Sleep was harder than usual for Treyan that night.

He finally had a plan and it made him restless. Awake, he stared at the ceiling, and often found himself thinking of Alex. Was she, too, lying awake? Was she thinking of him as he thought of her?

He was aware nothing he could do or say would make anything better, so he gave her the space she needed, and left her alone.

Even as he knew it would eat at him from the inside out.

But this plan—he would need to speak to the Councillor about it as soon as the suns began to rise, and once their light shone over the horizon, he rolled out of bed and began dressing for the day.

This would work, he convinced himself. He also knew there would be objections, but they had to trust him.

He was tying his boots when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

Mallia stepped in and his heart skipped a beat. He had asked the Mistress to keep an eye on Alex in his stead, and she did so honorably until Alex sent her away. But now, upon Mallia's arrival, Treyan had to wonder if Alex had sent for him.

But Mallia entered quietly, her head bowed. "My prince, the Councillor has asked for a moment of your time."

No, not Alex. It was hard to hide the disappointment from his face as Mallia remained standing at the door, waiting for a response.

But an invitation to see the Councillor would do just as well.

He cleared his throat. "Please advise the Councillor that I will be there momentarily," he informed her with more formality than required.

"Yes, my prince." She bowed and moved to close the door behind her.

"Mallia," he called out before she could depart, stopping her.

Treyan moved toward her, closing the space between them. "I'm sorry for what happened with Alex. That she dismissed you."

The Mistress looked at him with a sadness behind her eyes, but nodded, her voice soft. "We all wanted what was best for her, Treyan. I wouldn't have agreed if I didn't believe the same."

The door to his room closed before he could ask anything more.

He did all he could to keep from sprinting to the Councillor's chambers.

Once he arrived, he burst through the door, but the Councillor already had an audience. He paused once Treyan entered, his attention focused on the chair closest to the door.

Treyan's heart skipped a beat.

"Alex."

She did not respond, but remained seated, her eyes upon the Councillor as he stood at the other side of the room.

"My prince, thank you for joining us on such short notice," the Councillor greeted him, but Treyan hadn't heard him.

His shock upon seeing her after all this time must have been evident for his eyes remained only on her. It had been so long...

The Councillor cleared his throat, finally regaining Treyan's attention. "Please, take your seat. We have much to discuss."

He obediently took his seat, but he soaked in every detail of her that he could.

Her hair was high on her head in a pile of curls and tendrils. She wore an empire-waisted gown of smooth red velvet, with simple silver jewellery and the crown of the Empire upon her head. She was sitting close to the table so he was unable to see her swelling stomach, but he couldn't help but glance upon her breasts and noticed their growing size in preparation for childbirth. Her hands were delicately folded on the table, and on her left hand still rested his ring.

Despite how long he watched her, she never looked in his direction. Her eyes were seriously focused on the Councillor and whatever it was that needed to be discussed.

Treyan's heart pounded as his anxiety grew. He knew this would be his only chance to discuss his plans, but before he could go any further, the Councillor disrupted his agenda.

"My prince, Empress Alexstrayna and I have been considering the political schema of the Empire, and she and I believe it is time to start making the royal marriage arrangements."

Treyan couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"With all due respect, I understand the tradition. I know it's expected for the Queen Empress and Crown Prince to marry before the children are due to arrive." He then turned his gaze from the Councillor to Alex. "But in light of everything that's happened, you want to begin planning the wedding? Now?"

She gave no response.

"Yes, my prince," the Councillor answered for her, trying to regain Treyan's attention. "We believe that by solidifying the union between the Crown Prince and the Queen Empress, regardless of what Reylor believes he has accomplished, it will present the Empire as a stronger force to its people in a time where so many are concerned that we'll fall under threat from the Borderlands."

Treyan gaped in disbelief as he looked at Alex.

"You want me to believe that, in spite all that has transpired, we're just to continue living as planned as though nothing has gone awry?"

He was practically pleading with her to just give him a glance but, still, she showed him nothing.

"We believe it is the best for the Empire if we can show them that the Prophecy lives on," the Councillor announced.

Treyan stopped and stared at the Councillor.

"The Prophecy? Is that what this is all about?"

