Analia Palacio, heiress to a drug empire. Marred by tragedy at a young age, she was whisked away from her birth-right. After a twelve year delay she jets back to her country of birth to claim her title. As Lady Palacio she steps into the court of or...
I can see you standing, honey With his arms around your body
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Analia Quinn Palacio
The Compound has been my home for twelve years. The walls have always been a pristine shade of white. It's an obvious juxtaposition to the dark wooden floors that are always kept shiny. My room is down the hall to the right, my duvet is light purple, and my pillows are white; Florentine, my teddy bear, has a comfortable perch in the middle of the white mounds.
I stripped the frames in my room last night and tucked all the pictures into a thick, yellow envelope before I slipped it into my duffle. My bed has been made bare of my soft blankets, and Florentine has found a new perch atop my leather duffel.
This room has been my haven for over a decade. These walls have witnessed my tears, sobs, and the thick scars that adorn my body. I knew I would leave all this behind at some point, but that was such a distant future. I didn't think about it a lot. I was comfortable here. My family is all here.
Apollo was much more comfortable leaving all of this behind. He was outright giddy as he packed his room. I stood at his threshold as he folded clothing into a shiny suitcase. He was younger than I am now, but he was arriving at an extravagant homecoming party, courtesy of our grandparents.
No one, except my brother, knew we would be arriving today. It's all part of the plan, part of the wow factor.
"How are you feeling, honey?" I turn my attention to Valerie. She's standing in casual jeans and a sweatshirt. Her dark hair pulled back, leaving her blue eyes on full display. She's the closest thing I've had to a mother in the last decade, and her concern makes me want to cry.
But I can't cry.
"I'm okay. Just jittery. It'll pass." I reassure her, but she looks right through me. She comes to stand by me and looks on with me as I stare at the portrait of my parents.
My father was tall and broad. His skin, made the color of copper by the sun, and tar-black hair made his green eyes entrancing- like staring into the eyes of a snake that was about to pounce.
My mother stood next to him, she was short and slender, her almost-blond hair cascading down her white dress that blended seamlessly into her skin. She was beautiful; the focal point of her beauty came from her eyes. Big and round, filled with the color of gold.
"He was nervous, you know? I remember he called me the day before he left for Madrid. He thought the whole ordeal was juvenile and a waste of his time. But I'll never forget the first time he ever talked about your mom. It was like he was breathing and seeing the world for the very first time." She murmured, and I answered with a tiny nod of my head.
"I mean, it was The Bachelorette: Cartel Edition," I say dryly and glance at Val. She jabs me in the ribs but laughs. She knows I'm right.
"Yes, I guess it was. But I'm trying to say is, don't think you have to hide your emotions at all times once you arrive." She lectures warmly while clasping my hands, "You won't be alone in this; remember that." I nod, and she smiles before crushing me into a hug.
"Oh, I'm going to miss you all so much. It's going to be so empty without all of you." She gushes sadly while pulling away.
"We'll make sure to FaceTime you at least once a week," I assured her, and she smiled. She looks down at her watch and then back up at me.
"Well, the plane is ready; I should check on Ben. The last time I walked past his room, he had clothing all over his floor. I don't want it to get wrinkly on the flight. That boy needs to learn to iron now that I won't be there to do it for him."
Valerie Drago, she's an absolute badass in our ranks, revered and admired...but she's also a mom, first and foremost.
"You're going to be fine, honey." She assures me for the last time before heading towers her son's room.
I turn my attention back to my parent's wedding portrait. I miss them, God, how I miss them. Why did they have to leave me with this mess?
We've been planning this for over a year, and all of my most important belongings are already in Apollo's house in California. The rest of the organization knows that I have been here, executing missions in the name of Adrian and Valerie Drago since I was fifteen, traveling all over the globe and getting rid of one pesky gnat after another. I haven't stepped foot on American or Spanish soil since I was six. I've been a ghost for the last twelve years, but now, I'm returning to them, not as my father's heiress or as my brother's pawn.
I can't afford to give up. I lost that privilege a long time ago.
I am Analia Palacio, and I can not be afraid.
****** Welcome to the TH Universe! 🎉🎉🎉 I hope you stay a while. -B
