded her way to the curtained balcony doors.

Gently, she parted the curtain and found the sky the dusky blue of early morning. On the balcony, Lydia wrapped her robe tighter around her, hugging herself. The chill of the dawn whispered against her face. Beyond the balcony she could see across the city, the houses still dark filled with her people.

Her people.

It still felt strange.

Her people.

Their Queen.

Her Kingdom.

She felt a tug in her chest at the thought of Zavier. Not only her Kingdom, their Kingdom. And one day...

"Lydia..."

Her name was spoken so soft it seemed to come to her from her dream. A call from the past. The corner of her mouth curled as she thought of her father and mother.

"Lydia?"

After two months of being Queen, Lydia had worried the presence of her family would leave her. But they were there. They were a part of the palace like the walls that kept it upright. Small things around her would remind Lydia of them. Remind her to be strong.

"Lydia!"

Lydia broke from her musings. She turned around, ready to call out to Zavier when he tore through the curtains. He let out a breath when he saw her.

"Love," he said, cupping her cheek. "Warn me next time when you are going to disappear."

She rested her hand on his chest, feeling the frantic beating of his heart.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Zavier smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"It's fine. You're here." He encased her in his arms and she leaned against him. At home in the familiarity. "Was it a nightmare? I didn't hear you cry out."

Lydia couldn't find the words right away.

"I saw my father and mother," she said quietly.

Zavier kissed her head, understanding the type of pain her dreams caused. But this was different. This one had been... Lydia didn't know the word for it. She looked up at Zavier.

"I saw them... They were holding a baby." Zavier stilled. "Our baby."

Zavier pulled away, searching her face then glancing down at her stomach. He pressed his hand there, his eyes full of so much hope and excitement.