“In my recollection, it was always I asking for advice, you always offering words of wisdom to me. Now, there is no advice, no words of wisdom to give. I’m not the same person I was four months ago. There are things that will never be the same. It is what it is. I don’t expect you to get me out of this, or to comfort me. It’s all on me now, and I have to accept it and move forward. I can do what must be done as long as I know I have people who love me. I could never go into this alone.”
“You will never be alone. I’ll always be here for you, and I will always love you. I also know that the men in that room are with you in this as well. Alek swore to protect you, and his promise goes on. He will stand with you and I, until the end. And Dain…I see the love he has for you when he looks at you. He’ll always be with you.” He still wasn’t sure that Dain was really sincere, but he didn’t want to upset her again. She had always been able to read the thoughts of men, and he knew he should believe that she was right about him, but he was still unsure. He would keep his doubts to himself.
“I’m sorry things turned out this way, Kevaan.”
He took her hand in his. “Don’t be sorry for something that was fate and nothing more. You couldn’t have changed the outcome even if you wanted to. Your purpose was set in stone before you were born.”
“I wish mother would have told me.”
“Maybe she didn’t know.”
“She knew; father, too.”
“Maybe they were afraid to tell you. Maybe they were afraid of what it might mean.”
“It would have been easier to have been able to prepare.”
“Either way, it’s your destiny. What you do with that now is up to you. And to think that all those burdens that you were weighed down with were nothing compared to what your future had in store for you.”
“That’s the way fate works I guess.”
“Yes. Just know that I love you, Melenthia, now and always. I’m proud at who you’ve become. If father were here, I know he would be proud too.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“I love you too, Kevaan, and I will be afraid for you.”
“And I you, sweet sister.”
He stood from the bench, their hands slipping from each other. He left her alone in the garden with her thoughts.
As he was leaving, he bumped into Dain coming through the garden gate from the courtyard. They looked at each other for a moment, then Kevaan stuck out his hand.
“Your Majesty, I just wanted to say that I really do owe you everything for making sure Melenthia was safe all this time. No matter what happens now, I will be forever in your debt.”
“There is no debt, Kevaan, and it’s Dain please. There has always been peace between us and for that, I’m grateful. This will be a difficult road for all of us, especially for Melenthia. She can’t win unless we all fight as one.”
Kevaan started to say something, then stopped himself. Dain sensed his hesitation and smiled. “You’re still unsure as to whether my intentions are honorable where Melenthia is concerned.”
“I mean no disrespect to you, Dain, but you have to understand my concern. It’s only for Melenthia’s well being that I even wonder.”
Dain shook his hand as if in dismissal. “You have a right to question. I know what my bad choices have done to mar my reputation thus far. I spent too many years not caring about my reputation or my responsibilities. I have learned the hard way. As far as Melenthia goes, my word is true. I love her, with all my heart. She has affected me in a way I cannot explain, and I will give my life to her if she’ll have me, or give my life for her if necessary. I know that you love her, and I swear I do too.”
Kevaan stuck out his hand again for Dain to take. They clasped wrists. “Thank you, Dain. My sister is anything but gullible, but I still worried that everything she had been through caused her to just want to reach out to someone, anyone. That her judgment was skewed because of that. Forgive me for my doubt.”
“No forgiveness necessary. She is very lucky to have had you looking out for her all these years. It’s made her who she is today.”
“I almost wish I hadn’t.”
“I can imagine why you feel that way; however, if you had not, she wouldn’t be ready for this. You prepared her for this path whether you knew you were doing it or not. And from what Alek tells me, you were very thorough.”
“I thought I had ruined her chances for love.”
“Not so.”
They shook hands again. There was silence between them for a moment or two, then, “I will be leaving tomorrow. I can’t stay away from Aaralyn any longer. I shudder to think what Fallon or that thing could do in my absence. I already took a chance leaving at all, but I couldn’t bear sending a messenger with such grave news.”