Toriel had hoped this day would never come.
The day seemed incredibly dark, clouded by the persistent knowledge of what happened. Her emotions rained down on her and her grief thundered around her. She ran through the hallways of her castle, tears streaming down her face. The crown on her head fell off as she ran, but she did not care.
Upon reaching the right room, she opened the door quickly, without caring that she was making a noisy entrance.
"Mother!" She cried out.
She rushed into the room. Her mother laid on her bed, barely moving or breathing. By her bedside was Gerson, who looked up from the queen and gave a worried expression to the princess. Next to him was a tall skeleton wearing a green cloak and leather armor, dirtied from her travels. Toriel recognized her as Cambria, one of the skeleton triplets who were great allies for her mother. She had one hand on the queen, surrounded by green magic. However, it was clear that the magic did not take. Her mother was falling down.
"My child," her mother groaned, full of pain and suffering.
Gerson stood up and walked towards the door, placing his hand on Toriel's back before leaving. Toriel knelt beside her mother's bedside and held onto one of her hands. Her mother opened her amber eyes, and smiled a little. She then took her hand out of her daughter's and wiped Toriel's tears away.
"Why do you cry for me, my child?" She asked.
"You're falling, Mom," Toriel sobbed. "You're the only person I have left!"
Furiona shook her head. "You have Gerson and Cambria, Roman and Calibri. I have left you in the finest hands I could find, and yet you still cry."
Toriel let out an exasperated sigh. "You're the only mother I have!" She cried. "No one can replace you, and now, I'm going to lose you forever!"
Her mother didn't show any signs of sadness or fear for her death. Was it hidden, or did she already accept her fate? "Do not cry in front of me, Toriel. Your tears and anguish are a waste if you use them all in front of your friends."
"What are you saying, Mom?" Toriel asked.
"Do not cry for me and your father and all those who fell here. Mourn for us in front of the enemy," her mother said softly. "Heartache is a powerful emotion that people wish to share. Sharing it to people who already feel that pain is a heartache gone to waste. When you meet your enemy on the battlefield and as the lines are drawn, before the swords clash and the dust grows thick, let your first strike against the enemy be your cries and tears. Then, they will know your pain. Only then will they know the pain they have caused for our people."
Toriel wiped the tears from her eyes before looking at her mother again.
"See," her mother said, giving her daughter a smile. "With tears out of the way, I can see my daughter as she always was: loving, kind, compassionate, and above all else, concerned for me." She let out a hoarse laugh.
"Why are you telling me this, mother, when you're about to die?" Toriel asked, trying not to cry again.
Her mother turned away and looked up at the ceiling above her. "I have won many battles, Toriel, and I have had countless losses, with one of them being the lack of time with my daughter." She looked back at Toriel. "I have won many battles because I love my people and I have a grief that compels me to fight for them."
"That is my secret strategy for winning my battles."
"You need rest, my queen," Cambria interrupted, still providing healing to the deteriorating monster. "The magic won't take if you don't rest."
Toriel held back a sob. "I love you, Mom!"
Her mother sighed and for the first time in her entire lifetime, Toriel saw a tear run down her cheek. It was then that she realized the same thing her mom had: there was no use in holding back grief if she wasn't going to see her enemy again. Her mother had come to terms with her fate, but Toriel couldn't.
She placed her hands on Toriel's face and pulled her in close, allowing their noses and forehead to touch and their eyes to meet. "I love you, Toriel," she muttered. "Don't ever forget that."
Toriel looked down, barely able to contain her tears. "I'll miss you."
"Yes, but I'll always be with you," her mother replied. She then kissed Toriel's nose. "I'm excited to see what you do as queen, because I know you will be great at it."
Furiona let go of her daughter's face and laid back down on the bed. Toriel watched as she closed her eyes. Cambria looked up at the princess, her eyes glowing a dull red, full of empathy. The skeleton let out a sigh.
"I'll let you know when she's about to go," she told the young princess.
The young princess nodded. Tears continued to well up in her eyes, but her mother's advice kept coming back to her. Let your first strike against the enemy be your cries and tears.
Holding her grief within her aching heart, she left her mother's presence for the last time.
