Chapter 7 : King Nicolai POV

Your majesty. King Nicolai. King Nicolai!” I heard my old friend William coming down the hall - well William is still very young, but he has lived and worked with me for more than a hundred years.

William barged in and took a low, deep bow, “King Nicolai…”

“William I have told you countless times to call me Nicolai.” I said, smiling at him.

“What news do you bring?” he looked overjoyed when he said: “Your m- Nicolai. Justine contacted me. They will be arriving this evening.”

“Oh William, that is wonderful news you bring. My daughter is coming home.

I jumped up and went over to the balcony. I could see curious faces staring up at me; “Everyone, I bring wonderful tidings, my daughter; your future queen is coming home, tonight!” I smiled at the cheering that came to me from below. Then, I disappeared back into the room and clasped my hands together.

“How wonderful my daughter is coming home. William, please start to get everything ready for her return. Everything must be perfect. Remember, tomorrow is her birthday, so make it extra special. Come on, come on, hop to it.” I smiled and started walking through the corridors as everyone started scurrying around, to be the first to tell the news to the other.

When I walked into one of the personal living areas, one picture of her caught my attention. I picked it up, studying it. It was the only picture of her I had here at the castle; I had a few more from when she was a baby at home. How I have missed her these past long years since her mother took her away from me. She was still so young.

The council and I worried for the sake of all our secrecy and, in turn, our safety, so I had to wipe Niomi’s memory partly. The location, different races, and mostly everything else was a blank to her replaced with a different location and humans’. I also manipulated her brain slightly so that if Nia did something that wasn’t possible for a human to do, she doesn’t ‘see’ it. In other words, everything inhuman looked human to her.

Now she, my dearest daughter, is coming back to take her rightful place.

She was such a character when she was small. What if she has changed too much. I have only seen her the past summer and she was so quiet then.

I was still sitting on the couch with my thumbs caressing the frame of her picture when I heard the door slam open. I pressed my two fingers to my lips and then to the photo. I got up quietly and replaced it.

When I turned to the person disturbing me, I saw my wife, Victorianna, in front of me.

“Your Grace.” Her eyes softened “My love, what is the news I hear? Have Briana gone somewhere to return tonight only, and why was I not consulted on her departure.”

“Victorianna what are you talking about?”

She looked at me confused and then said, “Everyone is talking about the queen returning…”

“Oh, Zinnia is coming home tonight.” I cut her off.

I honestly don’t know why I married this woman. She is definitely a trained seductress; she was so sweet, loving, and caring. It was a nice change from being alone. She fooled me so her child could become queen, forgetting or rather choosing to forget that I have a daughter of my own.

I studied her carefully; she was a breath-taking vampire with beautiful blond hair, big ice blue eyes, a little nose, and a beautiful mouth. She was also the widow of my pre-assessor. I thought or rather hoped that marrying her would bring peace to the land. I was a fool to believe that.

Her eyes looked like it was on fire. Shimmering blue flames filled with hatred. Then, with a blink, confusion filled them, replacing the hatred and anger.

With a hand gesture, I told her to sit down, but I could see the stubbornness in her body language before she declined.

“No thank you, my love, but why do everyone think she is going to be queen?”

She gave a step closer, caressed my face with her hands, and fluttered her thick, long lashes before saying, “Briana is queen. There must be a misunderstanding. Don’t worry about a thing. I will sort it out, and it will be like it never happened.”

She flashed her brilliant smile and turned around. I took her hand and turned her towards me.

“Zinnia is going to be queen until the land chooses otherwise. There is no confusion.”

I saw the hatred in her eyes once more before she turned to walk away.

(I hope Zinnia will arrive on time.)

I thought over and over about what was about to happen, then William came in, and I got an idea.

“My good friend, William, come sit, we have things to discuss. He arched his eyebrow, but realization hit him immediately. “Is it that time already, my friend?” he asked, shocked - both of us knew this was coming, but neither of us thought it would come this soon. His voice was dead now.

“Unfortunately it seemed to come sooner than we have expected and hoped for.”

“Sir what if Nia does not make it on time?”

“That is why I need to speak with you. We can only hope she will make it on time, but the chances are scares.

“As you know, her birthday is tomorrow, and then her magic will show itself, but she will need time to get it under control, and only tomorrow we will know what she is.

