Aiden's POV
"Welcome home," I said calmly as my mother took off her sunglasses and examined the palace foyer. The servants behind her carrying her fifty bags that she took on her unnecessary vacation.
"Yes. Welcoming indeed." She turned away in disgust and searched for someone.
"Mother, will you please let it go?" I said impatiently which made her turn around in horror.
"Aiden Godfrey!" She warned me by putting up her index finger in my face. I shut my eyes and sighed at her reaction.
"Queen Alexandra!"
We both turned around and saw a chirpy Ingrid standing there with her hands clasped in excitement. I glanced back at my mother who was fuming with anger.
"Little witch!" My mother exclaimed through gritted teeth. Ingrid looked back at me with worry, but I just shook my head. "Tell her to stay away from me!" With a quick look between Ingrid and I, she turned on her heel and left the room.
"What's her problem?" Ingrid asked looking over my shoulder and crossing her arms.
"She hates the idea of Iris and I getting married. It's a long story. Just remember to be nice to her even if she, well, murders you."
"Thanks for the heads up on my impending demise," Ingrid said with a laugh. "Um, I've meant to talk to you about what happened two days ago. We've just been kinda, you know, ignoring eachother." She added with a small chuckle.
"Ingrid, I'm really sorry. I've just been so busy with-"
"Thinking about her?" she asked looking around and not meeting my eye.
"I'm always thinking about her," I answered quietly.
"Of course you are," she runs her hand through her hair, "-well I have work to do!" She perks up and takes her to leave.
"Nice one Aiden," I say to myself. Looking up at the ceiling chandelier, I huffed with annoyance and turned around to go cheer up mother.
"Help me."
I stopped dead in my tracks as a pregnant woman stood in my way, blood running down her legs and sweat on her forehead. She's about to fall on the floor, but I quickly caught up to her and held her in my arms.
"Staff! QUICKLY!" I yell as servants crowd around us and revive the lady up. "Call an ambulance!" I looked around and saw Ingrid running towards us. She pushed the servants out of the way and crouched down to examine the woman.
"Aiden, she will die of bleeding by the time we reach to the nearest hospital! We have to deliver the baby here!" Ingrid looked up to the servants and commanded them to take her to the nearest room. They carry her unconscious body carefully to the grand hall as I followed them.
"Careful guys!" Ingrid commanded pointing here and there and then turning to me.
"Is she gonna be okay?" I asked, my breath racing faster than ever.
"Aiden, listen to me! I just need you to exit the room while we do this! We've called the doctors, so just wait outside!" She said putting her hands on my chest and slowly pushing me out of the door.
"Will you be okay?" I asked examining her bloody clothes. She sighed and nodded with a hopeful smile. "I've done this before." She winked and shut the door in my face once I was out.
"What the hell is going on?!" My mother yelled from above the stairs, Alex following right behind her. She tripped at the end of the staircase when she saw blood on my clothes. "AIDEN!" Alex helped her up as she rushed towards me and started touching my face to see if I was okay.
"I think you might need to check up on Alex," I said giving him the dirtiest look. This accident was clearly his doing.
"What do you mean?" he asked brushing past me and opening the doors. My mother pushed past me to see where the screams were coming from. I turned around and shut the door, standing in front of it.
"Explain now," I said crossing my arms. My mother's face was burning up with anger you could almost see flames coming out of her ears.
"That's, um, Claire. The stalker I was telling you about-"
A slap.
A hard one.
From my mother.
Alex looked at her with blazing eyes as I flinched at the mark on his cheek. He deserved it.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
I winced at her loud voice as Alex just stared at his feet and listened. His hand on the red mark.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't the one keeping her-"
"You're the one who impregnated her! How can you be so careless Alex? I took you in and raised you as my own son-"
We both looked at our mother. With horrified eyes. As if both our worlds crumbled around us.
Especially Alex.
