Alicia found herself immersed in her room that night, the outside world fading into insignificance as she grappled with the profound magnitude of what she had learned. Her mind was a swirling vortex of images and narratives, each vying for space within her consciousness. Everything felt surreal, like an enigmatic dream or a haunting nightmare from which she couldn't rouse herself.
Seated on her bed, she clutched the small diary that Hunter had entrusted to her just before they parted ways that night, her fingertips tracing the worn leather cover. Emotions churned within her, a tempestuous storm of fear, weariness, disbelief, and sadness swirling in her heart. It was as if an invisible weight settled heavily on her chest, making it difficult to draw a steady breath.
Exhaling a trembling sigh, she delicately brushed away an errant tear that had escaped her eye, determined to maintain her composure. Crying felt futile, yet her emotions were unrelenting, churning like turbulent waters just beneath the surface.
Her attention shifted to the note from Hunter, still unopened since the moment he had handed it to her. He had also offered it with his complimentary card. A mixture of curiosity and trepidation held her back, battling for supremacy within her.
After a hesitant moment, Alicia carefully unfolded the note. The words, though few, radiated a sense of reassurance that provided a semblance of solace amidst the turmoil within her. "I will be here for you."
A single tear splashed onto the note, and she hastily brushed it away, her nose sniffling in tandem.
It was as if Hunter's words offered a lifeline, an anchor amid the chaos threatening to engulf her. She trembled as she held the note, Hunter's message imbuing her with a tentative sense of hope.
But her attention was inexorably drawn back to the old diary. With a mix of apprehension and longing, she opened it. It was as if she already knew, even before she opened it, that it belonged to Queen Tam.
Her shaking fingers flipped the pages until she found faded ink scribbled across the pages, and then she began to read their pages. The words, written in a style that transported her to another era, bore the hallmark of ages past.
"Should I write to you or should I not?
Will you ever find it or will you not?
Are you a part of me or are you not?
Do I want you to know me or do I not?
They say you were simply a soul in another body.
Then do I belong from the soul or to the body?
Or do I belong with both?
Who am I writing this to?
The soul or the body?
I have done a lot of thinking.
And whichever of you I belong to, I know you will find it.
You may not know me. But I know you.
And I have heard tales. I have received enlightenment and have seen you a couple of times. But you cannot see me.
At least, not yet.
Is it tough for you? Tough that you cannot remember anything?
Do I wish for you to remember anything?
To remember father?
To remember me?
I do not wish for it.
Because I have seen how painful it is watching them every day.
Watching Lord Harvey every day.
Watching Uncle Alvin every day.
Watching Lady Paulina.
Watching Sir Williams.
Watching Lord Evan.
Watching Lady Victoria.
Watching everyone who misses the others they cannot see.
Watching father.
And it is painful for me. Even though I never met you.
But you shall know that I love you dearly.
And I shall be as great as you.
I shall protect all those dear to me and continue to break every curse that threatens to destroy my people.
I shall continue to end slavery and make all of us of different kinds as one.
I, Tikvah Alicia Maria, promise you, the body and soul, this.
And I want history to know that the great Queen Tam found a role model in her late mother.
And I shall continue to think about you until I die."
—TAM
Tears blurred Alicia's vision as she absorbed the poignant words. The diary became a conduit through time, connecting her to a past she had only just begun to grasp. Emotions surged forth, overwhelming and raw, as she permitted herself to experience the emotions that had been suppressed for so long. She cried, each sob a cathartic release of pent-up feelings that had long yearned to break free.
With the finality of a closing chapter, Alicia turned the page of the book gently, her tears absorbed by the fabric of her blouse. Her heart weighed heavily, yet she felt an inexplicable connection, an understanding that transcended logic. She took a deep, shuddering breath and gingerly flipped through the diary's pages, her fingers brushing against something tucked within its confines.
Her curiosity piqued, she withdrew the folded paper that lay hidden within. The paper was aged and yellowed, its ink faded with the passage of time. It was a letter, written in a long script, that whispered of days long gone by.
As she unfolded it, her eyes widened at the sight of a letter addressed to "A.Q." The weight of its contents seemed to hang in the air, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity settling over her.
The letter was longer than she anticipated, and so was the sheet of paper, which had an unusually long size and was filled with faded ink. Yet, for reasons she couldn't comprehend, she couldn't bring herself to read it. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind—a strange sense that the words within were meant for her. It didn't make sense, and yet the feeling persisted, leaving her torn between curiosity and uncertainty.
The letter started with the word,
"Princess,"
And it was as if she could hear the voice in her head.
A faint, tender voice.
And as she gazed at the words, her eyes were drawn to the dates, each representing a passage of time, a chapter in the author's life.
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