~~~~~~~~~~
Three days and Victor wasn't getting any better. Dr Ryan tried to examine him but he could not find the source of the illness. He had tried to persuade Sidney to take him but into the alternate universe where they'd do better tests but she refused. Therefore Dr Ryan had gone to Wendy and told her of the chance Victor may have. As expected she was supporting him but it caused an uproar from Sidney. Eventually the former gave up and resolved to stay in her room. She had no grounds to make the medical decisions for him.
Then on this third day, Sidney came into her room, `Victor wants to see you though I advised against it.'
Wendy sat up on the bed, `He's awake.'
`Yes, but not any better than he was yesterday.' She saw that even with those words she hadn't erased all the hope from her. `Are you coming or not? He needs to rest but if he's awake waiting for you...'
`Give me a moment to be composed.' She straightened her hair and tried to wash her face to remove the signs that she had been crying. She went to Victor's room and found him sitting upright on the bed. The lights had been dimmed to hide the fact that he was worn out. He looked at her and smiled.
The others in the room left them in privacy. She went and sat on his bed looking at him.
`You've been crying?' he asked.
`Yes, and don't tell me that I should stop...'
`No, we are all allowed to cry when sad or in grief.'
`Your sister...'
`She was not cast far from the tree, but I fear that with her powers back, she will turn colder.'
`Victor, I tried to have her take you back to the other world. Maybe Dr Ryan would have done some test...'
`Wendy, I'm afraid that your grief is clouding your judgment.'
`I just want to try everything.'
`As I would have but the fact is that if I'd have gone back, Dr Ryan would not have been able to touch me let alone treat me. I'm afraid I'm beyond any hope.'
`Please don't say that,' she started crying again. `I can't let you die without trying everything possible. I just can't!' Victor pulled her to him and held her as she sobbed. He had tears in his eyes because he could feel her pain and that pain was worse than what he was feeling himself.
Finally she was quiet. `I wanted to give you something that was from your mother.' Wendy sat up and looked at him curiously but her eyes were puffed and red from all the crying. `It's a letter.' He reached under his pillow and brought it out. It had been open. This posed even more questions for her. `I read it because I was curious what she had written to tell you.'
`I thought you told me everything that I needed to know about her?'
`I did but then the letter was never about her. It was about you as I discovered and about me.' He handed her the letter. She turned up the lanterns and came to sit by his side again.
My dearest Wendy,
Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if you'd have known that I was your mother and you'd have grown up around me. You would have probably hated me at times like I hated my mother but maybe you do hate me for what I've put you through.
`I thought you said it wasn't about her?' she looked up questioningly.
`Keep reading. That is just the opening remark.' He brushed her hair gently and kept quiet. Wendy looked back at the letter.
You remember the first day we actually met in the library? How I wanted to reach out and hug you but I had to keep up pretenses but maybe if I hadn't, Gorham would never have forced me to accept Alice and maybe you would have succeeded me as queen smoothly as you still were being taught what you ought to have known from a very young age. Oh! Look at me talking about you succeeding me when I don't even know if you want it. It's not the life I thought it might have been but it might have been like everything else in this world.
You wonder why I write to you like this. I always wished that I had had the love of the man I married but I didn't and neither did he have mine. It is not a fate that I would have wished for anyone much less you and therefore, knowing your father with his stupid laws and rules (he reminds me so much of Gorham but like him, he can also be swayed into accepting some things though it may require a lot of work.) Anyway, back to love and marriage. I noticed the way you always looked at Victor and I did notice the way that he looked at you. I remember a time when I forced him to admit that he thought about you and that was why his feelings towards me changed from duty to actual care...
Wendy looked at Victor but he urged her to continue reading the letter.
•of course did not get him to admit it because he's a wizard and most times wizards are usually very stubborn (speaking from experience) It will probably take you a long time to have him admit that he loves you but I tried to quicken the process when I had him kiss you when you were in your trances.
He will never hide his true feelings for long and I hope that you will love him back, because when a wizard loves, he loves entirely. Remember this though, you are never restrained to stay with him should your feelings change otherwise or if you think that you have met a better person, do not sacrifice your happiness because you feel bound to him.
He will eternally love you no matter what you choose or who you choose.
Also note that I'm not saying all these because he struck me as a respectable man and not because I had kissed him thinking that he was Henry...
