Disdain Notice (Editing In Process)

Chapter Twenty-Four ~ Back Home

Gabriel joined me again when I was walking down the hall to my room. He took my hand and brought me behind a corner.

"We're leaving tomorrow afternoon," he whispered. "I must remind you that we would be there for only a couple hours."

I smiled. "Anything is enough. Thank you, Gabriel."

He smiled. "Is it odd saying only my name?"

I nodded. "Yes, very odd." I laughed then stopped. "Why did you want me to just call you by your name?"

"I thought it was long over due." Gabriel turned away and focus his attention on the hall before us. "You have been so kind to me and real and I couldn't have someone like that to address me by my title." He looked back and our eyes locked. "Like I said, you made me realized a few things about myself and I have never been so honor to have you as a friend and to let you use my name."

I grinned. "I'm so grateful, Gabriel, honestly." I stepped forward and embraced him. Caught of guard he stumbled backward and against the wall. He wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes. "Thank you so much."

"You deserve to see your family, Ezra." He held me tighter. "You deserve happiness."

I pulled back and frowned. "What makes you think I'm not happy?"

He gave me a sad smile. "You could never be truly happy when you're taken away from the one thing that does."

"Gabriel." I looked down, blushing then up to meet his green eyes. "You make me happy. You're been making me smile, laugh ever since you pushed everything away and saw me as a person and not just a dirty, poor peasant."

Gabriel leaned in and hugged me. "I was blind not to see it the first time I saw you."

I smiled. "I am guilty too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was up and ready the next morning. I ate breakfast with the royal family, went through my lessons and I have to admit my piano playing wasn't getting better. It sounded like I was scratching against a bucket. I didn't care but my instructor certainly did.

After my lessons, my maids gave me a new dress. Well it was the dress I came with on my first night here. I could tell they enhanced it a bit. The fanciest dress in the village turned into the fanciest dress in the royal court. The colors I could tell they darkened it, I don't know how but they did. They gave me a cloak as well.

The cloak was all black but it had golden stitches. I slipped into my newly enhanced dress and twirled, earning cheers from my maids.

"Thank you!" I said, while twirling. I stopped and fell to my knees. "Whoa!"

"Oh Ezra! Your dress!" Penny and Elena helped me up.

"Now about your hair," Elena said as she let go of me and looked at my hair.

"What about my hair?" I asked.

Penny looked at it too. "We need to make the same hairstyle you first had when you walked through those doors."

I looked at my hair. It has ribbons and was held up to be a nice twist.

"We're keeping the ribbons but losing the braids."

After that they went to work. Not long after that, they were done. It was late afternoon and I was ready to go. I looked ready to go. Nobody would suspect of being an outsider but someone who came back home.

I looked away from the mirror and hugged my maids. "Thank you, I'll see you tomorrow."

They hugged me back. "I'm so happy you're finally going to see your family again." Penny let go and winked at me.