Sad Ending (2)

Although her voice was very weak, the king heard her and quickly took her hand. "Lyana," his voice was so gentle that she almost came to tears. She would never have thought that hearing her name from the man she loved would make her so happy. "Don't ... do it," she asked, feeling his hand shaking.

"I am sorry. It's all my fault. I should never have taken you to my castle, then you wouldn't be in this position." Tears ran down his face. Lyana tried to wipe it away, but her hand was too weak.

King Ulric immediately grabbed it again and nestled it lovingly against his face. "The energy of the tree spirits keeps you alive, but it can only slow down your death, not stop it. I have to do it. Please understand."

"No." Lyanas gaze was blurred by the emerging tears. Now she couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Please ..." she begged him desperately.

But King Ulrics gaze was determined. He looked up at the magical beings. "You gave me time in exchange for my heart. Now I ask you, give her the time she deserves and take mine."

There was another kind of chanting, and a large, bright glow of light came out of the tree. He floated towards the Ice King and disappeared into his chest. His features smoothed out and with a slight smile he pressed Lyanas hand against his chest. She felt a loud and regular thumping and looked up at him in amazement. "What's that ..."

"My wish was granted," he told her calmly with a warm look. Then he leaned over to her and gave

her a gentle kiss. "You will live."

Suddenly Lyana felt her strength return and the pain getting weaker and weaker. She looked at her wound, but it seemed to close by itself magically. But when she looked back at King Ulric, she noticed something strange. He slowly began to become transparent and she finally understood what was happening. "No. No! "She exclaimed, completely beside herself. "You can't leave me!"

He smiled and kissed her hand. "I am sorry. I wish there could have been another way. Please do me

a favor. Keep living your life. Enjoy it to the fullest. Rule as queen over my ... no, our kingdom. The

Count and Baridi will help you. Then one day you will come back to me. I'll let you know when the

time comes. I promise to you."

Weeping, Lyana shook her head and squeezed his hands tightly. But his form became less and less

visible, until finally, just like Feronia in her dream, he was simply gone. Heartbreakingly, the princess began to cry into her hands.

After she could only watch without a word, Alisen was now the first to go to Lyana, put the arms

around her and crying softly with her. She did not know how long they stayed like this, the clouds

had long since cleared and dusk was already falling.

From the sheer exertion, Lyana finally fell asleep and her cousin Afram carried her, accompanied by

Alisen, to her room.

In the next few days she did not leave it a single time. All she did was sit in a chair and stare blankly out of the window. Sometimes she didn't even have the strength to go back to bed. Then she just fell asleep on the chair and found herself wrapped tightly in a warm blanket the next morning.

Her father had reluctantly gone back to the Sun Kingdom, but he had left his nephew to look after

her. Occasionally he would come to read something to her and then leave. They had even brought

Hadia, her old maid, into the castle in the hope that she could cheer up the princess. But everything

was futile, not even the reunion with her wolf Alesh conjured up a smile on her lips. The animal

itself mourned with her and never left her side.

After a few weeks passed without anything changing in her condition. Then Alisen came into her room and put a folded handkerchief on the table in front of her. "I found this in the garden today, Your Majesty. Hadia helped me find it. We thought you would surely want it back."

Lyana showed no emotion and so the maid quietly disappeared again. Since King Ulric had officially declared her heir to the throne with the count as a witness, everyone only addressed her with Your Majesty now. But it was still up to her to accept this position.

The sun went down and Lyana now turned her gaze to the silk handkerchief. Slowly she raised her

hand and unfolded it. Inside lay the necklace that King Ulric had once given her. She must have lost it back then in the garden without even realizing it.

Carefully she picked up the chain and looked at it. Forget Me Not, Nevis had called this flower.

Almost as if King Ulric had already known what his fate would be. Lyana began to laugh softly as she held the chain tightly in her hand and pressed it against her head. However, her laughter quickly

turned into loud sobs. Alesh got up and laid his head on her lap, whimpering, almost as if he were

joining her sobs. Her crying could be heard halfway through the castle and went on for most of the

night.