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When we finished telling our story, the king was visibly shaken. He had his hand pressed to his chest, breathing heavily.
“Are you alright, Father?” Lilith rushed to his side, helping him into an armchair that rested by the open window. “Let me pour you a glass of water.”
She grabbed a nearby pitcher that rested on a small coffee table and proceeded to pour him a glass of water, which he took gratefully, drinking thirstily. He exhaled deeply, as if that burden was still on his back, and he doubted that he would ever be able to get rid of it.
“So, it was Luke’s fault that Cassandra is no longer with us?” he whispered.
“Yes, but he was also deceived,” Lilith tried to explain. “He lost himself in the witch’s machinations and he was not strong enough to come back to the surface again.”
The king shook his head again, lost in his own thoughts. We gave him a few moments to compose himself. Then, he continued.
“It is a tragedy what happened to us,” he said sadly. “But I know that your sister wouldn’t want us to grieve. She would want us to come together and remember that we are still here, together.”
“I know she is in a better place, Father,” Lilith assured him. “She is with Mother, and they will be waiting for us there.”
Upon hearing those words, his eyes sparkled. “I do believe that, my dear, with all my heart.” He smiled at us both. “And it is so good to have you both back safe and sound.”
“Your Majesty is most kind,” I replied, my voice steady despite the nervous flutter in my stomach. I knew that I wanted this more than anything else, but at the same time, I wanted to be worthy of Lilith’s hand in the eyes of her father.
The king then turned his attention to Lilith, and I noticed a fondness in his eyes as he spoke. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal, my dear. I am glad that someone like Adrian was by your side.”
I felt a rush of relief at the king’s words, sensing that he approved of my presence in Lilith’s life. Still, I knew that the most challenging part was yet to come—revealing the true nature of our relationship.
“Your Majesty,” I began, my heart pounding, “there is something we need to tell you.”
Both Lilith and the king turned to me, and I felt the weight of their gazes. I took a deep breath, knowing that there was no turning back now.
“Lilith and I have grown close during our time together,” I continued, my voice steady. “And our feelings for each other have deepened beyond friendship. Your daughter and I have fallen in love.”
There was a moment of silence, and I held my breath, waiting for the king’s response. His expression softened, and I saw a mixture of surprise and understanding in his eyes.
“I see,” he said, his tone measured. “Love can be a powerful, unexpected force, one that defies all expectations. If you both have found happiness in each other, then you shouldn’t let anyone stand in your way, not even this old fool who has forgotten what young love was supposed to be like.”
A surge of relief washed over me, and I glanced at Lilith, whose eyes were filled with gratitude and joy. We had been given the king’s blessing, and it meant more to us than we could express.
“Thank you, Father!” Lilith jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The king laughed, for the first time since losing his older daughter.
“You both have my blessing,” he said out loud. “Besides, we have the whole place ready for a wedding anyway. How about we do it when it was planned?”
Lilith and I exchanged a glance. I could see a flicker of concern in her eyes.
“Are you sure you would be alright with that, Father?” she asked cautiously, because it was a touchy subject. After all, so many things had happened. Maybe he needed some more time to grieve, before celebrating.
“I will never forget what your mother, may she rest in peace, told me a few days before she died,” he spoke wistfully, but happily. “She told me not to forget that life goes on. It doesn’t stop. When something wonderful happens, when something horrible happens, it just keeps on going and so should we. We shouldn’t linger too much on anything, because we will miss the moments that are coming. They might pass us by, because we were too busy lingering in the past, focusing on emotions we didn’t want to let go. I doubt that Cassandra would want us to grieve too long, to be sad. She would want us to remember her as she was, joyful and kind. She would want usto celebrate life as she saw it. And that is what we will do by honoring the date of your wedding.”
“I like the sound of that, Father,” Lilith exclaimed.
There was still so much pain within these walls, but something assured me that together, we would handle it somehow.
“I’m glad,” the king smiled. “But now, maybe you’d like to rest a little.”
As soon as he mentioned that, I realized how exhausted I truly was. I was in desperate need of rest, and I was sure that Lilith felt the same way.
“And tomorrow morning, there is something I would like to show you, Lilith,” he turned to his daughter.
“What is it?” she asked.
He smiled tenderly. “It’ll have to wait. You don’t want to ruin the surprise, do you?”
