Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Unchained

It had been four years since The Kingdom of Malachite was turned upside down. Julie was now twenty-one, and although she had healed from the ache and memories that came with remembering the war, some nights she would get a familiar sensation. A burn in her throat. A heart wrecking feeling that she wasn't safe that would jolt her body awake like an electric shock.

But in those moments, she'd drag herself out of bed and go look at the sunset. It always happened before sunset. She'd sometimes text Luke and ask if he was also looking at the rising sun. He always said yes.

They had a type of friendship that was low maintenance. They talked once or twice a month at most, and sometimes, they could go up to four months without talking. They were busy adults and although at one point in her late teenage years she was completely enamored by him, the distance made her lose those feelings that once tied her closely to him.

But that didn't mean she had eyes for anyone else. Even as her dad subtly brought up suitors, she wondered what it would be like to have Luke live in their kingdom. To have him around and to have their romance revive now that they were much older and better off than what they were. Less angsty and impulsive. Less traitorous.

Flynn told her she had to move on, and Julie replied by saying that she had. It had been four years. How could she have not moved on in that time? Especially when she had only seen him twice a year- on Alex and Reggie's birthdays for moments at a time before she forced herself to leave the party early.

Julie was in the helicopter next to her dad. They were heading to the Kingdom of Malachite for their annual banquet. It was a celebration of peace, and the Nation of Kingdoms summoned every ruler to attend. Julie was going for the first time, and the banquet just happened to land on her birthday. She didn't have plans until the weekend, so she was fine with spending the day smiling and being polite as exhausting as it could be.

She didn't have the courage to text Luke before she got there. She knew his mom was a political figure now, but she hoped she wouldn't have to see him still. She could not be in front of him. It's she would find an excuse to leave Alex and Reggie's parties. It got to be too much to have him in front of her when he seemed to get taller, more handsome, and more mature. She still felt like a child.

Their helicopter landed, and they were escorted into the rebuilt castle that was just now a government building. Nobody lived in there except occasional families who would lose their homes for environmental or financial reasons as a way to help them get back on their feet. It looked more colorful, a lot more different than the boring stone grey Julie remembered. She was passed out when she was taken in and scaling the walls at night didn't show her much. But she knew what it once looked like. She had often dreamt about it so long ago.

Julie and her dad were introduced to a few people of Silvone, and she shook the hand of a woman named Emily Patterson who she immediately ringed at Luke's mom. She gave Julie a soft smile and greeted her in that accent Luke had, one Julie failed to pick apart so long ago. Julie didn't even register what she said before she was moved along to the large dining room.

She scanned around for Luke, but the only other familiar faces she saw were Willie's parents and eldest sister who would one day be queen. She sighed in relief, passing off the slight tinge of disappointment from her skin. She distracted herself with the banquet, being silent and listening in on conversations that would sometimes stray from the political and give hints to royal family drama. She knew her family was the face of it at the banquet three years ago after the anniversary of her kidnapping which is why her dad didn't let her go for the longest time.

But there she was. Once again, being reminded that this was her life. She was unwillingly sworn into this life the second she was born and although for a while it wasn't her priority, it was again now. She played with the ruby ring on her finger. She wondered what her mom would think of her. Attending banquets at age twenty-one. On the day of her birthday. She was just used to dealing with things. Nothing could ever get worse she constantly reassured her. It was only up from there.