Emily has made it all the way to the Elite without even really batting an eyelash in the prince's direction. Does she really want this, to be swept up into the lavished life style that comes along with being Caydens one. Or will she revert back to h...
Leaving the saferoom and walking along the daunting halls of the now destroyed castle, brings me back to the reality that I live in. The stolen moments Cayden and I just shared are only that, stolen moments. We do not live in a quiet, peaceful life where we can marry who we love when we want. No, we live in a world where there's still other girls fighting for Cayden's heart, who will do anything to be by his side ruling the country. And I'm not one of them. I don't fight for the crown or the power that comes with being Cayden's wife, that's just something that comes with falling in love with him. Truly I don't fight at all, I only love him and have hoped for him to love me back one day. But now that he's done exactly that I'm scared. Scared for the future, scared of what the other girls may do if they find out and most of scared I will never be able to fill the role of queen. The one thing I'm certain of is my love for Cayden.
The once pristine white walls are now splattered with harsh red blood, from rebel or not there is no way to know. All this bloodshed and for what? To take down the ones and then what? I want the caste system removed as much as anyone, but not like this, not with the blood of hundreds. They must want something more than just that, to go through all the trouble and tragedy. Something must be here that they want. Of course, this palace is laced with all things decadent and expensive but by looking around I see all these items destroyed, so it cant be that. What else?
Seeing a torn bloody apron sprawled across the floor my previous thoughts are abandoned. I need to find the girls. Oh god, how could I have been so stupid? I rush down the seemingly endless corridor cursing myself as I pass body after body of brave guards, helpless servants and the ones who caused all of this the rebels. My feet cant move fast enough as I think of all the possible scenarios, no I can't think like this they have to be fine, they will be.
Rounding the corner to the selected girls' rooms I stop, nothing. I hear nothing. Not the murmur of a girl in her room or Alice,s shrieking voice, but most noticeably the absence of the sounds of clanging from maids cleaning up the rooms and corridors from such a brutal attack. The realization hits me. I haven't seen anyone since I left the safe room only countless bodies as a result of the attack. Something is definitely wrong.
Out of nervousness, I grab the ring that is hanging from around my neck, it was only moments ago that I said yes but it feels like a completely different world. Black and white, night and day two completely contrasting moments that don't even belong in the same book, let alone the same sentence. If only my life could be that simple, miss a few chapters here and there, skip to the best parts, even go back to the beginning and start all over again, but I wouldn't cause even though I never meant to be here I've found Cayden and that's worth any heartbreak or hardship I face.
Or so I thought.
Stepping into my destroyed room, my eyes do not take in the damage that has been done in such little time but instead the three crying girls weeping on my bed. A breath of relief leaves me, they're ok. Lucy notices me first and comes straight into my outstretched arms.
"I'm so sorry" I hear through the harsh breathing and continuing sobs.
another taller figure joins us, I'm guessing Anne. "I'm sorry Emily", her soft tone is completely different from her strictness I'm used to. Pulling away from the hug I expect to see Gretel sitting on the bed, but instead, I see blonde curls and sad green eyes now puffy from all the crying. Madie. Lucy, Anne, and Maddie, so where's Gretel? And that's when I truly look at the girls, they've never been this unsettled by an attack, and all the apologies. Oh god, please no. In an instant, we're all broken shells of what we were just yesterday.
We must've been there for hours, a huddled mess on the floor. the only comfort in such a lonely time is each other. Gretel was such a lovely and loyal friend. I remember talking to her for hours when I was homesick, we talked and talked about our hometowns and family life. Gretel used to help out an elderly woman at her bakery every morning and take care of her younger siblings in the afternoon. How are they going to react to losing their older sister? I've only known her for a short period of time and I've already become so attached to the shy girl. If I hadn't come here she wouldn't have been in danger today, she could have been helping out in the safe kitchens instead of sewing a new dress or cleaning my clothes.
A knock at the door disturbs my thoughts, bringing me back to the harsh reality. Wiping my red eyes I turn to face Derik holding an envelope. Anne collects herself and tries to go back to her strict demeanor, although you can still see the stain of tears on her uniform. Taking the envelope she quickly reads it before leaving in a rush.
"Emily", Derik smiles offering a hug. His warm embrace comforts me, calming my sobs into hiccups.
"L-long time n-no see" I laugh through the fading tears.
"Now you get to see my handsome face every day" he smiles cheekily, immediately lifting my mood, if only for a couple moments.
"How come?", I ask silently relieved to have someone so comforting near me.
"The prince instructed me to be your personal guard", that would make sense with what happened to Gretel. With that, the floodgates open once again.
Anne comes back in holding a garment bag. "We need to prepare you for this evening events", she has gone back to her strict professional front, I guess people deal with loss differently. Without another word said I follow her and allow the girls to wash and dress me. By the end I look almost like I would any other day in the castle; my red eyes are hidden by makeup and less swollen, my pale complexion is brightened up by a hefty amount of blush and my dirty torn dress is now replaced by a simple but elegant all-black evening gown. Black in morning. Black in loss. Black like the nothingness I feel.
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I walk out of my room to be greeted with Derik. "Ready?" he asks offering his arm. I gratefully accept yearning for some kind of comfort.
"As ready as I'll ever be"I reply with a fake smile, practicing for whats to come later.
"Let's get this over with shall we?", we start off down the familiar corridors.
