"Will that be all your Majesty?"

A servant bowed before the King of Reterand, his face solemn and respectful. The King, sitting in his chair by the fireplace, glanced around the empty, well lit room before gesturing for the servant to leave.

"I do not wish to be disturbed." At his cold tone the servant flinched, before backing quickly out of the room.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Click.

The door closed behind him, and the King was alone. He stared into the fire, his hands clenched on the armrests of his chair.

"Why couldn't she just die?" He muttered, his face bitter. "Everything would have been settled if she were gone. I'll have to figure out something new..."

His voice trailed off as he blinked, a strange blue smoke was coming out of the fire, surrounding him. His eyes widened with shock and he opened his mouth to call out, but before any sound escaped he slumped into his chair, unconscious.

Watching through the peepholes in the secret passageway, I grinned at the sight.

______________________________

It took around ten minutes for the king to fully wake up. In that time the room had greatly changed. The lamps had dimmed, the majority of light in the space coming from the weakened fire behind the King's chair. A table was set before him, and across from him was an equally luxurious chair, in which I sat.

His gaze focused on me, and his face turned pale with fear. He opened his mouth once more to call out for help.

Thud.

A knife thrown from my hand passed right by his face, embedding itself into the wooden mantel of the fireplace behind him. A short distance over and it would have landed in his eye instead.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. I'm a nervous person, my hand tends to slip when I think loud noises will happen."

I watched him with satisfaction as he understood the meaning of my words:

Call out if you want to die.

"You're crazy." He whispered, his eyes locked onto the throwing knife in my hand.

"Really? How strange." I smiled gently "I'm not the one seeking my own destruction. But there doesn't have to be any unpleasantness, Your Majesty. I'm only here to talk."

"Talk?" He snorted. "You broke into the palace and drugged your king to have a talk? You bit..."

Thud. Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound of the blood running down his cheek and dripping onto the floor broke the only silence of the room. The King's eyes held equal parts pain and terror as his hand slowly rose up to his face, and he turned to look at the bloody knife embedded in the mantel next to the first.

"Again, I have to apologize." I held up a third knife, "I'm a very nervous person. It's hard for me to hear such unpleasantness."

"..." He grabbed a handkerchief and pressed it to the bleeding wound, studying me for a long moment.

"What do you want?"

I smiled at the sound of fear in his voice. "One simple question:" I leaned forward, staring into his eyes. "Why?"

The silence stretched on between us.

Why? Why had he schemed to bring me under his control? Why had he planned to hurt me, to kill me? Why had he hurt the ones I loved?

"I never wanted your throne." My voice was quiet. "I never wanted the kingdom, to take your place. I sought only to leave you, your son and your kingdom behind."

So why?

The king looked up at the ceiling and softly began to laugh.

"Don't pretend to be innocent! You think I'm blind? A fool?" His laughter ended, his expression solemn. "The power shifted in this kingdom, how could I not be aware? The people all know, as do the other nobles. If you want wealth, then go to the Duchy of Armeny. If you seek knowledge, then the schools within their borders contain them. If you are poor and suffering, then the Duchy will take you in."

He shook his head. "They all know, they all speak of it. How Lenora of Armeny loves the people. How she cares for them, works for them tirelessly. So different from the crown, from the other nobles. They view you as their leader. Did you really think I wouldn't see what you were doing?"

"I never wanted power."

"Liar." He laughed again. "Maybe I would have believed it, thought you really cared for others, if you weren't her daughter." His voice expressed disgust at the word. "The woman who clung to me, clung to my throne. She never forgave me for casting her aside, marrying someone else."

He's talking about Seline. The woman I had once called mother. My smiled widened at his increasingly frantic tone.

"I thought giving you the engagement would satisfy her need for revenge. At least her daughter would be queen! But then... I saw your eyes at Ronan's birthday party. And I realized... She didn't want her daughter to simply succeed my position, she had brought her up to destroy me."

I thought of the moment our eyes met in the ballroom that day, the coldness I had found there.

"You thought I was that woman's pawn?"

"Of course! She had raised you to hate me, to destroy me! She was obsessed with me and I betrayed her! And you were her revenge!" His voice was slowly raising in volume. I held up my knife, warning him, and he quieted his tone, although he remained belligerent. "I knew I had to either bind you to the crown or destroy you."

This was how he viewed me? His fear, his paranoia, his determination to defeat me, all stemmed from this? I couldn't help it, I began to chuckle.

"Wha..." He stared at me in shock as the chuckle grew into a laugh, continuing until tears were rolling from my eyes.

"Fool." A single word, but he flinched at it.

"You made the same mistake that everyone around that woman does. You thought that because you betrayed her, she would be obsessed with you? Want revenge?" I shook my head. "Seline has only ever cared about one person, and one person only: herself."

