Chapter 71
Babies
Once their ship arrived in Gryon, Leo and Evelyn were summoned to meet with General Savatier, Commander Magalie, Camille, and King Tristan.
There was palpable apprehension in the second-floor office when Leo explained the meaning of the symbols carved onto the dead guards.
But they were at a loss for what to do next.
We agree that the royal families are the targets, but we’ve already increased security. How do you plan against what happened to King Gerard, which should have been impossible?
After the meeting, Evelyn asked to speak with her father privately.
“What is it, sweetheart?” King Tristan asked as they settled on the couch in the sitting room.
“Father… I need you to tell me about Katrina,” Evelyn said with more confidence than she felt.
The blood drained from her father’s face. “I wondered if you would find out while you were in Lochmatten. Small islands have long memories.”
“Please tell me what happened,” Evelyn begged.
He spoke softly, with memories flashing across his wet eyes. “I loved your mother. I loved her before I knew her name. I saw Katrina that night and it was like my soul had found its missing piece.”
“Did she feel the same way?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, the grief evident in his voice.
“Even though she knew you were already married?”
He winced. “That was the only thing we ever argued about.”
“Did you love Gwyneth?”
I never thought I would have to ask my father if he loved his wife.
“I cared about her. I had known her my whole life. When I became a lord, I needed to get married. Gwyneth was a good choice to rule the Fire Court with me. She was a great mother to Rowan and Hannah. But we were never truly in love.”
Did Gwyneth feel the same way? Did she love him, or was it just an arrangement for her, too? I wonder if Father even knows the answer.
“So what was your plan?” Evelyn asked. “Were you going to leave Gwyneth?”
King Tristan took several moments to decide how to share his story.
“I had always been loyal to Gwyneth. Rowan and Hannah deserved a strong family. But then I met Katrina. She became pregnant so quickly. We were happy and terrified. You may not have been planned, but you were always wanted, Evelyn. I would’ve given up the world for both of you.
“It was easy to imagine staying in Lochmatten, but the Legislative Council disapproved. Katrina never told me exactly what they said, but it kept her up at night. She took her position very seriously. She was caught between her obligations and her heart.
“You were born a few weeks earlier than you should have been. We were in my room in the castle and she went into labor in the middle of the night. My guards found a Healer. You were so, so small.
“I was supposed to leave that day and return to the kingdom, but I had decided to stay with Katrina. Except…” He needed another moment to compose himself. “Katrina begged me to take you to Carrowmore.”
“Why?”
Why did my mother send me away? Why didn’t she want to keep me?
“She only said it would be better for you. She didn’t want me to stay, and I couldn’t convince her to come with me.
I didn’t understand, but I trusted her. I assumed Katrina knew something I didn’t.
The Healer gave you a sedative to keep you asleep, and we hid you in a crate with the rest of my belongings. ”
He smuggled a newborn on a ship like contraband, and it was my mother’s idea?
Evelyn tried to keep her voice steady as her whole world reshaped itself. “Did you ever see her again?”
He shook his head regretfully. “I sent her a letter a few weeks later, but she never responded. I was scared of drawing attention to us, since I didn’t know what the council’s reaction was.
I’d hoped that Katrina would get in touch with me when she could.
I traveled to Lochmatten when you were a toddler, but she was gone. ”
“What happened when you got home? How did Gwyneth die?”
King Tristan closed his eyes, like he didn’t want to see the next part even though it happened over a century ago.
“I didn’t know Gwyneth was pregnant when I left for Lochmatten.
It was so early, I don’t think she knew either.
Gwyneth sent me a letter with the news, but I couldn’t leave the war.
She didn’t tell me how difficult her pregnancy was, and then she died in childbirth right before I got home.
The baby didn’t make it… but I had you. Rowan and Hannah still gained a sibling. ”
“Do they know?” Evelyn’s voice cracked.
“Rowan does. He was old enough to handle it. But I couldn’t tell Hannah, not after she lost her mother.”
“And… that’s it? You acted like everything was fine?”
“I held our family together,” the king said defensively. “I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you, Hannah, or Rowan.”
“But why didn’t you tell me? Especially once we got here! This is why you didn’t want me to be a queen, right?”
“It was wrong of me not to tell you. But in Carrowmore, it didn’t matter.
You were my child and you had Fire magic.
You don’t look exactly like your siblings, but no one questioned it.
Then this trip to Gryon was supposed to be about Hannah.
I didn’t expect you to become a queen overnight.
I vaguely remembered Captain Fontaine from the war, and the two of you seemed happy together.
Then Councilor Ritter was at your side, and I thought your connection to Lochmatten might be fate, even if he is a bit strange.
By the time I realized your heart was with Alexander, I didn’t want to put this on you.
You deserved to marry for love without worrying about bloodlines. ”
My bracelet has stayed warm since he started talking. He only wanted me to be happy. But it meant I never really knew who I was.
King Tristan held Evelyn as she cried, which made her feel like a child again.
This is what I saw in the Invenion in Lochmatten. The room showed me this conversation with my father.
Eventually, she went to Leo’s room on the fourth floor.
Her belongings had been moved there while she was away, but it still didn’t feel like her space.
Evelyn recounted what her father had said.
Leo told her again that he loves her, and the bracelet proved his words.
They had dinner sent up to the room and went to bed early.
Evelyn was ready for a peaceful night’s sleep without any more interruptions from Haydn, real or within a dream.