Author's Note: Sorry this is so short because I've taken forever to update. I might finally have the drive to finish this story.
Tana heard voices before she could see anything; voices that told her horrible lies. Ephraim was not dead. He would come back to her like he promised. Come back to her and their child. Her dim world was slowly becoming bright. Right away she noticed something was wrong. She felt her stomach for something that was no longer there. Tears streamed down her face as she lifted herself up.
"Ahhh!" The pain was too much and she fell back down on the bed.
None of this was real. She would wake up and her baby would be alive and healthy, Ephraim would come back and they would be a family.
The door to the room opened slowly and Eirika walked in.
"Eirika!? What happened? Did I lose it?" Her voice was hysteric.
Eirika rushed to her. "Please don't strain yourself. You are still recovering."
The two stared in silence, Eirika not wanting to say anything and Tana not knowing if she could handle the news.
"I…I can handle it. Please tell me."
Eirika looked away. "Your baby girl is fine."
A feeling of giddiness and pure joy filled Tana. She didn't care that it wasn't a boy like everyone hoped. She was alive and healthy. That was the only thing that mattered to her.
"Please bring her to me."
Eirika reached for Tana's hand and shook her head trying not to cry. "It's Ephraim. I…..I don't know how to say this."
The short moment of happiness disappeared as she knew Ephraim was gone.
"They were ambushed." Her voice cracked. "There is no other explanation because both of us know he would never fall in a fair fight."
She wanted to break down and die because she couldn't imagine a world without Ephraim. That would be exactly what L'Arachel wanted and she would not let her win. She would live on for her baby girl and rule Renais in Ephraim's stead.
"The only thing keeping me alive is that girl, Eirika. Please let me see her. She must have a name."
Eirika nodded wiping her eyes. "Bring the "princess" in." Before the door opened Eirika took Tana's hand again.
"Please forgive me when you see her. I had to make a decision because you were asleep far too long. The people would not have accepted her or you had I not done what I did."
A wet nurse came in and Tana's eyes widened. "What have you done?"
L'Arachel was surprised by her reaction when she heard the news. Tears welled in her eyes and her heart sunk. The man she had hated since he proclaimed their marriage a lie had once again wounded her. In her heart of hearts she still felt something for the wretched man.
L'Arachel had planned to somehow seize the throne but this was so sudden. She had to formulate a plan and act quickly. Ethan was still too young. She needed a reason for the people to hate Tana and her mewling brat even more and to love her and Ethan. She would have to have the people behind her.
The talk of the town was that Tana was the whore queen. She needed more than that. The people still loved Eirika and she gave Tana her full support.
L'Arachel paced the room before an evil smirk formed.
"If I remove Eirika from the equation I might have a chance."
Hearing herself say it didn't make it feel any better. Eirika was a good friend before the marriage ended. She wouldn't feel right having her killed. She thought some more before finally coming up with brilliance.
"I will come with a royal escort to pay my respects to the Queen for her loss and rejoice in her baby's birth. She wouldn't dare refuse me in front of the whole kingdom. I will plant paranoia in her mind. She will call to big brother for help and the people won't trust her. All the while I will look pretty enticing. I'm stable, innocent of crime, and I have Ephraim's son. The people will be practically begging me to be Queen by the time I'm through with her. Time is of the essence. I must make my decisions at the right time or it is game over."
She called her servants to her chambers.
"See to it that my army is ready to escort me to Renais."
The kingdom was deeply saddened by Ephraim's death. That wouldn't last long. Soon sadness would turn to anger. Isla already heard people crying for death on Grado's people. Soon the Grado refugees would no longer be safe.
She knew as she clutched the wooden horse in her hand that she had made an awful mistake; one that she couldn't fix even if she gave her life. She would try though because she owed Ephraim's family.
She whispered a prayer of thanks for her dark hair and fair complexion as she weaved through the crowded streets of the capital city. Any hint of being a citizen of Grado and her chances of becoming a servant to the queen would be zero.