She hated the king who betrayed her, but never sought his attention once she turned her back. She had tried to push me to be Queen, but not for revenge. She had only wanted the benefits for herself.

"She is a very simple person. She wants to be rich, she wants to be pampered, she wants to be happy." I listed these off while counting on my fingers. "When you left her she hated you, yes... but she immediately sought out the next available rich and powerful young man to marry, thinking he would dote on her. And when that didn't work out..."

I thought of the bitter woman I had grown up around, who hated my father for not adoring her after being forced into marriage with her. Who after realizing that having a child that would be Queen didn't give her the attention and pampering she felt she deserved immediately abandoned us both in search of a new lover. She had never looked back, except to protect her image.

"Do you really think I was working with her?" I leaned forward, and the King flinched. "I was the one who destroyed her."

I had quietly released the truth about her among the merchants and nobility. The truth of her actions and despicable nature was slowly spreading, with no indication of their source. The king must have heard of them, but hadn't realized that the person he had considered her pawn had turned against the woman who gave birth to her.

"No, that's not true. You are her revenge..." He started to mutter but I interrupted him, my bright smile causing him to shudder.

"She's already abandoned you long ago."

"..." He stared at me in silent shock.

"You have been wrong about so many things, Your Majesty. Wrong about Seline. Wrong about me and my motives. But most of all, your biggest mistake was this:" I twirled the throwing knife in my hand. "You thought that the reason I didn't fight back was because I couldn't... because I was scared."

"You..."

A pile of documents landed on the table where I threw them, the sound silencing the King's retort.

"The only reason I haven't moved was because you were never worth being my opponent in the first place."

I had ignored his attempts to force me to marry. I had turned a blind eye to his schemes to take my life. But now...

He had touched my people.

I thought of Hallers, still recovering from his injuries at the Queen's private suite. Of Rig and Nate, whose safety in Tilendria was still unknown.

I pointed at the stack.

"What is that?" His voice betrayed his confusion and fear.

"I'm not a ruler like you, Your Majesty. I'm not a warrior, a spy or a revolutionary." I grinned, "I'm a businesswoman."

He looked at the papers once more.

"And I'm here to do business."

Slowly, a shaking hand reached out towards the stack of papers, turning them and reading them one by one. The rest of the color completely drained from his face, until he looked like someone half-dead.

"An accurate representation of my wealth. You must have been surprised when I recently revealed myself as the owner of Prosperity, right?" I watched his face, and the look in his eyes made me feel happy. "You have probably been scrambling, realizing that your enemy was stronger than you thought. But you were still wrong."

He flinched at the last word.

"I'm much more powerful than even that." I pointed at the papers, and he continued to read. "Not only do I control Prosperity, but I've slowly been investing in different businesses within Reterland over the past five years. There's very few places that are not connected to me financially, one way or the other."

"..." He flipped to the last page, shaking his head as if to deny the information before him.

"What do you think would happen if I pulled out all of my money from Reterland?"

At those words the King's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "You wouldn't! You could lose everything!"

"Lose everything?" The thought made me laugh. "No. I would only lose a lot of money. Most of it, in fact." I leaned back in my chair, my eyes on his. "But I would have my life. My loved ones. I can start over and build everything again."

I had already done it once. For them? I would do it over again a thousand times.

"But Reterland's economy? It would be crippled. It would never recover."

"Why...?"

"But that is only the beginning."

Another stack of papers landed. This time he viewed them with clear terror.

"Go ahead. Read it You not looking at it won't change anything. I'll simply tell you the contents." The turning blade in my hand reflected the firelight around the room, he stared at the sight, seemingly dazzled. "It's every dirty secret within the nobility. Everything they've strived to keep hidden, all written neatly upon every page. Every noble." I smiled sadly. "Even my father."

I had initially excluded him from Rig's investigations, but now his secrets were on the second page.

"Even you."

The King's secrets were on the first.

He picked up the top page, his hands shaking as he read it slowly.

"So many dirty secrets, evil deeds done in the shadows. Hiring corrupt men to infiltrate the Duchy, weaken it from within? Spreading rumors and lies? Drugging a daughter of the nobility to attach her to your son? How hideous."

Of course there were many, many more on that page. The Duchy of Armeny wasn't the only power he had sought to cripple.

"The people of this nation are so important. How will they react when so many of the nobility are revealed to be corrupt? How much faith will they have in them? In you?"

"..." He couldn't reply, he just stared at the page in front of him. I needed to push harder.

"The nobility isn't the only part of this kingdom I've been watching."

A third and final stack. This time he picked it up immediately, before dropping it again as if it were burning his hand. It may have felt like that to him.

"Exact locations and numbers of your troops, your weapons... everything."

"This is a declaration of war." He mumbled, not looking away from the paper in front of him. "Tilendria..."

