The Lost Monarch

Hunters and Hunted

Ophelia examined the burn scars as she dressed. Scars were a sign of survival, but also a reminder of the pains of the past. She was caught between being proud of her survival and her stomach twisting in painful knots. The flames licking at her dress, the smell of people burning around her, the screams, her screams...

     Her hands shook as she did up the buttons of her blouse, pulling on her black poofy trousers and a rich green jacket. She liked dressing nice, but hadn't been able to wear skirts ever since the Manor. She just... she didn't feel the same. All she could think about was the fire devouring the fabric, burning her, burning so hot and...

     She swallowed, putting on her brown leather boots and after a moment, deciding to don a black cowboy hat. She thought it looked good with her outfit, and she grinned at herself in the mirror, her red hair falling over her shoulders. She couldn't focus on the negative. She had to keep on smiling, and get back to normal. It had been six months. She had survived. It was time to move on.

     Though, of course, moving on wasn't really that easy. She wished it were easy. She wished she didn't miss Rin, wished that she didn't fear the flames, wished that everything could be the way it was before. But everything had changed, and she had to figure out how to live with that. She had to figure out how to move on and keep smiling.

     It was hard sometimes, but her friends made it easier. And feeling needed helped too, when she was needed for spellcasting or helping someone soothe their soreness. It was good to distract herself with tasks, good to keep busy and remind herself what she was fighting for. It was good to remind herself that she was still happy. That she still had everything she needed.

     Ophelia walked out of her apartment, grabbing a slice of toast on her way out the door. She nearly ran right into Alister, who was quite flushed in the face. "Did Eva talk to you again?" Ophelia guessed with a grin, immediately all of her negative thoughts fading. The chance to tease her best friend? What better distraction was there?

     "I uh..." Alister wrung his hands, looking extremely flustered. "You look great today?" Alister tried.

     Ophelia grinned wider. "Thank you. Now, what exactly happened?"

     "He left flowers on Estella's doorstep." Eva said, entering the hall from her apartment and swooning playfully. Theodore caught her, standing behind her in the doorway. He smiled at her, and she looked at him with an affectionate expression. Then she stood upright and glared at Alister, "But he failed to leave a card."

     "So? Isn't it more romantic if he doesn't take credit?" Ophelia asked, not sure why exactly Eva was making fun of him this time.

     "Not if the flowers could be for Landon." Alister mumbled, raking his fingers through his hair. "But I left her favourite flowers, and–"

     "How did you remember a detail like that?" Eva asked with a quirked brow, looking at him sceptically.

     "It's important." Alister's face was as red as Ophelia's hair. "I didn't want to just get her roses or something like that. She told me when we were talking about the garden in the Underground." Alister raked his fingers through his hair. "Do you really think I should've left a card?"

     "Nope." Ophelia interrupted Eva before the other woman could speak. "I think it was sweet and very romantic. And Landon's smart enough to figure out exactly who they're from. Besides, Romeo would definitely leave roses. Landon seems like the type to like roses."

     "He actually likes fireweed," Theodore piped up unexpectedly. When everyone looked at him, he shrugged. "He likes roses too, but fireweed is more resilient and practical." Theodore blinked when everyone kept looking at him. "What? We were talking about plants. Is that so weird?"