Following Hearts

Aftermath

One week had passed since the Coronation Ball as Rose opened the doors to the stable, hoping today's visit wouldn't end the same as every other one of her attempts had this week. The door creaked open, and Rose peared inside. She tentatively stepped inside, peering around to check if anyone was there. Just like the other fifteen times she had checked this week, the stable was empty.

    She wasn't even sure why she kept coming back here. Felix hurt her, more than she had ever been hurt before. He deserved what he got. But still, Rose couldn't push the blonde haired stable boy out of her head. He consumed her thoughts, dreams, her everything. Despite how badly he had hurt her, she couldn't move on. She still needed him.

Rose wasn't sure exactly what she would say even if she did see Felix on one of her visits. Would she yell at him for how he had hurt her? Would she apologize for hurting him? Would she beg him to love her again? She wasn't even sure if Felix had ever loved her at all, so why should she keep coming back looking for him to love her again?

Sighing, Rose closed the door to the stable and slowly began to walk back to the palace, her head hung in disappointment. She watched her feet scuffle on the ground and played with the dirt as she walked.

Since she had made the marriage announcement, there had been much excitement, both amongst the palace staff, and the royal family. Balthazar had been a bit taken aback by the announcement, as he expected at least a heads up, but he seemed quietly enthusiastic. So far, at least twenty major news companies had asked to cover the wedding story, and that was before Rose asked Amelia to keep the press away.

Although Rose had made her intentions of marriage clear, Balthazar still insisted on proposing to Rose. He was probably planning it at that very moment. He seemed to busy himself in the frivolities of their wedding but never actually bothered to talk about their marriage. Maybe it was because he sensed Rose's still present hesitation, but it seemed like it was more than that. Rose was beginning to think that neither of them wanted to go through with the marriage, but of course, she could never admit that to anyone.

Rose heard an "Oof" as she bumped into someone on her path.

"I'm sorry I-" She began to mumble, but stopped herself when she looked up from her feet and realized who she was talking to. "Felix?"

Felix looked like a deer in the headlights: frozen and unsure of what to do or say next.

"Rose." He averted his eyes from her face and found himself staring at the ground. "I... Goodbye." Felix started quickly down the path to the stable, eager to get away.

"Wait!" Rose shouted, immediately regretting it as she noticed others on the path taking notice of her volume. "Wait." She said, softly this time.

"What do you want Rose?" Felix's usual playful demeanor had been replaced by a menacing scowl.

"You've been avoiding me." Felix snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, and?"

"Please don't." Rose pleaded with Felix, staring into his eyes. Their beautiful baby blue color seemed to have darkened since they had last spoken. His eyes now were reminiscent of angry waves crashing against the shore.

"Why shouldn't I?" Felix's expression didn't relent. "You're going off and marrying Prince Balthazar. You don't need me anymore." He turned away from Rose, starting to walk again.

"But I do." Rose admitted. "I do need you, I love you."

"Let me get this straight." Felix faced Rose once again and crossed his arms. "You need me, you love me, but you're going to marry a stranger instead of me?"