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The silhouette of a man I love keeps playing in my dreams. One after another dreams passed through my mind as if telling me that it is time.

His voice calling me his flower keeps whispering in my ears. 

Telling me that everything will be over soon. 

That their pain is coming to an end.

I looked at him,who also looked at me with so much love and affection. We stared at each other for a long time. A smile spread across his clean face.

His eyes could never lie to me,the adoration and passion were so visible that I could never bring myself to look away from him every time our eyes met. 

His racing heart could never hide how much my present affected him.

We were so young..

So in love…

So passionate…

We were so perfect together.

Then why does everything turn so bad?

Where's the fault?

What did I do wrong?

Why does everything shatter to pieces?

Why can no one help me?

Why does my son need to suffer all this too?

…..

Alfena opened her eyes.

"Bring him to me..,"her voice came out as a whisper. She moves her head left and right,frantically searching for someone.

"Your majesty? Do you need anything?"

"Bring him to me..,"she looks pleadingly at her.

"Who, your majesty?"

"My son..bring my son to me,i want to see him,i want to ask him something,"

" His majesty,King Aleksander?"

"Yes,bring him to,quick! I want to see him,"she shakes the maid's arms,urging her to go and find her son.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Your majesty,I'll go now," with that, the maid ran out of the room,searching for the king.

This is the first time the queen ever talked after falling sick a few months ago ,and seeing her with a worried expression written all over her face,she can't help but feel worried for her.

Alfena stared at the door,her breath kept getting heavier and the ache on her head kept getting worse. The pain in her stomach spread like poison to all over her body resulting in an endless pain.

She clenched her hands refusing to let the pain and weakness take control over her cold and thin body.

There's something she needs to confirm and that confirmation can only be from her son.

The door burst open from outside.

Aleksander ran to her and sat by her side, quickly wrapping her skinny hands with his.

"Yes mom? Do you need anything? Are you in pain?"

Exhaustion written all over his face.

"You should rest more dear, the kingdom needs their king in good health,"concern filled her voice.

"Not until you completely healed,"he kissed her hand and put her palm on his cheek.

He wants to feel the warmth that she used to give him.

"There's something i need to ask you,"

"What is it?"Aleksander gently tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"He has left isn't he?"his hand stopped. Slowly he looked at his dying mother.

"When was it? Is it the time when I started to get sick and weak?"she asked him in a heavy voice. Trying her best to mask her emotions.

Aleksander tightly held her hands. Pressing his lips together.

"It…it was 5 months ago,the royal sorcerer came to inspect him and that's when he doesn't see dad anymore in that body..,"

"Everything was black..there was no more the light of his soul left in it,"his voice came out shaky and breathless.

"So that's it,"

"That's what he meant by everything will be over soon,"

A tear of happiness flowed down from her eyes.

"Mom…no,"he pleaded, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

The thing he never wanted to happen finally began. 

He climbed on the bed and curled beside her. Resting his head on her shoulder while hearing her shaky breaths and the faint heartbeat.

He kissed her hands so many times.

"Remember my son,never forsaken the power you have, never use it to trample on the weak,be a king with justice not a king full of malice,there will come a day when you need to make a choice,either your happiness or your kingdom, make the right choice, follow your heart but never left your right as the king,"

He lifted his head and looked at his mother,who was now staring at him.

"Mom please don't leave me,I don't want to be alone here,I have no one else," he was crying,like a baby craving affection. He doesn't want to be left alone in this forsaken world.

The last person that he held dear to heart was about to slip from his hand and he cannot do anything rather than just see her slipping away.

"Cherish her, as much as you can,create as many memories together as much as you can, because a good time together can never last long,"

"Protect her with whatever you have even if it needs you to destroy your own body and heart,do it! Because that's how you prove to her how much she meant to you,"

"Don't take after us my dear,we failed to grant you the happiness you supposed to have, i failed to give you as much attention as a mother should, I failed in everything including being your father's mate, i failed…," 

"No..no you're not,you're the best mother,i'm very grateful i was born as your son,as father's son,even though the good time we spent together was short,it was everything to me mom,i could never bring myself to blame both of you,"

Alfena smiled and looked at her son.

"You're always the cure to my heart,i'm grateful of having you as my own,"

He hugs his mother's shoulder.

"I love you Aleksander,my son,"

"I love you too mo..,mom?" He looks at her closed eyes

"Mom?..mom..?"his voice calling for her came out breathless..at the end his head fell beside his mother who is now lying cold beside him.

A faint sob was heard before it got louder. Sadness and pain engulfing his heart. His shoulder tense from the sadness of his mother's death.

He stood up beside the bed,and gave the queen a final kneel. His mother has done her duty as a queen,a wife and a mother. It was time for her to rest

He opened the door.

"Announced to the people, on 12/3/2022, 9:34pm. Queen Alfena, the queen of Martyra Kingdom has taken her last breath in her room," his announcement shocked the servants and the guards including Mica.

"Yes your majesty!"Mica bow and turn to the room and give the last kneel to the queen before retreating from there.

The servants who have been taking care of her slide down to the floor.

Another wave of painful memories hit the palace. The sorrowful palace becomes even more sorrowful as the death of the queen affects them so much.