c'est la vie || Calum Hood

"I feel alive."

We were now walking, not running. We stopped laughing after a moment but everytime we glanced at each other the giggles came back.

"I feel alive." Calum said and rubbed his chest. "This was fun."

"I told you so." I said singsongly. "Let's go through here."

I was taking him through the actual garden and not the maze. Different types of flowers were in columns and bushes. Every color and size, varying on the plant.

I dragged my hand through the greenery as I passed it. I breathed in the fresh air that smelled perfumy. With all of these flowers here, everything smelled good.

"Cass, this is amazing. We should sneak in here more often." Calum plucked a purple lily from where it was growing. He handed it to me with a smile. He got down on one knee and lifted it towards me.

"Oh wow, I do." I exclaim with my hands on my mouth to stop the laugh that escaped.

He stood up and slung his arm around my shoulder. The lily was resting on my ear, behind my hair.

We walked around, admiring the garden. All of the years I have lived here and I have never seen these flowers to their full potential. Now that I think of it, they are beautiful, perfect even. It was breathtaking the way they kept this garden.

A ruffle was heard from a bush and we both stopped walking. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked over at where the sound came from. I let out a sigh when I saw what it was.

"What is it?" Calum asked, trying to look at what I was seeing.

"Cassiopeia!" Elaine came running to me, jumping on me. I put my hands around her and squeezed.

"Oh, how I have missed you, Elaine." I pull away to look at her.

She was wearing some orange shorts and a flowery shirt. Her hair was in 2 braids that went down her shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned and looked over at Calum. She shied away from my leg and behind my body.

"Hello." Calum waved and kneeled down. He was rather intimidating standing up, especially for a child. "You must be Elaine."

She nodded but kept behind me. "You are correct. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." He stood up straight.

I turned to stare at Elaine. "Look, Elaine, you can't tell papa or mama that I was here."

She stomped her foot down. "But why?" She whined. "They are looking for you."

"I know." I explain. "But if they find me I will get in trouble and you don't want that, do you?"

Elaine pouted her lips. "Ugh! Fine. Can I tell Camille?"

"Sure." I nod. "But tell her not to tell mama or papa, please."

"You left, Cass. I was searching for you through all our kingdom but I couldn't find you." She motioned to the garden as out kingdom.

"I have to leave again, Elaine." I swallow down the cry that I wanted to give. "I will come back soon, don't worry."

"Sure." She looked down with a sad expression. "Love you."

"Love you too, baby." I kissed her forehead and gave her a hug. "Now go play."

"Okay." She waved to Calum as she left through the many trails.

"I need to go, Cal." I said with sadness in my voice.

"Whatever you need." He wrapped his arms around me and we ran to the gate. He opened it with ease and we left.

I looked back at the place I called home for so long, the place where I grew up. All I could see was a prison but, at its time, it was a palace. I used to love this estate, the royalty feel of it.

All of the times that Camille and I had picnics on the flowerbeds; the makeshift treehouse I built after Henri told me he wasn't making one for me, I built in a 3 months; the roses that I gave Fluer on mothers day, despite her not being my mother.

This house was home because of all the memories it had, but those were shattered now. I do not have a current home, for the time being. Home is something that is subjective, for some it's a person, other's a place, but almost everyone has something they consider home.

I felt sad because of the closure I gave. There was no way I could go back there. I didn't want to go back, but it was always nice to have something to fall back on when you needed a comfortable bed and a nice breakfast.