A Marecal Reunion

Mare POV

After two months of being in Paradise Valley with Mom, Dad, Bree, Tramy, and Gisa, we are finally returning to Montfort. Gisa will not stop talking about finally seeing the shop girl again, Tramy is excited to eat the food again, Bree is excited to steal all Tramy's food, and Mom and Dad are just happy that we're happy. But I don't know if I'm happy. All the others are focusing on Montfort, but one question is rattling around my brain.

Cal. Did you wait?

I told him not to wait, but in my head I was screaming. It physically hurt to say those words, butI loved him - I LOVE him - and I don't want him waiting around for me. I want him to live his life. But it would be nice if that life was with me.

I think Dad senses my unease, because he grips my hand and covers it in both his. His hands are cold, unlike Cal's. Oh, how I miss Cal. I'm both excited to see his face, to hear his voice, but scared that he did move on. It wouldn't be hard to find a girl that likes him. He is Tiberias Calore VII, after all. Oh, how that name doesn't suit him. To me, he is Cal. To me, he is perfect. I love him. It took a long while to realize that I do, but once I did, and openly accepted it, I know when I fell in love. It was when he listened. The day we first met. Never before was I able to talk to an unbiased person about my problems. He almost made me forget about Conscription, about Kilorn, and Gisa's hand. I fell in love and I didn't even know it.

The dropjet is lowering, a sign that we are almost there. I bet Kilorn, Farley, Clara, and maybe even Cameron and Evangeline, along with Ptolemus, Wren, and Elane, will be there. Though I doubt Ptolemus will have enough guts to face my whole family after what he did to us, after he ended Shade's life. I think I can ignore him, but I will never be able to forgive him.

We are going straight down now, and I count down the seconds in my head

30, 

29,

28,

will you be there Cal?

26, 

25,

24,

23,

Did you move on?

22,

21,

20,

I love you.

18,

17,

16,

15,

14,

13,

Do you love me?

11,

10,

9,

I choose you.

7,

6,

5,

Do you chose me?

3,

2,

1.

As soon as I count down to 1, the airjet stops, and the doors whoosh open. The wind rushes into the craft, replacing the cold air of Paradise Valley with the warm and humid weather of Montfort. I look out to the people there, and I see Kilorn, Cameron, Farley holding Clara, and Evangeline and Elane a little ways away from them. No Ptolemus, no Wren. No Cal.