Aideen's Answer

~Chapter Fifteen~

 Aideen had never before felt such turmoil. She thought her heart was in a quandary before, but it compared not to how she now felt! If she expected to have peace after making her decision, she was horribly wrong. Now, she questioned her choice at every turn. Every conversation with Samantha, laugh with the twins, and hug with Mitchell made her feel as though her heart were about to break. She wondered how she could ever leave.

 I know the plans I have for you.

The phrase popped in Aideens mind as she sat in her room, but she pushed it away. It had begun doing so ever since she accepted Kevin's proposal, but she refused to dwell on it. She could not explain why, but the verse gave her a lingering sense of unease. Rather then face it, she chose to ignore it. Besides, she had much better things to do!

 Kevin had begged her to leave with him the very day she had accepted, but she had refused.

 "A woman must prepare! And for that, I need time," She had said to him.

 He had eventually agreed, in order to please her. They decided to leave the very next week. Coincidentally, it was the very day that Prince Garrett was due to arrive. Once she realized this, Aideen began to hope that it would work in their favor. The day was sure to be terribly busy, so perhaps her parents would not immediately notice her absence.

 'Ha.' Aideen thought, 'Knowing Samantha, she will realize I am leaving the very moment that we have exited the gate!' She shook her head, and immediately began to chastise herself. 'Do not think such thoughts, Aideen! You must continue to be positive. You love Kevin and are leaving in order to have an amazing life with him.'

 She then began to go over their escape plan in her head.

 'Escape?' A nasty voice in her head sneered. 'What exactly have you to escape from? A loving family? A happy home? Adoring parents? A good life?'

 "It is not like that! Be quiet!" Aideen burst out.

 "Um, Miss?" A hesitant voice came from the doorway, "Are you-Is something wrong?"

 "Oh Regan! No, nothing is wrong, I am quite all right, thank you. Just a nasty headache," She gave her wide-eyed maid a sheepish smile. "Please go downstairs and give my apologies to Mother. I will not be joining the family for supper tonight. I wish for you to bring a plate of food up to me so that I may retire early."

 "Yes, Aideen."

 "Thank you."

 Regan left as quickly as she had come, and Aideen was once again alone with her thoughts.

 'Okay, we will depart at dawn,' she thought. 'I will be taking Ginger and Kevin will ride Demon. I will never understand why he insists on calling such a magnificent animal by such a horrid name. Anyway, Kevin said we will attempt to get far away as quickly as possible, as we have no way of knowing what type of head start we will have. We will go on non-stop until noon, when we will take a bit of a rest before continuing on to our destination. Kevin's family home in the mountains. A three day trip, but well worth it from what Kevin was telling me.

 Tall, majestic mountains, clear streams of fresh water that is teeming with fish, endless woods filled with game. And in the midst of it all, the home Kevin grew up in. He told her they would go there for a few days' rest and to figure out where they wanted to settle.

 Aideen sighed. 'It sounds like paradise to me,' She thought.

 'But what is paradise if one is lonely?' Came the inner voice.

 'I will not be lonely! I will be with Kevin!' She thought vehemently.

 'But can one man take the place of your entire family? The ones whom you have known and loved all your life?'