I couldn't help but let the tears fall as I slid my body into the room and saw my mother laying on the grand bed. A nurse sat near her helping her sip water.
"Caroline-" my mother went to say but instantly began throwing up the water she just took in.
Rushing to her side I grabbed her hand happy for the black veil. At least she couldn't see me crying, couldn't see the pity in my eyes every-time I looked at her frail dying body.
"Martha, thank you but I would like some time with my daughter." The nurse stood quickly with a smile before exiting the room.
"Mother I-" Caroline's voice shook a bit as a sob nearly ripped its way through her.
"Caroline..." The queens voice was slow and cranky. "I love you with all my heart. I remember looking into your eyes the very first time you opened them. Queens are supposed to hand off their children for maids to care for but I never followed the customs. I never let you out of my site your were my baby, and now your a women. When I die, I'll be in the kingdom of our father with your dad, and you'll be here and no matter what you'll have to become the queen this kingdom needs. Do you understand?" It took awhile for Liz to finish but I took in every word. She was right I needed to be strong. I prayed to death she wouldn't die. I couldn't do it, I hadn't even finished nearly all of my custom classes. I hadn't even gotten courted by any of the other royals.
"I'm scared mother is that bad?" I said my voice small.
"Oh my love, fear is what drives us. If we had nothing to fear there would be nothing to truly live for. I want you to live a full life, fall in love, be a rebel, get blackout drunk right off your knockers. Just promise me you'll be an amazing Queen while also being the amazing person you are." I lifted my veil wanting to see her beautiful face. Tears streamed down my face and my makeup was horribly smeared but I didn't care.
I hugged my mom tightly enjoying the comfort of her embrace. Nothing compared to the feeling of having your moms arms wrapped around you, you just feel safe like you're right where you're supposed to be...
--
I walked down the corridor once again the ugly black dress placed over my body. Not but a week had passed since my fathers funeral. We were just now finishing up the customs. Where basically every royal would come from the kingdoms that stretched across the light kingdom. We would reminisce about their life's and celebrate for three days straight.
"Caroline." I didn't turn at the sound of the voice. I just wanted to see my mother be buried so that I could go back to my room and wait for the next demand I was ordered to do. Kai grabbed my arm turning me. A guard made eye contact with us and began coming towards us but I held up a hand stopping him.
"What is it Kai?" He went to remove the veil but I stopped him. "You know the rules I must wear it."
"What had gotten into your Caroline. I'm reaching out to you trying to support you but it seems your bored of me." I felt my heart pang with hurt.
I grabbed the boy leading him outside the glass door.
fast walking to the gardens I felt my heart beat speed up.
"Caroline slow down talk to me-" I spun quickly, ripping the veil of my head, and placing my lips on his. We became tangled in the kiss intoxicated by each other's taste.
"Compromising position." I ripped my body away from his and stared at the boy the voice resided from.
"Who the hell are you." She bit at him standing in front of Kai protectively. No one would dare touch the future queen but they would definitely take Kai's head if they wished.
"No one, it's just nice to meet you, your majesty." The man bowed before disappearing back into the gardens. He had black hair, stood at around 6'3, was pale, and dressed in all black. I had never seen him before and the vibe he let off was incredibly eerie.
"I should get back." I whispered to Kai as I stumbled backwards towards the glass door.
"Wait Caroline-" but I was already gone and heading towards my parents headstones.
...
"UUGH AHH!" I sobbed as I sat in my knees staring at the names across the stone. Queen Elizabeth of the light kingdom. Mother, wife, daughter, leader. Who knew cancer could destroy someone so full of life. I had heard of people dying this way but never genuinely saw it. Saw the disease take you so quickly. She had hid it for years, hiding it from me to spare my feelings. And one day it just became too much. When my father was found dead, face down in a lake where the carriage had crashed into she felt the need to stop hiding it. The death of my dad took a toll on her somehow speeding up the cancer. She laid in bed all day only getting up when my fathers body was returned to the kingdom. She made me leave the room as she said her goodbye to him. I had heard her sobbing, screaming it was her fault but it hadn't been and I hopped she realized that before she died.
"Mom I feel so lost... so alone. I wish I had found a way to stop it a way to make the pain and suffering stop. I wish dad had been there with you had been there to say goodbye and make you feel safe. Something I was never able to do... I miss you so fucking much." I broke down once again unable to bear the thought of the people I love most dead just six feet beneath me.
"Caroline..." a small voice called behind me. I didn't turn due to the figure sitting right next to me.
"Hey bon..." was all I could mutter. I was weak and so emotionally drained.
"My mother died when I was seven. I watched a man behead her right before me, she stole an apple from him. An apple ended my mother's life. It's unfair and it hurts more than anything else in this world to lose someone so close to you... but the pain goes away and that's honestly the worst part. You begin to forget what they looked like after so long. Especially being so young I can only remember her smile. She was always smiling and always working so hard at the farm. I love my mom I always will but I needed to move on to survive. It's going to be hard Caroline but you need to learn to live with the pain, to replace that hole in your heart with people and simple pleasures or else you'll just crumble." I listened intently to each word she spoke. She was right more than anything I needed to be strong. My mom had made me promise to be a great Queen and I didn't plan on failing.
Quickly I stood, drying my tears I made every emotion get pushed to the back off my thoughts.
"I need to go see someone." I said my voice strong and my head held high.
Bonnie didn't get a chance to respond before I was up and walking to the underground prison cells.
...
"1,000,000 bottles of milk on the wall 1,000,000 bottles of milk take one down pass it around 9,000 bottles of milk on the wall." I came around the corner a confused look on my face as his cell came into view. A guard opened the cell allowing me to quickly get in before he closed it.
"Well you don't know your maths do you?" I said looking at the boy who was chained up to a metal bench. The room was dark and cold. It smelled of mildew and looked to be much older than any other part of the kingdom.
"My brother will come for you and when he does I suggest you beg for his mercy." Kol spat at the girl his head hanging low.
"Look at me!" I demanded. The boy just laughed mocking me with an evident scowl as he raised his eyes to meet mine. He looked almost exactly like the man I had seen in the gardens today. The thought terrified me but I pushed it away.
"I know you are the prince of the dark kingdom, your father died at the hands of the king of fire. Igniting a battle your family evidently won, your mother died along with your bother Henrik when you were only 15 years old by a fire that broke out in their wing of the castle. Niklaus your older brother was given the title king surpassing both of your brothers in the line of succession. I know a lot about you and your family Kol. I know of the dark kingdoms filthy supernaturals that terrorize the streets of your kingdom. I know you kill and you tried to kill one of my royal ladies. Why are you here?" Kol looked impressed by her knowledge she was just a princess and a young one at that.
"There's been somewhat of an uproar with our people ever since-" I was incredibly frustrated as my fathers main advisor came into the room.
"Your majesty, your presence is immediately required." He spoke quickly out of breath.
"This is far from over." I snapped at the boy before sliding out of the room as the guard unlocked the door. Kol flashed forward ripping at his chains but they held.
"Oh you're so scary." I laughed mocking him. I was trying to be brave, trying my best for my mom.
"Toss him in a bunny he's been good today." I ordered the guard before following the advisor.
