Behind palace walls

3

"You told me we'd be best friends forever, that you'd never leave me." I tell Toni, tears rolling steadily down my cheeks.

He had just finished telling me he was accepted into the royal guard academy for underprivileged youths. It was a good opportunity for sure, but he had told me that if he were accepted he'd be shipped halfway across the continent to train, and that he'd be gone for five years at least. Their training methods were brutal, no phone calls, only occasional letters, you lived and breathed the academy ways. Your family was within their walls. They made the best soldiers in their academy, at one point my father was admitted as a young man, then he met my mother at her coming out ball when he returned.

"Im sorry Coraline, this is a really good opportunity for me, my mother won't have the burden of feeding the extra mouth, I've already sent my acceptance letter. If you're my friend you'd understand." He said sorrowfully, his big hazel eyes looking down at me sadly. He gave me his 'I seriously want this' face, a look I can never say no to.

"You're only sixteen Toni..." I trail off, and he takes that moment to lean down and kiss me on the cheek, whispering in my ear.
"I'll write everyday and send them as soon as I'm able. We'll stay in touch, I promise." I blush, my tears coming faster as I hug him tightly to me. We embrace like that until mother calls us in for supper.

During quiet moments I can't help but think about toni, especially when I'm in our hideout. Our hideout is a small utility shed at the edge of the forest behind the palace, broken down on the outside, decked out with pillows, a tv, blankets and a mini fridge on the inside. He helped build it with me after my first shift at fifteen. It was our get away from all of our responsibility's, no one could touch us here...

Then it did. He told me this while standing at the entrance of our hideout. It completely broke me then, and over the years, sure, it did get a little easier, but we barely exchanged letters. The last one I got from him was a year ago, when mom first started showing signs of her illness. I told him we postponed our 'family trip' because she came down with some kind of cold, and that I'd send pictures of his mothers new crop of carrots and sweet potatoes (his favorites), because his mother was too busy working to send a letter this month. I enclosed two pictures of the crop, and one of me in my new gardening dress and apron, and sent it that night.

So many things have changed since then, and I need him the most now. Everything will change very soon and I need to know he's there for me. He will be my first choice as a husband when I see him at my ball. I haven't seen him in person for five years, only pictures, and I know for a fact his whole unit will be granted leave to attend the coming out ball for their future queen. It happens every time a new Luna is appointed. I will of course have to steal him away before that announcement to explain everything and have an official meeting before he's chosen, but that won't be much of a problem. I'll just need a plan-

Bring bring bring

Bring bring bring

I quickly open my phone and put it to my ear, wondering who on earth is calling me at this time. Everyone knows I get very little me time, especially during event planning and because of mom...

"Hello?" I say, still wondering who is calling me.

"Lady Luna, please forgive me for interrupting your leisure time I know you have very little of it." A familiar woman's voice said.

Toni's mother.

"It's quite alright Judith, what is it you need? I'm all yours." I told her warmly, she's always been like a second mother towards me. I think she knows how I feel towards her son and knows we will end up together some day.