"The people need hope, my prince."

Ignoring him, he turned to Alex and dared to place a hand on hers. She moved her hand away immediately, but Treyan did not falter.

"This isn't what you want, Alex. You're letting them get into your head. This isn't going to make anything better. Living a lie will only make matters worse!"

She closed her eyes and looked away from him.

He knew this wasn't her choice. It couldn't be.

Standing from his chair, he faced the Councillor, squaring his shoulders and standing as tall as possible. He was the Crown Prince—he was going to play his part.

"Councillor, due to the recent events, I believe the Prophecy is the one thing we should not follow—it is exactly what Reylor expects and giving him exactly what he wants."

The Councillor held his stare as if he hadn't heard him correctly. Even Alex turned in his direction with curiosity in her eyes.

"Prince Treyan," the Councillor stammered. "Going against the Prophecy is blasphemy to the Empire. You remember what happened when your brother tried to defy the Annals."

"Which is all the more reason I think history is trying to correct the errors it has made."

Silence fell over them, and it was Alex who finally broke it.

"Perhaps we should hear Prince Treyan out."

"Empress," the Councillor began.

But she held a hand out as to let him know he needn't say any more. "It's alright, Councillor. I think it best that the prince and I discuss this in private. We'll continue later."

"As you wish, Empress," the Councillor responded. Nodding to Treyan as he made his way from the meeting room, he left Alex and Treyan alone for the first time since the night of her coronation.

She turned to him once they were gone, her dark eyes looking into his. There was no emotion in them—she was all business.

"What do you propose, Treyan?"

"Alex." His voice cracked.

She closed her eyes and put her hands up once again, stopping him.

"Please," she urged, her voice level. "Let's keep this as quick and as simple as possible. What is this plan you propose?"

Disappointment fell over him, but he refused to lose the opportunity to talk to her after all this time.

"Alex," he began steadily. "I think I've found a way to fix the Prophecy. I know how to get everything back on track."

"That is why we're continuing with the marriage plans, Treyan. Why else do you think—"

"Having a wedding is not going to fix the problem, Alex. We both know that!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." She looked down, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach.

"No. For the first time in a long while, I finally think I do."

"You can't change the past."

"But we can fix it!"

"We?" She perked a brow at him.

Treyan sat back down in his chair, pulling it close to hers. "What if I told you there was a way to reset the Prophecy back on its proper course, as written within the Annals?"

"How? You can't reset a prophecy," she reminded him.

"We can avoid potential disaster and restart it all from the point of derailment."

She peered at him cautiously. "What are you suggesting?"

He took a deep breath. This was going to be his only chance. Thoughts of what the Annals showed him flooded his mind, and he hoped she would be able to understand.

"You're just five months along, Alex." He paused. "I suggest we terminate the pregnancy."

She stilled. Everything stilled. Maintaining her gaze was the hardest part. Her eyes were instantly wide and incredulous.

"What you suggest," she breathed out.

Treyan's own heart ached that they were even having this conversation. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. You have to understand—"

"Oh, I understand," she hissed, and began to stand. "I understand that the only one who is desperate in this situation right now is you."

He leaned over the table, trying his hardest to get closer to her. If he could only convince her that his ramblings were more than the lovestruck pleas of a mad man, perhaps she would be able to realize...

"Alex, don't you see? The unborn children could be the reason for the Prophecy to be set off course. Whatever Reylor did, if we wait until they're born, it could be too late!"

She shied away from him, her gaze haunted as she looked to him. "Reylor was supposed to be the twisted one. But this? This is pure insanity. You're supposed to be better than this!"

He tried to not let the insult sting. "I am, Alex, believe me, but if we just—"

"Enough!" She stood from her chair faster than she should have, and her hand went to her stomach as though the wind was knocked from her.

Treyan went to offer his hand, but she brushed it away.

"This will not be spoken of again, Treyan. Never again."

"Alex, you have to listen—"

"No, you will listen!" She talked right through him. "The wedding will occur as planned. The Councillor will advise you as to when that date will be. Until then, we will have no more talk of erasing the past or rewriting the future."

He tried to stop her, but she walked away from him and out of the chamber, once again leaving him behind and alone.