The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 211: The Past and Future

Jessamyn let out a deep breath, her voice trembling with the weight of her revelation. "The Queen Mother was the incarnation of Levana. In the mortal world, she fell in love with a demigod."

"Brennan Theodulf?" Jerrick asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

Jessamyn nodded, her eyes clouding with sorrow. "Yes, Brennan Theodulf. Their love was pure, but it was tainted by betrayal and tragedy."

Jerrick leaned closer, his heart aching for the pain he saw in Jessamyn’s eyes. "How did she die?"

"The baby’s father killed her," Jessamyn whispered, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes. She felt the agony of the Queen Mother as if it were her own, a sharp, searing pain that pierced her soul.

With every word, the tragic scene replayed in her mind.

The Queen Mother, filled with love and hope for her unborn child, was betrayed by the man she trusted most. Brennan Theodulf, deceived by the venomous lies of a witch, believed the child to be the result of infidelity. Consumed by rage and jealousy, he took the heavenly sword she had given him—meant to conquer the world—and plunged it into her belly.

The Queen Mother’s eyes, once filled with love and trust, reflected only shock and unbearable pain as the blade pierced through her.

Jessamyn’s tears flowed freely, mingling with the memory of her own suffering. She remembered the helplessness she felt as she lost her own child, not to a sword, but to the cruel hands of her mother-in-law. The grief and anger that consumed her in those moments mirrored the Queen Mother’s final thoughts.

When the Queen Mother slumped to the ground, dying a slow and agonizing death, she cursed the Theodulf line with her last few breaths. It was a curse born of heartbreak and betrayal, meant to avenge the life of her unborn child.

"Jessamyn," Jerrick’s voice was gentle as he held her hand, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Yes," Jessamyn came out of her reverie. "Brennan Theodulf held her in his arms as she breathed her last. Whatever deceiving spell the witch put on him was eroded by the tears of The Queen Mother and he came to his senses. Unable to watch her die, Brennan tried to kill himself..."

Jessamyn stopped, feeling a warm drop splash on her hand. It was Jerrick’s tears. She let him cry. With or without the influence of the evil witch, his ancestor had done a cruel thing.

"You are angry at him," Jerrick said. He could feel her blood boiling.

"Yes," Jessamyn agreed. "He was a demigod! A witch shouldn’t have influenced him if he truly loved her!"

Jerrick gulped, the words he was about to say next stuck in his throat.

"Levana closed her eyes as her life on earth ended. In her final act of kindness for the man she loved, she made him forget the cruel thing he did to her, exiled the witch and put a mark on her. Levana cursed the witch to die an agonizing death after watching the curse get broken by the one she tried to kill. The curse the Queen Mother gave out already had an end, but the Theodulf bloodline had to pay the price."

"The end to the curse...?" Jerrick asked, his voice shaking.

"Gemma Luna—the daughter of Levana and Brennan," Jessamyn said, squeezing his hands. "Me. This is my second-chance life, Jerrick... It’s what my mother graciously gave me so I could end the curse she put on her beloved."

Jerrick pressed his lips together, observing her as her eyes looked away with hostility. She was not pleased with her role. But who would be? Her life was not hers; she was given this life just to end the curse.

"All because of Brennan Theodulf..." he muttered.

"You truly are a Theodulf, Jerrick," she looked at him, her eyes burning with a raging intensity.

Jerrick’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened as he drew the parallels. "The one-eyed seer..." he mumbled.

"She’s the same witch who deceived your ancestor. You are the Lycaon Wulfhednar, and she got you too. You, with Theodulf’s bloodline, find pleasure in trusting a stranger more than the one you love," Jessamyn scoffed.

Had Jerrick trusted their love and not fallen for the witch’s deception, things would have happened entirely differently. Now, the only way for the curse to be broken was by her life. That was the only way left.

She could reveal the truth and make him regret his past decision more. But maybe, she was her mother’s daughter. She couldn’t bear to see the hurt of the one who betrayed her.

Plus, he came back, held her hand, and never let go.

She wanted him to be happy as long as he lived. She needed to give him a reason to live happily. Just like Joar wanted happiness for her, she wanted happiness for Jerrick.

"I’m..." Jerrick leaned on her shoulder. "I am sorry, Jessamyn... I complicated everything."

"You did, silly," she rubbed her back. She quickly wiped the tears flowing down her cheeks. "But we are together, now. I am here. We will get through this, as one."

When he told her that he was there for her, those words meant a lot to her. She wanted to give him the same comfort.

"The curse started with the deception of a woman, ended the life of an unborn woman and so, it will be ended by a woman..." Jessamyn sighed. "That’s why the start of the end of the curse was by a woman."

Jerrick furrowed his brows and held her shoulders. "Do you mean..."

"Yes," Jessamyn nodded in understanding.

Jerrick pulled her into his arms, holding her as if she were his lifeline. They stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s warmth.

"Your duty is for the Kingdom. Mine is for your family. Our son is the future of the kingdom, Jerrick," Jessamyn whispered. "The one who unites the kingdoms is our son. He will sit on the throne. That’s why raising him properly is important."

She wouldn’t be able to talk about it in detail anywhere, anymore. This was all she could say. Their son will sit on the throne of Ayberia and unite Altania with Ayberia.

They were not all that important in the sense of the prophecy. They were just the ones who lay the road for the true savior—their son.

Jerrick’s hand holding Jessamyn’s shook. "Are you sure?" he asked.

It was treasonous. The Crown Prince just announced his wedding. The people are celebrating that soon Ayberia will have their heir. If what Jessamyn said came to pass, then it would cause a bloodbath.

"The Kaiser family...?" Jerrick asked.

His heart pounded for the Kaiser family. He couldn’t believe their son would betray the Kaiser family whom they served for millennia.