All through that day, Drexo sat on the throne like a man wearing a crown that no longer fit.
Voices rose around him. Advisers spoke. Generals argued. Plans were laid out across the long table before him.
He heard none of it. His gaze drifted, again and again, toward the open side of the hall where the distant shore could barely be seen. Even from there, the movement was obvious. Ships. Ropes. Men going back and forth.
Preparing to leave.
"Your Grace?" someone called. Drexo blinked, dragging himself back. "Proceed," he muttered.
They continued. He did not. Havana watched him for a long moment. Her eyes narrowed slightly, studying the way his fingers tapped against the arm of the throne, the way his jaw tightened for no reason.
He was not here. "Your Grace," she said finally, her voice cutting through the noise.
The hall fell quiet.
"You seem tired. I advise you to take the rest of the day off. I will handle things."
Drexo did not argue. He did not pretend. He nodded once, stood up, and walked away. No one stopped him. No one called him back.
When he entered his chamber, the silence wrapped around him instantly. But it did nothing to quiet his mind.
He moved straight to the window. The shore stretched below. Men dragged crates. Sails were being checked. The ships were almost ready.
Drexo's fingers pressed against the edge of the window. "Drexo," he whispered to himself, his voice barely there. "Let her go."
His throat tightened. "It is for her own good." The words felt like betrayal each time he said them. "You must let her live."
Below, Maria stood among her warriors. There was no hesitation in her movements. No pause. No sign of the woman who had once waited in the forest.
She gave orders. Short. Precise.."Move that crate to the second ship."
"Tighten the rope."
"Check the sails again."
They obeyed immediately. Her face was calm. Too calm. The lover in her had vanished. What remained was steel. Drexo watched her, unmoving. Not a step toward the door. Not a word. Just watching.
Theon stood at a distance, his hands clenched behind him. His eyes followed a single figure.
Evelyn.
She moved between the others, carrying small items, speaking softly to one of the girls. There was nothing dramatic about her movements.
And yet, to him, every step felt final. "She is leaving," he whispered. The thought settled heavily in his chest. He took a step forward, then another.
"Lady Evelyn," he called. She turned.
For a moment, her expression softened. "My lord."
"You are leaving?" he asked, though the answer was already clear..She nodded. "Yes."
Theon forced a smile, though it did not reach his eyes. "Will we ever see each other again?" The question lingered between them.
Evelyn studied him quietly. He had always been there. Always kind. Always present..And she had never truly looked at him.
Not like that.
A small smile touched her lips. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. "You never can tell what fate has in store," she said softly. "Our paths may cross again."
Theon closed his eyes briefly. "I pray they do," he said. "I will be waiting for that day."
She pulled away gently. Neither of them said more.
Not far from them, another pair of eyes watched.
Cedric.
He stood in the shadow of the walls, hidden, unmoving. His chest felt tight. Every time Evelyn moved, his gaze followed. Every time she smiled, even faintly, it cut deeper.
"Mother might be watching," he muttered under his breath. His hands curled into fists. "I cannot go to her."
But his feet did not move. He stayed there. Watching. Burning.
Night came slowly. The shore quieted, but not completely. Final checks continued. Low voices replaced the daytime noise.
Cedric waited.
When the darkness thickened enough to hide him, he moved. He slipped out of the castle, careful, silent. Every step was measured.
When he reached Maria's residence, a few of the girls were still outside, speaking among themselves.
He approached.."I came to see Lady Evelyn," he said. They exchanged glances. One of them pointed toward a door. "Her chamber."
Cedric nodded and walked toward it. Each step felt heavier than the last. He stopped in front of the door and knocked.
Then he paused.
"Who is there?" her voice came from inside. His jaw tightened. "Cedric."
Silence followed. Long, and uncomfortable. Then her voice returned, quieter now. "What do you want?"
Cedric exhaled slowly. "Open the door. I want to at least say goodbye."
Another pause. Longer this time.
"You already broke things off," she said. "I do not want your farewell."
Cedric's hand pressed against the door. "I guess I have to tell her," he thought. "She is leaving anyway."
"I am sorry," he said aloud. "I loved you then. I still love you now."
The latch clicked. The door opened. Evelyn stood there, her face unreadable.
Cedric stepped inside. The room felt smaller than usual. "If you love me," she said, her voice steady, "why did you end things like that?"
Cedric turned away slightly, one hand covering his face, the other resting on his waist.
He struggled for a moment. Then, "I had no choice," he said. "My mother commanded it."
Evelyn's brows drew together. "She made me choose," he continued. "Between you, and the throne."
Silence filled the room.
Evelyn stared at him. "Your mother," she whispered. The weight of those words settled slowly. Cedric dropped his hand from his face and looked at her.
"I chose the throne," he admitted. The words came out heavier than he expected.
Evelyn did not move. Did not speak. Her eyes searched his', as if trying to understand something that no longer made sense.
