The princess's chamber door latched shut with a soft click that seemed to echo around the quiet hallway as Eileen exited the young girl's bedroom and leaned her back against it with a soulful sigh. Once the princess had succumbed to the bliss of exhausted slumber, Eva had written a quick note and sent it to her mother, in which she explained that she was going to remain by Nadia's side as long as needed and requested that certain items be brought to her. After dropping off the items, Eileen was now free to return home but with a heart heavy at the loss of the queen.

The Palace and Royal guards that lined the corridor gave her a silent nod when she lifted her head, and she mustered up a smile in return. Pushing away from the door, Eileen turned to head for the stairs when she saw the king and his guards heading for her. Quickly, she stepped to the side out of their way, but instead of passing on by, King Justian drew to a stop beside her and turned to face her. When she finally worked up the nerve to meet his eyes, Eileen felt herself being drawn into their depths and the rest of the world falling away. The weightless feeling that enveloped her caused her head to swim and her heart to hammer in her chest. Suddenly, she was transported through her memories to a time in the past when she had stared up into those same blue-green eyes all those years ago.

"I'm pregnant, Justian," she heard a younger version of herself saying.

Prince Justian's eyebrows arched high onto his brow and the color drained from his face. "Are you sure?" he half croaked in surprise.

"Yes," her own voice cracked at the admition. "I'm sorry. I should have known better. I should have never let this go so far—"

"Stop," he commanded while placing his hands on her shoulders. "We're both equally responsible. We," he stressed the word emphatically, "chose our course. It's going to be fine, though. I'll figure something out. Just... just give me some time to think about this and come up with a plan."

"No," Eileen said adamantly while shaking her head. "I've thought it through. I know what I have to do." Tears filled her eyes as she tried to force the next words to come.

Misunderstanding her tears, Justian pulled her close and held her head to his chest, kissing her hair. "Shh, it's all going to be fine. Don't worry. I'll take care of you. It'll work out, you'll see."

"Justian, no," she argued while pushing away from his chest and wiping her eyes. "That's just it: you can't take care of me. You're to become king one day, and it's forbidden for Royals and Warriors to be together. No one can know about this. I-I'll have to raise the baby on my own, and you..." Her throat began to clog with the pain she knew her next words would bring, and she had to clear it twice to be able to continue. "You have to forget about me."

"What?" He recoiled as if she had slapped him. "How can you say that? I could never forget you; you're what makes me whole and gives my life meaning. I can't just cast you to the side like a trinket that has lost its novelty."

"But you must!" she cried. "It was foolish of me to ever allow myself to dream that we could actually be together. You have a duty to your people. They hold your heart, and I cannot stand in the way of that. We have to let each other go."

Turning away from her pleading eyes, the prince began to pace. After a while, he turned back and moved to stand directly in front of her. The fierce intensity of his piercing gaze made her knees tremble and her resolve waver. At other times, that look of determination burning in his eyes had inspired awe and admiration within her, but seeing it now only caused alarm to swell as uncertainty began to cloud her thoughts.

When he at last spoke, his voice came out thick with conviction. "Eileen, I love you. Do you understand that? And I already love our child that grows within you. Both of you are as much a part of me now as the blood that runs through my veins. It is true that I am dedicated to serving the Ataran people, but every beat of my heart is only for the two of you now. Nothing else matters. I could never turn my back on either of you."

Realizing he would not be easily swayed, Eileen swiftly changed tactics in a last effort to convince him to see things her way. "I do not doubt your love, my prince, and please, do not doubt mine. But you must think of this with your head and not your heart. Our being together and the existence of our child are strictly forbidden. How do you think everyone will react when they discover what we've done? What would happen to our child?" Eileen took one of his hands and brought it to rest on her stomach. "This life we've created is the only thing that matters now, Justian, and I will do whatever I must, even if it means losing you, to ensure that our baby is safe."

That did it. She knew the instant she finished that his resolve had crumbled. She could see it in the slight widening of his eyes and the parting of his mouth that the truth of her reasoning had finally registered. His resolve wasn't the only thing to crumble in that moment, however. She watched as his heart also splintered and cracked before falling into a heap of rubble at her feet. In one moment, she had given him the treasured promise of a child, and in the next, she had revoked his claim as father. The enormity of that realization met her with a blow that nearly took her breath away. She barely noticed when her vision blurred with tears and lost focus. She was too busy struggling to simply draw air into his lungs. Each breath brought with it a fresh wave of pain, and Eileen wondered briefly if it would be easier if she just stopped breathing all together.

