Royal Pain

Chapter 6- And The Flood Gates Have Opened

King Clemen on the left, Michael on the right and their castle on top.

~JO

Royal Pain

"She has been asleep this entire time, I am afriad if I wake her it will be the death of me." Lily said as Clemen reentered the Throne Room. "Well she needs to wake up now or it will not work." He walked over to Madeline and gently shook her arm until she began to stir. "hrm, what?" Madeline said sitting up and taking in the bright lighting of the throne room.

"Madeline, I have been sent to bring you to the ballroom." Clemen held out his arm for her to take and without waiting for her to fully stand he swiftly moved down the halls and to the doors of the ballroom. Madeline tripped over her own feet and almost ran right into the door. Clemen dropped her off waved farwell and he and Lily walked to the upstairs to be by themselves.

Madeline stood looking at the all too familiar doors of the ballroom. Putting her ear to the door she heard the sounds of nothing. Sighing, she finally pushed the door open to see Michael sitting in a chair, all the way at the end of the room. "What is all of this?" Madeline said walking towards him. "Stop." Michael said standing up he looked at Madeline as she stopped in her tracks. Michael smiled at her to soften the agressive tone he used. "Sorry."

Madeline stood as Michael approached her. The lights slowly dimmed and he grabbed her by the hand. "Madeline," He whispered making her jump up. He chuckled at her, "May I have this dance?" Madeline bit her lower lip and shook her head. They danced all night talking just like Clemen and Lily.

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"Do you even know how happy that makes me?" Madeline said from her spot on the ground. "Well I mean I really didn't mean to I just kind of found it." Michael said sitting up on his elbows. "Well we need to go to it!" Madeline said almost standing up. "Wait, Mads. Can we just stay for a little longer?" Michael said pulling her back down. Madeline didn't protest as she allowed him to bring her to the ground in his arms.

"Mads, I just started to learn about you and your past. Please, tell me more about your parents." Michael pleaded. Madeline sighed yet again and began her story.

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FLASHBACK
"Madeline, come down here. We need to talk" Pleaded the Queen to the closed door. "No, you never listen to me, you never believe me!" Shouted the little seven year old princess. "But the therapist just wants to talk, make sure you're alright sweetie. Please come down here." The Queen stood at the botton of the stairs until she realized there was no way she was getting that child out of her room.

"Dear, come here." The King said holding his dear wife close in his arms. "She'll come down when she's ready but, for now, we need to let her separate imagination from reality." The King slowly swayed back and forth until the Queen had finally given into the Princess.

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No one understood. No one ever did. Madeline knew what she saw in the doorway of that closet. The lady stood infront of two bodies, and they weren't moving. Madeline could faintly remember what the bodies had looked like before the lady turned to look at her. Madeline bolted and she has now the terrifying memories of what she saw. Madeline sat in her room until she heard the door creak open to her older sister.

"Madeline, it's going to be ok, just take my hand and we'll go talk to the nice lady together. Just the two of us." Lily smiled and held her hand out. Madeline stood and grasped her sister's hand, letting her guide her to the large ballroom. The three of them talked for hours until a scream came from the back halls of the castle.

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"And that's when the maid came in and told us that our parents had been shot. I mean there had been multiple different 'witness' stories, but what I heard first was what I believed."

Madeline and Michael sat in silence. Madeline looked at the ground not realizing she had just cried through the entire thing. Michael looked at her and slowly moved towards her breaking the silence. "The flood gates have opened, haven't they." Madeline giggled at that and started to blush. "I-I'm so sorry you had to witness me cry, you must think I'm pathetic." Madeline began to stand and walk towards the door.

Michael stood up and chased after her and grabbed her just as she was about to leave the room and he pulled Madeline in for a kiss. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. When they pulled away Madeline could barely breath. They made their way against the far wall and sat together talking until they both fell asleep against each other.