Crestfallen

Never Ending

Chapter Nine

"I think it's unecessary for her to be there" one of the palace guards spoke as he walked through out the hall with one of the Princess' ladies-in-waiting. "I also think it's untrue that she has a kin over there to keep her company." he added.

"The Emperor has been anticipating her visit for months now, and our King is worried he would cut ties if he'd wait any longer." she replied. "The King had to drag her to the ship."

The guard looked at her with utter shock. "I was kidding of course." she laughed. The two went silent as Raien dashed in. They thought he overheard, but he was too busy meddling with his own thoughts.

He finally got a letter from Aia. He was dreading to read it once he got it but anxious enough to wait until he was alone in private. And so in the gardens he went, where it's silent and calming and no one else but him cares enough to go there and enjoy it.

He teared the envelope and unfolded the letter he holds. Besides he letter, the envelope also contained a locket, a coin with their father's face minted on it and a dead rose. Curious on what they meant, he led his eyes to read the letter.

My dearest brother,

My apologies for not returning letters these past few months. By now you may have heard about the death of our youngest sister. She was our precious flower, and the fact that she loved flowers pained me to see any of them any longer. You must have noticed that I sent you a rose. She held it in her last hours, we tried taking it away from her, but her grip on it was ever so tight like all her last energy was spent on holding on to it. I could no longer bear to have it in my sight, so I sent it to you. By the time you're reading this the flower must have lost it's color and dried off. Powder it and put it in the locket. Keep with you all the time. Just do it for me.

Also, father had his face minted on a coin. He said it's what kings do. He was going on about it for a while and he wants you to see it. Maybe you would want to keep it with you too. Besides our sister, nothing much happened here. The people are waiting for you to marry so they have something to celebrate about. I guess that is all I have to tell you. Take care always.

Love,
Raianne.

He put down the letter and sighed. He does not know if it's because of relief, or grief. But he haven't met his deceased sister ever to feel any grief. He felt bad about it, but he was also glad that there was no war coming up about in March.

Now that one of his worries are sated, he started to find something else to ponder about as he roamed the maze-like garden. Dominique.

He knew her ever since, and it was the same for her. As children, there was nothing really wrong at first. They were inseperable. They did most about everything together. They never really cared about what people said or the future ahead of them.

But as they grew, so did their ears, and they heard more. Rumors, they were everywhere. They were there from the start, but it started her head.

People kept talking, and she kept listening. Suddenly her eyes glistened whenever he's around, her cheeks flushed when they spoke, and she started glancing her fingers onto his. He tried to pretend that he didn't notice, and convinced himself that nothing changed. She showed more and more of her affection.

People loved the thought of 'March and April'. It was practical before, March was flourishing as April, and an alliance would make both stronger.

Then suddenly, March went into downfall when they were invaded by Febuary. Raien had to go to Febuary  and plead their Queen for mercy. He also had to go to his homeland for the first time to help through out the war. They managed to push through, yet in bits and pieces. Febuary stripped off the pride of March and the people were devastated. By now, March is trying to get back on it's feet one distict at a time.

After the war, people abadoned the thought. Especially the people at court. They started to speak about powerful lands, wealthy nations, rich soil. And the nearest around was June. They started to speak to the King of April about June day and night, and the King went from considering it, to planning it.

Yet there's one person who hasn't let go of what was left in the darkness. Yes, it was Dominique. He heard that while he was at war, she never spent a day without doing anything in her power just to help March. Forces, finances, even just plead to her father to help even further. It touched Raien's heart, but for her people it didn't. They thought she was as desperate as the people of their neighboring land.

As he went out the garden, he sat on the grass and looked up on the clouds again. He saw a dog-shaped cloud, but it dissolved and looked more like crumbs of bread. He breathed deeply. If she was here, he would've heard a 'mind if I join you?' by now, and he would've just nodded and move two steps away from her. It's something he has always felt guilty about, but got used to doing.

Drifting away.

A maid arrived at the door outside and asked a question to her. She didn't understand, it was spoken in a different language, but she did manage to make out it was a question. She heard the other maid scold the one who asked her, and heard their footsteps walk away.

'Two days.' she thought. Two says in June and it felt like two years. She was bored of the trinkets in this room and she desperately wants to be outside if only she knew how to communicate with the people here. And lastly, the main purpose on why she was sent here was out of sight.

The Emperor.

She started to think of him a a coward, for not appearing and trying to swoon her. That is why she was needed here, is it not? For him to court her and for her to know him better? Then why is he not made himself known now? Should she just escape and board a ship back to homeland?

She felt frustrated and angry. She felt like this was wasting her time, and she is already sick of this room which seemed like closing in on her every minuite of every hour. Another stream of sour rants was about to fill her head when she heard distant shouting and screaming outside. She wanted to know but she thought it is best to stay put.

The shouting were no longer distant. She heard the guards who were outside her door talk nervously, and from their shadows, she can tell they were shooing away people. The type of noise in the palace were not like when people get attacked. They were in panic. She figured maybe a person of high class fainted and needed to be taken care of.

Half and hour passed and the noise and shouting were getting more promiment. Loud footsteps stormed back and forth the hallway. Sounds of glass or some of sort shattering comes up every now and then. She's starting to grow anxious, and she would've went outside if only one of the guards went inside and told her to calm down, through hand gestures. She sat on near the wall and hugged a pillow to comfort herself.

A few moments passed when she heard a knock on her door. The door opened to reveal a young man, about three inches taller than her with wide, hazel eyes, dressed in a guard's uniform. They stood in silence for a moment as she looked at him in utter displacement.

The man cleared his throat. "Princess, you must come with me." he spoke, which shocked her. He spoke in a language which she can undersrand, the dialect of their homeland. Suddenly, she felt at peace. "An unknown enemy of June has attacked a district close to the palace. Everyone is escaping. For the good of your safety, you must come with me."

She quickly stood up with no words and followed the man as two more guards entered and carried her luggage. She felt fear, but for some reason, she felt a little safe. But out of all thoughts she could think of, a person crossed her mind.

Raien.