The King's Bride

Stay, Please

The hours tick by, Everleigh and Jensen having spent them talking, laying on his bed, right up until they see the first signs of dawn outside his window. Everleigh starts getting up from the bed.

-"I have to go. And you need some rest." - She feels him hold her hand, stopping her.

-"Stay, please. I don't want you to leave again."

-"I have to. But I'll return. I promise." - She smiles softly at him.

-"When?"

-"Soon. But until then, you have to promise me that you'll stop moping around and allow people back in. No more hiding in your room or your study. Promise me, Jensen."

-"I promise."

Everleigh smiles at him before kissing him one last time, thinking that this went better than she had expected, getting up and putting her cloak back on. She looks back one last time at him, adjusting her hood over her head, before walking out of his room and finding Josh waiting for her there.

-"Take me to Mackenzie, please." - She whispers, as soon as she is sure they are far enough away from the guards.

Josh nods and leads her down the corridor, towards Mackenzie's room. Everleigh slips quietly inside, seeing the young woman fast asleep. She softly wakes her up, watching as Mackenzie slowly opens her eyes, but once she sees Everleigh, she is wide awake.

-"You're back!"

-"Not yet. I can't stay long. I don't want to risk someone seeing me. Listen, I'm sorry. For everything. I promise that when I return, I'll explain everything. Just know that I have always thought of you as my sister and that I'll always be here for you. Oh, and hopefully, Jensen should be back to his old self in no time."

-"You spoke to him?"

-"Yes. Why do you think I'm only coming to you now? I had to see him first. But we'll talk more when I return."

Everleigh chuckles before hugging Mackenzie tightly and leaving. Josh leads her out of the Castle and back to the stables, as quickly as he can. They manage to reach it without anyone seeing them, Everleigh letting out a sigh of relief as soon as they are near her horse.

She gets on her horse, having refused for Josh to escort her back, and is ready to ride away when Josh stops her, holding her hand.

-"Thank you." - He squeezes her hand, a grateful look on his face.

Everleigh smiles softly at him and nods, as he lets go of her hand, before hurrying her horse forward, riding out of the Castle as fast as she can, just in case someone recognizes her. As she rides away, the thought of how will she return to the Castle pops in her mind, alongside another one: does she want to return to the Castle?