The Prince of Ilios

Eighty-Three

It had taken some convincing, but Flora had conceded to Nicola's idea. He was more relieved than anything else. They agreed to send out four emissaries to the surrounding provinces on his behalf, with signed and sealed letters for their acting Chairpersons. At the very end of the meeting he received word from Nadia that Noelle had awoken. He rushed out of the jade palace down the road to the hospital. Luckily, it was a block away. As his feet pounded the dirt road, he was not even completely sure what he would say to Noelle, but was glad she was finally awake.

When he arrived in the room, he found Noelle in a rage and yelling at Nadia, "We could have made our own way, Nadia! We don't need him!"

"You are right. You don't need me." He interrupted.

Noelle stopped and turned toward him. She came at him full force, ready to fight. He caught her wrist before she could slap him in the face, "Noelle, you are free to do whatever you choose. You and Nadia have grown up, you can make your own decisions. You do not have to stay with me, but you are welcome to come along. Do whichever is right in your own conscience."

Noelle froze in shock, not really knowing what to do next. With his few sentences he had completely diffused any arguments she had had. However, she was still angry. Tears began streaming down her face, "Why has everything happened like this Nicola? We were happy, and now everything is a mess. It's all your fault!" She tore her hand out of his and went to the bed to sit.

"We weren't though." Nadia grimaced from the other side of the room, "We weren't happy. You thought you had your freedom, Noelle, but you didn't. Neither did I. You hated our family because they had abandoned us and that fueled everything we stood for. But it doesn't anymore. This time it is different. We can finally go where we want and choose what we would like to do."

Noelle looked at Nicola in question.

He nodded, it was true. There were no obligations for them anymore. The world as they knew it was changing. Regardless, there was no reason why they could not pick their own safe haven if that was what they wanted.

Noelle did not know what to do or think. She had spent so long with the heavy weight of expectation on her shoulders, being used at every turn as a pawn in the political games of the kingdom. When it was lifted, she did not even know what to do with herself, "Nadia and I will stay out of your business then. We will go back to Anemos when things are less turbulent and we will make a way for ourselves there." She looked back at Nadia, "We can finally live out all those dreams we had talked about."

"You will have lots of fun, Noelle." Nadia smiled sadly.

"What?" Noelle's brow furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"I am going with Nicola." Nadia surprised them both.

"But, our plans?"

"Your plans. Noelle, I have to become my own person. I cannot live in your shadow or protection for the rest of my life. I want to make a difference in the world so that people do not end up like us. I think Nicola can do that." She admitted in a small voice. She had known that Noelle would not take the announcement well.

"You!" Noelle turned on him again, face bright red in anger, "What did you say to her? What did you do?"

"Noelle!" Nadia said with every amount of firmness and determination she had, "You have to stop blaming him for everything that goes wrong in your life. He did not even know that this is what I was planning."

Nicola shrugged, "It is the first time I have heard of it."

"Noelle, Nicola and I talked. He answered every hard question I had, and he did so earnestly. He even admitted to me when he was wrong, and he apologized for his role in everything that took place. I want to have a relationship with all of my family. I cannot do that if I hold onto this anger. He's not who you think he is!"

Noelle stood shocked between the two of them, then stormed past Nicola and out into the hall. With the stream of doctors, nurses and patients outside, she quickly remembered that she did not know where she was and stomped back into the room.

Nicola smiled slightly at the pouty girl, "Would you like me to go for now?"

"Yes!" She replied, embarrassed.

"I can come back this evening to check on you."

"Don't bother."

Nicola hesitated in the doorframe, "Noelle, I know that you have a lot to process and decide. I am sure that you will make the decision that is right for you. I am sorry for everything that has happened. It was never my intention or desire to hurt either of you. If you would like to ask questions of me, I will answer them honestly, no matter how hard they are. I am done playing games of manipulation and deceit. It's not worth it." His jaw tightened at the many games his father had played under the guise of a simple meeting or a friendly chess match. With that he left Noelle and Nadia to return in the evening.