You Are The Reason ( Prince x Reader )

Chapter 11: Goodbye, Lady Aileen

The stars were shining down on Madrathia, and the sky was clear so anyone could see the stars in the sky. The breeze was cool, and the temperature was perfect. The village below was getting ready for the Harvest Festival that would happen weeks away. They gathered to hang decorations and discuss who would prepare what meals to bring. Inside the castle, the king was asleep in his bed, but the spot next to him was empty. Aileen was not in the bedroom or the hallway where the royals slept. Instead, Aileen was going down the stairs with a suitcase in her hands, and she set her bags in front of the door. 

   " I'll take your bags to the carriage, my lady. "

   " Thank you, Quintin. I appreciate this. "

   " You were always kind to me. Even though you have renounced your title, I will still serve you whenever you are near. "

   " Quintin Trembley your wife is a lucky woman. "

   " Thank you, my lady. Is there anything you require before heading off? "

   " I'm waiting on a few people before leaving. You may put the rest of my bags in the carriage and I will wait outside on the steps. "

   " As you wish. "

Quintin took the last of the bags Aileen brought to the front doors, and he went to put them in the carriage as Aileen waited on the top step. She heard footsteps running towards the doors leading to the outside world, and when she turned, the doors opened. The doors opened to reveal you, with Elina wearing your usual uniforms while Quinn was wearing comfortable clothes. 

   " I see you three came. "

   " I'm sorry Mariella didn't come, mother. " Quinn said, stepping outside with you and Elina following.

   " It is fine. There is nothing we can do about it. I am glad to see that you three have come to see me off at least. "

   " Well, it's not just us. " You said, stepping forward.

Aileen's smile fell, and she raised an eyebrow at the trio. Elina returned to the set of doors and looked back inside the castle. Elina's small smile grew as she opened the doors wider to reveal the entire staff standing in the grand hallway. The maids, butlers, and chiefs stood with smiles on their faces. 

   " You were kind to all of us, and everyone wanted to say goodbye. You have touched all of our hearts and treated us like we were on equal status with you. You always cared for the staff and workers. Now, we want to wish you goodbye and happy life. " Elina said, stepping away from the doors.

Aileen looked at all of the people inside the castle, and her lips formed a sad smile, and tears started to fall down her face.

   " I didn't know. . .I. . . "

   " Mom. . ."

Aileen continued to cry, and Quinn walked to his mother and hugged her. She hugged him tightly and ran her hands through his hair. Quinn let go and didn't shed a tear for his departing mother. Elina was next, and she hugged Elina, whispering words into her ear. Elina left the hug and nodded. You were next to hug Aileen. You wrapped your arms around her and hugged her tightly, and she embraced you. You felt her warmth as you hugged, and you knew that everything was going to change once she was gone. 

   " Please take care of my son, and watch out for him. " She begged.

   " I will. " You replied.

You both separated, and people started flooding outside the castle doors. Aileen wished everyone a good life, and she climbed into the carriage. The driver whipped the horses and drove off, away from the palace and Madrathia. The staff all raised their hands and waved at the departing carriage, and when it was too far in the distance to be seen, everyone walked back inside to sleep and prepare for the morning. But it felt different walking into the palace. It felt like the only happiness that ever was contained in the castle was gone. No one could feel happy about Aileen's departure, and it felt gloomy entering the palace. You walked with Elina to her room and then to yours. Before you opened your door, someone had called your name.

   " Y/n! "

You turned and saw Quintin running towards you with a bag in his hand. He stopped running and handed the bag to you.

   " Aileen asked me to give this to you. "

   " When did she ask you? If I remember you were standing with us as we waved Aileen off. "

   " Yesterday she went through her things and decided she would give some of her things away, and she ould give them to the people closest to her. She wanted you to have this. I didn't know what room you resided in, and I could never catch you yesterday or today to give it to you. "

   " Oh, well, thank you. "

Quintin nodded and walked off to go to his room. You walked into yours and locked the door behind you. There was a box on Genevive's empty bed, and you assumed it was Aileen's gift for her when she awoke. You sat down on your bed and opened the bag. You pulled out a silver necklace. The metal string was thin, but the pendant on the necklace chain was gorgeous. The pendent's color was a deep blue, in the shape of a teardrop. Diamonds wrapped around the sides of the teardrop, and there were two lines of smaller diamonds going across the pendant. A small white butterfly sat on one of the thin lines of diamonds on the front of the pendant. The charm was the size of your thumb. You slipped the necklace on and felt the cool metal touch the skin on your chest.

   ' It's very beautiful. '

You went to take your shoes off but stopped when you thought of Quinn.

   ' He didn't shed any tears. Maybe he was holding it all in until he was alone. I should go check on him before I sleep. '

You left your room and walked to the royal floor. It was as quiet as a mouse as you walked through the hall. You walked in front of Quinn's door and were about to knock on it but stopped when you saw one of the doors pushed open a little. You peered inside and heard sobbing. The room was dark, but you noticed a figure sitting on the floor in front of his window, crying. You entered the room and shut the door behind you, locking it so no one would come in and see. 

   ' Poor Quinn. '

You kneeled beside Quinn and placed your hand on his shoulder. The window in front of you touched the top of the ceiling and the floor so that you could see outside of it from the floor. The moonlight shone through the tall window and hit your figures, and you saw Quinn's tears.

   " Y/n? How did you get in here? "

   " You left your door open. I wanted to come check on you. "

Quinn nodded but kept his head low.

   " She's gone. . ."

   " She is. "

Quinn sniffed and rubbed his tears away, and took a deep breath.

   " I'm sorry you have to see me cry. It's not manly for me to cry. And it's also weakening to see the prince cry, isn't it? Especially over his mother. "

   " Quinn. . .You're not showing weakness to me. Your crying shows that you cared and that you loved her greatly. You can't bottle your emotions, because one day you're going to explode, and it's not going to be good. So, cry when you need to. Because crying isn't weakness. It's a sign of being human. "

   " . . .If only my father thought that way. He always says a Harding never cries. "

   " Well, your father is a jerk. And he doesn't understand what it is like to care as you do. Quinn, you love your mother, you care for your mother, and you only want to see your mother at her best with a smile. You care for people Quinn, just as she did. So, cry when you need to. And if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here. "

Quinn was silent, and he raised his head. His ice-blue eyes shone brightly from the tears and the moonlight streaming in. His cheeks were a little red, and tear stains were on his face. Quinn slowly wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his head in the crook of your neck. More tears slipped out of his eyes, and you felt them hit your skin and clothes. He shook a little, but you didn't care. You wrapped your arms around his back and rested one of your hands on his head. You ran your hand through his hair and combed his black strands to calm him down. You decided to stay with him until he claimed down a little, and Quinn appreciated having you there. He didn't feel alone with you with him.

Quinn's only light inside the castle disappeared, leaving him alone, but with you and Jin by his side, he knew he wouldn't be alone again.