As each faced the other with gazes averted, the silence stretched between them for what seemed like an eternity, carving a rift that was likely never to be repaired. A strangled cry echoed in the space, and it was a moment before Eileen realized it was her own. Pressing a hand to her mouth to prevent any more sound from escaping, she stood trembling with the other hand clutching her chest as if by doing so she could somehow stop the pain. Then, strong arms reached out and drew her into their protective embrace. There, she felt the silent sobs that racked Justian's solid frame and knew she was not alone in her anguish.

No further words were spoken. None were necessary. For a time, the two simply clung to one other for support as they came to terms with their unspoken decision. Both knew that this was goodbye.

In the space of her next breath, Eileen's memories then carried her to the night following Eva's birth.

"What are you doing here, Justian?" Eileen asked, exhaustion weighing down her words. After the hours of labor only a day before and caring for an infant by herself, she had barely enough energy left to keep to her feet. Her hair hung limply around her face, and dark circles were already forming beneath her eyes. All in all, she looked haggard and worn, making her appear far older than her twenty years. She was not surprised to see him, however. In fact, she'd known he would come.

Moving away from the window he'd just climbed through, the darkly clad prince stepped further into the room before pushing his hood back from his face. "I've come to see my child," he stated simply.

"We've already discussed this. It isn't safe for you to come here—"

"I haven't forgotten," he replied quickly, cutting her off. "I know the risks, but I had to see him at least once. Please, Elieen. Please, understand."

Hearing the longing in his voice and seeing the desperation in his eyes, her tense features softened with a slight sigh and her shoulders relaxed as she gave a nod. "Her," she corrected gently.

"What's that?" he asked in confusion.

"You said you wanted to see 'him,' but you should have said 'her.'"

"It's a girl?" When she nodded, Justian's face lit up with a wondrous smile. "I have a daughter?"

"Yes," Eileen confirmed with a soft chuckle. "Come, I'll show you."

Leading him around the bed, she brought him to a small cradle in the corner of the cramped bedroom. When he bent to peer inside, he found there a tiny, cherub-faced bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. Only a thin layer of silky brown hair covered her head, and she had her hands curled into fists with her lips parted slightly in slumber.

Almost reverently, Justian extended a hand to lightly brush his finger down one rosy cheek. "Can I hold her?" he asked softly without looking away.

"Of course," Eileen replied while sinking down onto the edge of her bed to rest.

With permission given, he immediately scooped the newborn into his arms, but the delicate way he cradled her to his chest revealed his fear that at any moment he may drop or break her her tiny frame. Staring down at her sleeping form, his gaze roamed over her every feature, appearing to take in even the minutest attributes—the lines that formed between her eyebrows as she frowned in her sleep and the way her hair swirled around the tops of her ears. Nothing escaped his attention.

After several long minutes of simply staring at the miracle in his arms, he turned to face Eileen once more. "What are you going to call her?"

"I haven't decided," Eileen admitted reluctantly. "I'd always thought I'd name my daughter after my mother, but since she and father have thrown me out..."

He winced slightly at her revelation but didn't comment. While thinking it over, though, an idea seemed to spark within his eyes, and when he spoke again, it was with a smile. "Eva."

"What?" she asked in confusion. Her fatigue was causing her thoughts to muddle, and she didn't catch his meaning at first.

"You should call her Eva," he explained. "It means 'life,' and I think it would suit her quite well. Life is what we've given to her, and her birth has brought a new meaning to my life, as I'm sure she has to yours as well."

"I like it," Eileen said with a gentle smile. "Eva it is, then."

"Eva," Justian whispered to the babe in his arms. To his surprise, she stirred at the name and opened her eyes. After blinking a few times, her bright orbs took in everything around her before at last settling on him. Justian's breath caught in his throat when her eyes connected with his, and a broad, beaming smile broke across his face in response.

