The Things We Do

Chapter II: Aurora

     "Thanks for letting me finally move out. I know it's hard for you to let go." Aurora said as she set the last of her bags down in her new home. She had decided to move into Lost Queen's old home. It had been sitting there, rotting, for years now and Aurora wanted to refurbish it. However, her mother, True Queen, had struggles letting her go. Aurora was the eldest of her siblings, and was the closest to True Queen. Her parents were helping her, but she figured that sooner or later they would try to change her mind. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" True Queen asked as Aurora turned around. "Honey, we already moved everything!" True Lover exclaimed before getting a glare from True Queen. "Yes, it's what I want to do. I need to move on with my life, in multiple ways. This is a good, fresh start for me." Aurora said as she went to hug her parents. "Besides, Tage and Selene are out of the house and they're younger than me. I need a place of my own. Tage is married now, and Selene is a Queen. I need to start something." her parents nodded to her and left her to herself.
     For the first time in her twenty-six years, Aurora was truly alone. She could do whatever she wanted, with no one around to judge. Though she was still close to her childhood home, she was far enough away to have a different view from her windows. She unpacked and tidied up, singing to herself. For the first time in ten years Perdido finally seemed to escape her mind. She was on her own, no need for any one, free to be herself. She enjoyed the feeling of freedom, her parents not looming over her and her siblings not running amuck. She could come and go without having to worry about a curfew, and could stay up as late as she wanted. She knew these were all childish realizations, but seeing as her younger brother had a wife and her younger sister had a kingdom, this was all she could have until she became Queen.
     Aurora ran around with the broom, speedily collecting the dust that had laid on the floor since the home's past owner went to war. She had never even had the chance to return home at the end, for Aurora's mother had killed her before she had the chance. There was so much dust and dirt that Aurora had begun to rethink her decision when she first saw the interior. Nevertheless, she moved in. Now she skated around the home with freshly cleaned floors, new decor, and new furniture. She sat at her table and took it all in.    
     Her and Perdido had talked about moving in here when they got married, and Aurora wanted to keep that dream alive. She laid out his letters on the table, rereading each one. "We're here Perdido. This is our home now." she said through her tears. The little droplets hit one page, disrupting the ink. She stood up and walked away from the letters for fear of ruining them more, and ran outside. She sat on her rocking chair, where she drifted off to sleep.
     "Aurora!" Perdido yelled from the trees. Aurora woke and looked around with delight, seeing the love of her life emerge from the green and brown world that was the forest. "Perdido!" she yelled back. She ran, he ran, and they caught each other in the warm embrace of reunion. He kissed her as the rising sun cast down on them as a spotlight. "Perdido!" Charlotte yelled from behind. She, Chloe, Tage, Selene, and Aurora's parents came running up to speak with him. They stood in a circle, Perdido' arm around Aurora. Their families soon left as Perdido revealed the wildflowers he had picked for her and he began to stick them in her hair. They danced together and went home together, where they had a few drinks and fell asleep together in the rocking chairs. But when all seemed to be going well, an arrow was shot, and it stabbed Perdido in the head, rendering him unconscious. Aurora screamed and the murderer cackled, and Aurora sat upright in the rocking chair, alone.
     This dream was a reoccurring one. It always took a different form, but went the same way with the arrow and the horrible laugh at the end. Aurora hadn't been able to sleep all through the night because of it for ten years. She knew she should be over him by now, but she still loved him for this large majority of her life.
     She went back inside, placed the letters back in their box, putting the tearstained ones at the bottom. She went upstairs and laid down, but sleep eluded her. She thought of Perdido still, which made her think of Chloe which made her think of Tage, which made her remember herself. How have I come to this? I should be happy right now. This was our dream. But he can't experience it. She thought. She walked out to the balcony of her new home, and felt the chill, new spring air hit her unsleeved arms. She hugged herself for warmth as she looked out to the world. "Oh, Perdido. Where did you go?" she whispered as she leaned on the railing. He had disappeared. Vanished. Poof. Gone. How can people be there one second then gone the next? Will they come back? Or, like Lost Lover, did he want to remain lost? But he had me. Lost Lover didn't have her. Aurora laid down and, not ruining her streak, cried herself to sleep just as she had done for the past ten years.