Book I: Near Death Experience (18+) ✔️

16.

"Well ain't this a cute little cottage you have," Cassandra says as she admires my home as she walks in. I watch as her fingertips graze over the furniture and wood frames making me smile softly as I say, "Thank you Cassandra". I watch as the woman looks back at me with her gleaming eyes, her hands coming together quickly as she claps, "Well show me your room, I can get this stuff packed quicker than mud drying on a hot summer day."

Her words made me look shocked before bursting into laughter as I questioned her, "What?" Her words made little sense to me, but it was nice to finally laugh genuinely. Cassandra looks at me with a funny expression as she looks at me in disbelief, "Bless your heart, you've never talked to a southern American before?"

"You're the only American I have met or talked to," I confessed as I walked towards the kitchen to fetch us some tea. As I began to light the stovetop, pushing firewood underneath in preparation for the kettle Cassandra asked me lightly, "Have you been here your whole life?"

Filling the kettle with water I explain lightly, "Yeah, pretty much. I was born in London, but I was a baby when my mom left. I don't remember any of it, but if you can tell my accent is a mix of Scottish and British. One of the perks of growing up with my mum, but also around everyone in the village."

Silence fell around us as I heard Cassandra say with a warm heart, "I'm sorry for what happened to her, I can't imagine what you're going through right now." I could only smile at her kindness, setting the kettle on the stove and waiting for a boil. I sighed muttering, "It's alright, it's...odd if that's the right word for all of this. I can't fathom that things are completely different now that I know what I know now."

"But I'm glad I'm not as alone as I was before," I confess to her making her smile and reach across the counter placing her hand into mine. The affection I had been graced with from her was a nice change, it seemed warm and not forced.

"You won't ever have to feel like that again. Not only do you have Knox and Alexader, but you have Fredrik and I as well," she says to me gently making me nod as I mutter a thank you to her. I quickly prepared the tea, peppermint and honey swirling into the cup as I handed the mug to Cassandra.

"I'm going to get the bath ready for you, put out your suitcases for me and I'll pack while you wash up?" she offered to me making my eyes bulge out of my head as I said, "Sure, but you don't have to."

"Oh please, it's nothing. Plus you have to get used to the sense of royalty your highness," her teasing tone swirled around the word making me groan as I yelled to her walking figure, "Stop!"

After I showed Cassandra the bathroom, I walked into my room looking around for the final time. It hadn't changed from the last time I was in here packing a few articles with Knox, it sat still around me as I looked around. I sighed to myself, trying to keep myself composed as I headed to my closet and grabbed a large suitcase out, knowing that'll fit everything I owned. I didn't have much, but just enough for my life. I began to pack some of my dresses and other clothes, which were plain and passed down from my mother. As I emptied out my dresser, closing the chest I looked up onto the top of the wood. There sat a photo of my mother and me when I was a child, showing the both of us laughing and her holding me in her arms. Tears began to rise in my eyes as I smiled at the photo, looking at the beautiful woman as my finger grazed her face.

"It's all ready hun," Cassandra poked into the room making me jump and wipe my tears before walking back to the suitcase as I mumbled, "Oh-thank you."

"She's beautiful," Cassandra says with watchful eyes as she smiles looking down at the photo in my hands. I smile sadly looking back down at the image as I place it into my suitcase, "Yes she--was."