A Pearl Of Wisdom (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 33: I Am Back

I go back to my room and decide to take a nap because I found it all too much and was exhausted. When I finally woke up it was supper time and I went and joined all the girls in the dining room.

"Hey girls, how is it going?" I say to Celine and Holly.

"Oh we are good! How are you doing?" Holly asks.

"Oh I am fine just a bit tired!" I say and yawn as I sit down next to them.

"Have you guys been hearing the news?" Celine asks.

"No? What have you heard?" I ask.

"My maid was telling me about how Roze came and went to see Ren and that he is moving back into the palace, but she didn't know any details?" Celine replies.

"What!" I say and stand up.

"What is with that reaction" Celine says.

"Oh, no I was just surprised because wasn't he starting the uprisings?" I say.

"Yeah but it sounds like he is going to stop and take his rightful in the palace again, which is very exciting because he is also so good looking, but even more so because he is dangerous!" Celine replies.

Sage appears in the doorway and walks over to us.

"Anise, can you come to see me after your done eating!" Sage says.

"Sure I will be there soon." I say looking over to Holly's face to see her reaction. She just smiled at me and I smile back hoping she is not feeling threatened by me.

When I finish eating I head over to the infirmary. I find Sage reading a book and I go over to him.

"Oh Anise, I wanted you to come because I wanted to know how you were doing with everything?" Sage asks.

"I am doing better, I think" I say.

"Have you been having anymore flashbacks?" 

"No, not really just that one where I don't want to remember" 

"Do you want to talk about that one?"

"Not really, I just want to let it be for now."

"Do you want to work on getting more memories back?"

"No not really, I think if some memories come back naturally then it is fine, but I think I will not push the issue right now."

"Okay I just wanted to check in with you."

"Thanks, I am lucky to have you as a friend."

"Have you heard that Roze has come back to the palace and is going to stop rebelling and has apologized to Ren." Sage says looking into my eyes.

"Yeah I just heard about that! It sure is surprising!"

"It is very strange how he has had a change of heart!" I say looking down.

"Anise come on you must have had some part in this!" Sage says.

"Okay, fine I can't lie to you! I met with Roze this afternoon and he confessed to me and I shut him down and told him to grow up." I say with some frustration just thinking about it.

Sage starts laughing and doesn't stop for a while so I join in too until the tears started coming out of my eyes.

"It isn't funny! I didn't mean to say those things but the attitude of those brothers got me so frustrated!" I say.

"Who knew that the heart could completely crush one's pride!" Sage replies after he calmed down from laughing.

"Well I didn't actually expect Roze to listen to me?" 

"I guess I will have to be careful around you" Sage says.

"Well I am going to leave now!" I say and get up and leave.

I leave and decide that I was going to walk around the palace because I felt unsettled and needed to think about what just happened. I also really wanted to figure out some of the hallways since it is so big and I don't always know my way around. I start walking and without paying attention and I realize that I don't know where I am. I decide to turn right and walk down a hallway I don't recognize. It is a very beautiful hallway with beautiful roses in gold over the doorways. I stop and just feel the gold around the doorways.

"What are you doing here." surprised by the voice I spin around and find Ren standing in front of me.

"Oh I was just exploring and found myself here." I say.

"Well you really shouldn't be here." Ren says.

"Oh I am sorry for disturbing you, if you could just point me in the right direction to get back?" I say flustered.

"I am sorry I don't mean to be blunt, I just don't want you in this place" Ren says. He holds out his hand to me and I just stare at it. Ren cracks a smile and walks towards me and grabs my hand and wraps his large hand around me and pulls me away. He takes me to his room and calls for some tea. I sit down at his table and I feel nervous and can't say anything. I haven't had time alone with him for a little while and feel like I don't know how to act.

"Have you been well?" Ren asks.

"Yes, have you been well as well" I ask.

"Yes, I have been good, I am sorry I haven't had time for you lately, it has been very busy" He says.

"I understand your job is endless" I say stiffly.

"I am sorry  if I seemed mad at you just now, it is just that you were in Roze's hallway and wing of the palace."

"Oh is that why there is roses of gold as decoration" I say realizing.

"Yes that is how our mother decorated his rooms." He says sounding sad.

"Well it is very beautiful! Your mother must have been beautiful." I say.

"Yes, she was, very majestic" 

"Well you must miss her a lot, I know I miss my mother!"

"Yes, well she mostly focused on Roze, so I think he misses her more than I."

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to bring up painful topics for you" I say. Ren just looks at me and smiles sadly.

"So you must have heard that Roze has come back to the palace, I have forgiven him and his rebellions."

"Well that is good news right?" I ask.

"Yes, but I don't know if I can trust him! I will give him a chance because he is my brother."

"Well that is good right, now you can have some help and have less worries." I say and pat his arm unconsciously.

"I am not sure the worries are just different then." He says and I cock my head at him.

"Well I think he has partly come to take you away from me." Ren says and then takes his hand and brushes some hair that had fallen on my face and then brushes the back of his hand on my cheek.

"I wouldn't worry about things like that!" I say laughing it off.

"Can I take that to have some hope for you then?" Ren says with his eyebrows raised.

"aaah, sssure" I say stuttering.

"It is late and you should go back before I want to do more things to you." Ren says with a mischievous glint in his eyes.