1. Rose Quartz

21. the gala: part two

𝖆𝖚𝖗𝖔𝖗𝖆 • the ballroom
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Aurora forced herself to ignore the sharp throb in her side that came from jumping out of the bathroom window and instead ran, all the way around the palace and through the back entrance near the side of the garden, the doors left open for the guests who had gone to walk.

She hurried past before the guards could properly see her, but it was of no use, she knew that: they already had.

She didn't know how long she had now until they notified someone.

For that reason alone, she pushed herself to go faster and hurry all the way up to the sleeping quarters on the third floor, where she hoped she would find Elara. She didn't know where else she could go to for refuge and to be alone, and knowing how alone she probably felt, her chambers seemed more than likely.

Taking in a deep breath to calm herself down-and also in an attempt to catch her breath (her injuries meant she had grown a bit unfit)-with one hand clutching her side, Aurora raised her other and knocked gently. Once, twice, thrice.

At most, she heard shuffling come from the other side. Shuffling, sniffing, muffled sounds she couldn't make out. Part of her recognised them, though-the same part that had spent hours crying over being separated from her mother, or something or the other because she felt her emotions much more intensely.

"It's me!" Aurora called out, in the hopes that would somehow persuade Elara into opening the door. It would probably do the opposite. "If... If you want me to leave, I'll... I'll go-"

But the door opened and Elara stood before her, an expression on her face she was hardly able to make out. She wouldn't have even able to had it not been for the tears on her cheeks, bringing out the warmness of her grey eyes that had turned red in the corners.

"What do you want?" she asked, her usual slightly raspy voice now hoarse as if unused. Or used too much in sobbing and screaming.

"What happened?" she asked, brows furrowing with concern. "Did someone say something? Was it something that happened?"

"No," she said. "Nothing happened." Her words sounded a little harsh-bitter, even. "Do you know why? Because I am alone here. I have absolutely no-one. Now what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you, actually. Keep you company, ironically. And Elara, you are not alone. You have me, Mother, Father. You always will. And that is exactly why I am here, actually. I wanted to see if... Well, do you want to talk? Because I am not going to waste your time if you do not want to."

"Make it quick," she demanded more gentler than usual as she opened her door further and walked inside her chambers. Aurora followed, hope rising in her. "What is it? And do not even think about starting to ramble like you always do."

Aurora's heart sank at those words, but she ignored that feeling and pushed it away into the place where everything went, instead plastering on the faintest smile.

"I just wanted to make sure that you had someone. It isn't fair if everyone else is down there enjoying themselves while you are here all alone," she said. "We only have a bit of time, though. I just about managed to run away from Dusk and he will notice sooner rather than later." The downside to him being observant and smart. "Is being alone what upset you?"