She Belongs To The Devil

"So, you've also decided to leave the Palace…" Adeline pressed her lips together while glancing at Alan.

She looked a bit sad when she further said, "Only a handful of our brothers and sisters are left in the Palace now. At this rate, I will be the only one living inside this Palace."

Alan was sitting on the chair in front of Adeline. He smiled at his half-sister and then said, "Everyone has to leave their nest someday. Sooner or later I had to do the same."

"But this is your home. This is where we grew up…" Adeline sighed and looked down.

Then she glanced back at Alan with a smile on her face. "But I get you. Even I feel like leaving the Palace sometimes. Running away from all this hectic life and living like a free bird."

She softly chuckled and then added, "The only difference between you and me is that you are actually getting to do so while I can only dream about it… at least for now."

Alan leaned forward and reached out his hand towards Adeline's hand. He gave a pat and said, "Adeline, living like that might seem like a distant dream to you right now. But time passes sooner than we realize. Ariel will grow up in no time and she will take over the responsibility before you realize it."

Adeline smiled and nodded, "Yes, she will grow up in no time." Her smile widened as she further visualized the future, "In fact, I can't wait to see her all grown up."

But then she pursed her lips and said, "But I always feel a little uncomfortable whenever I think about Ariel's future. Unlike our father, I only have one child. And I don't think it's fair on Ariel… you know… not getting the choice."

Alan then jokingly said, "Adeline, you are an immortal. If Ariel doesn't want to be the Queen then you could pretty much keep on ruling Wyverndale till eternity."

Adeline scoffed and shook her head, "How can I rule for eternity when ruling for just five years has been this hectic?"

Alan laughed and then said, "I was just joking of course."

He then cleared his throat and said in a rather serious tone, "I'm sure Ariel will love to follow your steps and rule Wyverndale. But if she doesn't want to be the ruler when she grows up then I am sure you will find someone who wants to."

Alan leaned back on his chair and gave a piece of advice to Adeline, "However, that doesn't mean that you should stop teaching Ariel how to rule. Teach her, train her, and make her learn everything there is to learn about the Kingdom and its people."

"But when the time comes, give her the freedom to choose her destiny." Alan's eyes were sparkling as though he had found his own destiny.

Adeline's lips curved up upon seeing that spark in her brother's eyes. "You look happy, Alan."

Alan also smiled ear to ear and said, "I am."

He took a deep breath in and his pupils dilated as he began to say, "All of us were taught since our childhood that our main goal in life was the throne. And we all believed it. We all trained hard, studied hard, and aimed for the throne."

"But after you were chosen as the Queen, I didn't know what else to do with my life." Alan laughed and added, "I'm not trying to say that I despised you for being the chosen one. But after that test, it felt as though I had lost the main purpose of my life."

"And it was hard, trying to discover who I was and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life," Alan was tapping his feet as he recalled how he was in a bad place, mentally, while trying to figure that out.

His happiness returned again when he continued to speak though. "Now I finally found my calling. You let me work on all the fields that I asked for. I did some trial and error. And I found out that I really love helping people who don't have someone who could speak up for them."

Adeline gave a nod with a smile and said, "That's why an orphanage."

"Yeah, that's why I decided to run an orphanage." Alan had a huge grin on his face when he said that. "I and my wife decided to be the voice of those helpless children. If we are able to raise them properly then hopefully they will turn out to be good citizens."

Adeline also agreed with her brother. "Yes. I will make sure to separate the budget for your orphanage on a yearly basis. I hope you will be happy there."

Adeline cleared her throat and then requested, "And don't forget to visit me from time to time. Don't make me send out an order just to make you come here."
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Alan laughed and nodded his head. "I'm not going across the ocean, Adeline. I am going to another town. It's just two days' ride from here. I will keep on dropping by to have breakfast or dinner."

"Sure." Adeline got up from her seat and went to give a hug to Alan.

Alan also hugged her and said, "I hope your ruling period will be as smooth as it has been lately. And take good care of yourself as well as my niece."

Adeline pulled away from the hug and gave a nod. "I will."

Alan patted Adeline's shoulder and gave his final advice, "And like I said, let Ariel know that she is born to be the Queen of Wyverndale. But don't make her think that it is the only thing that she can be. Give her options."

Adeline smiled and agreed, "Thank you! I will keep what you said in my mind. Have a safe journey. And make sure to write a letter to me after you reach there to Grazia."

"I will." Alan respectfully bowed to the Queen before he walked out of the room.

Adeline took a deep breath in and sat back on her chair. She felt a little empty inside. Most of her half-siblings moved out of the Palace, either to the plot of land that King Dragomir had left them in his will or to some other places of their choice.

And as they moved out of the Palace, trying to find their life, all Adeline could do was bid them farewell.

She just hoped that none of her other half-siblings who were still in the Palace would leave. Because all those who were left now were Nigel, Raphael, Edwin, and Nefriti.

Adeline didn't want them to leave her, at least not until they were alive.