The Wings of the Beautifully Fallen

Chapter 11: Reginald

Chapter 11: Reginald

I turned to face the door, watching it inch open and Illiana appear from the other side. Almost instantly, my shoulders tensed as I stared at her, watching her as she closed the door behind her. Princess Illiana's face was white like a ghost, as if all blood inside of her had left. Pure terror stained her eyes, shadowing them and I just knew something had happened since the time we had seen each other. Something that I knew she would not tell me.

But I had to try.

I had to help her, even if she did not want to be helped. I had to take care of her so long as I was here, to try to figure out what was wrong, even if she did not tell me. Slowly, I stepped around the small black chair, my feet slowly carrying me over to her, closing the distance between us. My fingers slid around her wrist as I pulled her close, realizing that the only thing that I really wanted to do at this moment was hold her. I wanted to make the fear go away. To make her feel safe. But I knew I could not do that so long as she hid behind her mask. A mask that I knew was there. If I could just figure out why she had it and what she was hiding, then I knew I could help.

Her body relaxed into me, her head buried into my chest and I wanted to ask her what was wrong. That was, until I realized something.

Princess Illiana's shoulders shook violently as her sobs echoed in my ears. Surprise flooded my body as I stared down at her, unable to say anything. This was the first time that she had ever seen so vulnerable before. So weak and fragile. That was when I knew. This woman had to be strong for so long, longer than most, and for far to many people. She had to be the one to take the burdens of her siblings and raising them, she had to put up with the insanity of the world she was trapped in with no escape.

For once, she needed to cry and, whether willingly or accidentally, she chose to cry around me. She chose to make herself vulnerable for the first time, to show that she was still normal.That all she really needed was someone to be strong for her. For now, that person had to be me.

My arms slid around her wist, tightening around her as I held her close. Her hands rose to my chest, clinging to my shirt. There was still that part in me that wanted to know what had happened, to know about what had pushed her to crying so hard. But there was nothing that I could do. She would not tell me, not now. No matter how much I wish she would.

We stood there silently for a short while, neither of us talking and only the sounds of her gasping for breath in between each of her sobs. She wanted to breathe, to relax, to calm down, and yet she could not. Something had broken her shell, broken the wall that she built up, and now all she could do was cry.

I wanted, more than anything, to help her calm down. To help her relax and stop crying, but I knew I could not. Princess Illiana needed to cry, she needed to let these feelings, these pent up emotions, to be released. She needed this even if she did not want to. And so we stood there. All I did was hold her, to try to let her know that she was safe, that someone cared, even if she did not understand it later. I did care for her already, after the few days we had known each other, I had already grown to care about her.

The small instances where her wall came down, the times where I saw her real smile, heard her laugh, and saw the real her. She was there but hidden from me. Hidden from the world by fear that someone had placed there and I could only wish that I knew who did it. And what they did.

"I apologize." Princess Illiana's broken voice was muffled by my shirt, her hands slipping away as she took a step back. "I did not mean-"

"Illiana, please. Do not apologize." I told her, my hand reaching out to her wrist, encasing it tightly. "I do not mind being there for you when you cry. Whatever happened, you needed to get it out of you. To release it. I understand and I cannot be angry."