Queen of Rosewood Forest (On Hold)

Chapter 17

Aaden takes me to the barracks so he can grab some stuff he left there. We walk into the training ground, and I am keenly aware of a canine that I am no stranger to. I freeze with my back up against the door when the wolf begins to stand on two legs and its paws begin to transmute into human appendages. I try not to panic but fear is definitely taking over.

Now human the wolf looks at me and then looks at Aaden. "I see you've been hanging out with Blondie," he walks over to a towel sitting on a chair and starts to wipe the sweat off his face.

"She's hiding out with me for a bit, and her name isn't Blondie." Aaden casually walks over to the corner and picks up a bag full of gear for fighting. I am still stuck to the door in shock. "Knock it off."

"Well then, hi. My name is Cormac." he waves slightly. "What's yours?"

"I'm Evette." I manage to choke out. I pause for a second not knowing if I want to proceed, but as I get my body to calm down I realize I'm not in danger here. "You were the wolf in the woods," I whisper. "The one that chased me."

Aaden turns with a look of defeat across his face. "I forgot that. Sorry." I think he was trying to give me a place to calm down, but it was obviously not a very well thought out plan.

"It's fine. It was a bit of a shock that's all." My heart stops racing so fast and I'm able to take a breath. I know he meant well.

Aaden shows me around the barracks and introduces me to a lot of different people. Most of them are nice and I meet the snake that found me in the forest as well. A lot of the scouts and soldiers are what the village calls licanimale. It was the name of their people before their kingdom merged with the old kingdom that was ruled by the people of the castle.

Aaden takes me back to the cafe we went to yesterday and buys me dinner after a bit since it was starting to get late. Apparently the four boys have an agreement to provide me with food and other necessities until I get my first payment. Today is Aaden's turn and tomorrow Eben is going to deliver some food to me while I work on the flowerboxes. I want to do something nice for them to thank them for all of this, but I'm not sure what to do. It would help if I knew them better, but I don't know how to do that without people getting the wrong idea. I've clearly already caused problems for Neven, and I don't want to do that with the others. I'll figure something out I'm sure eventually.

I decide to walk home by myself that way I can learn my way around so I thank Aaden for the meal and then head back to Neven's house. As I walk along the street the lanterns begin to light and I take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the village around me at sunset. My peace is broken by the sound of a voice I know all too well.

I look towards the noise and see Ally barging towards me furious. "You!" She looks like she's been crying. "I hope you're happy. Neven's grandfather is threatening to call off the engagement because of this whole thing. He thinks Neven would be better off without me all because of you!" I was stunned into silence. I can't imagine the amount of heartbreak Ally must feel right now. "You...you...you homewrecker!" I freeze as images of John and that woman come barreling into the front of my mind. My eyes tear up as pain fills my chest. "You ruined everything!"

I start to open my mouth to apologize, but I'm cut off by Neven who has appeared behind Ally. "Ally, she didn't do anything. It's me you should be yelling at." His voice is flat with a slight hint of anger, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't know Neven. "She didn't know about our arrangement until it was too late. She found out about you when I brought her to my house for the first time so when everything happened she was unaware that I was hurting you." It almost seemed like he was coming to my defense rather than coming to reconcile with Ally.

"I knew you didn't love me, but couldn't you have at least pretended?" Her words display the defeat her heart must feel. "All of us do what we're told, but you just can't accept that that's what's best for everyone." She began to cry. "Through all of your bullshit I still loved you. I stood by like the perfect little bride, because that's what I was told was best for us. Why couldn't you have tried to do the same for me? Why?"

His voice softens and he lays a hand on her shoulder. "We both know that's not how love works." I can tell this hurts him too, but not the same way it's clearly hurting Ally. I feel sorry for her because I know exactly what she is going through. John never loved me yet I still stood by him through everything, just like her. We were the same and yet we weren't.

She steels her resolve, straightens her stance, and looks him dead in the eye despite her pain. "Then there is nothing left for us to say." It is clear now that she was taught to be a diplomat. As she walks away, she carries herself like a natural born leader. If she was still hurting you wouldn't be able to tell. She was able to mask her pain very well. The only hint I saw was the redness in her eyes from blinking away her tears and a small sniffle that disappeared into the wind as she walked away. Their bridge burned right before my eyes, and I don't think anyone will be able to rebuild it now, and guilt filled me as I knew it was all because of me, maybe I really was a homewrecker...