make me stay.

twentynine

♜

"we are leaving immediately,"

noble coast had been standing next to our carriage at the front side of the mayor's house, when i had returned. the dimmed morning light was still hiding most surroundings in the leftover dark, but the lights revealed enough.

two carriages, one for coast and i and the second for the few people we had brought with. our guards rode around us for protection, or at least, they had on our way here.

it seemed like weeks ago by now.

i frowned, attempting to catch my breath. "beg your pardon?" i replied.

"wherever you went off to, i have no interest. but your temporary disappearance alarmed the king, and he sent orders to return to the castle as soon as you were found. luckily, you were not ignorant enough to stay away long enough for me to be forced to find you." the noble's words were spoken through subtle but yet gritted teeth, and i found myself, truly uncomfortable.

"but our work is not finished," i shake my head, disagreeing with the king's decision. we had made a promised not only to mayor reyes, but to aeston as a whole. "a house was set-"

"i have no interest in your reason, your grace." the words were respectful though erupting, but his eyes told the tale. he was angry, furious even. "get in, please."

he nodded towards the carriage as a servant opened the door for me to take place inside, but i took a step back, looking between every pair of eyes currently on me.

the staring never stopped, did it? like was i on constant display, my mistakes and errors highlighted. every single one.

i stood behind, pausing as i felt the wind move through my hair.

"maire-grace," coast lowered his voice knowing that not addressing me by my title was incredibly disrespectful, his eyes wide as he pleaded me with them. he was exhausted, furious and eager to just leave this town.

i offered him a single nod, before nearing the carriage. one of the servers, the one holding the door open for me, held out his hand, and i took it to balance myself while getting inside.

coast joined me a moment later, and soon, the carriage was shaking softly as we made our way down dirt and gravel roads through the woods, in the complete opposite direction of where i had run before.

"what were you thinking?" coast had spoken up a bit later. we had been sitting in complete silence, which suited me well.

i had watched the sunrise slowly swallow up the darkness, and the sun was now shinning above the carriage, giving me no way to see it anymore. it was quiet, and silence was exactly what i needed.

no more voices screaming at me anymore. to run. to stay.

my mind was completely and utterly empty, despite the events that had gone down in the last few hours, and it was truly needed.

"a conversation between you and our king is none of my business." i say. "i went on a walk and when i returned; i found you talking in our room,"
i meet his eyes for a short second. a deep fold is digging into his forehead as he scoffs, leaning back into the seat.