The king expected anything but the very thing he arrived to once his travelling party returned to Avelyn. Instead of being met with cheers and music like usual, he was met with angry people, glaring and shouting at him as his chariot made its way through the town.

Knights had to keep their guard up as some people even tried to get closer to the king.

Julian furrowed his eyebrows as he heard what the people were shouting about, and it only made his heart grow heavier.

He couldn't bear the thought of being the reason Clara's heart broke, but alas life was cruel sometimes. Though he assumed her heart to already be broken at the hand of the people she spent her entire life protecting and helping, he feared the news he brought her would only break her further.

But an idea made its way into his head as he gazed at the angry crowd of people.

"What is the meaning of this?" The king grumbled as soon as he walked into the castle to be met by his son, who stiffened up at his tone.

"The people, they're...they don't want Clara as general."

"I've noticed." He pointed a glare at him. "What caused it?"

"Uncle Rowan."

Harry froze, staring at his son with an intensity Victor could only remember one other person bearing it; and she hated him now.

"Explain, boy." Victor's heartbeat began to speed up, growing nervous around his father.

"He...He was the one that fanned the flames." Victor explained, recalling what he'd seen. "I just heard a ruckus outside and when I got there I saw a mob of people holding onto Clara as they demanded that she no longer be general. They were angry, father. They blamed the death of their sons on her..."

"So it wasn't Rowan?" His father's eyes narrowed at him.

"No- he was!" Victor stumbled on his words. "I calmed the people down but- Rowan he- He was supposed to help but he started telling them how they had to fight for what they believe in and not give up...that this is their kingdom-"

"Do you have proof?" Harry sighed.

"Are my words not enough?" He asked, taken aback by the lack of trust, Clara's words from the previous day ringing in his ears.

"You're accusing Rowan of treason, this is not a matter to be dealt with lightly."

"Ask anyone!" Victor's voice raised, disbelief and anger mixing into his tone. "Since you don't trust me enough, ask your precious general or even the people. Some of her knights were present as well."

Not letting him say anything else, victor left the room, shaking his head. He did not stop nor glance back as his father called his name.

Harry sighed and ran a hand down his face. He wanted to rest after a long journey home, but that seemed too far out of reach. He never expected that announcing Clara as general would cause a rebellion.

"Get Clara." He said to one of the guards standing nearby.

Minutes of the king pacing back and forth passed until Clara made her presence known; striding into the room confidently despite her pale face. The king was taken aback by her appearance, looking so weak and sick and yet standing tall with a stoic face.

"Welcome back, sire." She bowed her head respectfully.

He noticed the lack of energy in her voice, also missing her usual bright smile. 

"I don't feel welcome." He said, motioning for her to walk with her. "Why do the people riot against you?"

"They believe I'm unfit to lead our knights." She said, her voice empty of any emotion. "They blame me for the recent misfortunes. I agree with them."

"You agree with them?" He asked incredulously. 

"Of course I do." She nodded. "I made a mistake, and it cost many lives. I should have known better."

"What are you saying?" He asked. 

"I want to resign." She stopped walking, staring into his eyes.

"You can't!" He exclaimed.

 "It's the right thing to do!" Her voice grew fierce. "If I resign, the people will also calm down. Avelyn will be at peace!"

"Clara, you have to know, the people are wrong!" He argued.

"It's their lives in my hands, I think they have a say in who gets to protect them." She snapped, sending him a steely glare.

"Not when they don't know what's best for them." His icy tone matched hers, both sending challenging glares at each other.

Clara found this royal's glare much lighter than the one she faced the previous day.

"Why are you so insistent about this anyway?" She asked suspiciously. "We could easily name Alan or Julian as general and if you're so sure about my leadership then I could be the one in charge secretly."

She saw guilt flash in his eyes and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. The king remained silent for a moment, and she thought he was considering her plan, but then he sighed and turned away.

"No." He said. "You will keep the title, and that's an order."

"But why is the title so important?" She asked, refusing to let him walk away as she caught up to him and stood in his way. "Nothing has to change except for a mere title, and everyone will be at ease. Why do you care so much about my title?"

"Look, you're the closest one to Edwin's leadership-"

"But I'm not him!" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "No matter how hard I try, I can never be him. He was like no other, and I cannot live up to that."

Harry gulped and looked down at his feet.

"I am not Edwin." She said once more, letting her own words settle into her heart. "I'm sorry to disappoint you...But I will continue to disappoint you for as long as you expect to see him in my place."

"This is what he would have wanted." He said calmly, trying to convince himself.

"Seeing Avelyn breaking apart as its people fight each other?" She scoffed, crossing her arms. "That is not what he would have wanted. He would want peace, and I'm offering it yet you refuse to accept my plan, despite your faith in me to be general."