"Could destroy you in an instant." I tapped a finger on the paper, catching his attention once more. "With a crippled economy, disgraced leadership and exact knowledge of the enemy's military? I could place a five year old at the head of an army and he could take you down."

The King's lips drew back in a snarl at my words, even as he seemed to be desperately searching for a way to deny them. I stood up, vaulting over the table, arriving at the King's side in an instant. He shrunk back in his chair but was unable to avoid the blade at his throat, or block the whisper in his ears.

"If none of that matters to you then consider this: How did I get here without raising a single alarm?"

His eyes were wide with fear as he stared up at me.

"How many of your people are already mine for me to walk calmly in and drug your fire?"

I had actually arrived through the secret passages but there was no need to tell him that. I reached out and took the wine glass from his table with my free hand, tipping it back and drinking from it. All the while the point of my dagger dug into the monarch's throat. "How easy would it be to poison your wine? Your fire? A needle in your bed?" I laughed coldly, setting the empty glass down.

"Do you believe me now when I say that I never wanted your throne?"

The King's gaze was steady on me as he gave the slightest nod of his head, wary of the knife in my hand. He was convinced. How could he not be?

If I had wanted the throne, I could have taken it any time I wanted.

"You were never my opponent." I stepped away, still holding the knife, walking towards the door. "A scared old man who desperately clung to his throne, chasing shadows... when you were never prepared to sacrifice what you needed to in order to win against me."

He was different then me. He saw everyone around him as threats or tools, moving according to his whim. He was willing to sacrifice everyone else to protect everything he had....

While I was willing to sacrifice everything I had to protect everyone else.

"What do you want?" The same question as earlier, but this time it carried the sound of defeat.

I smiled. "I want you to do nothing."

"..." His face was incredulous, it made me laugh.

"Rule your kingdom, for as long as that lasts. Do not look at me. Do not turn towards those under my protection. If you touch a single hair on their heads..."

I paused, trying to compose the expression on my face. I couldn't completely succeed, however, by the look of terror in his eyes.

"I will destroy everything."

My final threat. I meant every word. A moment of hesitation, any crack in the confidence I displayed, could spell the difference between victory and continued danger for them

The King weakly nodded, looking much smaller than he had before. "I will do as you say."

"Good."

THUD

The third dagger flew into the fireplace, splitting open a small bag of powder, which combined with the fire, letting out blue smoke once more.

"Remember this promise."

The King's eyes remained on me even as he started to sway, the effect of the drug taking hold.

"Oh, and one more thing:" I turned away "I'm taking your wife with me."

The King slipped into unconsciousness under my gold gaze.

______________________________

I arrived back at the Duchy to pick everyone up.

"Is it over?" Henry greeted me with a smile.

I nodded. "it's over."

"Are you leaving? For good?" He looked sad. Reaching out and hugging him, I nodded quietly.

"I'll miss you." He reached over and picked something up, tucking it behind my ear. A flower. Of course. I left it in place, smiling back.

"Well, you better come and visit then. And of course I'll always be willing to help out with the duchy."

"Nate still owes me some plants, so I'll take you up on that." We hugged again, and I blinked back tears.

"See you soon."

______________________________

As we packed up and prepared to leave, I heard someone call out my name quietly. Pausing as I was about to enter the carriage, I looked over to see the pale face of my father as he stood in the doorway, watching me.

"Your daughter is in prison. For trying to kill me." My words were short, cold. He shuddered and stepped back.

"Lenora... I'm..." His voice faded, unable to say the last word.

He wasn't sorry. He was so focused on the future he had lost that he had never once thought of making a new one with me.

"The paperwork for you to hand over the Duchy to Henry completely has been prepared. Sign it before tomorrow." It was a threat. I knew his secrets. He may not care about himself, but for the woman he still loved...

"I'll sign it." He had no hesitation. It had been a long time since my father had cared about the Duchy at all. "Are you leaving already?"

I smiled. "I have to go home."

Where Nate was. Where my family was. It was time to go home.

I left him behind, never looking back.

______________________________

"Why are you so nervous?" Queen Amerande smiled at me as she held my hand in the carriage. I clutched at the reassuring warmth, feeling sick to my stomach as I thought of what waited for me ahead. I would rather confront the king a hundred more times than face what was before me now.

"They said he was injured." I whispered, staring down at my lap, trying to take slow deep breathes.

"Yes, but he and Rig both made it back alive." She patted my head. "Isn't that a reason to be relieved?"

They were alive. I couldn't help but smile, despite my nervousness. We had received a letter while we traveled. Rig had arrived in time to warn Nate of the bandit's true nature. Nate had already gathered a strong force, and with knowledge of where their reinforcements were coming from, had managed to cut the secret army in half, defeating them soundly. They were recovering now in a small border town of Tilendria, where our carriage was heading right now.

