Lorand's POV

Chills run down my spine.  I feel like I'm going to burst.  My knees buckle, and I barely avoid collapsing.

“No!” Aveline gasps into my shoulder as she grips my arm.

Lilac is lying facedown in the middle of the hallway, completely motionless.  Her battle axe is far away. The handle has been broken in two.

“Lilac…” Nellie whispers tearfully.

We drop our weapons and run over to her body.  Aveline leans against me as we kneel next to her, starting to cry.

Lilac was a brave soul, always willing to help no matter what.  She was one of the strongest people I knew. She was always calm and kind, a relaxing presence that made me feel safe.

“Thank you so much for always being so fearless and loyal,” I tell her.  “Without you, I don't know where I’d be. Thank you for giving your life to save me…”

“That's sweet.  Really. But sorry, that last part wasn't true.”

W-what?

Lilac rolls over on her side, chuckling a bit.

“Darn you!” Nellie cries, wiping a tear out of her eye.

Lilac sits up, and Aveline hugs her.  “We thought you were gone!”

Nellie laughs.  “Don't do that again!”

Lilac shakes her head.  “Don't worry, I won't. Not unless I have to.”  She coughs.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah.  Morden broke my battle axe.  Then he pushed me down and kicked me a few times.  I played dead to get him to stop before anything happened.”  She bites her lip. “But then he came after you… Stupid me. I should have known.”

“Don't be so hard on yourself,” I assure her.  “I'd have to face him anyway, and it was better with you alive.”

She smiles.  “Thank you. What happened to him?”

“I pushed him down the stairs.  He went unconscious, and Lorand and Aveline locked him in a cell.”

Lilac glances up at my head.  “And you took the crown.”

“Aveline gave it to me, actually,” I say, blushing and reaching for my love’s hand.  She reaches out and clasps mine, then gives me a kiss on the cheek.

“I must say, it suits you well,” Lilac comments.

“Oh, I…”  To be honest, I'm not sure if I can lead the kingdom.  Sure, I was born a prince, but for the past few years, I've just been a shy servant with no authority whatsoever.  How am I supposed to be king?

“Lorand,” Aveline murmurs gently.  “I think it's time you took the throne.”

“No,” I reply.  “Not for another year, at least.  If I ever got the chance, I would be crowned at seventeen…”

Nellie puts her hand on my shoulder.  “We need a king now.”

I take a deep breath.  They're right. This is my place.  My role. I need to fulfill it. The whole kingdom has been suffering under Morden, or so I've heard.  It's time I change things for the better.

I stand, and the light seems to permeate fully through the windows again.  Wings flutter above me on their way to exits. Every step I take, the air becomes more refreshing, and the castle begins to renew itself.  Perhaps it's all just a trick of the imagination. But then I hear a remark about how brilliant everything is all of a sudden, and I can't help but think that maybe it does have something to do with me.  As I pass my mother's portrait again, I feel a soft kiss on my cheek, and a hint of a voice in the breeze-

“My wonderful son.”

I’ll make you proud, Mother.

I promise.