Hue - The Kingdom of Dahlia

Three - Bronze Ring

I know that love is just a shout into the void and that oblivion is inevitable... and I am in love with you.

LIES!

I told myself while reading a classic by John Green in the North Wing of the palace. It is where we received guests and spent time together as a family. Unfortunately, today, I was all by myself giving me more time to be buried in my own sadness. My parents went to visit the mines of the land while Piper went to charm school. Levi was off duty today and I did not need any guard since I was safe in the palace with all the other guards.

I simply sat comfortably being wrapped in a cozy robe with both my legs on the couch and a cup of coffee on one hand. I placed my cup down the coffee table after taking one last sip as I continued to read my book. It was a very rainy and cloudy Sunday afternoon that the sky did not show a single  ray of sun.

"Your Highness, Duchess Hazel is here to see you. Should I have her come in the North Wing?" Ivy said through the telecom that popped up through my phone.

Aunt Hazel! It's been forever since I last saw her. I doubt she was in my party. I didn't see her that day. Maybe she was somewhere taking a tour in another Nation at that time. I was about to tell Ivy to let her enter but then I realized that I was in my sleeping attire since morning.

"I'm going to go get changed for a while. Have her in as soon as I leave." I said to Ivy. I took my book with me and rushed up my room to make myself look more pleasing to a guest.

After five minutes, I came back to the North wing in a mustard yellow long-sleeved casual dress since it was quite cold. I saw Hazel in her usual sky blue dress with a Sabrina neckline. She always kept her hair into a neat bun. She has always been a mysterious woman but I always looked up to her. She was sitting on a couch while reading one of the magazines from the coffee table.

"Audrey, Darling!" She exclaimed once she saw me. She placed down the magazine and then stood to greet me with open arms.

"Hi, Aunt Hazel!" I said as I ran to hug her. I had her seated as I sat on the other couch perpendicular to the one she's on. I requested some tea from Ivy.

She told me she came to discuss charity matters regarding Whites and Blacks with me. We got a little bit carried away and instead, the whole afternoon was spent talking about her travels and the magic of the places she's been to. Her stories made me want to hop into a plane that very instant.

"Enough about me, dear. I heard that you're getting married into Quince soon." She said quite seriously in between sips.

"Yes, in three months' time." I replied as I lowered my eyes. I felt so unaccomplished. I loved Damian and the thought of our marriage alone was all I ever dreamt about since forever. But the thought of him not loving me back, the thought of him loving someone else hurts me.

"What's wrong dear? I thought you liked this Damian. Could it be that he doesn't like you back?" Aunt Hazel always knew me best ever since I was little but she read through Damian as well. I looked at her with a little bit of embarrassment but then nodded with a weak smile.

"I knew there was something wrong in your pictures with him. Both your smiles were not quite genuine." She commented wisely as she shook her head. I kept silent and  just gave her another weak smile.

"Which is why I have something for you." She said as she reached for her white purse. I looked as she opened it to pull out a little rustic wooden box.

"Consider this as my wedding gift, dear." She said with a smile as she handed over the box to me.I unlocked the latch and lifted the hinged cover. Inside was a bronze ring. I took it out to have a closer look. It was a plain ring but something about it seemed magical. I tried to put it on but it was too loose. I noticed something engraved in the
inner curve of the ring.