"He's waiting for you." Was all that Rig's note had said to tell me.

I frowned. "I don't know if I can do this."

Hallers, Lia and the Queen all stared at me kindly, none of them needing to ask what I was worried about.

It was one thing to recognize my feelings. It was another to face them openly. To trust him with my heart.

I was terrified.

I felt a warm hand on my head. Hallers, still bandaged in multiple places, smiled at me. "You have us behind you, Miss. Live freely. Don't be afraid."

We won't let you fall alone.

The words unsaid brought tears to my eyes. I nodded, feeling stronger as the carriage slowly came to a stop.

"There's two men waiting on the road ahead." The driver called out. I felt my heart beat faster as I looked out through the window. Rig remained on a horse, looking tired, but happy. And there, standing on the road, waiting was Prince Nathaniel of Tilendria.

The man I loved.

The man who loved me.

I stepped out of the carriage, walking towards him.

______________________________

"Love is useless." The words escaped through chapped, broken lips. I was curled up in a ball in an alley. Pain. Hunger. Exhaustion. I could feel death's presence hanging over me, and I was tired of fighting it.

I had loved my mother, but she had only loved herself.

I had loved my father, but he never even looked once in my direction.

I had loved Edith, and she had betrayed me, taking my engagement with a smile.

I had loved Ronan, but he had never wanted to even know my name.

I had loved Queen Amerande... but she had forgotten about me.

Love was a useless thing. A weakness. If there was any life after death, I would never love again. I would find wealth. I would find power. I would eat until I was full every day.

But I would never ever love again.

I closed my eyes for the last time.

______________________________

I kept my eyes wide open as I looked at the man I loved. His left arm was bandaged heavily, he had large bruise on one cheek, but he was smiling. The warm, loving smile that I knew so well.

"Lenora."

I sighed at the sound of my name. I kept walking. The fear, the hesitation were still present but smaller than the force within me driving me forward. Arriving in front of him, we both stood there for a few moments, staring at each other.

"This is for you." His hand reached out, and in it was an envelope, so similar to the others he had given me over the years.

How many times had he supported me?

I had lost count.

At my expression he laughed, a pleasant, lighthearted sound. "I promise this is the last one."

I took it, the paper smooth against my fingertips, shaking with the trembling of my hand. The last one. Because after this, he would have nothing left to give me. A smile crossed my face as I slowly opened the paper, reading the words written inside.

"This may seem sudden. I know that you don't believe that love is a good thing. Especially after that idio... after everything you've been through, I understand if you're not ready to trust me. But I had to tell you what I hope for. What my dream is."

The paper in my hand drifted slowly to the ground. It settled there, halfway between us. Nate frowned at the sight, anxiety creeping into his gaze as he looked up at me.

I smiled at him. "I love you."

"..." He seemed frozen. I waited for a few moments, wondering if I needed to say something else, but then his entire face turned red and he crouched down on the ground covering his head.

"So unfair!" He muttered. "I wasn't expecting it."

I laughed. "You weren't expecting me to tell you 'I love you' after you proposed?" I looked back down at the paper, the words facing upwards towards me. Clearly written on there was a simple request, but one that changed everything.

Please marry me. Spend forever by my side.

I wanted all of that and more.

Finally he stood up, and although his face was still red, Nate's gaze was clear as he took a deep breath and spoke once more.

"I love you too. Will you marry me?"

Love is useless.

I left those words behind me. I reached out and touched his face, and then stepped closer.

"Yes."

My lips touched his for only a short moment, but we each sighed with relief at the contact. I parted only the smallest distance from him. We were both smiling.

"We have a lot to talk about."

He would know my past. Everything. It would be easier to say this time around. I looked behind me, smiling gratefully at the Queen and Hallers, who both had exited the carriage and were cheering loudly. Rig grinned as he got off of his horse and patted Nate on the back.

"Congrats, both of you." Rig and I looked at each other, and I knew what he was excited to get a new member of the family.

"I'll write to Erica and Marile." Lia had stepped out as well. "We'll hear the screams from here."

"I'll tell them in person when we arrive home. After that, we'll never hear the end of it." I pretended to complain, but knew that they would both be happy for me. They were part of it too after all. Our family.

"Good." Nate reached out and took my hand. "Let's go home."

Home.

Nate and I walked hand in hand towards the carriage, ready to head back to the capital. As we walked I couldn't help but think of everything that had led up to this. My former life. The struggles I had gone through. The hatred, the bitterness, the vengeance I had been caught up in without even knowing why.

I still didn't know why I had been given a second chance at life.

But now, as I stood with the family that cared for me, the one that I had protected, I couldn't help but look forward to the future.

One I would create with those I loved