Outside, the waves hit the shore in steady rhythm. Inside, everything felt like it had already broken.
Cedric nodded slowly.
The admission still hung between them, heavy, unmoving. The room felt tighter, like the walls had crept closer without warning. For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched, thick and uneasy.
Evelyn stood still, but her mind wasn't. It moved elsewhere. Not to the pain of what she had just heard. Not even to the man standing in front of her. Her thoughts drifted past him, past the room, straight to another name.
Havana.
Cedric watched her closely. The stillness in her face did not match the storm behind her eyes. "Evelyn," he called softly.
She blinked. "Yes?" He tilted his head slightly. "What were you thinking about?"
Evelyn hesitated. Then the words slipped out before she could hold them back.
"Could your mother also be the one who orchestrated Maria and Drexo's breakup?" Cedric's brows pulled together immediately.
"Were they in a relationship before?" The question caught her off guard. Evelyn exhaled slowly. So he didn't know. Not about the forest. Not about the nights. Not about anything.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
The silence returned.
Then she shook her head slightly. "Never mind." Cedric did not accept that. "Is that why you are all leaving?" he asked.
Evelyn looked at him this time. Really looked. Then she nodded..No long explanation. No details. Just the truth, stripped bare.
She turned away from him and moved to the small table in the room. Her fingers found a piece of parchment. She picked it up and began to write.
The sound of the quill scratching against the surface filled the room. Cedric watched her. Quiet. Waiting. When she finished, she folded it and handed it to him.
"Give this to the king," she said. "The moment we depart."
Cedric took it.
He stared at the folded parchment in his hand but made no move to open it. He simply held it, as if it carried more weight than it should.
Then, without warning, he stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace. "I will miss you," he said.
Evelyn stiffened for a second. Then she relaxed slightly, her arms coming up slowly around him. "I will miss you too," she replied.
They stayed like that.
For a moment longer than they should have. Then Evelyn pulled away. "You should leave," she said softly. "Before your mother finds out."
Cedric's jaw tightened. "I do not want your inheritance jeopardized because of me."
Cedric nodded once. He stepped closer again, but this time there was hesitation.
Then he leaned in. Their lips met.
Evelyn froze.
Her body did not respond. Not at first. The moment passed quickly, but it lingered.
Cedric pulled back.
"Take care of yourself," he said. She did not answer. He turned and walked out. The door closed behind him.
Evelyn remained where she was, unmoving. Her hand slowly rose to her lips, pressing lightly against them, as if trying to confirm what had just happened.
The room felt too quiet.
The night passed quickly. Too quickly.
Drexo did not sleep. He lay on his bed, eyes open, staring at nothing. Every time he closed them, he saw her. In the forest. In his arms. Walking away.
He turned. Sat up. Lay back down. Nothing worked. Across the city, Maria slept. Not because she was at peace. But because she had forced herself to be.
Morning came. Soft at first. Then brighter. The maiden warriors rose one by one, preparing for departure. Armor clinked. Footsteps echoed. Voices remained low.
Maria was already dressed. Her armor sat perfectly on her frame. Her expression was calm. Too calm.
At the seashore, a small group had gathered. Warriors. A few lords. Not many, but enough.
Enough to mark the moment.
Maria approached them with steady steps. "Thank you," she said. "This gesture is appreciated."
They bowed. "May Odin and Freya bless your voyage," one of them said. "And grant you success."
Maria inclined her head. No more words. One by one, the warriors began to board the ships. The movement was orderly. Quiet.
No chaos. No hesitation. Until only Maria remained. She stood at the edge.
Still.
Then she took a step forward. Then another. Then she stopped.
Something pulled at her. Slowly, she turned. Her gaze lifted toward the castle.
Higher, to the top floor. To a single window. And there he was.
Drexo stood behind it. Watching. Their eyes met. For a second, everything else faded.
The sea. The men. The wind. Then gone.
Drexo's breath caught. Then he looked away. Maria remained still. Just a moment longer. In that moment, something fragile surfaced.
A wish.
That he would come. That he would run down those stairs. Call her name. Stop her. But he didn't. The window remained still. So did he.
Maria turned back. Her vision blurred. Tears slipped down her cheeks, silent, unstoppable..She stepped onto the ship. "Move the ship!" Helen's voice rang out.
The ropes were released. The sails caught the wind. Slowly, the ship began to drift away from the shore.
Maria turned again. Her eyes searched for him. Then she found him. Drexo was still there. This time, he did not look away. Tears ran freely down his face.
Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke. They just looked. As the distance grew. As the figures became smaller.
As the space between them turned into something that could not be crossed.
Maria's knees gave way. She collapsed onto the deck. The tears she had held back broke loose. Her body shook.
The sound of her crying was swallowed by the wind. Far above, in the castle, Drexo sank to the ground. His back hit the wall. His hands covered his face. And he wept.