Rhea
It's been 6 hours since I grabbed what I barely had to call my own, and left Elijah's house. I stayed the night, and woke up early. I have no clue where I'm staying, or if I can even consider staying in Aepresea.
I would ask Gabriel, after we practically made out in the lake, and laid on the blanket for the last few hours, but considering that was our first date, I don't want to bombard him with that responsibility.
In all honesty, I'd rather go back to Ovantasa. I'd rather hug Bellie, and tell her how much I miss her. Tell her that the boy she somewhat raised, was no longer here. Tell her the girl she watched grow up, was fading into someone she doesn't know.
But I can't do that.
Regardless of the love, and need for comfort, and to be told everything is okay. I don't want it. I don't want pity. I don't want love.
I want bitterness. I want to crumble into nothing. I want my guilt to go away. I want revenge. I want hatred, blind hatred, because I won't get my parents back. I won't get Allen back. Unfortunately, I won't get her back. The little girl who was excited to rule her kingdom. To inherit the title of Queen. The little girl who would sit against a door, leading into a meeting room. Listening to all the crazy formalities, and words I didn't understand, but I was excited to one day be able to say them.
Where did you go? Where are you hiding? Because, I can't find you anymore.
Everything just hurts.
It all hurts because it's reality. It isn't fake. None of it was a stupid dream. No, instead it's my life. My mom, my dad, my Allen.
Allen.
He's gone. Bled to death.
Grace Windsor, and Christopher Windsor.
Gone. Drowned.
Me.
Insane.
I'm losing myself. I already lost them.
Allen promised me, he had just reassured me he wasn't going anywhere. He wasn't leaving me.
Well, he lied. He lied bigtime.
My parents told me they'd be back in a week. They lied.
They all lied, and none of them are here for me to forgive them. Who's next?
I'm walking on eggshells in my own mind. Stopping myself from thinking about one topic, to the next.
Who said it was okay for good people to die? When was that just a decision to be made? I sure as hell didn't get a say.
I'm so angry. I'm exhausted. I'm unhinged. My emotions are everywhere. I can't think straight. I don't even want to think straight. I cry without noticing. Three strangers have asked me if I was alright.
I just want them. I just want myself.
I'm so fucking angry, with my parents, with Allen. With myself, because I didn't realize how real the situation was. To how numb I've been. I'm mad at Elijah for saying the shit I think, out loud. I'm mad at Gabriel for making me feel good when I hate the world.
Because that's how I feel. I don't even know why, but I do.
My mind is chaotic. It swirls in desperation for a breath. But I'm dying. I don't have any more breaths to give. I'm losing it.
I can't be who I need to be.
I'm reckless, I'm insane.
I'm a dying baby's breath, mom.
I need t-
"I'm sorry," a little boy tells me, after bumping into me. "It's alright," I smile.
The boy looks at me in confusion. "You're crying," he blurts.
My eyebrows furrow as I wipe my eyes. I look down and see my finger glistening from my tears. "Oh... I guess I am."
"Why are you crying?"
"Um, I- I don't really know why."
"Oh," he murmurs.
Abruptly, he takes off running away from me in haste.
Apparently, I scare kids now.
I keep walking, with an old, worn out backpack Elijah gave me. He said the owner of the bag doesn't use it anymore, so he let me take it.
The bag is a washed out purple, with a pink heart sewn into the center. I can't imagine Elijah using this bag.
In the corner of my eye, I see a lit up open sign. It's another motel.
I make myself forget the memories of the last motel I stayed at, and decide I would stay there for the night. Elijah gave me thirty in cash, and told me good luck.
As I start to make my way to the motel, I hear a kid shouting at me. "Hey! You! You cried!"
I turn around and see the same boy again, while he runs as fast as his little legs can carry him. He's holding something in his hand.
When he finally reaches me, he stops, and looks up at me. "Here," he says, holding out his hand.
I look down and see a single white baby breath. I stare at the one stemmed flower, speechless and unmoving.
"You looked sad, and I thought this could make you happy."
I smile, "Thank you so much."
________
Gabriel
Even though the King and Queen are strict, and very... annoying, I respect them. The Campbell family has this elegance of order. Sure, behind the scenes I know who Liam is, and partly who his parents are, mainly because he complains about them a lot.
But they show a fierce presence, and I respect it.
They don't treat their employers terribly either, which comes as a surprise for me and my troops.
All my life, I had this thought, that they were terrible because they were rich. They may be harsh on some occasions, but I understand why.
At least, they don't treat me like that.
Maybe they have their own secrets, their own past, but they don't project that on who they order around. Which is why I'm proud to be their main soldier.
I wouldn't kiss their ass or anything, but I would trust in their decisions.
I know they're hard on Liam, they have expectations on him that he doesn't meet. I can't say I blame him, he's barely 18, and has meetings after meetings, events he has to plan down to the representatives he wants to attend.
It's a bunch of boring shit.
Which he somewhat piles on me. I don't really mind.
"Hey! I've been looking for you. What happened with that date of yours?" Liam strides into my room, popping a grape into his mouth.
"It went great," I grin, leaning back into my chair.
"Great..? No perfect honeymoon off into the sunset? Maybe even getting a pretty little cottage on fantasy street?"
"Shut up jackass."
"C'mon, tell me about her."
"Well, we made out for a while, in a lake."
"Finafuckingly. Grandpa finally got some."
"I'm only a year older than you," I roll my eyes.
"Do you like her?" He asks, laying on my bed sideways.
"Yeah, I do. I'm not in love or anything, but I do want to see where it goes."
Liam chuckles, "Good, bring her to the ball then." I sigh, "Another one?"
Liam nods, "Yeah, apparently that Windsor family never showed up, so we're throwing a ball for other kingdoms."
