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Dear Princeling,
We both know I have never begged for anyone in my life but you are my only exception.
Please forgive me Dorian. I have a secret to confess.
I am with child. Your child.
You are the first one I am informing. Please be discreet as my council may object to me telling the king of a foreign kingdom before my own trusted advisors.
I dared not tell a soul until I made it past the first few months as this is when most witchlings are lost and I did not want others to know my shame should such a loss occur.
I am now past three months and it is becoming hard to hide.
I know what your first instinct will be. Don't do it. Don't cage me Dorian. You were right to walk away after that night. I have never held it against you. You knew me better than I knew myself at the time and I am eternally grateful that you chose to put my happiness above your own.
I know that we are more now, we are Kings and Queens who must consider our crowns in everything we do. If I have the privilege and good fortune of delivering this baby into the world, it will probably be a female witchling and she will be the undisputed heir to the Witch Kingdom. There is no concept of bastard among witches so the lack of marriage is not an issue for my people. There is only a slim chance that the magic in your bloodline will win out and the child will be born human. I would not presume your succession plans but I have always been under the impression that Hollin is a candidate.
Ironteeth witches never get to know their fathers but the Crochans do sometimes. I don't care if breaking the tradition causes a civil war or rebellion. There will always be a place for you in this child's life if you should want it.
- Your Witchling
My Dearest Witchling,
You never have to beg me for anything. For I cannot bear to deny the woman I love anything her heart desires.
You have given me the happiest news of my life and I doubt I can hide my joy from anyone at all.
I am aware of how difficult witch pregnancies and births can be. I would like to visit you with Yrene who may be able to tell us more about the health of our baby. I do not intend to imply that you cannot do this on your own because we both know you are strong enough to conquer the world. However it would ease my own troubled mind and mean the world to me if I could join you during this time.
I will take what only you offer and nothing more. Quite frankly, we don't need a stupid piece of paper. I already know that you're the rest of my life and it would be my honor to name our child the heir of Adarlan. Hollin couldn't be less interested in the role and Aelin would be happy to rip apart any opposition, domestic or foreign.
- Your Princeling
Rhiannon Halliviard Blackbeak-Crochan was born to parents whose legacies were larger than life. The broken Prince who became a mighty King, wielding magic to destroy Morath and save the world. The Wing Leader and Blackbeak heir who defied her Matron to end a blood feud, break a witch curse and rebuild a kingdom no one had believed could ever rise again. Her parents had been lied to and abused for most of their lives by the ones who raised them, who forged them into weapons of war. She would be different, she would be a child of peace and unity.
Rhia is not just Heir to the Witch Kingdom and Adarlan but also the reincarnation of the Thirteen. She hated being called her full name just like Lin. She wanted to attend magic school one day and spent more time than she should in royal library for her loves of stories rivaled Ghislaine's. She laughed wickedly like the demon twins, something she picked up from her aunt Lysandra. She loved to sneak up on people like the Shadows and her aim was just as good- taught by Empress Nesryn Faliq herself. She was a shameless flirt like Vesta and enjoyed similar pursuits if the red on her sheets was anything to go by. She was as wild as Asterin with a sword in her hand as she sparred with her aunt Aelin. She was as unyielding as Sorrel when she governed her first witch trial for wyvern poachers and ordered the perpetrators torn to bits. She was fierce like her mother and clever like her father.
Dorian could not be more proud of their daughter. No one was surprised when a few years after Rhia was born, Manon finally agreed to wed him. Her reasoning was that she had concluded there was no way she could ever be happier than with the family they had built together. The King politely refrained from saying 'I told you so' and just kissed his Queen instead.