the ghost of a girl that i want to be mostthe shell of a girl i used to know well
Mast had told her everything. He’d told her about the Mother Tree going up in flames and receding to ashes, about the Chamber raiding their homeland, about Fiasko following their orders to preserve her kingdom. Camelia’s heart aches for all that has happened (and she can’t help wondering if she’s arrived at just the right time). She cannot help admiring her adopted sister for her bravery, just as she admires Mast for still remaining the face of the Gates during the dark times. They’re both doing better than she did as the previous queen of the Gates.
The dunskin is standing in the middle of the ashy garden when she hears the sound of steps sifting through the powered leftover grass. Blinking away quiet tears from her gentle eyes, Camelia turns. The sight of her sister (older, definitely, with the swaying belly of a mare having just given birth, and with a raven perched on her shoulder) sends a choked gasp out of the once-queen. Despite Fiasko and Camelia never having a ton of meaningful interaction, Finnley and Kaelie instilled a deep-set belief that family is important. Her heatt floods with relief and mingled nostalgia.
Camelia is just about to run toward her sister when a stallion approaches. She hasn’t been in the Gates long enough to know any of the newcomers’ names, but his comfort within the kingdom seems to reassure Camelia that he knows this place well. Almost as well as her. Nonetheless, the dunskin steps quickly forward to wrap her sister in an embrace.
“Fiasko!” she says, her gentle brown eyes brimming with relief. “Mast told me everything… I’m so proud of you.” She forces away the feeling of guilt rising in her chest. Just when leadership had been hard for her, Camelia had ditched the kingdom and left it in Mast and Fiasko’s stead. She’s thankful they are doing much more than she ever did, but part of her is still sad she couldn’t carry the crown in the manner that they do or that her parents did.
camelia
