In Those Final Moments
TW: Parental loss Closed Thread Takes place during the Eclipse Song: On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter (Spotify Link)
“Call them.”
The weak, raspy words of her Mother sounded in the tense quiet of the harshly lit room. The ladies-in-waiting who were tending to the Queen grew still as they glanced toward Zahra who stood by the window. Though a talisman hung around her neck, she could still feel the approach of the eclipse; the pressure of it against her own light-based magic was a nauseating sensation in the pit of her stomach. She suspected that it might not be there at all if she was wearing a new talisman instead of an old family heirloom, but. . . she hadn’t been able to go to Hathelyon since leaving it before the masquerade at Glasswater Palace. Of course, there was speculation amongst those at the Magaesterium that this eclipse was more powerful than any other in history. It was something that magus would eagerly be seeking to verify at towers around Vailar. She’d been one of them, anticipating the approach of this moment — she’d even been working on a device meant to help them take measurements — only to now not be able to take part.
Yet another lost dream. . .
Pushing the selfish thoughts aside as guilt overtook her, Zahra turned now to motion for one of the servants to fetch the other children. There was still a great deal unknown about Thoefëa, but one of its unusual qualities was an awareness of time. The hours, minutes, seconds until the end were something her mother said she was always aware of in the back of her mind. Other details of the experience were gathered by the alchemist though they would never be able to share them. Already the only people who knew what had been done were her, her mother, the Alchemist, and — soon enough — a thief named Oggy. And soon enough. . . her mother would be gone.
Zahra felt like a hardwood tree dying from Heart Rot as she watched her siblings come and go. The lot of them were still grieving for the losses they’d suffered barely two months prior at Glasswater, and now. . .
They were losing their only other parent.
Nothing felt right in the world anymore.
Zahra felt the tears slide down her cheeks though did nothing to draw attention to them. It was her place as the eldest, and future Queen, to remain strong. To ignore the rot of grief eating at her heart and making her feel unstable, and weak, as if a breeze could break her apart. As the last of her siblings withdrew, Zahra turned to approach the bed. They’d already said their goodbyes, but she intended to sit by her mother’s side until that final moment.
“No.”
Her mother might be dying, but there was strength in that command that made Zahra stop.
“You are not going to stay here and watch me. . .” There was a pause before she continued, “That is a command from your Queen and your Mother. The alchemist and Ichika will remain, and will come to you when I’ve gone.”
Zahra wanted to argue with her. The thought of not getting to soak in every last second possible was gut-wrenching. This was not the time to be disobedient nor rebellious. She glanced toward Ichika who gave a reassuring nod. The woman had been a lady’s companion to her stepmother when she was a noble daughter and went with her when she ran off to marry a commoner, and had followed her as she became the wife of a Queen as well. It was fitting that her mother would want to spend those last moments hearing stories of her beloved wife as the attack on Glasswater had taken away the opportunity for them to spend their last days together. The other ladies-in-waiting departed in silence.
“I. . . I l-love you, M-m. . .” Zahra felt herself choke on the simple word ‘mother’ as her body shook with a sob, and she turned quickly to flee the room before she broke down.
“And I you, Zahra. . . my sweet girl.”
_________
As the eclipse came to an end, there was a knock on the door of Zahra’s suite. Wiping a face red and blotchy from crying, she called out hoarsely, “You may enter.”
Ichika stepped inside, the look on her still face speaking for her.
“Th-thank you, Ichika. C-could you let the clergy know?”
The woman gave a nod and departed, and within the half hour bells would ring out from the Basilica of Eshvar: 3 in rapid succession to let it be known that a Queen had passed. The funerary process would begin now.
Zahra sucked in a breath though as the next 2 rings followed a short time later to announce a new Queen.
Her.
As the sun began to reclaim its rightful place in the sky its rays lit upon the crown Ichika had left upon her bed. . .
