Young Writers Society

SilverNight wrote:I don't know, Hope, Destiny thought, blinking at Michael in confusion. Her hair fluttered in the wind as she stood still and silent. The words hadn't quite sunk in yet.

I lost my job.

Not King anymore? What did that mean for him, then? For all of them?

She frowned. Her mouth opened, but then no words came out, and she closed it again, feeling strangely helpless. Destiny knew this news would have come eventually, but she hadn't expected it to be this soon. And she never once would have thought they would be spoken with happiness.

Maybe it had always been a burden. Maybe all she'd seen before was the power, without remembering the price for holding on to it.

She wondered if it would cost them someday for him to let it go.

Beside her, Natalia was similarly still and silent, staring at Michael. Her mouth twitched uncertainly into a smile for a second, not matching the confused line of concern traced across her forehead. "What d..." She trailed off a moment, then shook her head slightly as if clearing it and finished, "What do you mean?"

"Ismelda... fired me," he said happily. "And now Sinestra is getting married and she'll be in charge and it's not my problem anymore and I can sleep for the first time since... uh..." He paused, trying to do math in his head. "...I think 2014?"

Destiny was still too stunned to point out the exaggeration about sleep. There was no bitterness. No reluctance. Just acceptance and eagerness. A willingness to step away and never look back.

Slowly, she breathed in deeply. And then out.

Maybe this is what he needs.

In and out again.

But how would Sinny be ready for it?

More deep breaths, as she tried to remain calm while doubts lingered in her mind.

She's so much younger. If he can't handle it any longer, then how would she...

Destiny nodded weakly, her head barely moving up and down. Her lips were pressed tightly together in an attempt to avoid any reaction on her face. The uncertainty could be found in her eyes, however.

There's going to be consequences for this, aren't there...?

"Ismelda... fired..." Natalia stared at him a second, then glanced towards Ismelda and Honorine's house briefly. Michael... wasn't-- king anymore?

He wasn't... the king anymore...

He wasn't the king.

And he was-- not just okay with that... He was happy...

He was happy.

Of course he was happy, how many times had he said to her, how many times had he told her or she'd seen it in his eyes, his sagging shoulders, his sapped down voice that he was tired.

Then why had she never realized that this would make him...

Natalia slowly drew in a breath and set her basket down on the porch, then quietly tucked her skirt under herself and sat beside Michael. Inside, she felt a bit like a schoolgirl being courted and didn't know why. She kept her dirt-caked fingers behind her knees as she tipped her head gently and studied his face. "You want this, Michael? You'll really be happy?"

"I can eat whatever I want now. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

Natalia bit her upper lip and studied him again. Then her lips pulled into a true smile, though not all the worry was gone from her face, and she rested her hand on his. "That's-- all I've ever wanted for you most is to happy," she said quietly. And he-- he seemed like he really would be, she wanted him to be. She hoped he would be. It was so sudden and-- hard to process still.

"Sinestra has the strength and will to do this," Michael said reassuringly. "She was my first pick last time, but Dream said no. She'll be a good queen."

Natalia hesitated, but nodded, squeezing his hand lightly. "She's a strong girl... She's smart..."

Sinny... Natalia stared at the ground near Michael's feet a moment as she processed that. She'd never expected to see any of her grandchildren crowned, not in her lifetime at least. At one time she'd thought her daughter maybe, Lilith, but then things had happened, nothing had gone as planned... She should have been used to things not going as planned by now, but she'd always been one that took time to adjust to things. Maybe it was a weakness, but she couldn't help it.

Her dark eyes flicked searchingly up to Michael's again. When was the last time she'd seen his eyes without crushing weight? She wasn't sure she remembered what they looked like like that anymore. But nava she missed it now she realized. She'd always loved his eyes. The first time they'd met, the color had struck her, though she wasn't one to notice such things. But his eyes were a beautiful leaf green and had sparkled with life.

They'd been dulled for so long since then... But yes, she did remember, if not so vividly, what they were like before... Michael had eyes that had always been to her like crystal glass, magnifying the things inside of him if she looked closely enough.

So she looked closely now. He meant it. He wanted to be free of this. She-- she didn't know what to do with that yet exactly, but it made him happy... And that made it okay. Her fingers closed around his with another smile flickering up and she leaned closer and kissed his cheek.

"What are you going to do?" Michael asked quietly.

"Ah..." Natalia looked at the ground thoughtfully, but in the end only shrugged one shoulder uncertainly. "I don't know..."

If Michael wasn't king-- did she even want to be queen? Had he ever not be king as long as she'd known him? She was never any good at it without Michael, not in her own opinion... Why had Ismelda told him to leave?

Natalia blinked at the ground before finally looking back at Michael. "What do you want me to do?"

"That's up to you, not me," he replied.

Natalia's eyes lit up a little when he said that. It was just his way to be like that, but she wondered if he knew how much it touched her.

She searched the ground again. "I... I don't know..." She suspected she knew what her choice would be, but it'd only be right to think about it. "I'll have to think... Maybe I should talk to Ismelda later," she said, looking up.

"Okay."

Destiny still had nothing to say. Maybe she should be happier, but any smile on her face would be forced and wouldn’t be seen in her eyes. There was too much worry and concern for happiness or relief— not just for her father, but for all at Sanctum.

Will this be good for the family?

He would be free, but she couldn’t predict the other changes this would cause. The release was good for him, but what would that mean for Sinny’s future reign? Destiny didn’t doubt her friend, but she didn’t think it was the right time. Someone even younger than herself on the throne could be a risk...

There wasn’t a right solution. Her father had to be freed of the crown’s burden or be overwhelmed by it. And stepping down meant a young, new queen in the face of a war that had been too hard for even Michael.

Biting her lip, Destiny kept her silence. She was fine with fading into the background.

"Are you going to be okay, Destiny?" her father asked.