The Dragon Empress

Chapter: 55: An old home: part 4

We were almost asleep when my mother called for us. "Ryuga! Madeline! Time for breakfast!"

"...mmhmm." Madeline whimpered, "I'm so warm though..."

"It's french toast..." I told her, she sat up and pulled me out of bed, "French toast."

"M-Madi" I laughed.

"Take me to the french toast." She got her bag, shoved me out of the room, and dressed. When she came out she took my hand and we went downstairs, I wasn't even dressed.

"Madeline I need to get dressed."

"No, you don't!" She took a seat at the table and smiled widely at me.

"Good morning my empress," I whispered and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning my emperor," she whispered back.

"You two came down fast." My mother remarked.

"She dragged out of bed, literally," I said. Madeline laughed.

"I like french toast."

"Ryuga told me, here you go." Mother set a plate of french toast down, after thanking her, Madeline dove right in, also put two pieces on my plate. Madeline ate happily. "You two are so cute..."

"Madeline definitely is, but I am pretty sure I am not cute."

"Yes, you are!" Madeline said, I rolled my eyes.

"Sure."

"Thank you mother, for letting us stay the night, I really appreciate it. Call me soon." I told my mother, who didn't want to let go of me.

"Thank you for coming, im so happy for you two." Tears were in her eyes. Me being gone was hard on her, I knew.

"Thank you Mom, It was very nice to see you. Ive really missed you." This was hard on me too, I didnt show it. But not seeing my mother in years was very hard.

"Do you have to?"

"Yes, but you all can pay me a visit whenever you like, I put my phone number and address on the counter."

"Thank you, I will call often! Have a safe trip, you too Madeline." She then hugged Madeline and we left.

Madeline's POV

Before we left, Ryuga took my hand, and we started in the direction of the forest, we reached a very old tree, I smiled at Ryuga, this was our place, this was our secret hideout. He pulled me close to him and pulled a rope, and a ladder fell down, and we climbed up it.

"Ryuga, this brings back so many memories!" I exclaimed, everything felt familiar, but at the same time it felt like a lifetime ago.

"It does." He nodded. This was my escape, and It felt like home here.

"Oh, I-I have something to show you..." I remembered walked the treehouse, I pulled a book out of the shelf and put it on the floor, reached in the gap that it left, and pulled out another book. "This was my journal... and I promised my younger self that I would read it to you... hehe... I started this when I was about eight, a little before you and Kyoya rescued me." I opened the first page and with a shaky breath of remembrance, I began. "They came again, and beat me, I am so tired of working... I have been working all day, no rest and hardly any food, I am so hungry, and I miss my family. I don't know what to do, I thought I would write this, to whoever finds it, or to my older self. Entree one. 'I was getting beat when these two boys came and stopped Mason, they took me to a treehouse, they said their names were Ryuga and Kyoya... I am not sure what I think of them, but I am so glad they stopped the beatings. If one of you boys is reading this, thank you! Entree two. Ryuga took me to his treehouse today, it was really fun, he showed me his constellation book, it was really cool, his favorite was the dragon constellation... he really likes dragons. Entree three." I continued to read the book, Ryuga sat there intrigued, 

"Amazing you have this..." He said I nodded. 

"I think I have a crush... on Ryuga... I don't know, he is always there for me, and is so nice and cute. He calls himself the 'Dragon Emperor,' I think that is so cute, I feel that if I told him I liked him, I think he would just push me away... and I can't let that happen, he protects me. On the other hand Kyoya I am pretty sure he likes me, he keeps giving me flowers and stuff, but I just don't like him, I like him as a friend. I want Ryuga to like me... I just don't know if he does... Entree twenty-three." I was about to start on the next entree, my face was red, but Ryuga came up to me.

"Haha, you are adorable. You're so red reading that." he chuckled and placed his lips on mine, and his hands pulled me closer to him, he pulled away, "I love you, and that's why I'm marrying you..." He said and placed his lips on mine again much more passionately, I kissed him back, he loved me, that made me happy, because I loved him, after all, that we had been through, he loved me. 

"Ryuga... we have been through so much, and you still love me?" I looked at him, and he looked back, his eyes were soft.

"Yes, Madeline... I love you despite all that we have been though I love you," he said and kissed me again When we finally pulled away, Ryuga held me close to him, refusing to let go.