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She had been seeing him, the cloaked figure, and he had been simply standing, waiting, and she could always hear the wails that followed him, the pain and agony in them lurking in the darkness behind him. He seemed to want to taunt her, scare her, but he never said anything or did anything.

She didn’t know if it coincided with the coughs, but it started around the same time, and no medicine seemed to work.

The fits of coughs had her in hold again, and she managed to lift herself up to her vanity table, and there, her vial of medicine sat. The doctor had said three drops would be fine, but she downed the entire bottle. The faster the relief, the better.

When she raised her head to look in the mirror, there was a lady in it, and it wasn’t her reflection.

Neera fell back, the chair clattering behind her.

The woman in the mirror was gone.

Neera reached under her covers for the knife she had sneaked in there, and was on her feet, her stance ready to fight. She looked around the room, waiting for her to show herself.

“Who is there?” Neera asked. Silence responded to her. Her powers gurgled with a force within her, and a faint pounding started in her head. Something was abound, and she could sense it.

.....

“Show yourself!” Neera ordered. But the curtains moved with a gust of air, a cloud of wind breezing through, and as it crawled around her, the coolness touching her, making its way under her fabric.

Neera could have sworn she heard a feminine voice speak to her as the wind made its way back to the window. And she could have sworn she heard the word ‘soon’ whispered in her ear.

….

A month passed so quickly, and Jasmine was not easily forgotten. The flowers were kept fresh on her grave, and the people came by with new ones every day. Although life had returned to normal, the grief hung in the air like a fog, and a respectful silence still ensued in the palace, and Zavian found it peaceful.

He was in his sister’s quarters, sitting in one of Freya’s chairs, its leather material worn from years of use but she still decided to keep it. She was poring over one of her books, the insatiable quest for knowledge a trait they both shared, although hers was a ravenous one, a mind with an ever-demanding appetite.

“So”, Freya licked a finger and flipped the page. Zavian disliked this habit of hers, but as long as they weren’t his books involved, he wouldn’t complain. “You sent Kitana away the second time around.”

“I didn’t need her in the first place.”

“You would soon be able to pick a bride,” Freya looked up at him. “With Selesee’s relationship sinking, you would need a strong Kingdom. Kitana’s looks promising, always had been from the start. Taos and Darstun have always had strong ties with Grenao. So it is the sensible choice.”

“And here I was thinking you miss Jasmine too”, Zavian said.

Freya shrugged a shoulder. “I can’t miss someone I barely know. Aaron will run out of patience if you waste any more time with his daughter. I heard he will get her married to Azriel in the end.”

“Good for him, it’s high time he got himself a wife,” Zavian said.

“And it is high time you get serious with me,” Freya scowled. She dropped the book and sat in the chair opposite him. “We have to start thinking about the future. No one is going to wait another five centuries for you to mourn.”

“I don’t need to wait for five centuries, Freya.”

“Good, now who are you picking? Kitana, which is the best option, Lyra…”

“…don’t even put her in…”

“…Okay, no Lyra. But Kitana is who you should be focusing on.”

“If you are so hell-bent on me finding a bride when Jasmine is yet to grow cold in her grave…”

“…well, she was warm enough when she was alive, so I heard how she died,” Freya interjected. She slapped her palm to her head. “Sorry, I should have resisted saying that. She deserves more respect. My brain just spewed that nonsense, carry on.”

“As I was saying,” Zavian paused, a warning not to be interrupted. “Since you are so focused on getting me a new wife, I believe you would be glad to know I have already made my choice.”

Freya’s eyes lit up the slightest bit. “Finally, we are getting somewhere.”

She waited for him to continue, but Zavian returned to writing in his scroll.

“Well?” She prompted.

“You would know in due time”, Zavian said.

“Why do I feel you are hiding it from me because I wouldn’t like it?” Freya put a hand on the scroll, stopping his writing and willing him to focus on her. “Is it Zelda? I don’t have anything against her if that is what you are thinking.” Freya searched his eyes, trying to know what he was thinking.

Her mind did not even for the slightest think that Zavian would choose that girl as queen, he would be delusional to think the kingdoms would allow it.

Zavian brushed her hand away. “When the time is due, you would know.”

Freya leaned away from him, her body still on the edge of her seat, her eyes searching his demeanor, looking for answers anywhere else than his words. He looked calm, composed, sure, she almost didn’t want to pry him anymore for an answer. He was a smart man, and the death of his Queen and the new madness unlocked in his concubine were enough to wise him up.