f i f t y - s i x

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"Isabella!" gasped Meredith, quietly. She hurriedly unlatched the door, her fingers fumbling with the lock. She threw the door open and rushed forward, taking her friend in her arms and hugging her tightly.

"Oh, Isabella!" she said. "You've come home! You're alright! You're...you're home! Oh, everyone will be so happy!"

She hesitated as she noticed that her friend was weeping. "I'm sorry, Isabella," she said, softly. "I'm sure that it's overwhelming...how you must feel being back. Come inside. I'll prepare you some food and you can rest. I'll call for guards to come to escort you back to the palace."

"Please!" said Isabella, hurriedly. Meredith turned to look at her, noting the grasp that the princess had on her nightgown sleeve. "Don't leave me..." whispered Isabella.

Meredith smiled gently. "Don't worry," she said, her tone reassuring. "I will accompany you to the palace."

Isabella gave her a weary smile and let go of her sleeve. Meredith led her into the kitchen and let her have a seat at the table.

"Everyone else has a bedroom upstairs," she explained, quietly. "I'm trying to let them sleep. Mother hasn't slept very well since Evan...Oh." She stopped. "I suppose you don't know."

"What happened, Meredith? Tell me what has happened in my absense."

Meredith sighed. "Evan...was killed. The night of your capture. He tried to...to keep them from gettting away with you." She looked up and met Isabella's eyes, her own eyes glistening with tears. "But Isabella!" she said. "I've realized something. His last act...trying to...to help you. It was forgiveness. Forgiveness, Isabella! He's spent years hating your family...hating you. Hating Antony. Hating the House Westerholme. To do what he did...with his last breaths...He forgave you all."

Isabella had tears in her eyes, as did Meredith. Meredith brought a bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread and set it before her friend. She then crossed the room and went out the front door. When the street guard walked by she called out softly, attracting the guard's attention.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, as he drew near to her.

"Bring a carriage!" she said. "The Princess has returned! She must be escorted back to King's Palace."

"Of course!" said the guard, immediately alert. "I'll be back soon."

Meredith nodded and went back inside, sitting down before Isabella.

"We've missed you..." she said. "Everyone has. On your birthday...We put candles in our windows...for you. Entire towns grieved for you, Isabella."

Isabella's eyes glistened wet in the candlelight.

"Your mother...She stays in her room, the curtains drawn, almost all day. Your grandmother tries to comfort her. Kade and Antony are...gone almost all the time, searching...looking for you. And I...I've missed you, Isabella. Things will finally be more right, now that you're here again."

"Meredith...I..."

She was interrupted by a knocking on the door.

Meredith stood to open it, letting the guards in. They escorted Isabella carefully to the carriage. Meredith, after writing a quick note to her mother to let her know of what had occurred, soon followed.

As she entered the carriage, Isabella turned exhausted eyes to face her. "Meredith...Can you tell them to...to send for Antony?"

"Of course. I'll have them send for both Antony and Kade."

"No!" said Isabella, quickly. At Meredith's surprised expression, she forced a smile. "I need to speak to Antony first...Please..."

Meredith nodded and then leaned out of the carriage to speak with the guard. "Send a message to the King. On the Princess's orders, you are to tell no one but him of her return."

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