I absent mindedly packed my clothes for the trip. I stuffed a few day dresses to wear, and I also put in a few pairs of shoes. Aaron and I would be visiting the wreckage of my home today. We would sort through the rubble, trying to find anything that could have survived the burn. Or anyone, for that matter.
And I knew for a fact that I would not cry.
"Are you ready, Elly?" Aaron asked from his side of my room.
"Yeah," I sniffed. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand and blinked away the tears. "Let's go."
We walked down the hallways. It was still extremely early, so the other girls wouldn't see us leave. The dawn had yet to come. We walked hand in hand to the jet that would take me home.
Or at least, what was left of it.
The warm Angeles air greeted me, blowing its heat across my skin. Aaron helped me up the airplane steps, and we took a seat together in a cushioned love seat. I was toying when my necklace when a thought popped into my head.
"Are the rest of the selected ok with you coming with me for this long?" I asked quizzically.
"No," he replied. "They don't know. They think I left yesterday on a trip to the Italian kingdom to discuss treaties, and I'll be back a little while after you return."
"It means so much to me that you're coming with me," I said with a wavering voice.
"Don't worry about it," he replied softly. He kissed my forehead, and I laid against him for the rest of the plane ride.
We landed about two hours later. Aaron changed into different clothes that consisted of khaki pants and a white shirt. The casual appearance of a three or four. I kept my dress on, though. I believed it was only fitting to wear black.
The car ride was slow. It would have been faster, but there was debris littering the road. Usually on long car rides, I would look out of the window at the scenery. No matter the season, Hampton was always beautiful. Spring flowers, summer greenery, autumn colors, and even the winter snow that always came.
But now, there was nothing.
We pulled up to the gates of the estate, and it was hardly recognizable without all of the lush landscaping. My breath caught in my throat when I saw my house. The only thing remaining was a part of the structure, and there was so much rubble littering the ground.
I stepped out of the car with Aaron. I covered my mouth with my hand and bit back tears. Aaron put his arm around my shoulder and rubbed my arm gingerly. "Let's get to work," he whispered. I nodded my head and stepped into the destruction.
I walked through every room that was a part of my old home. The kitchen, the drawing room, the dining room, the library, the lesson room, the foyer, the study, and the servant's quarters were gone without a trace.
I could still feel my family's presence. I felt as if I could hear the twins bickering, and I could feel the tug on the hem of my dress that Francesca liked to pull. I could hear my father's rich laugh, and my mother's graceful air was continuously present.
I walked into my parent's bedroom frame. There wasn't much that remained- part of the bed posts and a few scraps of metal. I dodged glass as I looked for parts to salvage. A glimmer caught my eye, and I went to investigate.
I picked up the source and wiped off the soot. In the palm of my hands were my parent's wedding rings. They had them made specially, to never melt and they could withstand any blow. Inside my mother and father's ring was engraved Love Eternal.
"Aaron," I called loudly. He rushed over as quickly as he could, stepping over the debris. I showed him the rings in my hand. "The family rings; they're probably still here," I said, almost to myself. I rushed past him to my room where I found a similar glint.
I picked it up and wiped it off. There wasn't a scratch on the smooth metal, and I slid it on my finger. I went to Harry and Penelope's rooms, distinctly remembering Harry telling me he received his family ring.
Penelope's ring was elegant. It was a thin, silver band with her birthstone laying inside a beautiful setting. The emerald glimmered as it caught the light. I smiled and shed a tear.
Harry's ring was a simple band made of the white metal and in it laid a subtle line or emerald stones, which was also his birthstone. Each of our rings had Family Eternal engraved into it.
I returned to Aaron and showed him the collection of rings. He offered me a sleek pouch to place them in for the moment. The metal clinked as each ring fell in, and I put mine back into it.
"I think that's all we're going to find, Elly," he said sadly.
I bit my lip in response. "Probably," I sighed.
"Your highness, are you ready to go?" Asked the guard who had escorted us here.
"Not just yet," I said quickly. Aaron gave me a questioning look. "I want to show you something."