~ Epilogue ~
He closed the ancient diary. When he had found it in the palace library two years before he had thought it was an outrageous attempt at an adventure tale. As he read Herald Kelisiaori's words he had found himself drawn in.
He wasn't certain when he had started to believe the tale but now he did with every fibre of his being.
As he read he had often visited the places she described, the suite where she had lived, the Field, Elluen estate. There had been records of her across Valdemar. The University she founded had a portrait of her in the entranceway. She wore archaic Whites and her Companion stood at her side.
He had attended the University after he completed his Herald's training and often stared at the portrait. Perhaps that was why he had started to believe the diary.
His experience in Sola Valley had clinched it.
As he had been standing close to the still raw looking crater when he felt he was being watched. Turning he saw two Heralds farther up the side of the valley. One was the woman from the portrait and the other must have been Herald Tristen. They stood up carefully then vanished.
"Evan?" His wife appeared in the doorway. "Are you still reading that diary?"
Evan smiled and pulled her on to his lap. "I am just taking a break from the kingdom's headaches."
"Our little angel is waiting for her father." She kissed his cheek.
"I better go then." Evan said with a genuine smile.
Evan found his baby daughter with her nurse fussing. "There is my little button." He scooped her up and tossed her in the air. She squealed in delight.
Princess Kelisia favored her father with a toothless grin and grabbed for his lip.
"She is a darling." The nurse smiled fondly.
"Of course she is." King Evan agreed as he disengaged her fingers from his lip. "Would you like to hear a story?" He asked the dark haired, silver eyed child, who strongly resembled her half Tayledras mother.
The little princess cooed happily at the suggestion.
"Once, a brave and bold princess was born in the kingdom of Valdemar…" He started.
Outside the palace, the Haven of 2097 continued, caring very little for what happened seven hundred years ago.