What Fire Chose

You Must Wait

Cassian didn't let go of her hand immediately. His fingers lingered around hers for only a heartbeat longer before his expression turned solemn. "We've spent years at war." His voice remained calm. Yet every word carried undeniable weight. "We've lost armies."

A brief silence followed. "We've lost our people." Elara listened without saying a word. Cassian slowly shook his head. "But this..." "...is different." His eyes met hers without wavering. "This wasn't done only to you..." "...or to Vareth."

A short pause. "If what you've told me is true..." The sea breeze slipped through his dark hair. "...then this was done to all of us." The expression on Elara's face slowly changed. Cassian continued. "Trying to assassinate a ruler..."

"...is one thing." "Invading a kingdom..." "...is another." He took a step closer. "But trying to bend the will of an element..." For the first time, restrained anger surfaced in his voice. "...is a challenge to every law upon which our world was built." Silence.

Almost absentmindedly, Elara glanced down at their hands. Only then did Cassian realize he was still holding hers. He released it at once. As though he had crossed a line without meaning to. But he continued speaking. "No one can buy an element." "No one can steal one."

"And no one..." "...can replace the true heir through deceit." The cool sea breeze drifted across the terrace once more. For the first time in what felt like forever... Elara smiled. It was small. Subtle. But genuine. "Thank you." Cassian inclined his head. "You don't need to thank me for that."

"I'm simply stating the truth." Elara took a few slow steps backward. Suddenly, it felt as though every ounce of strength had left her body. Her shoulders felt unbearably heavy. Even her eyelids ached with exhaustion. "I think..." She drew a tired breath. "...I need to rest."

Cassian offered no objection. "I think you're right." Together, they walked back inside the palace. Elara's steps were still unsteady. Cassian noticed. Without saying a word, he slowed his own pace to match hers. The only sound echoing through the corridor was the rhythm of their footsteps.

Neither of them spoke. There was still so much left unsaid. But neither had the strength to say it. Eventually, they stopped outside the door to Elara's chamber. Cassian turned toward her. "There will be two guards outside your door." Elara looked up. "So I'm no longer a guest..."

The faintest smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "...I've become a prisoner instead?" A slight smile appeared on Cassian's face as well. "No." "Quite the opposite." He met her gaze. "You're the most valuable guest under my protection." For several seconds, Elara simply looked at him.

Trying to decide... Whether he truly meant those words. Finally, she gave a small nod. "...All right." She opened the door. Stepped inside. And quietly closed it behind her.

The moment the door closed behind her... The last of Elara's strength vanished. She leaned against the wooden door. Slowly... Her knees gave way. She slid down until she was sitting on the cold floor. The determination that had kept her standing throughout the day... Simply disappeared. Her trembling hand flew to her mouth.

The first sob escaped before she could stop it. Then another. And another. She pressed her palm tightly over her lips, desperate to keep the sound from carrying beyond the door. But she couldn't stop the tears. She had lost her husband. She had lost her kingdom. She had lost her people.

And then... Almost instinctively... Her hand drifted to her abdomen once more. What if... What if I really am pregnant? What if... She couldn't finish the thought. Her shoulders shook violently. On the other side of the door... Cassian heard the first muffled sob. Then another.

Slowly, he closed his eyes. For a brief moment... He considered knocking. He imagined walking inside... Sitting beside her... Without saying a single word. Then he abandoned the thought. Some grief... Could not be shared. And some wounds... Had to be carried alone.

Quietly, he turned away. His footsteps echoed through the corridor as he disappeared into the distance. Elara never left her room that night. Hours passed. She cried until no tears remained. She sat silently on the edge of the bed. Then stood. Walked to the window. Turned back again.

Her thoughts circled endlessly around the same names. Dorian. Betrayal. The throne. The ambush. The crystals. And... The hand resting protectively over her abdomen. Every road her thoughts traveled led to the same question. What if it were true? What if a new life had truly begun within her? She squeezed her eyes shut.

No. She didn't know. She refused to cling to hope that might not exist. First... She had to survive. Only then could she learn the truth. The hours crawled by. Her anger returned. Then faded. Only to return again.

At one point, she stopped before the large mirror standing across the room. She stared at her reflection for a long time. Bloodshot eyes. Pale cheeks. Shoulders weighed down by exhaustion. The woman staring back at her... Didn't look like the Queen of Vareth. She drew a slow breath.

Then walked to the washbasin. She splashed cold water across her face. Once. Then again. She gathered her long black hair behind her shoulders. Her wet hands lingered against her skin. Finally... She looked into the mirror once more. The pain was still there. It hadn't disappeared. But now...

It could no longer be seen. The queen had returned to her face. She no longer believed there was a single unbroken piece left inside her. But no one else would ever know that. She could shatter. She could grieve. She could cry until her heart gave out. But... Never in front of anyone else.

Morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows, filling the room with a warm golden glow. Elara stood before the door for several silent moments. Then, taking one last steady breath, she reached for the handle. When the door opened, the two guards stationed outside immediately straightened.

Neither of them spoke. They simply bowed and silently fell into step behind her. As she walked through the palace corridors, the sunlight filtering through the towering windows caught the crimson highlights woven through her black hair. For the first time...

The servants of Nerevia truly saw her. No one dared to hold her gaze for long. Some lowered their eyes out of respect. Others out of caution. She remained the Queen of Fire. Even here. By the time she reached the dining hall, Cassian had already begun breakfast.

He looked up as she entered. His gaze lingered on her face for only a few seconds. The swollen eyes. The pale complexion. The exhaustion she had carefully concealed. And yet... She stood as straight as ever.