“Until she gets her magic under control, she will be an easy target, and I am afraid of what will happen to her. If she is too late, take her to my home and cast a protection spell around the grounds and do not forget the passage way between the castle and my home. So that she can be save while she needs to train.

“If she is on time, I will explain everything to her. Do you understand William?”

I could see the tears dwelling in his eyes, he isn’t normally one to cry but I could fully understand because if it was I that was in his position I would be balling like a baby by now.

He surprised me when he said; “No, I don’t understand. I don’t understand why it must be this way. We know what is about to happen, but why can we not stop this from happening? Why can there not be another way?”

He was standing now panting, tears running down his cheeks. Then he went onto his knees in front of me, taking both my shoulders in his stern grip.

“Why can’t we stop it?” He asked again.

I breathed out a long sigh, took hold of one of his shoulders, and gave it a hug.

“My dear old friend, you know as well as I there is nothing we can do because we don’t know the method she will use or when she will do it. If we act without proof, a war we have never seen before will erupt. The dark times will look like a fairy-tale compared to the scale of that war.” His grip loosened on my shoulders and collapsed into his lap.

“Nicolai my old friend, father and king, we have known each other for one hundred and thirty-six years.

“You are the only father I have known because you know mine left me on your porch before they left for the human world.

“You are the one who introduced me to the partner of my heart, my love Justine. You and Justine are the only ones’ who know I am part human and part elf.

“You are the only true King I have known, and you have ruled this kingdom for more than two hundred years. And now you expect me to say goodbye just like that? You…”

He started stumbling as the sobs came up his throat and the tears running down his cheeks, wetting his shirt collar.

“You expect me…me to…to say goodbye?” He dried his tears with the back of his hands.

“Why can we not stop this?” Tears were running down my face now that I realized what I was actually asking of him and just how he saw it.

I could feel his pain and mine. He was like my son, he have lived, travelled, and fought with me. I raised him into the one hundred and thirty six year old boy sitting in front of me, on his knees, crying.

I was alone for the first ninety years of ruling this kingdom because my father died when I was twenty-four a mere child. My own child is only eighteen and now I have to leave her.

“My son, I have lived for two hundred and fifty years, which I spent the most with you. You were there when I met Zinnia’s mother, and I need you to take care of her.

“She is only eighteen, and already she has so many responsibilities. I know I am asking a lot of you, but you are her brother and family now. Treat her like your sister-your own flesh and blood-teach her all she needs to know because there is a lot she still needs to learn. Justine has laid the foundations now join her and teach Zinnia to be a queen and warrior to her people. Will you do this for me, my son?”

He wiped the last of his tears and stood up. I stood up with him; we faced each other standing there for a few seconds, then he said.

“Of course I will do this. I will be her big brother, friend, and tutor. I will try my best at keeping her safe and healthy so that she will make a great queen.”

I hugged him and said; “May only good follow you and may you live a long and happy life.

“May you also be lucky enough to be a farther one day, and I am absolutely sure your child will have an excellent father and role model.

“I will miss you, my son. I will see you on the other side, but hopefully, not soon. I will look forward until then, though.”

Tears were once again fighting for escape, but I quickly swallowed them back. When he started to speak, I couldn’t contain them any longer.

“My father, I will miss you.

“You gave me so much when I had none, but most of all, you gave me the most important things in life. You gave me love, friendship, family, and a home. If I am fortunate enough to have children of my own, I will tell them of their grandfather and how great he was. I will tell your daughter, my sister of what a great leader and father you were and how much you loved her. You are one of the best elves who roamed this earth, and you will forever be the best elf along with Justine- in my heart. I will truly miss you, father, and I will be looking forward to seeing you once again on the other side. I love you, and may all be good and well.

“Good bye my King. No one will ever forget you.”

I gave him a tight hug, and then my arms fell to my sides.

He gave me a tear-filled look, turned, and walked out without glancing back. When the door closed behind him, I collapsed into the chair with my hands covering my eyes. I could feel the tears seeping through my fingers.

I didn’t cry because I knew my fate, I cried because I didn’t know my daughters fate and she was still so very young. I cried because the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to my daughter or explain to her what was happening, personally was too much of a reality. I would possibly not even get the chance to see her one last time.

After a while, I wiped the tears from my face and walked to the connecting bathroom. I quickly cleaned myself up before going to my bedroom to get ready. I didn’t need any passers-by to see that their king was crying or even in a foul mood.

When I reached my room, I quickly wrote a letter to my dear daughter.