Q&A July and Short pov (Cecilia)

Question: In the next update, will we know Tyler's opinion on what happened in the last update?

Definitely yes, and more. If there's a friendship with Tyler, he will appear to help the MC at a certain point, even serving as support during some scenes. You will be able to question him there.

Question : Hello, I don't know if it was asked but if MC's mother was alive and he said he is in love with someone Eleazar doesn't approve of like Hayden or Nix and knows the consequences and still asks for her help. What would the Duchess' attitude be?

She would approve, but more because of the mc, as she doesn't like the royal family (for the pain they caused to her people and Eleazar, and also doesn't like the Akalians because of the past and the terrible things they did to the elementals). Still, for the mc and their happiness, she would accept it, and even give Eleazar a few earfuls if he was stupid about who the mc loves and cares about.

Question: On April 26, during the Q&A session, you said you would write a short point of view from Cecilia, where she tells Hayden what happened to the MC's mother. But I couldn't find it on the list of things you're writing. So, I just want to know if you're working on it or if I'm just bad at navigating Patreon?

I'm not going to lie, I forgot about that POV 😅 I remembered Alice's but forgot Cecilia's with Hayden. Thank you for mentioning it, otherwise, I wouldn't have remembered. It will be there below for you.

Question: Would Alexandra act the same way Eleazar is acting with the MC if she were the one to die? How would she train the MC? What would be her reaction to the incident with Sir Fion? If the MC died instead of Alexandra, how would their parents react?

No, she wouldn’t. She would be more kind, even understanding, giving the MC more time to recover before starting to train. She would be patient, teaching everything calmly and not as aggressively as Eleazar. Regarding Sir Fion, she would probably have him banished. Even though it would hurt to send a friend away like that, what he did was treason in Darian's eyes, and he could very well have tried to take the MC to sell or use as a hostage, since a Darian heir like the MC would be very valuable to slavers, nobles, and merchants. The MC is an elemental, of noble blood, who could be used as a weapon and even in other perverse ways (this even gave me an idea for a spin-off, but back to the question).

Alexandra would probably fall into depression, while Eleazar would be angry, sad, and blaming himself. But he would still try to keep things organized for the sake of Darian and the people, and also for Alexandra. He would try to spend time with his wife, trying to be there for her during this difficult time.

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Short POV Cecilia

It was too quiet. The only sound was her breathing and the wind passing through the high window. Hayden was standing at the edge of the balcony, looking out over the kingdom, and she saw the back of their white tunic. Wrinkled, probably from the time they spent lying in bed.

She remembers seeing them after the attack on their mother, crying in their sister's arms while the king shouted orders to soldiers and nobles. The desperation and chaos of that day couldn't compare to the silence that now reigned in the castle.

She didn't see Hayden when they received the news of their sister's death, shortly after their mother's passing, but she knew they screamed. The servants and commoners said that Hayden broke down in tears upon learning of their sister's death, but this time, there was no one to hold them in their arms when it happened.

No one comforted them, not even the king, even though he and other nobles were standing with Hayden when the news came. The king merely told the servants to take Hayden away and bring them to their room.

Her father said the king didn't want anyone to see the heir's pain more than they already had, and he was angry too. So much so that he ordered everyone to leave the room, and only her father stayed with the king at that moment. He cried; the king had cried, but with anger too. The war was costing too much for everyone, both nobles and commoners.

The sorcerer who caused Serah's death and all the soldiers who accompanied her was taken for execution shortly after, or so her father wanted her to believe. Her father could lie to many people, but she wasn't easily fooled, and he knew it. The look he gave when he said the matter had been dealt with and they shouldn't disturb Hayden with these matters was his way of saying not to speak too much to Hayden, that it wouldn't do any good for anyone. She wasn't sure what had happened to the sorcerer; if she was wrong, how much could it further destroy the king's relationship with Hayden? How much could it cause chaos and conflict, or more sadness and pain?

She didn't mention it. It was bad enough when she heard Hayden crying in their room that morning, and worse still when Hayden told her they wished it had been them who died instead of their sister, that Serah should be alive and breathing, not them. "She deserved to live; she was amazing. She would have been a wonderful queen, but... but she's gone, and I couldn't even say goodbye." Their voice was hoarse when Hayden said that. Cecilia remembers hugging them from the side, as they sniffled and tears soaked her clothes. "I should have died, not her - not her - Cel."

Seeing them now, looking more like a statue than a person, made Cecilia's heart ache. Hayden hadn't left their room for days and made little effort to speak after crying and mourning for so many days. They barely ate, only doing so at her insistence, and even then...

"A letter arrived from Darian," she said, clearing her throat. "Bad news... really bad news."

Hayden looked over their shoulder at Cecilia, and she couldn't help but soften her gaze when she saw Hayden's deep dark circles and pale face. They didn't speak, just stared at Cecilia with a tired look.

"The Duke and the heir(s) of Darian are fine, but Duchess Alexandra -" Cecilia began, hesitant. "She... she was killed by a wizard."

Hayden's expression changed, first to shock and then sadness, but they quickly looked away, and Cecilia couldn't see their expression anymore. She did see them grip the edge of the balcony tightly, and their shoulders tensed. "A terrible coincidence, isn't it?" There almost seemed to be mockery in their tone, but when Cecilia thought about reprimanding them, Hayden took a deep breath, and after a moment, She heard a sniffle and then Hayden swallowing hard. "We should... we should send a letter... it's the right thing... at least to show we care..."

"What would you like to say?" Cecilia asked, stepping forward, hearing Hayden's hoarse and low voice when they spoke again.

"That I'm very sorry for their loss. That I understand, and that... that I would like to do more to help." They let out a low huff. "No... better not, not that it matters... words won't help." They lower themselves, sitting on the floor, still with their back to Cecilia. "They don't... it won't matter."

"Maybe." Cecilia replies. "But it shows that we care, that at least we sent something." She walks over to sit beside them, but Hayden doesn't look at her when she sits down. "Do you want to write the letter? I can have it delivered. My father is already planning to send one to the Duke; we can send another as well."

Hayden slowly looks at Cecilia again, their gaze weary and their expression conflicted, but they nod slowly.

/In Darian/

"Here, sir." The soldier hands Eleazar both envelopes. He takes them with noticeable slowness, but he doesn't mind that the soldier sees. "The messenger from House Marven brought these this morning from Petrus."

His gaze narrows as he reads the names of the senders, and with a huff, both irritated and tired, he throws them into the fireplace. His eyes, full of anger, watch as they turn to ashes in moments. They don't need pity, sympathy, or anything from the Petrunians. They were strong enough to rebuild and fight for their home alone; they will be strong enough to overcome this.

Alone.