The True Partizan - 4

Hirana's Ring - Part 4

a/n: Bonjour tout le monde I just wanted to let you all know I have recently made a Rosewood Chronicles' appreciation Instagram account at 'rosewoodsimps' if you're interested ;) It's basically me being an idiot and fangirling over these damn books. Ok thanks! Bye!

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"Have you seen this article?!" Raphael exclaims, waving around a magazine that you can't actually see because he won't keep still. 

You'd just met up with him before running, he was lacking a running partner after all.

"Raphael, you- Raph-" You snatch the magazine out of his hand and flatten it out, your mouth dropping open in shock as you absorb the cover picture.

It's three girls slumped over in beanbags, looking drunk and sleepy, lolling eyes and dazed smiles.

The girl in the middle is Ellie, and the headline reads 'MARAVISH PRINCESS HOSTS PARTY WITH SPIKED DRINKS.'

You tear the page out and screw it up in your hand. "Oh god Ellie."

"Do you think she did it? Do you think she spiked the drinks?"

"No," you scoff, "She would never do such a thing, she might have the fake 'pretty Princess' act going on but she's still Ellie, someone else did this. Plus, why would she drug herself?"

Raphael furrows his brow. "Good point."

You smirk. "I know. As usual."

Raphael suddenly smiles, his dark eyes warm as he looks at you.

You grow confused. "What?"

"I'm starting to see the old y/n again."

You falter at his words, then attempt to shrug it off. "Whatever, let's get running, lessons start soon."

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You meet Lottie at the gates of Rosewood upon her return to Paris. She looks disappointed and distracted as she walks behind Saskia and Anastacia, he head lower than usual.

"Lottie?"

Your sister glances up, then stops walking, you approach her.

"You were right y/n. They didn't listen to me, I'm a fool for thinking they ever would." Lottie says glumly.

"You're not a fool Lottie, you just care. And I..."

"You what?"

"Don't have the same kind of hope as you, I know what I want and I know I'm never going to stop trying to get it, but there's constantly doubt on my mind, I think of the next problem, the next obstacle...I can't see the light like you do Lottie."

"But isn't that good? We need the balance of positive and negative, you're here to try to prevent me from doing anything that obviously won't work even if I desperately want it to, and I'm here to show you what can keep you going, remind you what you're fighting for."

How could I forget.

"Touché." You force a smile. "I'm sorry for how I reacted to your Paris trip."

Lottie smiles too. "I'm sorry for how I reacted after your reaction."

"Don't worry about it, now come on, we've got a meeting under the Erwin stature soon, weren't you going to show us something?"

"Oh yes! I need Binah immediately!"

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When everyone does turn up to the hideout, you're curled up comfortably on a beanbag with a hot takeout cup of coffee in your hand to warm you up. The winter cold is still persistent, yet the winds have calmed in recent days.

"Okay!" Lottie announces as her and Binah walk in, a green and gold book in her hand.

"What is that?" Raphael asks, taking a seat in the beanbag beside you.

"It's the origin story of the Maravish royal family." Binah elaborates.

You want to say: 'Interesting, why did you call a meeting for a book?' But don't, and say nothing instead.

"Here." Lottie sits in the desk chair. "I'll read it to you."

Lottie reads the tale of the Princess who ran away from her palace and made a life with a man from the forest, who then went back and killed the current royal family including the princess's evil brother before taking over the throne.

"Huh," Saskia states, "How does this help our situation?"

Binah shrugs. "We just needed to learn more about Maradova."

"What? About a random wolf guy?"

You smile a little at Raphael's comment, then notice everyone's staring at you.

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

"You haven't said anything." Anastacia answers bluntly.

Her girlfriend nods. "Yeah, we'd expect you to make some kind of comment."

"Comment?"

Lottie rolls her eyes. "A sarcastic one about wolves or how dumb fairytales are?"

"Oh, sorry."

Lola giggles. "Don't apologise y/n. You haven't done anything wrong, it's not your fault you're quiet all the time now since..."

The girl trails off, looking embarrassed. Everyone knows she was going to mention Jamie of course, which is why an awkwardness now hangs in the air.

"Okay." Binah breaks the silence. "Does anyone else have something they want to say? No? Cool, see you guys soon."

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After lessons a few days later, Lottie approaches you with a serious frown. "Y/n, I have something to show you." She declares.

"What is it?"

"Well I'm going to show you aren't I? Come with me." She grabs your wrist and leads you to her dorm room. You haven't actually been in it since Ellie left Rosewood, and it's strange to see Lottie's room with its opposing half missing. It looks so...bare.

You stand and watch as she pulls out a box from under her bed, her tiara box. But she doesn't pull out the tiara, instead producing a golden band ring.

Lottie says nothing, placing the ring in your hand and closing your fingers over it. The ring burns on your palm, hot and electric.

"This ring belongs to Hirana y/n."

You blink. "Who is...Hirana?"

"Hirana is Jamie's mother."

You clutch the ring tighter, and swear you can feel your wolf pendant growing hotter on your chest, as if the two are connected.

"How did you get this?" You murmur.

"The maids at the Maravish Palace gave it to me, but I need to know you'll get this to Jamie at some point because it's...important to me."

You frown. "Okay..."

"You will y/n?"

"Of course I will, it's just-"

She cuts you off, "-Thank you. Have you eaten dinner yet? Do you want to grab some food with me?"

"No, I need to-" you hesitate, reading her lonely eyes that so desperately need comfort, then force a smile, "Yes, I'll eat with you Lottie, I'm sorry for being distant recently."

She smiles weakly in return. "Thank you y/n. I really need you back."

You falter at her comment, eyes stinging. You didn't realise how much losing yourself would affect other people, but now you're very slowly starting to heal you're scared. Scared of what's to come. However you're still nowhere near close to what you were before despite your efforts.

All because of him.