Chapter 104

Rowena

I stood in the hallway just outside the parlor, my heart pounding in my ears. The voices behind the door were hushed, but I could still make out every word through the thick wood.

“Your Majesty, we can’t thank you enough for making this journey,” my father’s voice echoed softly. “I can assure you that, had circumstances been different, we would have liked to have met you much sooner.”

There was a pause, and then a deeper, richer voice responded—one I didn’t recognize yet. “Please, call me Stefan. And the honor is all mine—you protected my daughter despite everything. Although a part of me still can’t believe my little girl is actually alive after all these years.”

My heart leapt into my throat. My father—King Stefan from the Northern kingdom. I knew he was coming to visit, but to finally hear his voice… It was unreal.

A trembling hand came up to rest against the door as I tried to conjure up any memory of my father, of my past life. But there was nothing, of course; I had been only two years old when Eric had found me, far too young to remember much more than scattered, nondescript memories.

“She’s so grown up now,” Stefan continued wistfully. “When I saw that beautiful young woman on the television, I couldn’t believe it was her...”

My throat tightened painfully at his words. Even without being able to recall my past with him, I could sense the longing in his voice. I felt it in my soul, too.

It had been two weeks since Eric and I had won the tournament; two weeks that went by in such a flurry it felt like mere minutes. My biological father had, of course, reached out as soon as he could. And now here he was, visiting me himself.

Breathing shakily, I smoothed down the front of my dress. My parents had had it made especially for today, but it felt tight and restrictive and stuffy. Or maybe that was just my nerves getting the better of me.

Suddenly, a gentle hand on my shoulder made me start. I whirled to find Eric, who gave me a reassuring look from down the bridge of his nose.

“Hey, you’ve got this. Just be yourself—he’s going to adore you,” he murmured as though reading my mind.

I nodded jerkily. “I know, I just… What if he’s disappointed?” I whispered. “Or what if he doesn’t like me after building up this image for years?”

Eric shook his head firmly. “Not a chance. And remember, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m with you.”

I nodded again, and Eric pulled me in for a tight hug. “If it gets to be too much, just say the word and we’re gone, okay?” he murmured into my hair. “We can run away for all I care.”

Chuckling, I leaned into his warmth, my nerves calming instantly. Leaning in, I kissed him hard before pulling back. “Thank you. I can do this… We can do this together.”

Hand-in-hand, we entered the parlor. The man who was undoubtedly my father rose, and I was struck by how regal he looked, from his defined jaw to his blue eyes to his curly brown hair.

My father. He looked just like me.

A heavy silence hung in the air until Stefan spoke softly. “Celeste…”

I flinched at my birth name—a name I had never heard before now. Picking up on my reaction, he gave me a sad smile. “No… Rowena. You’ve lived an entire life without me. I cannot ask you to discard your name.”

My father cleared his throat. “Come closer, honey. Let the King see your face.”

With my throat tense, I took a few halting steps forward until the King and I were a few feet away from one another. Eric hovered behind me, his presence silent but giving me strength. Drawing a shuddering breath, I tentatively held out my arms.

“Dad…”

Without a word, the King surged forward, enveloping me in a crushing hug. His scent of earth, smoke, and pine washed over me. And in that moment, a chasm inside of me, one that had been empty my entire life, seemed to fill.

And I remembered. I remembered his scent, the way his arms felt holding me when I was just a child.

Most of all, I remembered the way I had cried when I had been ripped from his embrace.

We clung together as tears spilled down my cheeks. We were back together, finally, after all these years.

After a long time, the King leaned back to cradle my face in his hands. “Oh, my precious girl,” he rasped, his voice choked. “You’ve grown into an incredible, beautiful woman. You look just like your late mother.”

“I’ve missed you,” I choked out with a wry laugh. “Even though I can’t remember, a part of me always missed you terribly.”

Stefan pulled me close again before beckoning Eric over. Eric grasped his hand for a handshake, but Stefan yanked him in for a fierce hug before he could protest.

“You’re a brave man,” Stefan said gruffly, clapping Eric on the back. “You risked your life to defend my daughter. You are the reason I get to have this reunion.”

Releasing Eric, Stefan fixed him with an earnest look as he fumbled in his pocket. He withdrew an ornate silver pendant on a chain, holding it out.

“This is an heirloom that has been passed down through generations of our family to the princesses’ most loyal knights and protectors,” Stefan said solemnly. “You have more than proved your valor. I would be honored if you would accept this and allow me to formally knight you, Sir Eric.”

Eric’s jaw dropped as he accepted the necklace reverently. “Your Majesty, I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Stefan beamed. “You don’t need to say anything. Drop to one knee,” he said, gesturing to the carpet in front of him. Eric did as he was told. “I knight thee…”

Once the small, impromptu ceremony had concluded, Stefan turned to me with a tender smile on his round face. In the background, I could see Eric thoughtfully thumbing the pendant that he now wore around his neck, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.

“Now, my dearest… Rowena,” my father began, “there is one final matter to discuss.”

I nodded, stepping forward. He took my hands tightly between his large ones. “I wish for you and Eric to return home with me to the Northern Kingdom. You belong with your family, in the royal palace where you were born to be queen. You can have whatever you desire—riches, land, status. Please, come home.”

The room fell silent as I glanced around at my parents’ worried faces. Eric’s gaze, though stony, betrayed a flicker of fear beneath. I drew in a shaky breath and averted my eyes to my feet.

I loved my life here, the way things were. I loved my family, Eric, my home… But was I truly willing to turn my back on my birth family and my legacy? On my chance to finally know where I came from?

Gripping Eric’s hand tightly, I drew in a deep breath and met the King’s gaze.

“Father, I…”