A Tale Of Shadows and Emeralds

Chapter 8: What happened?

Dear Diary, I'm confused.

I remember waking up not knowing what happened, where I was, and thinking it was a dream.

Fern was on my lap, purring, I held them, sniffling, as I realized it wasn't a dream. I was in a grand room, with silk sheets, swan-down pillows and blankets, and Mamma, Dad, Bubba, Varian, the King, and Queen Rosalie, all of them looking at me like I was severely injured. As I kept processing, I remembered what happened.

I had gotten so overwhelmed and tired, that I began screaming at the king. I was yelling about how much hurt, confusion, and uncertainty I had gone through over the years. Eventually, I felt a sharp pain in my head, and fainted from a combination of the shock, the exhaustion, and the confusion I was going through.

I looked at the king, or as I should call him, Father. "I'm sorry, Father," I said, voice trembling with the warning of tears, "I didn't mean to yell. I just couldn't handle what was happening."

Father looked at me, empathy filling his face. "Leo, it's okay. Often, it's a common occurence in children of the royal family who experience sudden changes. You are fine. I remember learning of my father's death when I was 13," his eyes turned misty, as if recalling a painful experience when he was young, "I had gotten into a screaming match with my mother, after which we made up. I am not saying that we have to make up. You are not like me. I am not like you. That is something I accepted soon after I learned your mother was pregnant."

I looked at him, and nodded, then attempted to get up, a wrong step causing my ankle to twist and my hands to slam into the ground. "Leo! Are you okay," Mamma had squeaked, "is something wrong?"

I tried to stand up, but found walking very painful. "Ouch." Varian had helped me up, his eyes a different color than earlier. Now they were a soft lavender. The demonic color of concern. Fern leapt up, and grabbed my ankle brace from my bag.

"Thanks, Bud." I put on the brace, and sighed. Father stared at me, then turned to Mamma. "I am assuming that this is normal?" Mamma nodded. "Leo's always had weak ankles, it's why he has an ankle brace." Father sighed. "Your mother had that problem too."

"Stella," I said, "I call her Stella. She did not raise me, she is not 'Mother' to me." Father looked at me, wide-eyed. "Understandable. You would have made a good ruler one day, had Stella allowed you to meet me."

"Father, I am like this only towards you. I am not the happiest right now. I would like to leave the castle now, and go to celebrate my birthday with my family."

Dad and Bubba stifled a laugh. I knew they didn't consider Father my actual family, like me. Father looked sad, but understood. I looked at Rosalie, who looked sad that she wouldn't be able to join me, and I sighed. "Fine. Father, Rosalie, Varian, you three can come."