The Runaway

Chapter 52

We got a hotel again. And now I cannot sleep.

Why must you torture me like this sleep? Come back to me. Sleep is important, yet it doesn't want me.

So now, I lay on my left side, facing Sylvian as if I'm asleep but I'm not. Does he know? Does he not? This is fun. I'm a spy, he will never know.

Right now, he is staring at the necklace, the smallest smile. Awe. Now if only he acted this cute all the time. The moon, and sun, shining on him softens his features. Does the necklace make him this happy? It matches him.

Let me sleep, brain. Am I broken? This isn't fun. The sun is now starting to shine.

My heart is drowning in sadness. Why is this making me sad? I should be happy, I'm in a bed next to my friend, yet I'm sad. Is it my skin turning ugly? My hair being messy? It doesn't shine its reddish brown anymore, instead it is dull and clumpy. Is it the pain in me? The pain that kills my soul?

What has become of me? I'm not fun anymore, I'm sad and feel alone. Where did my love go? Why did it leave me? Sylvian said I did nothing wrong... if these words are true, why am I in woe? What has been put upon me in this time of adventure? I'm seeing the world outside the kingdom walls like I've dreamed of... yet I'm sad...

Something slides down my arm. I look at my arm and see a pale hand rubbing it. I look up and see him facing me.

"Why so sad?" his voice is hushed.

"Something is wrong with me..."

"Nothing is wrong with you."

"It feels like it though..."

He lays down, facing me. "Why?"

"I lost all my beauty... I lost my personality, I lost me. Now, you're traveling with some girl who can barely walk... I want to stay here forever, in this bed."

He puts his hand on the side of my face, rubbing my cheek with his thumb. "You need to get home. Don't you want to see your family?"

That question hurts something within me. "I do- I really do but it has already taken so long... What if they don't want me anymore? They won't recognize me anyways... I'm ruined."

"No, you're not."

"Then why am I like this?"

"You've been through a lot. Stress can physically affect you."

"Oh."

He takes his hand off my face and grabs my hand. I roll onto my back. This is exhausting. Why does being sad have to be exhausting? My heart wants peace. I miss walking down the hallways and greeting everyone. I miss talking to the chefs, anyone. I even miss talking to the birds and frogs.

I'm stuck staring at the ceiling, wondering when all this will end. None of me wants the move, to stay here till I'm magically in my home. If only that could happen. Why can it not? Why can't I be home already? He can teleport, why not me?

His arm wraps around me as he pulls me closer to him. "You will be fine. This will all be over soon."

"How soon?"

"Maybe another week or two."

I sigh super loudly. Sometimes that's all I can do, sigh really loud. "How long has it been since we left?" All the days have blurred together. Now I only know if it is dark or light outside, sometimes barely that.

"About six weeks, I think. A little more."

"That's a long time. How long was I in your kingdom?"

"About three weeks."

"Three weeks!?" My eyes give up on being pretty. Nine weeks- no, over nine weeks since I've seen my family. Why must it have been so long? I thought four weeks, not over nine. Sobs come out of me before my brain can think.

I'm pulled into a hug. I cry into his chest as he rubs my back, sending tingles everywhere. The silent room that doesn't help. I can't breathe. I can't do anything. Now I am a rendered pile of useless mess.

The heat along with crying is a horrible combination. The world is spinning, the oxygen has run away, and everything is so tight.

He drags his hand up my back and to my hair, massaging it. "Breathe princess, you will see them soon, I promise."

I want to believe him, I really do, but this monster won't let me. It won't let me live. I don't want to cry... Why won't you stop, whatever you are? Give me my happiness.

I nod, that's all my body allows. Curiosity ruined my life. Ruined his too. Why do I feel like this? So disgusting and alone... I'm so thin...

"Sorry..." Is all that can be rasped. It hurts my throat. I don't think honey can help anymore.

"Don't be sorry, you have no reason to be sorry. You're okay..."

His kindness makes me want to cry more. Never in my life have I been so sad I started crying, nor cried this much. Falling and hitting my face is so different from this horror.

The wall across from the window lightens up. The floors shine with color, looking happy. Why oh why can't I be the floor right now? To not internally and externally burn, relying on someone else to comfort the pain that burdens me.

I'm supposed to be independent and strong... that's what ma and pa said, what everyone has said. Yet, here I lay, hoping his hands can pull the sadness away, knowing they can't.

Once the crying has eased my misery, I turn to look up at him, he's staring at the empty television. The sparkles in his eyes shine right now, all his soft features are highlighted in the sun on one side, hidden on the other.

He looks down at me, making me nervous for some reason. My voice is a weak stutter. "Hi-i..."

"Hello." He rubs the hair away from my face with his thumb, and then drags it along my ear. A frenzy of sparks fries my poor ear. "You're not broken."

I put my hand between our faces, "But... but look at it, it is ugly."

He grabs my hand and places them beside us. "No, it isn't, just a little dirty and scraped."

I stare at his perfectly beautiful self. He has to be lying. "Don't lie to me."

"I left that life a long time ago, princess. I wouldn't lie to you."

"You sure?"

He nods. Should have said I do but okay.

A/N: Hello everyone!!! I like this chapter (Never heard that before🤯) Sylvian is so nice. Get ready for the next 3 chapters. They're crazy and sad, get your tissues prepared.