Chapter Twelve.

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Can I?

Of course I can. I don't like to admit it, but it is completely possible that I never stopped loving him even though I'd convinced myself otherwise. I held his note in my hand and I was stuck in an awkward laugh/cry. I remember the first note I'd gotten from him. It was just like this one after he had saved me from that rogue guard on my first night. He'd found me and I had a total break down about being here, and even with all the stress I had been feeling, he was able to make me smile.

He always makes me smile.

The realization only made me cry a little harder. Tears that weren't necessarily sad, but they weren't happy either. Taking a step towards accepting my true feelings for Calvin and his feelings for me, was one thing, but it also left a lot of questions in my life now. What about Logan? What about Rose? What would it even mean if Calvin and I were to give in to our emotions?

They were all things I needed to talk to Calvin about.

Calvin.

Even just thinking his name anymore makes my heart do flips, like I'm a young girl again.

I found myself smiling as I ate the incredibly delicious cobbler in front of me. Cromley stood at the door checking the time over and over, but like Octavia has said, I am the queen for now, and I needed to get my head straight before I go see Calvin again.

After I'd stalled as long as possible, I finally rose from my seat and walked towards the door with Octavia. We walked quietly, Octavia was only a big talker when it was in her interest to be.

As we rounded the corner, and I could see where the guards were holding off a crowd of people, I finally remembered that I was supposed to be feeling nervous. I followed Octavia into the conference room quietly, and my eyes scanned looking for Calvin, but he wasn't here yet.

Everyone else was still in the same place as they were the first time, and they hadn't seemed to have even left the room since the first meeting.

"Welcome back, highness." Master Marco greeted me, and the people all around the table stood to bow until I took my seat and they all followed suit. "We have come to decision." He smiled warmly, his face creasing around his mouth.

I felt tense as I waited for him to say something, and the fact that Calvin still wasn't here was only putting me even more on edge.

"Shouldn't we wait for his Majesty?" Octavia chimed in what I was thinking.

Marco nodded his head to her. "Yes, well, he is in another meeting right now but said that he wouldn't be too far behind and that he would be here as soon as possible. I see no reason why we can't move forward with our proceedings with the queen." He said as he smiled at me. I smiled back, not wanting to be rude, but I wish he didn't always look at me so intensely. I'm sure he, and everyone else in the room could hear how fast my heart was beating. "I'm pleased to tell you that we have found no fault in your case." He told me. "I'm sorry for dragging you through all of this, and we are more than elated to have you back here with us."

"Thank you so much." I sighed, but I noticed Octavia go still beside me.

"I thought we discussed..." She started to say but Marco shook his head at her.

"We did discuss whether or not we were going to find any guilt in this case, but you were quick to chase the King out of here and didn't bother to stick around for our deliberations on what to do about this." He said less than enthusiastically, and I could sense some accusation in his voice as he spoke to her.

As outspoken as I have seen Octavia be, she dropped her gaze and looked down at the table until the door at the back of the room opened up and Calvin strode in, brushing through his hair and he smiled at everyone around the room until he got to Octavia and saw the strained look on her face.

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