Page 15 of Celestia, Year Four

"I'm tired," I replied and pulled back to look into his dark eyes that still harbored a level of sadness. "It's been a long day, but don't worry. I'll be fine once I've rested."

"You've been going at this all month." He continued, not wanting to let the topic go.

"I'll go at it for years if I have to. I just have to be strong and not let them win." I sighed. "I'm so sorry that all of this is happening. It's getting ridiculous."

"You shouldn't be the one to apologize for my people's suffering, my Queen," he whispered.

"Lucian," I begged, my gaze locking with his. He didn't know how much my heart ached.

I didn't know how to solve this. I was left in a conflicted situation and couldn't choose which side to stand on.

I’m unsure on how much longer I can take all of this.

"You should just let them have their way," he mumbled.

"I will not," I vowed, a hint of my anger coming through my weak voice, which caught Lucian's attention.

"Why are you angry?"

"This shouldn't be happening, Lucian. Hundreds of years have passed and our ancestors have all done the same thing. We've ruled in harmony with all the elements! Even back in the ancient times when men ruled and had a woman who represented each element. Why is it now, that people want to rebel against Mother Nature? She is the decider of all of this and the reason we have air to breathe or ground to walk on. This revolution they're trying to bring upon us will just ruin generations to come! Now they want a Council and not a ruler. Why is this all happening now? Mother can only do so much,but if this whole Council thing goes as these men are planning it to go, all those of Dark nature will be cast out."

"That… isn't true."

"It is. I've dreamed of this for months, and I've never gone wrong with my prophecies. I was bestowed this position to aid you all. To make sure the elements remain united. If this continues, all I can see is war, and that's not fair. Why because of one's looks are they being bullied? Why because one is different, are they fine with criticizing them and making them feel horrible about themselves when all of us are created with purpose?!"

The sound of a glass cracking caught our attention, and we turned to see the glass of water that was still filled begin to drip down onto the table through the cracks.

I groaned and ruffled my blonde locks.

"I'm just done with all of this, but I can't stop fighting. I can't let them make you or your people outcast. I love you, dammit! You are one of my husbands who's shown them mercy plenty of times! You've defended their people when they needed aid against monsters, and it just pisses me off that they're now mistaking those creatures for your people! The difference is obvious! Why can't they see that...?" I was battling the tears that threatened to fall and sighed.

"I'm exhausted, Lucian. None of you deserve this. I'll try to make a trip to your kingdom this coming week and have a talk with your people. I won't let them turn you into outcasts. You deserve to be on the surface like everyone else. Why send you elsewhere? In fact, where will you even go?" A sob escaped me then and I hung my head. "I just want all of us to be happy like before. To live in harmony and focus on lifting each other up, not bringing one another down. If I let this happen… if they think it's okay to push aside one entire race for their own comfort, they'll do it again to others. Soon, rare creatures likeunicorns and pegasi and other mythological creatures will be outcasted for their unique differences and lack of numbers."

I took a few breaths as more tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Then all that will be left is specific races that are great in numbers. They will begin to segregate themselves into nations and start to fight one another for land and territory until more wars come to fruition and in the end? One race will remain and when they have no one else to fight against, they'll fight one another, until one shifter is standing and the world as we know it will be lost."

"My Queen," Lucian whispered.

I lifted my sad eyes to meet his.

"I've seen it, Lucian. I say nothing because I don't want to worry you, but if this carries on… there will be nothing left. Better yet, Mother Nature won't allow it to reach that far. She'd rather be the cause of catastrophes and let the corruption rain upon her lands than watch the shifters she created fight one another. Kill one another. Those creatures that appear like black sludge are not Darkness. They are a test to see what we will do, and after all the years that have passed, our generation is falling for it. We're losing this test and I've yet to figure out how to show the difference between them. If I give them a name… call them Forsaken, in time, they'll just plaster that term to your people, and again, you'll be nothing but a target. I… can't."

Lucian took a step forward and wrapped his arms around me, allowing me to sob into his chest.

"I'm trying… so hard. I haven't slept for days on end, and the little sleep I do get is plagued by dreams of the future. I'm lost Lucian, but I won't let them win. I can't. I just… have to be strong. I must..." I trailed off, trying to finish my speech but felt so exhausted I couldn't keep standing.

I felt Lucian's arms tighten around my waist. "Sia?"

The sound of my name only seemed to relax me, and I heard a soft sigh.

"You work yourself far too hard for someone like me."

I felt myself being lifted up, and I desperately wanted to reply, but I just couldn't. I'd worked myself past my limit and my body was telling me it needed to recharge.

I heard the doors open accompanied by two gasps.

"Prince of Darkness, good morning!"

---