Wendy chuckled at that.
...But because I think only of your happiness. Also try not to cross your father because he thinks only of what is best for you. Did I tell you that he wanted you to stay with him instead of the Summers? He loves you truly the way I wished Eric would have loved his sons and the way I know Gorham will love his children. Stay happy and know that my spirit will always stay with you. Love,
Your mother,
Queen Diane.
Wendy looked at Victor, `It wasn't anything I expected. Why didn't you just give it to me?'
`How would you have received it? You knew you were attracted to me but you were never sure of how I felt about you. The letter would have confirmed everything and furthermore, would have encouraged you to pursue your feelings for me.'
`But would that have been wrong?' she stared at his face.
He was sad when he answered, `Yes, Wendy. If I was told that you'd have spent the rest of your life with me I would have been the happiest person in both worlds but fate knew I was not the right person for you.'
`Victor, I love you.'
He smiled, `I have no doubts that you do and I also hope that you understand that I also love you regardless that I had an incline to what you already felt before even you yourself.'
`Don't...'
`You have to listen to what I'm about to say given that you never really listen to other people,' she started to get up but he held her back down and made her look at him. `Wendy, I have to tell you this.' his voice begged. She stopped and looked at him with the tears welled her eyes. `I was not the one meant for you because there's someone else out there who would make you happier than I even would have. I am not telling you this after I've had a chance to be with you but I was honored with the privilege to make you happy and you also made me happy. I just don't have a choice in this matter.' tears flowed from his eyes.
`Maybe,' she climbed the bed and knelt on it. `Maybe if you transferred your spirit to something, I can see you when you are no longer here in body.' She sobbed as she suggested.
`I can't. Not because I don't want to but,' she wiped the tears from her cheeks but more kept coming. `It is because of the spirits in me that I'm dying. I can't have something as unstable as that close to you. Not to mention the fact that I've never wanted to hold you back and giving you something with my spirits will hold you back.‟
`No, it wouldn't.'
He licked his dry lips. `Wendy,
remember the day at the woods and I kissed you and you stopped me. Why did you do that?'
`Because I wanted it to be complete. I didn't want to be left unsatisfied...'
`That is how it would be every time you went to see my spirit. I will never be able to fully satisfy you and you would hate the world and hate me and hate yourself. Finally you will give up altogether and think that this world has never been kind to you when in fact you are the one who is supposed to be kind to world and not take yourself from it. You are the world’s gift and a treasure for it. Please remember that.' he took a deep breath. He was getting tired yet he still had a lot to tell her.
`You don't need my spirit because you are now strong enough. Your father would never have allowed you to come with me if he'd have thought that you would never get over it. Needless to say that I'll always be with you though you will not see me.'
`Victor,' she went back to crying on his shoulder.
`I need you to make me one promise,' he didn't wait for her to stop crying. His energy was draining away. She looked at him expectantly. `I need you to take care of my sister. She may seem strong but I know it tearing her up inside. You need just to look at Gorham because that is how her feeling will ever show to the world from now on.'
`I should tell you to tell her to do the same with me because,' her voice broke. `I don't know how I'm ever going to get over this. I just don't know how.'
`I know you will, you will find the courage to move on. No matter how long or short time it will take. And everyone who loves you will be there to help you through it.'
`Except you.'
`You must go now. I'm tired,' he could see that she really wanted to stay and so he repeated more firmly. `Go now.' He watched her as she went to the door and saw her face once more before she walked out of the door. He sank back into the bed and cried more freely. After a long time he finally stopped. He looked at the lantern that Wendy had turned up to read the letter. `I'm sorry Wendy, but if I make you go through anymore of this, I'm sure to kill your spirit,' he thought. He then turned his neck forcefully to one side and it snapped. His breathing stopped first before his heart and finally there was no sign of life.
The attendants came in and found him without a pulse. They went to tell Sidney first. She listened to them quietly then sent them with the news to Wendy. She locked her bedroom door and started to cry. Everything came out then she realized that she had still held hope that her brother may live. She suddenly let out a scream. The whole castle stayed still for a moment and even Wendy who had been told the news kept quiet and listened to the painful cry before she resolved back to her silent sobs.