She covered her mouth, her hands trembling and reaching out for Alex. "I didn't m-mean-"
"Stay away, just stay away from me!" Alex snapped. He looked at me with so many emotions, all of them negative. The tears in his eyes forming and slipping down his cheeks. With a shaky breath, he walked out of the palace doors, never knowing if he would return.
"What do you mean you took him in?" I asked staring at my lifeless mother. She looked pale and ready to fall any second. I stopped myself from asking any questions and gestured a servant by the doors to take her to her room.
I closed my eyes, and for a second I could just feel Iris' presence near me. Her calming voice. Her soft touch. Her constantly repeating, "It's okay."
I slid against the wall next to the door clutching my head in my hands and gently banging my head on the wall trying to get her out of my head.
"That's not going to work you know."
I looked up and saw Iris sitting next to me. I scooted back in shock as she laughed at my reaction.
"W-What are you doing here?" I stuttered at the sight of her. She looks so clean and beautiful. She looks like the Iris I need right now.
"I'm offended. I'm here to tell you that it's okay," she said coming closer to me. Just like Alex, tears fell down my face as I took in every feature of her face. She gave me a sad smile and wiped away the tears before taking my hand in hers.
"Your hands are so cold," I whispered rubbing mine against hers to keep them warm.
"That's not gonna work silly," she said with a small laugh. "I'm not real. Just a fraction of your dreams." She pushed a strand of my hair back and placed her cold hand on my cheek.
"I'm sorry. For sending you there," I said burying my cheek into her palm. "I thought I was doing the right thing."
"And you did do the right thing. I found my father. Isn't that what you wanted?" she urged. I nodded as she pulled me into a hug and rubbed my back comforting me. "We'll meet again."
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
I swung my head up and saw Mary-Jane crouching down in front of me, worry written all over her face. I observed my side to find emptiness.
Mary helped me stand up and turned her attention towards the grand hall door.
"All of Iris' hard work just dissolved," she said with sorrow.
"What do you mean?" I gave her a confused look as she bit her lip.
"Uh, I don't know if Iris ever told you, but she kept Claire in the servant quarters. She took care of her and the baby."
I listened and turned my head to the door where the screams of agony were arising from. Iris had been doing all of this behind my back all by herself. I'm sure she's doing well on the island. She's always been the one to bring light to the darkness.
"You should get some sleep. I'll call you down when the procedure is completed." Mary gave me one last smile and walked inside the room to help Ingrid and Claire.
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Iris' POV
"So this is your plan? Keeping me locked in your room?" Elior asked sitting on my bed. I rolled my eyes as I packed my bag. Grabbing all the essentials such as food, clothes, weapons, and first aid.
"Not for long. We are leaving tonight!" I said turning towards him. He was wearing all black that I had to borrow from Lee's closet. I had told the boys about my plan, and they were not happy at all.
"You're crazy Iris! Crazy!" Drew exclaimed pacing back and forth in the kitchen.
"Ditto!" Lee said swinging his arm around a very concerned Miles.
"Guys, I'll be back before you know it! I just need to go to Alexandria, and I'm sure Aiden will help me. I need to see him."
"I thought he was dead to you?" Elior said from behind. His hands tied with handcuffs. All four of us gave him deadly looks before the boys went back to bickering.
"Iris, we'll come with you," Drew said softly. I shook my head and enveloped them in a hug. I heard Elior scoff and sigh.
"Guys, I can do this. I won't let anything happen to you or myself," I let go of them,"-I promise. I will come back much stronger, and we will win this fight."
"Are you crazy-"
"YES ELIOR, I AM CRAZY!" I yelled stomping towards him. "Anything else you wanna say?" My nostrils flared as he gave me a sympathetic look. Running my hands through my hair, I groaned and kicked a piece of clothing in front of me. The frustration and nervousness were getting to me.
"Listen, if you wanna get back to Alexandria, you're going to have to go on feet. The boats don't run at this hour."
"Thanks for the tip. Now can we please get going?" I said grabbing the bag and swinging it over my shoulders. I watched as Elior gets up from the bed and fits his arms into Lee's leather jacket.