He said nothing. A servant quietly stepped forward and pulled out a chair for her. Elara took her seat. "Good morning." Cassian inclined his head. "Good morning, Vaelor." A brief silence settled between them. Then he asked, "How are you today?" Elara lowered her eyes to the plate before her.

For a moment... She considered the question. Did he truly want an honest answer? Or was this merely courtesy? She looked back at him. A faint smile touched her lips. "I'm fine." She picked up her fork and took a small bite. "My wound still hurts."

A brief pause. "But I'm fine." Cassian held her gaze for several seconds. Both of them knew it wasn't true. Still... He gave a slight nod. "I'm glad to hear that." The subject ended there. Neither of them tried to reopen it. Silence settled over the table once more. This time...

It wasn't uncomfortable. Neither of them had the strength for conversation. Breakfast passed quietly. When it was over, Elara returned to her room. Cassian disappeared into his study. Hours slipped by. Elara stood beside the window, watching the city below. Life in Nerevia continued as though nothing had happened.

People hurried through the streets. Ships arrived at the harbor. Others departed. Merchants shouted across the docks. Children laughed somewhere in the distance. The world continued to move forward. Only hers...

Had come to a halt. Without warning, Dorian's face surfaced in her mind. His smile. The vows they had exchanged. The night he had whispered, "I love you." Her hands slowly clenched into fists. No. She couldn't do this anymore. She wanted to look into his eyes. She wanted to hear the answer from his own lips.

Why? Why had he betrayed her? Why had he tried to kill her? And why... Had the entire kingdom believed she was dead... When no one had ever found her body? She drew a sharp breath. Enough. She strode toward the door.

Yanking it open, she stepped into the corridor without another thought. Her pace was quick. Purposeful. The guards hurried after her, exchanging confused glances. They knew exactly where she was going. The King's study.

Elara didn't bother knocking. She threw the door open. It slammed against the wall with a resounding crash. Cassian looked up from the documents spread across his desk. One eyebrow lifted ever so slightly. "It is customary to knock before entering someone's office, Your Majesty."

As the door swung shut behind her, Elara offered him a smile devoid of warmth. "Don't misunderstand me." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm grateful you saved my life." She began pacing across the room. "But half of what you've told me still doesn't make any sense." She stopped.

Her eyes locked onto his. "And I'm done sitting here waiting." Cassian remained seated. He simply watched her. Patiently. Silently. Elara turned toward him again. "Why am I still trapped here?" Her voice echoed through the study. "I want to return to Vareth." She took another step forward.

"I want to look Dorian in the eyes." Her hands curled into tight fists. "I want to hear him tell me why." Her breathing grew uneven. "And then..." Her voice became colder than steel. "...I'll kill him with my own hands." Silence. "And when I'm done..." Her eyes never left Cassian's.

"I'll scatter his ashes from the summit of Mount Ignis." For the briefest moment... The corner of Cassian's mouth lifted. "You haven't changed at all, Vaelor." Elara stopped in her tracks. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" At last, Cassian rose from his chair. He walked around the desk until he stood directly before her. "He announced your death."

"He took your power." "He convinced an entire kingdom to believe it." A brief silence followed. "Everyone believed him..." "...except one person." Elara frowned. "Who?" Cassian met her gaze without hesitation. "You." The room fell silent. Cassian continued.

"Because he knows you." "You don't surrender." "You don't run." "You don't hide." He took another step closer. "You come back." Elara's jaw tightened. "That's exactly why..." "...you're more dangerous to him now than you've ever been." At the very same moment, they spoke. "Because I'm alive."

"Because you're alive." Silence settled between them once more. Cassian's voice softened. "If you return to Vareth today..." "...Dorian will be waiting." Elara said nothing. "This time..." "...he won't make the same mistake twice." The words lingered in the air. Heavy. Impossible to ignore.

Elara ran both hands through her hair in frustration. "Right now..." "Everything is under his control." "Not Fire." Her answer came without the slightest hesitation. "I'm still Fire's rightful heir." Cassian nodded. "I know." "You know." He paused briefly. "But your people don't."

"The generals don't." "The dukes don't." "The rest of the world doesn't." He stepped closer. "And wars..." His voice remained calm. "...aren't won by the truth." A heartbeat passed. "They're won by what people believe." Elara fell silent. For the first time... She had no answer. Cassian didn't press his advantage.

He didn't raise his voice. He didn't speak like a man who had won an argument. He simply continued stating the truth. "There's something you're forgetting." Elara looked up. "I spent years as your enemy." "I studied your armies." "I analyzed your campaigns." "I tried to predict your every move." He drew a slow breath.

"And despite all that..." "...I already know what you're about to do." Silence. Cassian took one final step toward her. "But what about Dorian?" Elara's gaze hardened. Cassian's voice dropped almost to a whisper. "He knew you even better than I did." Neither of them spoke.

Then he asked the question she couldn't escape. "Do you really think..." "...he never considered what your first move would be?" Elara's shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly. The fury inside her hadn't disappeared. But for the first time... She could see where that fury would lead.

Cassian watched her quietly for a few moments. Then, in a voice both gentle and unwavering, he spoke. "You must wait." A bitter smile crossed Elara's lips. "Waiting..." Her voice was weary. "...has never been one of my strengths." "I know." Cassian inclined his head slightly. A brief silence followed.

"That's exactly why..." "...it's something you must learn." Elara never looked away from him. Cassian's final words were calm. Steady. Certain. "This war..." He paused. "...won't be won by anger." Another heartbeat passed. "It will be won..." "...by patience."

Silence filled the study once again. This time... Elara didn't argue. Because for the very first time... She found herself wondering whether Cassian Thaleryn... Might actually be right.