CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Everyone continued to stare at her for that news was new to them. Not her- not Mr. Sinclair had told anyone of their previous relation. Thalassa used the silence to continue her tale. “I have asked you if you know the tale for I am the very thing it tells people about. I am the heart of the sea, your highness. I can command any form of water; may it be a pond, a river, and most especially the sea, to heal me if the need arises. And I must apologize. For I had the power to stop the late Mr. Sinclair from his voyage yet I have kept my mouth close and Pierce had paid the price of my mistakes dearly,”
Everyone had noticed that Thalassa had addressed Mr. Pierce with no formality. And despite all things, they all felt a smile tugged at their lips for the woman was finally opening up to them.
“There is no need to ask for forgiveness, my dear child,” the queen started. “You had done what you thought was right and I amend you for that. You have the courage most people lack and I am sure there is no need for me to punish you for I can see how much you had punished yourself,”
“You are very kind, my queen,” Mrs. Haskell cried.
They were all rejoicing. Nicholas was asking Ms. Thalassa how she and her cousin met when the queen’s butler suddenly entered with a letter which he gave to the queen. He then approached Thalassa and gave her one too.
“It’s from Pierce,” the queen stated then began to read the letter.
“My dearest aunt,
I write to inform you of the facts I have collected from questioning some of the bandits we have captured. We believe this piece of information is true as it was not easily obtained by normal means.
Their attack was all for their belief that the royal family has the privilege of holding the heart of the sea, thus explaining all the attempts made against my dear cousin. But- all of it was in vain; for I have seen with my own eyes that the heart of the sea can never be held by anyone except for the lady herself.
I also write to inform you that the last bridge has survived the fire. I have ordered immediate action on the other two bridges. I shall write again when I have obtained any news.”
Your nephew,
Pierce Sinclair”
Thalassa could not speak as the queen finished reading the letter. He had known. Pierce had known all along yet why had he not screamed and shouted at her for being a coward and not telling him the truth? Why was he not blaming her for his father’s death and even telling him the tale was not true.
Why? It was all she could ask herself as tears started forming in her eyes. The queen’s eyes wandered to the letter Thalassa was clutching and she stood up from her chair; gesturing for everyone to do the same. And they left Thalassa alone to read her letter.
As soon as her father closed the door behind him, Thalassa opened the letter and read it to herself.
“My dearest Thalassa,
You may have now heard the contents of the letter I have sent my aunt for she would have read it aloud. It was true that the heart of the sea was the bandit’s target. But they have believed that it was some kind of a stone, as probably all the others who had heard of the legend.
My father was one of those foolish persons that once thought they could retrieve the heart of the sea from where it lies and return it to the palace after decades of it missing- for owning it would mean honor never before bestowed on anyone.
So, please, I implore you- do not blame yourself for his death as I could see in your eyes. His death was a tragedy, yes. But no one was at fault; especially not you. If you must blame someone, I ask of you, blame me. For I have known the truth all along and have not told my father. Because when he set off for his voyage, I have had the same thoughts as him. But- I was proven wrong when I met you, for the heart of the sea was never a stone of healing but a true heart of a young lady.
I have started to put the pieces when you will always grow weak when we spend our time far from the falls yet- become so renewed when we are near it. It was not that hard to understand- for who would find peace at the raging current of the falls?
And I was proven correct when we had met again. You still longed for the company of water. Your family had not given priority to attending to your wound at Mrs. Bridgham’s ball. I witnessed you sharpening your skill of a sword under heavy rain and you were not wearing a choker that was meant to hide a scar nor have I saw any indication of a fresh wound impaled on you.
This may be out of the subject, but I am solemn in my offer of love. You may have been young but- I have already fallen for you then. I had fallen for the look in your eyes; fallen for the way you move; and my heart was irrevocably gone when you call my name. I have not returned to you after my journey to find my father because I loathe myself for falling in love to someone so much younger.
But- the god of death seemed to have clutched his claws at me for I knew I was hopeless when I saw your eyes again after years of separation and finding those feelings emerging again. I had tried pushing it away but I was in the middle before I knew I had begun.
What a proud fool I was.
One word from you, and I shall never talk of this subject again.
I may have given you pain from what I have written but all I can offer you is my deepest sincerity. I ask you of, do not blame yourself for the attacks that have happened or for the past that can never be brought back, for it was not your falling.
Yours truthfully,
Pierce Sinclair”
Thalassa’s tears started to fall as she realized she may have been the one who was aloof to the only man she ever loved. How could she have called him prejudice and insensitive when he was not even blaming her for his father’s death? How could she have hated him for merely changing because of his pains?
She clutched his letter near her chest. And she was glad that no one was there to witness her moment of weakness.
~oOo~
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman,” the priest started, addressing Aeras and Nicholas, “in Holy matrimony. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride,”
Nicholas held Aeras’ face and kissed her. Her hands flew to his neck and wrapped them around her husband. The crowd erupted into cheers and joy as the two expressed their love for each other.
The celebration was continued into the ball room. The newlyweds were on the floor, dancing to their hearts’ content as people danced with them. Thalassa smiled from her seat. She was so happy for her sister.
She really was.
“Congratulations, Aeras. I am so happy for you,” she said once again as her sister sat down to have a drink.
“What are you doing, Thalassa? Why are you not dancing?” she asked.
Thalassa looked around. “You know I do not dance,” she answered.
Aeras gave her a small laugh. “Are we back from the start, dear sister? Or the man you want to dance with is not here?”
Thalassa turned to look at her sister so fast that everything became a blur. Aeras was smirking at her with a brow raised; challenging her to answer. But- Thalassa merely laughed as she stood up. “I shall go for some fresh air. And I promise, once I am back, I will dance when someone asks me too,”
And without waiting for a reply, she started to leave. Her sister watched her leave the ballroom. She knew what Thalassa was feeling but she was not helping herself. Mr. Pierce had been gone for more than a week and he had not send a message to say that he was coming.
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