Chapter 60 - The Warning

The queen mother spent her days trying to find a solution to her son's problem. She visited many witches that she knew but none of them offered the solution to the problem at hand. Francis's dragon mark was also broken so trying to undo the spell was impossible.

After years of searching with no luck, she left the palace and dedicated her life to serving the people of Arimelari. She gave out clothes and food to the poor to make up for her deeds and get the guilt of her actions out of her chest. 

She would have preferred it had she died because at least she would be buried with the burden that weighed her down. Her heart was heavy with sorrow from missing her dear Francis very much. She would often see him smiling at her when she helped someone. It was either he was pleased with her or she would have lost her mind and was hallucinating.

Today was like every other day, she woke up in the morning, got herself ready for the day, and went out. Today she was hosting a charity event for the poor. The royal cooks will cook for the poor people in Arimelari and she would help them serve the food. It gave her joy to put a smile on the less fortunate.

She arrived at the marketplace where the cooks had already set up the place and started cooking. Beggars made a line right by the tables waiting to be served their meal.

"This meal is a dedication. To Francis," she whispered and made a move to get close to the table. She picked up the serving spoon and started serving them. One by one the line reduced with satisfied customers.

"The future is not set in stone. The one you mourn shall return," the old man she was dishing up food for said. She glanced at the old man and served him his food caring less about what he said.

"Your good deeds won't go to waste as long as you remember that wish magic can bring him back," the man spoke again.

"Next," the queen's mother said. Working in the streets, she got to hear everything and anything that the people had to say. So it stopped making a difference to her.

The old man got tired of being ignored and took hold of the queen mother's hands and pulled her aside from others. 

"What do you think you are doing?" She asked him.

"I am here to help you. The only way to bring back the chosen one is through magic. Even if his body is gathered and put back together he won't be able to return to life unless the one who broke him wishes for his return. Only he can bring him back," the old man said.

"Wait, are you talking about Francis?" She inquired of him her body becoming lively again.

"Yes, he is around in a place that no one can reach except for the black moon dragon. He will return and the time will come when the things I have told you will come into use so remember them well," he explained to her.

"But how will Francis come back and when?" She asked not even bothering to know who the old man was. The information he provided was useful to her and that is all that mattered.

"That will require the intervention of the new chosen one but without the moon dragon, his efforts will go to waste. So make sure that the dragon is willing to bring him back," he said.

The queen mother's face lit up, her happiness was evident for everyone to see. She would get Francis back and would get to unite him with Alexander. She could picture the image of seeing her son with the love of his life happy together.

"But be warned if the chosen one doesn't come for the dragon a war will take place in Arimelari that will cost you the dragon king's life," he warned.

"What?" the queen's mother asked disturbed by the warning.

"A heart is always the cause of all misunderstandings and it is the only organ in our body that we can't control, it is impossible to choose who your heart beats for and once it starts beating for someone if the direction of the heartbeat is not changed it will destroy everything," he said.

"Can you please speak in a way that I can understand you? I don't understand what you are trying to say."

"Life should always be balanced, if the balance isn't maintained then disaster will be the result. If the dragon prince doesn't fall in love with the chosen one then his heart will seek that which does not belong to him. And the desire to poses it will drive him to destroy everything in his path without mercy," he notified her. 

The queen mother's body froze from head to toe, all the joy that had built up in her heart vanished and now fear took its place. She wasn't sure what to say about the warning she was receiving.

"But Francis will be able to fix everything when he comes back," she said.

"Allow me," the old man said and placed his hands on both sides of her head. He closed his eyes and chanted a spell. 

The Queen mother's eyes went wide from what the old man was sharing with her. The image made her tremble with fear. She saw Ander standing on the throne of Arimelari with Alexander bleeding out on the ground.

"What was that?" She asked him.

"Just a glimpse of the future," he said. "If the chosen one doesn't create a place for himself in Ander's heart. Francis will as you have seen and the prince will kill anyone and everyone just to have Francis for himself," he added.

The queen's mother stumbled back out of disbelief. Her mind was in chaos from all the information that she was processing. The truth was too much for her to bear. On one hand, there was the king who she loved so much and wanted to see happy and on the other hand, was her grandson who she doted on beyond words.

She fell to the ground when the truth became too hard for her to bear. She cursed her destiny for giving another reason to feel guilty, her one choice made everyone's lives miserable and changed things in the present, and now it is affecting the future too. Not just Francis but she will have her son's blood in her hands too.

"Don't lose hope, as long as the chosen one comes all will be well. He just needs to make sure Ander does not fall in love with Francis," he said to assure her.

"And what if he never comes then?" She asked of him.

"The two of them are like magnets that will always attract no matter what happens. They will find a way to meet and get close, the problem will come if Ander's love for Francis becomes stronger than his feelings for everyone else. His emotions must be balanced if the world is to be saved," he told and helped her stand up.

" What are the chances the future I just saw won't come to pass?" She inquired sadly.

"The chances are low but nothing is certain until it has come to pass so I think that you should be hopeful and watch the prince keenly to ensure that he doesn't fall for Francis."

"I understand and I am sure that nothing of that sort will happen. Francis and Ander have never met and will never have the honor of meeting until we bring him back but by then the prince would have already found a love interest. For now, Francis is gone," she said having hope again.

"The heart always finds a way when it wants something. You shouldn't be too confident that Francis and Ander can't meet because if it is written in their destiny then the possibility of it coming to pass is very high. I must leave now but I hope that you change the future and make up for your mistakes," the old man said and disappeared.

The queen mother felt happy, even though things weren't looking up and the odds were many. She could at least rejoice at the hope of seeing Francis once again soon.

She made her way back to the house too tired to serve anyone and went straight for a bath. She closed her eyes and replayed the things the old man said so that she would memorize each word. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes as the life of her son and the world as she knew it depended on those words.

"I will fix our family," she whispered to herself. "I will mend all the broken hearts and bring joy back to our royal family. Guide me, my beloved," she added.

She thought of her husband and all the times that they had spent together. In that, she found the courage to go on and fight for her the world.