You Have My Heart, Lady Illea (A Lady Illea Novel)

Chapter Twenty

I stood in the ballroom and watched as they set up the Christmas tree. I rocked back and forth on my heels and enjoyed watching the twins run around the tree with ornaments in their hands.

I maybe young but I do think about having a family sometimes. Even if I only have one child I always admired the thought of being a mother. I caught sight of Princess Rosie gently walking around the tree and touching the branches.

I thought of Rosie as my counterpart, except the dark one. I liked to think we were alike in many ways which in fact we were. She was just a lot more umm...

Bitchier than I was.

She looked up and caught me watching. She didn't smile but instead winked. I smiled at her because I knew that was just Rosie's way of showing affection. I knew the rest of the royals would be here soon to do their traditional decorating the tree things and there was one royal in particular I didn't want to see.

I caught one last glance of the lovely tree and sighed. What a beautiful sight.

"I've been looking for you all day."

I looked over and Will was standing besides me except he didn't look at me. He was facing forward with his hands folded looking a guard. I rolled my eyes.

"Like I said your searching skills are atrocious."

Will's eyes shot open and he looked at me. "You can speak?"

I figured I might as well not even waste time being mad at him so I sighed and shook my head. "Will, I've been able to talk for three days."

Will looked like he didn't know what to say. "Oh."

I turned around. "I'll see you at dinner."

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I watched Will fly. He looked like a young child chasing after a kite. He jumped in front of me blocking my way to the exit.

"Wait!" he said. "You've been avoiding me."

"I have not." I told him as I walked around him. "You have been avoiding me."

"I have not." Will jumped in front of me again and I was beginning to lose my patience. "I want to show you something."

"I'm not in the mood."

I tried stepping aside again but Will was intent on keeping me in my place. Frustrated I folded my arms and waited until he was ready to move aside.

"It's a surprise!"

"You're a little early, Will." I told him. "Christmas is 2 weeks."

"Well yes I know that." he said more to himself then me.

I took that as my opportunity to leave, which I did. I walked right around him while he pondered over something. He must have noticed I wasn't there and he came after me again, this time stopping in front of me and grabbing my shoulders.

"Will."

"Look, I know you're angry with me." I could see the sincerity in his eyes and it tore me to shreds. From his tone I could tell he was hurting just as much as I was. "Let me make it up to you."

I would have allowed him to whisk me away wherever it was that he wanted to tell me just for the sake of getting it over with. But if I did it would defeat the entire point. Will needed a nice sour taste of reality. I was tired of fighting with him. I was literally exhausted with him. It was the main reason I wasn't yelling and making a spectacle of myself.

If he wanted to be with Cecilia, fine then. He cannot have us both and this is what life is going to be like without me. I refused to be one of those girls that after a man moved on would be at his beck and call whenever he needed some comfort.

No.

This was it. He needed to make up his mind already because the constant back and forth was not healthy for either of us. I hope my ignoring him really destroyed him because after everything he put me through it was time for him to suffer for a change.

I wasn't being cruel. I was just turning the tables.

"I have bags to pack." I said. "I'm visiting my family in three days."

"Yes but-!"
I removed his hands from my shoulders and stepped back. "But nothing. This is a good thing, remember? This is time away from each other."

I could tell I had broken his heart but I tried to concentrate on the wall behind him rather than his crippling expression. I had seen Will many things. Angry, happy, giddy, surprised, frustrated, even sad. But this was a whole new emotion on its own. He seemed to have regained his composure and it was like looking at a whole new person.

When I looked at him I did not see my Will but I saw the boy I used to watch on tv all those years ago. He looked royal and regal like the rest of his family. It was just another reminder I wasn't like him and I never would be. It was another reminder that Cecilia was perfect for him.

I took a step towards him and looked into his eyes remaining as serious as I could. "If I were you I wouldn't be preparing surprises." I said to him. "I would be preparing myself for in the event that once I walk out those palace doors for holiday break and I don't come back."

I left him with that to think about and hurried to the music room.

I needed a quiet place to be miserable.

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Hello my lovely, loyal, beautiful readers who love me oh so very much!

The wheels in my head have been turning and even though there are only 30 chapters left to this ENTIRE SERIES I'm going to throw a curve ball. It's going to be flawless!

Now, don't kill me or anything! You never know if it's going to be good or bad so chill!

This chapter has seriously been putting me in a Christmas-y mood. LOL

Love you all to bits and pieces <3

XOXO Lilly