Saving our souls (ON HOLD)

Chapter 12- stone.

 Chapter Twelve- Stone.

I took her quivering body to Monty’s room as there were too many unknown doors. The chatter downstairs was a quiet haze as I tucked rose bud frame into the sheets.

“Shhh Grace, its ok, don’t cry, I’m here.” I tried to comfort Grace as she nodded into my shoulder

“I’m not allowed to wear mummy’s bracelet” I patted her head

“I know, honey, it’s okay” I said rocking her gently attempting to soothe her anguish

“No, no,nn-n-o but me and monty miss her”

For a few minutes all I could do was smooth her raven hair and whisper reassurances, my heart panged at the disgusting re-enactement of my childhood circumstances; it seemed that toddler temper tantrums were unfamiliar to us, these were tears of pain a child should never suffer from; an uncaring parent.

“Tell me a story, please” she demanded wedging her thumb in her mouth. I told her the story and I didn’t stop, not even when her watering eyes shut, heavy with fatigue and tears.

“Once upon a time there was a princess, her name was Nadia, she was very lonely because she had no parents so she ran away to marry the most handsome prince in the land. They instantly fell in love and had a beautiful wedding.”

“With lots of cake and pretty dresses?” mumbled Grace, halfway in the land of nod.

“Yes, there were dresses in all the colours of the rainbow, soon Princess Nadia was expecting a baby and both her ad the prince were very happy, the were soul mates  and then-"

       She was fast asleep now; Grace’s snow white skin was flushed with the peaceful slumber  as subtle snores vibrated from her frowning lips., hopefully she would have all the happy dreams a child should.

I continued the story softly so as not to startle her sleep

“- But then the price found a sacred locket it was intricate wrath gold embedded with a curious liquid blue core but it had a lot or secrets and the prince was confused by it he knew it was magical and held the elixir of life so he read lots of books because he was scared of dying very much. because he loved his new life with his princess very much then a very bad monster took over the prince and he went mad because he was not supposed to find out about the necklace.  The son was born ,but his mother, the princess died soon after. The prince was very sad and never spoke again not till he found the story of the necklace. The prince hated his son because he reminded him of the princess Nadia so the son was also lonely when he grew up he ran away too just like his mother. The son and the prince hated each other very much and the prince didn’t have much time to defeat the monster in the prince because he was very ill, the prince was very scared and he wasn’t sure what to do because for the first time he was happy with his new friends.”

When I finished, the slow pace of my words tangled at the end and my measured breaths tangled to a panic gasp, my story didn’t really have a definite ending, the worst thing was, that was my story.

 I lifted grace’s small head from the crook of my arms and preceded the stairs with haste, I need to get out…

And just when my fingers reached out to grab the handle, graces soft whisper stopped everything “I think the boy should be very happy all the time he has” this gigantic town house didn’t seem so spacious right now I crossed the overly crowded hall where clouds of people milled and suffocated. When I reached the back door to the freedom of vast green I finally released the most satisfying sigh of.

I left her in a hurry, she would be fast asleep any minute now. I left in a hurry because I was scared. Horrified in fact that such a small child spoke with such aged wisdom….it reminded me of myself at her age more than anything it made want to run.