The dirt fell over the top of the casket, signaling that this plot of land was truly her final resting place. It was a surreal experience to hear the dirt thudding against the wood, it made it all the more real and terrifying. Evonia, my sister, was well and truly gone. I was the only one left of my siblings. How long before I was buried next to her?

“Mari?” Toria gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

I had been standing and staring long after they had finished laying Evonia in her final resting place. In my mind, I could still see her clutching the iris I had placed between her folded fingers. I felt like I couldn't leave the spot, leaving would mean going back to a life that was now surely without her, forever.

“You need to let go,” Toria prodded softly, tugging my arm slightly to encourage my feet to move.

“I can't,” I replied with a down-trodden shrug.

“You can... you must.”

She was right, I needed to leave, but it was too painful. It was like ripping the bandages from a wound that had scabbed over with the fibers embedded. It would be awful, but it had to be done or it would fester.

With a heavy sigh and a catch in my throat, I willed the glamour to drop from Evonia's body and felt the power flow back into me. I had kept it up until the very end for her. It would have been what she wanted.

“Good, let's go.”

I allowed Toria to lead me away, her touch warm and comforting. Though I had always chosen not to have a daughter, I found myself questioning my decision since she had entered our lives. Evonia had been absolutely correct in sending me to bring her back as the heir.

“Do you think Evonia would have liked what we did?” she asked quietly as we detoured through the gardens.

Neither of us felt up to going back into the castle, or reality, at the moment.

“Yes,” I answered, “it was everything we ever spoke about. She would be very content with how it turned out.”

“You didn't drop her glamour until after she was in the ground and covered.”

“She would come back to haunt me if I had let anyone see her like that,” I said with a little laugh. I wasn't entirely joking though.

“I think it was rather sweet of you to do that. I could tell it was taxing on you. You seem much less pale and stronger now.”

“I'm just getting old,” I said as I took a seat on one of the stone benches next to the grand garden.

Evonia had always been attached to the idea of having an enviable garden. She had filled it with roses, lilies, and her favorite, irises, then meticulously managed each plant to grow to its full glory. There were more servants devoted to the garden than the kitchen. Sometimes I was certain that she adored her garden more than she did any one person.

“You still have a lot of time left,” Toria assured, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

I shrugged in response. I didn't think it really matters either way. What would come, would. There was not much I could do to stop it.

“Everything in it's time, child.”

“You know, one day you're going to have to stop calling me 'child,' tomorrow is coronation,” she said with a glint in her eye.

“When you get to my age, everyone younger than you is a child. Besides, I think you actually like it.”

She gave a small grin and nodded.

“Regardless, what will the servants think?”

“Who cares what they think?” I retorted.

The afternoon spring air rustled the leaves of the plants around us, sending a shiver up my spine. It was still early enough in the season to still have a nip in the air. It was typically my favorite time of the year, though now it was likely forever spoiled.

“Her children did not come today,” Toria said barely above a whisper.

I could tell that she wanted an answer, but was afraid that it was the wrong time. I wasn't sure there could be a right time.

“I am not surprised,” I said flatly, “though I did send them notice.”

“Did they really dislike her so much?” she pressed.

Letting out a long sigh, I prepared myself to try to figure out how to explain the strange dynamic that had become the House Yser.

“Dislike is not really the word for it,” I began, “I suppose that it would be better described as they felt that she disowned them. Which I suppose she did in her own way.”

“Disowned them? But she always seemed to lament their absence.”

“I think she regretted sending them away, but she was either too proud or felt like the damage was irreparable. She made rash decisions when she was younger and drunk on power.” I paused to pick one of the roses nearest to me. “That would be something to try to avoid for yourself.”

“Why did she send them away if she loved them?”

I pursed my lips together and closed my eyes, bringing my thoughts back to the days when Evonia's children were sent away. I had questioned many times why she had made the choices she had and it had taken many years to understand her reasoning.

“They were not worthy heirs,” I finally said, opening my eyes once more.

Toria's face changed from intrigued to a bit of disgust. I could understand why before she even explained. She was biting her tongue, but it was obvious why it would upset her.

“Yes, you are the replacement much like your brother was for you.” A part of me had always hoped that she would never question what happened to the heirs before her so she would never know.

“That...” She trailed off, her eyes becoming distant.

“Yes, I know what you're thinking. Though I do think she made the right choice in the end. Her children were weak in ways you are not.”

“Is that any real excuse?” she questioned. “Even if my brother ends up being a much more powerful ruler, does that make his usurpation any more fair?”

“That I cannot answer, I can only say that I am still very glad that you are the one here with me about the take the throne.”

She sighed and glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

“I know not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I can't help but feel like a hypocrite.”

“You are only making the best out of the situation. If anyone is to shoulder blame here, we just buried her in the ground.”

“I suppose... I would like to meet the other two one day.”

“You will not like them,” I said with a small laugh. They were precisely the opposite kind of people from my niece. It would be like throwing water onto a grease fire.

“Why not?”

“They are warriors for good, quite literally.” I had followed them throughout their lives and had watched them rebel against every single thing Evonia ever taught them. They now saw their upbringing as something damnable and deviant.

“The poor fools.”

I let out an actual laugh, Evonia had certainly done her best to mold Toria into being the ideal replacement. Of course, I had also done my fair share. I shuddered to think what would have become of her had we not come along. Either her anger would have consumed her and blinded her to her own strength or she would have given up hope and floated through the rest of her life. It filled me with a great amount of pride to see her strong and self-assured.

“I think we have stalled enough,” I said rising to my feet. It was surprising that I felt ready to face going back to reality, but talking with Toria always seemed to mysteriously make me feel much better about the world.

“Yes, people will be wondering where we went off to,” she added, jumping to her feet to entwine her arm with mine. “Besides, you have to get on assuring me that I won't completely botch anything at the coronation tomorrow. You know that sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my thoughts.”

We walked arm-in-arm to the castle door, my heart aching, yet feeling full at the same time. This was certainly the worst day of my life and yet I couldn't help but feel a little hopeful for the future. The spirit and reputation of the House of Yser would live on and flourish, even if Evonia did not.