Finding Home {Sequel to Runaways}

Chapter 3

AVERY'S POV

It still feels weird to wake up in such an extravagant room. I know that I have spent more time here than my old house, but I have never fully adjusted. I have always felt out of place, not because of living in a palace versus a cabin, but because everywhere I go I can feel that there is tension and unfinished business. Anytime I try to talk to my parents or aunts or uncles about their childhoods, they attempt at changing the subject and typically succeed. I have never seen my grandmother talk to my mother for more than a minute or so. I constantly feel as if the palace was filled with gunpowder; one spark would cause everything to explode.

Once again, just like every day of my life that I can remember clearly, I push these thoughts aside and get out of bed. I put on my robe and sit down at my vanity when I hear a knock at the door and see Cassidy come into my room. She always gets up early to walk around the garden with her dad.

"Hey, Cassidy?"

"What's the problem?"

"Why do none of our parents ever talk about their childhoods? Why do they all seem to resent my grandmother? Why are they all so quiet and secretive during family meals and outings?"

"If you would stop asking so many questions, I could try to give you some answers."

"Sorry. You know I ramble when I'm anxious or nervous."

"I know. I think something bad happened here when they were younger. I don't quite know how your dad, Uncle Charlie, or Aunt Sarah fit into the mix, but I know that my dad is the king's brother, your mom is the heir, and my mom was your mother's lady's maid. I'm pretty sure that Uncle Charlie is some type of royalty, but your dad and Aunt Sarah are complete mysteries to me."

"You didn't answer all of my questions."

"I'm getting to those. Something bad must have happened during their childhoods, or at least while they were still young. My guess is it mainly involves your parents and Uncle Charlie. The rest of them faced repercussions. Queen Topanga seems to be a bit of a snob, and since your dad doesn't come from royalty, she was probably against him marrying your mom. At some point, for some reason, all of our parents ran away to our old cabin. There must still be unfinished business between all of them and the queen."

"I guess those answers will have to do until the next time I ask you a bunch of questions." It is practically a tradition for us to do this. I ask a ton of questions, Cassidy answers some of them, I ask more questions a few hours later. From what it sounds like, I got the question thing from my mom. Aunt Maya says she used to do the same thing. I wonder why she doesn't do it anymore.

I finish getting dressed and head down to breakfast. I am about to walk in, when I hear my parents talking to my grandmother I assume.

"Your Majesty, if you had seen me as daughter before a princess, then maybe you would have seen us get married and Avery's birth! All of this was your fault!"

"Riley, dear, please calm down. The woman hasn't done anything wrong since we got here."

"Except lie! We came because Dad said she was sick. But she's doing fine this past decade! She just wanted to control my life again!"

"Or maybe it was your Dad! Maybe he wanted you back! If you would stop being consumed with anger at your mother, maybe for once you would see things clearly!"

I can't believe it. They're fighting again. They've been fighting more and more since we came here. I carefully walk into the room, in my typical mouse like fashion. Dad is about to say something when he gives me a small smile. Mother leaves the room as soon as Grandma starts coughing. I rub small circles on her back to ease the strain. She smiles at me, but I look at Dad, and he's a mix of confusion and worry. Don't they know that if they faced the truth, everything would be better for everyone?