Damn, I won't be getting a break then.
"I won't have any time to hang out with her. I'll have to guard the place."
"Just invite her, let her have a good time. Sneak away when you can, and get hot and heavy," he teases.
"You don't ever take shit seriously."
"Look, your ass was depressed over bitch McGee for over a year, any chance your introverted ass gets to find someone else, I'm all for it."
"Glad to know you care," I sigh.
"Hey, I wouldn't be a great wingman otherwise," he shrugs. "I'll send my tailor over, pick a good suit. We can't have the poor girl running off because you look like Shrek," he continues.
"I'll never get used to someone saying 'their tailor'," I mumble, grabbing my coat.
Rhea told me she doesn't have a phone, so I have to find her another way. Thankfully she said she gets coffee a lot, so I'll try the café.
_____
When I get to the café, I see her immediately. She has a white flower weaved into her hair, a loose baby blue t-shirt, jeans with the ankles rolled up, and a purple backpack next to her.
I smile, and make my way over, sitting across from her.
"Hey stranger," I grin.
She looks up and immediately smiles. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"
I laugh, "I have a question."
She sits up straight, grabbing her coffee cup, and furrows her eyebrows. "Shoot," she insists, taking a sip from her mug.
Nervously, I mess with my ring, "Would you do me the honor and come to the Aepresea ball with me?"
She stiffs slightly, it's almost unnoticeable. "The ball?"
"Yeah, I'm attending, and I thought it would be fun with you."
She smiles, "I don't know, I mean I'm such a busy woman."
I chuckle, nervously. "How are you attending? I thought that was for the officials?" She questions, taking another sip.
"I have my ways," I grin.
I like Rhea, but I don't know her enough to tell her I protect and guard the kingdom.
"Okay mystery man, I'll go. I don't have much to do."
Relief washes over me.
"I'll make it worth your while, I promise."
She nods.
"I have another question."
"Okay...go ahead."
"Where can I find you? I know you don't have a phone, but I was kind of lucky I found you here."
She gulps, "Gardner motel, it's by the plaza, room 207."
Confusion ripples into me, "Motel? I thought you said you lived around here."
She shrugs, "My living conditions have changed."
"Do you need hel-," she cuts me off.
"I'm fine Gabriel, really. You don't have to worry about me."
I shake my head, "I have a place you can stay at."
"No, it's okay, really, I'm not going to disrupt you."
"I don't even really live there, I go there sometimes to relax," I plead.
"Gabriel I-," I cut her off. "Rhea, please, just let me show you the place." She stares at me, finally giving in, she sighs in frustration. "Fine, but you really don't have to."
I smile, "I know, but I want to."
____
Holding a hot tea in my hands, I walk up the small set of stairs, and onto the porch. I look back at Rhea, and see amazement in her eyes.
"This is yours?" she asks.
"My grandma's actually. When she passed, she left her house to me," I smile.
"It's so beautiful, it feels so homey," she smiles, walking up the steps.
"That was Mary alright."
"Her name?"
"Rosemary Norman, Mary for short," I explain.
"Pretty name," she smiles.
I nod, unlocking the front door. Stepping inside, I hold the door open for Rhea. She walks in, "Thank you."
I look around and see everything is the same. I didn't change anything in the house, I usually come here to relax or get away from the royalty of my job. I wanted it to still feel like her home.
"Your grandma had great taste in decorations."
I smile, "You should've tasted her meals. They were everything and more."
"Are you sure I should stay here? This place feels personal, and I don't want to ruin that," she worries.
I laugh, "she'd love you."
"Who?"
"Mary, she would love you. Teach you all her recipes, burden you with my embarrassing stories, welcome you into her home, all of that," I smile, remembering my grandma.
Rhea smiles, and looks at the picture frames on the wall.
She stares at a photo of me, my mom, and my dad. "Is that you?" she asks.
"Yeah, my parents too."
"Quite a handsome boy."
I shake my head, slightly laughing.
Her eyes glide over to the next frame, a photo of my grandma and I. Rhea gasps, "She's beautiful."
"Yeah, she had many suitors back in her day, or so she told me. She would tell me how my grandpa was a lucky man, and one day I would be too."
"Well, Mary is very wise," Rhea grins, looking at me.
"She always was," I pause, "Let me show you the rooms, they're upstairs."
Rhea nods.
I walk up the stairs, as each step creaks beneath my feet. I turn right, and show her the bathroom first, then I move across the hallway, and show her my old bedroom.
I walk in, and see my old toys scattered in one corner, along with old comics peeking out from under the bed. The sage green walls hold old posters of my all time favorite games and movies. My dresser has newer clothes, now that I'm older. My bed has the same quilt my grandma made me.
"This room is definitely you," Rhea laughs.
I chuckle, "Yeah, I never really changed it."
After showing Rhea a few of my old hobbies from different phases I had, I showed her my grandma's bedroom, and finally the guest bedroom.
"You can stay in any room, I don't care, if you need any spare clothes, mine are in the dresser of my old room. You might find something of Mary's in hers, it's up to you," I explain.
"Are you sure? Because I can just leave and I'll be fine."
"Rhea, please?"
She glances around the guest bedroom, and looks back at me, "Thank you Gabriel, thank you so much."
I grin, "You're welcome."
________________
Hey! I know it was little dark in the beginning, but I wanted to give you guys a glimpse into how Rhea is handling things, and how chaotic her mind is. Her thoughts will end up developing deeper, as the story progresses, and will begin to show who she becomes as a person individually.
I wanted to show a bit of who Gabriel is, and how he was brought up, since it really reflects on how he responds to situations later on.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! <3
Love ya! :)
-hc