#osten shcreave

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Lesson Number 173: Grief can change with age, but it doesn’t get any easier

Table of Contents

If he had known what was in the letter, he wouldn’t have been in such a hurry. He wouldn’t have tossed it on the bed and continued about his business without a second thought. It wasn’t until Maxon heard his wife’s wailing cry that he halted his work immediately and sprinted back into her room.

America was leaned over like she’d been hit, the letter clutched in her right hand as she used her left to hold onto the bed. Maxon was barely able to get to her before she fully collapsed.

“My dear, what is it? What’s happened?” He held her tightly as she put the letter into his hand, shielding her face from it.

“I-it’s from James. It’s Kenna. S-she’s dead.”

“What?” Maxon’s eyes scanned the letter. A few of the words had smudged from what appeared to be tears falling onto the page. Cardio problems. Just like her father.

“J-just like Dad. It’s just like Dad.” She sobbed. “Oh god and it’s almost Christmas. She was so young. Why now? H-how can this happen? How can this…” Her cries became hysterical again, making it impossible to speak.

“I don’t know, darling.” He whispered, gently rubbing soothing circles up and down her back. “I’m so sorry.” Those words couldn’t even begin to convey what he meant. How he wished he could take this grief from her, or at least shoulder some of it. While he was fond of Kenna and was saddened at the thought of James and her two children, he knew that his grief was nothing compared to the hole that would be left in America’s heart.

Once she had calmed herself down, the two were informed that her mother was already at the palace, having received the letter just prior to her. America rushed to her without a moment’s hesitation. Magda was practically inconsolable, burying herself in her daughter’s embrace the moment they collided. Maxon watched on as a quiet bystander, unsure whether or not to approach. Of course, Magda had always treated him well, but he felt his presence would not aid in her comfort.

However, the second she saw him, she pulled her into a tight hug. He had no words he could say to her, but she seemed to understand his sympathies. Pulling away, she laid a hand on his cheek, examining his face for a moment before once again bursting into sobs. He couldn’t imagine the poor woman’s pain. To lose her husband and her child in such similar ways, at the same time of year- it was enough to break any woman. But he knew Magda was strong and she would find a way to face this with the help of her remaining daughters.

America quickly led her up to her room and Maxon saw to it that all of the servants were informed of the situation and were not to disturb Her Majesty or his mother-in-law until May arrived.

“Do you want us to tell the princes and princess?” One maid asked.

“Oh god, the children.” Maxon sighed, running a hand down his face. “No, no, I’ll tell them. Just inform me as soon as the queen’s sister arrives.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” She curtseyed and hurried off to relay the message to the others. He just hoped none of his children overheard before he could get to them.

-

It was a small mercy that May was not on one of her travels. She was close to Angeles when she was told the news, so it did not take long after Magda arrived for her to walk through the palace doors. Maxon was not first to greet her. Instead, it was a bubbly Eadlyn- overjoyed to see one aunt, having no idea that she had lost the other. May took her excitement with grace, keeping her chin up and a small smile on as long as she could.

“May?” Maxon started down the entryway and she ran to meet him, falling into a hug. “I’m so so sorry.”

“I just can’t believe it.” She cried, trying to keep a brave face in front of Eadlyn. “I keep waiting for her to walk in and pull me into one of her hugs.” She brushed away falling tears. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Come, they’re waiting for you.” He started to usher her to the stairs when he heard a quiet, confused voice.

“Dad?” Eadlyn watched him with wide, confused eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Eady, could you find your siblings please?” He gave her a reassuring smile, though even he wasn’t sure how convincing it was. “I need to talk to all of you.”

He proceeded with May up to the queen’s suite and gently knocked on the door. With a quiet ‘Come in,’ he opened the door and May’s brave face fell apart.

“May,” America cried, holding out her arm to her youngest sister. With Magda on one side and May crawling to her other, Maxon gave his wife a simple supportive nod before closing the door.

“Where’s mommy?” Osten tugged on the sleeve of Maxon’s suit, his bright eyes staring up at him. “I want to tell her something.”

“Mommy’s busy now.”

“Dad.” Ahren started with concern. He and Eadlyn were watching him carefully as if they were trying to read his thoughts. He motioned to his room.

“Come with me.” Gathering the four children at the edge of his bed, Osten and Kaden sat on the floor while the twins stood, their curious and worried eyes burning into him.

“Okay, dad, you’re scaring me.” Eadlyn said, crossing her arms. “What’s wrong with mom? Why was Aunt May so upset?”

“Is Mommy sad?”

“Yes, Osten, Mommy is very sad.” Maxon kept himself as composed as possible, but with four pairs of eyes watching his every move and ears hold onto his every word, it was difficult to find exactly what to say. He looked at each of them before taking a deep breath. “Your mother received a letter this morning. Your Aunt Kenna died last night.”

Eadlyn immediately stiffened, as if bracing herself for anything emotion that was to come. Always the tough one. Sometimes Maxon worried that he’d made her too tough. Ahren ran a hand down his face and blew out a long breath.

“What about Astra and Leo?” He asked.

“Your mother and I will see to it that your Uncle James and your cousins have everything they need.” Maxon answered very steadily, though his children could see that he felt this loss more than he was showing them. Kaden blinked away tears and Ahren put his hands on his shoulders. It was Osten that surprised Maxon the most.

His youngest was only seven. He only had a vague idea of what death really meant. He couldn’t understand that he would never see Aunt Kenna again or understand why his mother was so sad. But he must have understood enough. The young prince slowly got to his feet and walked up to his father, looked into his tearful eyes, and pulled him into a hug.

The other children soon joined, crawling onto the bed with him and wrapping their father in a comforting embrace. When the servants came to ask him about funeral preparations, they found him asleep, his four loving children curled up on either side.