"What?" he questioned fixing his jacket. Why do boys have to look so damn good in leather jackets?
"N-nothing. Let's go!" I said turning towards the door, breaking out of my daze. I needed to see Aiden as soon as possible. "Wait!" I turned around causing me to bump into Elior's chest. He grabbed my shoulders to steady me. I looked up and saw his eyes full of bewilderment. "Let go!" I swatted his arms away and fix myself.
"What is it now?" He groaned restlessly.
"You need this," I said pulling out a scarf from my closet and handing it to him. He raised a brow but attempted to wrap it around his head, so only his eyes showed. "You are such an idiot." I tried to fix the scarf for him by standing on my tippy toes. I sensed his eyes boring into my face which makes me feel weird.
A good kind of weird.
I stepped back admiring my work, a small smile appearing on my face at his appearance. I held back a laugh by covering my mouth which made him roll his eyes. The only thing visible on his face.
"Can we please leave now?" he asked to which I nod to. I looked around and gestured for him to follow me. The lights were all out, so it was easier for us to escape. "Be careful."
"Shut up."
I heard him huff which made me stifle back a laugh.
We made our way down the stairs and towards the empty hallway that led out to the back door of the kitchen.
It felt awkward walking side by side when we both almost killed eachother. I still have the gun in case he pulled something funny-
"Hide!"
Next thing I knew, both of us are standing in front of eachother in a small space, our bodies touching fully. I gulped as I hear the footsteps of a human guard.
I looked back at Elior whos eyes were stuck on my face.
"What?" I questioned once the guard was gone.
"Why did you need my help?" he asked coming closer as if our bodies weren't already squishing eachother. "Why me?"
"Because we both have reasons for that place." I pushed him back and stepped out of the area. He closed his eyes in thoughts once again and followed me to the kitchen. "Keep your mouth shut, alright?"
Once we're in the dark kitchen, I seized the keys hanging by the door and inserted it in slowly twisting it open. I glanced back at Elior's hazel eyes to make sure he's still there.
"Run for it?" he asked reading my mind.
"Run for it."
Once I swung open the door, Elior grabbed my hand and ran as fast as humanly possible. I stumbled behind him but caught up from the electricity coursing through my body.
"Why are you holding my hand?" I exclaimed trying to let go. He looked back and smirked pulling me closer and running towards the woods.
Once we were sure that it was safe, he let go, but we still ran. The woods were officially safe because now every creature that lived here was in the palace.
"I think this is okay," I said stopping him. He took off the scarf and instead of throwing it, he handed it to me.
"What?" he watched as I stared at the scarf with a smile.
"I thought you were gonna throw it in my face."
"Why would I do that?" He scoffed.
Because you're not Aiden, I thought.
"Nothing." I shrugged off the thought. "We should make camp here." I searched for wood and branches.
"It's useless," Elior said. "These woods are magical. Fire is a big hazard here." He looked around at the trees and leaves.
I groaned in frustration and pulled out a blanket for me to sleep on. It was three a.m. when we left which means that it's probably four now. I laid down the sheet and stretched myself on it.
"Where do I sleep?" Elior asked sitting down next to me. I pushed him, so he was off my blanket and on the dirty ground.
"No entrance here. Go make your own shelter or keep watch." I turned my body around and rested my head on top of my hands.
"How do you know I won't leave?" he asked quietly.
"Because you won't."
He doesn't say anything to this. I smirked and made myself comfortable.
"You could've packed another blanket in that big bag of yours," he said with a temper. I opened my eyes and rolled them.
"You know, for someone who isn't in the position to make requests anymore, you sure do it a lot. Make do with what you have!" I said closing my eyes again. "Goodnight."
"You said it, not me," he muttered before sitting right next to me. His body touching my back.
I groaned out loud and sat up, so both of us were sitting next to eachother. Very closely. I picked up the blanket and threw it at him.
"Have fun!" I shouted and position myself against a tree opposite of him. Resting my head on the trunk and closing my eyes, I fell into a dark slumber.
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