She couldn't understand why he wouldn't listen to her. If he didn't approve of her plans now, what made him think he'd agree with her plans in the future?

She watched as his eyes roamed the room, looking everywhere but at her.

Then she realized it.

"You feel guilty..." She muttered, loud enough for his eyes to snap at her, beginning to shake his head but she backed away, her heart beating so loud it drummed in her head. "You didn't make me general because you saw me fit...you did it because you feel guilty about Edwin, don't you?"

His silence was more than enough to answer her.

Clara laughed humorlessly, her hands getting tangled in her hair as she pulled on them, turning away from the king.

"All this...was to make yourself feel better." She turned to him again, her anger resurfacing again. "You don't believe I'm right for this either. So do your kingdom a favor, and let me go."

"I won't." He shook his head in shame. "I can't."

"I'm not him!" She yelled. "Can't you understand that?"

He could see her tears finally fall down her face, the red hue adding some color to her pale face. 

"I know you can be great." He said, his voice breaking. "He believed in you, and I owe it to him to believe in you too."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned and walked away from him.

"I'm done with this."

"Wait-"

"What?" She snapped.

"Did...did Rowan cause the uprising?"

"He encouraged them." She nodded. 

"Is there more proof?" He asked again, not missing the flash of annoyance in his eyes.

"This might be a hard task for you," she sneered. "but you might want to talk to the people themselves. They'll tell you exactly what they think."

With those words Clara walked away from the king just as his son had that day.

Hiding the tremble in her hands, Clara was walking to the new training place she had prepared for the women, since the mob of angry people knew where she lived, she couldn't risk them finding out about her training the women.

However she was stopped by Julian calling her name.

Turning to the sound of his voice, Clara's face relaxed immensely once she saw him. Instantly running into his arms, Clara buried her face into his chest, needing the comfort and warmth he brought her. Julian held onto her tightly, needing the comfort she brought him as well. His heart ached as he looked at her, seeing how weak she looked.

"You're sick..." He whispered, softly caressing her cheek before she leaned into his touch, putting her own hand on top of his.

"I'm okay, it's just a cold." She tried to smile but it didn't last long and it pained him even more. "It's just that...Everything is falling apart, Jul." 

He pulled her into his chest as she started sobbing and he had to hold her up as her knees buckled under her. Slowly he led the two of them to the ground, his arms wrapped around her protectively as she finally let out everything that she's been holding inside for so long. He whispered comforting words into her ear as one of his hands threaded through her hair.

"Come with me." He finally said when she calmed down and explained the situation to him. "If they don't want you, I do. I'll always want you."

"Go where?" Her eyes softened, her heart fluttering at his words. "And I'll always want you too."

"Clara, Rose is..." He sighed, tears pooling in his eyes. "She's too sick to travel here and I...I have to go to her."

"You're leaving?" She whispered, her voice cracking as more tears streamed down her face.

"I have no choice." He cupped her cheek softly, leaning his forehead on hers. "Come with me."

"I can't." Her voice broke. "This is my home...I want to, Julian. I want to be with you but...I can't leave."

"I don't want to leave you." He cried, holding onto her for dear life.

"I don't want you to either." She cried, hiccupping eventually. "But your sister needs you..."

"I need you though..." He said.

"Me too." She sniffled. 

"I'm sorry..." He whispered to her, leaning in to press his lips onto hers for what could be the last time.

They held onto each other for a few more moments before Julian had to leave and pack his belongings to move in with his sister.

"I'll never forget you." They parted with one final kiss, too heartbroken to be able to be in each other's company any longer.

Left to her own thoughts, Clara wiped away her tears and put on a strong façade, making her way to the field to continue training the women. However on her way, she heard yelling and she rushed to the source of it. Her eyes widened when she saw her knights hurting the people who were protesting.

Anger replaced her hurt as she charged up to them and pulled away her knight from the people.

"Hey!" She yelled fiercely. "No one hurts the people!"

She walked over to one of the armor clad men and pulled him off one of the people as the man underneath him scrambled away with the rest as soon as he was free.

"What the hell do you all think you're doing?" She yelled angrily, forcefully turning the man in front of her to face herself, her eyes furrowing when she didn't recognize him.

"Wha..." She muttered, suddenly growing dizzy. "Who the hell are you?"

Her body betrayed her by making the world spin around her, distracting her from noticing the man that was sneaking up behind her. Her sickness getting the best of her, she was too weak to even know she had to defend herself.

The last thing she remembered was seeing the stranger in front of her smirking as a sharp pain filled her head, and the world turned dark.

I should mention my friend Haidenissarcastic is starting a cult {fandom lol} for this story, so if you like this book so far...They'd like to talk to you.

Probably to plan my murder ngl.

I don't blame them lol.

I feel numb from what I wrote hahahahaha help.