No Explanations - ONC24

Epilogue - Call It What You Want

"My baby's fit like a daydream, walking with his head down, I'm the one he's walking to. So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to." - Call It What You Want, Taylor Swift

My castle crumbled overnight. They took the crown, but it's alright. All the liars were calling me one. Nobody had heard from me for weeks. I'm doing better than I ever was because my baby's fit like a daydream. She's walking with her head down and I'm the one she's walking to. She loves me like I'm brand new. So call it what you want to, but I found my real love in Ebony at last.

It was a few months since I could call myself Queen of a city and had someone to call my fiance. The day before, Ebony and I had worn white dresses to the ballroom of our palace and now I also had someone to call 'wife'.

But I hadn't been the person I was when I left with my parents and sister for the City of Night last November. All my flowers grew back as thorns, my windows boarded up after the storm. But Ebony kept a fire just to keep me warm when all the drama queens were taking swings and all the jokers dressing up as kings. They fade to nothing when I look at her.

And I know I make the same mistakes every time, my bridges burn, I never learn. At least I did something right because I'm laughing with my lover, making forts under covers. I thrust her like a sister, I know I did one thing right. Because now I have starry eyes sparkling up my darkest night.

Now, I was walking in the rose gardens I loved so much. In spring, the gardens had bloomed and now summer was arriving and I spent most of my afternoons here. But today, I invited my little sister Feyla. Ebony and I had invited both our family's, but only Feyla had come.

The girl smiled at me from the bench she was sitting on, between the rose bushes. She wore a loose, white dress filled with pink flowers. She looked beautiful.

When she spotted me, she got up and hugged me shortly. "Congratulations again," she said. "How was your wedding night?"

I smiled at her. "It was fantastic, just like any other night with Ebony," I told her.

"I spoke to the Haunted Queen last night," Feyla said. "She claimed she saw your marriage coming since the night you kissed Ebony on the ball for her birthday."

I laughed. "Then the Haunted Queen probably has prophetic abilities," I said.

"I won't be surprised," Feyla said. "But you invited me here, what did you want to tell me?" she asked.

"I wanted to know how you are, because I know mom and dad won't let you visit often," I said.

"I'm great, thank you," she answered.

"How is it with love?" I asked. "I know for sure mom and dad can be difficult on that part."

"It's fine, they made the list to choose from a bit smaller, but I can handle it," she said.

I sighed. "They won't learn, will they?"

Feyla shook her head.

"I want you to know," I said, "That you should always choose real love, even if mom and dad don't accept it. If you find real love, everything is worth it. Even if the road may be hard, it will always be worth it. Don't marry because you have to and spend the rest of your life unhappy."

"I guess I can believe you when you say that," Feyla said. "But should I really risk it?"

"Yes," I answered. "It's always worth the risk," I added. "Who is it?"

"Dave," Feyla said with a blush on her cheeks.

"Dave from the party where Ebony and I fell in love?" I asked.

Feyla nodded. "The same one, we also met at that same party, but he isn't on the list."

"Risk it," I advised her. "Even losing your crown is worth being with the love of your life."

"Thank you," Feyla said. "How is your love with Ebony?" she asked.

I thought for a second. "It's the best thing I've ever experienced, really." I recall late November, holding my breath, slowly I said: 'You don't need to save me, but would you run away with me?' and Ebony had run with me. "I want to wear her initial on a chain around my neck. Not because she owns me, but because she really knows me, which is more than they can say," I told Feyla.

"Thank you," she said again. "I think I understand."

"You can call it what you want," I said, "but I will always love Ebony. Always."

"I will go and find my true love, then," Feyla said.

I smiled at her. "Don't ever stop until you have found your true love. Because with them, everything is worth it," I said. And with those words, I let my sister go back to her city. The only thing I could hope was that she would experience what I had with Ebony, at least once in her life. I would do everything over again, if I could be with Ebony.