Wleia's Story
by Nicole Patrice Thomas
Wleia's Story
Wleia’s Story: A Tale of Loss, Faith, and Hidden Destiny In a single, terrifying moment, a flash flood tears through Wleia’s world, sweeping away her husband, Fidel, and her twin brother, leaving her clinging to a tree in a devastated valley. Rescued but utterly broken, Wleia is consumed by grief until her friend Sarah reminds her of the life she still carries—the twin children Fidel had prayed for. As she struggles to rebuild her strength, a new shadow falls over the land. Ruthless bandits, unchecked by an indifferent King, force the village survivors to make a desperate choice: stand and fight, or flee south for safety. Wleia attempts to join the caravan fleeing to the south, but a violent, premature labor strikes on the road, forcing her to turn back. In a miraculous twist credited to "The One," her labor stops as suddenly as it began, saving her babies but leaving her behind in the abandoned village while her friends journey on without her. Alone and nine months pregnant, Wleia’s quiet isolation is shattered when she discovers a wounded woman hiding in her shed—Queen Alanna Bear-Claw, who is also in the throes of labor. Calling upon her forgotten gift as a scribe, Wleia is tasked with recording the Queen’s dying confession: a secret history of love, betrayal, and greed. No longer just a survivor, Wleia becomes the guardian of a royal legacy, holding fast to a dangerous tale and the children destiny has placed in her care.