Exile

Chapter 4

"Of course, Father."

He nods, and stands from the desk. As he moves towards the door, he takes Anastasia's arm to lead her off. There are no further words exchanged between us. He just leaves. When the door closes, Ally wastes no time, dropping my hand and taking me in her arms. It takes me a second to hug her back. I wrap her into my arms and try to settle her racking sobs.

"Shh, Ally, it's okay, I'll be okay," I whisper into her ear, stroking her hair. My soothing words don't do much for her, just sending her into further panic. I look up at Logan, pleading with my eyes for him to help. He steps up and pulls both of us into his large frame, holding us tight. 

After a few minutes, Ally's breathing returns to normal. When this happens, she steps away from us and wipes her face of tears. Logan still holds me, not wanting to let me go. I don't pull back, knowing that he needs this just as much as I do.

After a few more seconds, Logan pulls back. 

"We'll walk you to your room," He mumbles before striding to the door. I take Ally's hand and lead her off. 

On the walk to my room, I try to take in as much as I can. The candles, both new and old, lining the hallway. The servants rushing about, darting between rooms with bundles of laundry wrapped in their arms. The scuff marks on the floor, some left behind from Logan and I running around the Manor when we were young. All these memories inscripted into the very foundation of this Manor, that I just have to leave. I know that it is better that I get married off then Allisa, but it doesn't make this any easier.

We reach my room. Logan opens the door with a click, and stands back to allow for us girls to enter first, before coming in and closing the door behind him. He turns, and his gaze settles on me.

"Haelynn, you don't have to do this." He says. I shake my head.

"Logan, you know that I do. If I don't, it's back to the mortal world for me." I say gently. I look towards Ally, then back to Logan. He seems to get my meaning, as he nods and goes to sit on the desk.

"I get that, but I don't agree with his decision. Marrying you off is only going to get you power, not him." He looks at his hands, then snaps his head back up to look at me. "What is he playing at?" I shake my head, trying to think of why he would think that marrying me off would get him power. It makes no sense.

"I don't know. If we knew who I was going to be married to, this would be a whole lot easier." I look towards Allisa, who is staring out the window. 

I'm worried about her. I only left without a fight the first time because I knew that Logan was going to be here with her, but Logans getting deployed in a few days, and I'm leaving tomorrow. I don't know how she is going to go without any of us. She always looked up to both Logan and I, even though it was a bad idea. 

We weren't the best role models growing up.

I walk up to her and put my hand on her shoulder. She doesn't move to look at me, so I try Plan B.

"Ally, I'm sorry. But it was between you and me, and you deserve actual love, not the love that our Father chooses." She turns to look at, her eyes filling with tears for the second time in the past ten minutes.

"I know, Hay Hay, I do, its just that its so unfair! I hate this, I hate him!" She begins to break down, and I shake her.

"Allisa, you need to keep it together. You are going to be by yourself soon, and we need to know that you will be safe." I know that I'm being harsh, but I need the security that she's going to be okay. "You need to keep up appearances for this family. You cannot let Father know that you hate him, or else he will treat you like he treats me."