In that moment, something seemed to change within him while Eileen looked on. It was as if in that single instant he passed over from the youth she had known to a man and from a carefree, jovial prince to a wise, responsible future king. After witnessing such a transformation, she wasn't surprised, then, at the next words he spoke.

"Leena," he said after a time, "I need you to promise me something." He lifted his gaze to find her watching him intently. "Promise me that you'll tell her how much I love her and that I'm not abandoning her. Leaving the two of you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Please, help her understand that. I realize that you probably won't be able to tell her who I am, at least not until she is old enough to bear such a secret, but if and when you feel she is ready, explain to her the circumstances that have forced me to be absent from her life. Will you do this?"

"I promise I will." Her eyes shone with the sincerity of her words even though her voice broke as she said them.

Satisfied that she would honor his request, Justian returned his attention to the little one in his arms. "I can't stay much longer. I don't want anyone to notice my absence. Please be safe, my Eva. Don't cause your mother too much grief, and always know that you will forever be in my thoughts and in my heart."

Kissing her softly on the forehead, he carefully lowered his daughter back into the crib and tucked her blanket around her before turning back around to face Eileen. As he stood over her, he reached down and grasped one of her hands in his own. From within his cloak, he pulled out a small drawstring bag and placed it within her upturned hand. The contents of the bag clinked together as he closed her fingers around it and then pulled away.

"What's this?" she asked warily.

"I've decided that if I'm not able to help you raise and care for our daughter physically I will at least help support you monetarily. Inside you'll find enough gold coins to last you a month and a note explaining where you will find another such bag next month and each month after that."

Eileen dropped her gaze back down to the lump in her hands before saying, "Thank you, Justian. This will help more than you know."

With his fingertips, he gently lifted her chin and leaned in to place a tender kiss on her lips. He lingered there briefly before drawing back and searching her eyes. "I only wish I could do more."

Suddenly, Eileen was drawn back from her memories to the present by a firm grip on her shoulder and a concerned voice calling her name.

"Eileen? Eileen, what's wrong?"

Opening her eyes, she realized with some alarm and much embarrassment that she had allowed herself to get so caught up in the past that she had completely forgotten about everyone else around her. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. What did you say?"

"I asked what was wrong. You looked up at me and then turned very pale and appeared to begin to cry."

"I did?" Eileen lifted a hand to her cheek to find that it was indeed wet. "I apologize." She scrambled to come up with an excuse. "The day's events must have momentarily overwhelmed me. I did not mean to cause you any concern."

King Justian cast a wary glance over his shoulder at the guards present before pressing her further. "Are you sure that is all?"

"Yes, my king. I am fine."

As she stared up at him, the knowing look that lingered within Justian's gaze told her that his Royal magic had revealed her lie for what it was, and she was fairly certain that he knew exactly where her thoughts had been. Clearing her throat a couple times, she tried to compose herself enough to escape the situation without further embarrassment while hoping he would let the subject drop. "Was there something that you needed, Your Majesty? Before my brief emotional spell, you stopped as if to ask me a question."

"Yes, I was going to ask what had brought you to the princess's chambers. If I'm not mistaken, it's long past your shift. Is there a problem?"

"Oh, no. There's no problem. Eva had just sent me a message asking that I bring her some things. She plans on staying by the princess's side for a few days and so required a few necessities."

The king's features softened at her explanation. "That is very kind of her," he said quietly.

"She has a good heart," Eileen commented in agreement before beginning to feel a bit awkward with the others present. "If that is all you needed, Your Majesty, I will leave you to your business and be on my way."

"Of course. I'm sorry to have kept you."

"Not at all, and please accept my condolences for your loss." Despite the ache her words brought to her chest, Eileen was still sincere in their meaning. "Linarra was a fine queen."

"She was indeed and a good friend," the king added. Speaking of the late queen, though, caused Justian to draw back into himself and fall into a melancholy state, and Eileen could see, as she had many times before, that he had indeed cared for Linarra, though perhaps he had not loved her.

"Well, good night, Your Highness," she said, eager to escape the uncomfortable situation she had caused.

He sighed heavily before replying, "Good night, Eileen. Get some rest, for tomorrow will be a hard day for us all."

"Yes, sir. You try to as well." Placing a fist to her hart, she bowed to the king and the other Warriors filling the hall before turning on the balls of her feet and hurriedly walking away.