The Selection

Chapter 54: Almost

"Anyone else you'd like to see, Your Heinous?" the officer asked after closing the door behind us.

"Now that you mention it, where is Olivianna?" I ask.

"Ember, we can't-" Adam began but I was quick to cut him off.

"I demand to see her," I spit at the officer, but the words were meant for Adam.

"Prisoner 6220," he said immediately and walked past the doors in between my father and her. "Stay as long as you like, I'll be out here."

"I'm not planning on staying long," I answered. And pulled the iron door open with Adams help. Olivianna sat at a vanity with lights plastered in it. A full bed with velvet blankets sat in the corner and she looked well fed.

"I was wondering when you'd show up-"

"You don't have the right to talk anymore, I'll be quick here," I snapped. "My father told me your story and the reasoning behind my life and Gabriel's and I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" She eyed me through the mirror in front of her. Her reflection was cold and eerie but I didn't let it stop me.

"For making me look good. Compared to you, I'll be the best damn Queen this country has ever seen. I'm going to get rid of the cast system, consider the southerners requests and exterminate the rebels. You see, I agree with almost every facet you rebels have come up with and I've always considered what I've been told. Except for all of this violence. I hope you've enjoyed your last moments seeing your son because I'm forbidding him to come here again," I turn to the officer once more, "You can remove the bed, vanity and blankets. Olivianna will be questioned and beaten as my father has, if I find she is getting anymore special treatment, I'll put you and any officer who defies me in a cell with her. Am I understood?" He nodded his head quickly, and spoke my demands through a walkie-talkie.

I looked back to Olivianna who didn't try to hide her shock.

"Game on," I whispered.

-------------------------------------------

Adam insisted to drive the way back to the castle. I didn't refuse, I had enough for one day. Enough for a lifetime if I'm being honest.

I was wondering how Gabriel and I hadn't crossed paths but his car was gone by the time we'd gotten back out into daylight again.

"Are you all right Ember?" Adam asked for the billionth time.

"I'm all right," I answered, even though my teeth chattered and my body shook.

"Why did Gabriel do that?"

I knew he didn't want to ask it but he was as confused as I. Gabriel was fair and honest and loved me, why would he lie? Why would he give his awful mother this treatment, when my father was probably going to die before his execution date?

"If I figure it out, I'll be sure to let you know," I said as he pulled up to the doors. They opened almost automatically and Gabriel stormed out, his face red and jaw clenching.

"Do you understand I've been searching for you for almost an hour?" He screamed through his teeth. I pushed past him, the walls of the opening hall almost as enclosed as the Strongholds.

"Where the hell have you been, Ember?" Gabe yelled once more.

"Funny, I could ask you the same thing," I retorted, heading for the grand staircase.

"Do not walk away from me when I'm speaking to you!" He barked but I continued to climb the stairs one by one. He met my pace and clawed at my arm to pull me to face him.

"Where were you?"

"With Adam," I answered, then turned once more, "You would know that if you had actually been in your office like you claimed you were all these lonely days and nights."

"Ember," he said but I pushed my way up one more flight, marched in our room and locked the door behind me.

"Ember," he pleaded once more as he rested his body against the door.

I didn't remember when I had started crying. It could've been when I had first seen my father or when Gabriel yelled at me for the first time. It didn't matter at this point.

"Why did you go and see her Gabriel? Why did you give her special treatment while my father is rotting? Why?" I yelled through my tears. I think I was more angry at my crying then anything.

"I didn't want you to see The Stronghold Ember-"

"That's not an excuse!" I screamed.

"I know- I know it's not okay. I just had the power to take care of her one last time," he shamefully admitted.

"Like she gave a damn about you, Gabriel! She deliberately had you to marry me so I could change the face of Illeá. You are a pawn to your mother just as I am to my father. Don't you get it? Do you understand what this woman did to me? I get that you've never lost anyone and that's what you're thinking about right now but you could've lost me and our son because of that awful woman!"

He stayed silent on the other side but I heard his body slide down the door so he could sit. I regretted my words and the honesty behind them. I regret everything I've ever said knowing that the words weren't meant for my life, that maybe if I followed my father or stood up for my mother, things wouldn't be as bad as they are now. I wouldn't be so alone.

"Did she tell you that? Did you go to the cells?" He asked.

"No and yes. My father told me their story. They've been friends since they were young, it's been planned since the day they joined the revolution as teens. Our marriage, our lives have been set up for them. For a revolution," I whispered.

There was a long silence between the two of us. Anger and severity finally settling.

"You looked happy today," he finally said.

"Happy? When?"

"When you were driving. There's cameras in the security cars," he murmured. "I haven't seen you that happy in months."

"You haven't been around much in months," I whispered as one last tear escaped.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say but I could hear his throat catch with sadness. I sat with my back to the door and my hands holding my stomach.

"I took all of her things away," I told him. "She'll be treated as my father has."

Gabriel remained quiet, as I figured he would. The certainty has finally settled in about Gabriel's life and my own and how the revolution always had played a part in our future. But even after the realization of how everything between us had been set up, Gabriel whispered, "I love you, so much." And everything seemed almost okay.

Almost.