Gorham had also heard it and couldn't fail to recognize that it was Sidney. He would let her moan for a few hours then would go to check on her. Fortunately, he had had the children taken to another room ever since they had confirmed that Victor was sick. Gorham felt sad. Not only because two of the women he cared for were in pain but also because he had lost a good friend.
Somewhere else within the castle, the two twins started to cry after the piercing cry of their mother. The nurses came to pick them up from their cribs and tried to calm them down. The boy was harder to silence but eventually even he went quiet but as the nurse put him down, he could have sworn that he saw sadness in his eyes. The girl on the other hand went back to playing and giggling. ~~~~~~~~~~
The funeral was a small affair but it suited everyone to be like that. Gorham as expected was presiding over the funeral. Wendy and Sidney were the chief moaners. Then there was Amber and Ken who were indeed sad to have lost a friend. There was also Dr Ryan who was there because he had lost a good patient. Jared went because he was a friend of Wendy and had been a friend to Victor. Martin went to show support to Sidney since he like everyone else close to the family now knew that
Victor had been her brother. Finally there was Joel who went because he was obliged to go because of all the family connections and also because Alice had suggested very strongly that he join his brother then report what was said and if there was a body buried underground.
Anyway, they were just them having the funeral though there was a large group of people who were watching from a distance. All they heard was that a funeral of a wizard was to take place and they were curious as to how they would proceed with it. Furthermore, just the fact that they were having a funeral for a wizard intrigued them. All their lives they had been told all the scary stories about wizards but to have their king presiding on it personally also enhanced a bit more curiosity than originally anticipated.
Now though they were there and watching from the distance because they didn't know how the other two wizards would react. Others just went to see living wizards in their natural habitat. Everybody at the funeral seemed solemn enough even the wizards. But other went to see the woman with the white hair. Unlike the customs where you had to cover your hair during a funeral, she proudly showed it off as if it was some sort of tribute to the dead body in the coffin.
The coffin. Since it was Gorham who planned the whole funeral, he also ordered that a coffin be made as if it was his. From the finest wood and the finest paint, it gleamed in the light. The inside was fitted with cushions and was very serene. When Wendy had spoken, she commented that Victor would have liked it given that of all the comforts in the world, he preferred that of a good place to lie down. This caused a laugh from Sidney but she was quickly overwhelmed with a sob and opted to keep quiet altogether.
It was over quickly because all Sidney said was that she would miss him terribly and wished him well in the next life. She threw something like a rock into the grave after the coffin. Gorham wished he knew what it was but he would ask later on. The other gave their apologies then left the closest being Sidney and Wendy alone with the grave to say their last words. Sidney finally left Wendy alone and went to join Gorham some distance away.
`What was that you threw in the grave?' he asked as he could not curb his curiosity.
`Something that will enable him get out of the grave when he so chooses.' she saw the shocked look on Gorham's face. `I'm just kidding.' She smiled slightly then went back to her solemn mood but it was a started, Gorham noted. Eventually she will go back to her happy self. `The stone is to prevent the body from ever being dug up by anyone else except family. I figured that since he was a wizard, people may try to exhume his body to examine how different he was to the rest.'
They looked at Wendy who was still wiping tears from her eyes. `Do you think she will ever get over it?' Gorham asked.
`It will take a long time but eventually, she will.' There was a long pause. `I envy her though,' she said which caused Gorham to look questioningly at her. She didn't notice. `I am so used to spending years without seeing him that for now I know he's gone but I'm not sure what will happen in a few months when it finally dawns on me that he will never come back to see me, to tease me or even to force me to admit to myself that I'm in love,' she looked at Gorham with love in her eyes before she looked away as if embarrassed by something.
`I'll be here for you when the time comes,' he reassured her.
`I know you will.' She put her arms around him and stood there in silence. Then a carriage pulled up and everyone's attention was drawn to it. A middle aged man alighted from it and walked toward the grave where Wendy was but before he got there he talked slightly with Dr Ryan and he seemed to be in agreement with what he said. Then they looked at Wendy and Dr Ryan was explaining something shaking his head.
`Who is that?' Gorham asked.
`Henry, Wendy's father.'
`Shouldn't we go and meet him?'
`No, if he wants to talk to any of us, he will approach.'
`I feel as if I should be offended by that.'
Sidney chuckled, `Not at all, he acknowledges your presence. Just watch him.'