Ellie's Garden // luke hemmings au

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

"I don't understand." Liam's mouth pulls into a sharp line. "I thought this was over. I thought you made the decision to end this!"

After the small interview with Louis, Luke and I rounded up the princes.  We were all currently sitting around Louis bed arguing. I frown at Liam's statement but I don't say anything. He's distraught and as frustrated as all of us.

"Look Liam, I tried I really did. But our father has dragged this dynasty so far down..." Luke starts, but can't seem to get the last few words out of his attempt to defend himself. I wrap my uninjured arm around his bicep.

"He tried. I tried. El tried. Liam, we are all frustrated." Harry sighs, rubbing his exhausted eyes. Liam's eyes dart to me. Such a powerful man making such a powerful stare makes me want to melt down into a puddle. But I hold myself up on Luke.

Ashton sits next to Louis and is murmuring small whispers to him. Liam face scrunches up as he sees them both emit a chuckle.

"What is funny about this situation?" Liam snaps. Everyone in the room flinches and the room descends into a deeper silence, which seemed impossible at first but I was proven wrong.

"Liam, stop." Luke barks, his body tense with anger. I feel his muscles contract.

"Luke you won't want to start this argument. Not in front of our brothers. Or your fiancé." He growls. I take a step back, dragging Luke back a half-step. He looks back at me sympathetically for a solid second before unclenching my arm from his. Then he takes a step forward and clocks Liam in the jaw. Liam stumbles back and rolls over onto his shoulder. He sits on his butt in shock, caressing his jaw.

"Threaten us one more time pretty boy!" Luke screams. "You have no authority here." He growls and takes another step forward. Liam's face pinches into a snarl as he jumps up and gets into Luke's face. I lock eyes with Harry and we both jump in between them. I place my hand on Luke's chest.

"Stop," I cry out. "Don't do this."

Luke's face softens, but not enough and his gaze is still locked with Liam, who is resisting Harry's grip.

"Stop being imbeciles!" Louis croaks. We all snap our heads to the boy on the bed. Andie pads in seconds later with a platter of food, her eyes watering and red.

"Everyone leave." She announces without making eye contact, she just walks to Louis side. Silently we all walk out the of the room. Luke and I are last. I take a long look at Louis, his swollen lips and bruised eyes.

I know we have to win. If not for Louis, then for Michael. If not for Michael, then for safety. If not for safety, then for sanity.

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"He's a pretty face, and a polite handshake. That's it!" Luke's voice bellows over the silence once again. I sigh and continue the letter I was writing. I'm sending it to my mother in Bulveria in request to have Michaels mother and sister moved there.

"Luke, I understand you're angry. We all are. But screaming at me isn't going to help." I speak slowly. I lick the envelope in his direction, trying to get a rouse out of him. But he just groans and collapses back onto the bed. I seal the letter with Luke's sticky green wax seal and hand it off to Jaques, who still refuses to speak to me.

"Thank you Jaques." I say politely and smile. He grabs the letter and presses it under his jacket, spinning back to his position. I grown and close the door.

My arm is killing me so I walk over to the cabinet and pull out a herb wrap the nurse made. I undo the right bandage, wincing a couple ones before I can get the wrap comfortably around my arm.

"You know you could've asked for help." Luke murmurs from the bed. I take a second to look at him. His blue eyes are darker, exhausted and dry. The blonde hair that used to be set in a perfect manner is now sticking out in every direction. His chest is pointed to me in desperation, his hands are grasping the bed spread as his feet dangle to the floor.

"I know." I sigh walking over to him. I sit next to him. The bed groans with the extra weight. His hand scoots over to wrap around mine. He lifts my hand up, gazing at the ring on my left hand.

"Can we go back?" He whispers. I raise my eyebrow at him, worried soon the ring wouldn't be on my finger. It was a constant cloud in my stormy mind. I often found myself fashioning more clouds in my head. One was marriage, a ring was placed in the sky. One was the king, a knife was set in the stars. One was my father, a whip wrapped around the other clouds. One was abandonment, a lonely girl sat in the sky by herself. I found Luke up there a lot. His tendency to be angry, his split decisions scared me and honestly he wasn't ready to be king. I wouldn't tell him, or have him even think I doubted him for a second.

"Where are we going back to?" I shudder at my attempt to be collected, but I couldn't. The mere thought of being alone with my monster of a father made acid rise in my throat.

"To the beginning." He smiles. He grabs my waist and lifts me to stand.

"What do you have to say about being a commoner!" He chirps, an obvious attempt to mimic my voice. I giggle and jump, acting like I was pulling out a sword.

"Show yourself!" I giggle back. He rolls his eyes and prances over to me.

"You understand nothing!" He groans laying back on the bed. I giggle and clamp my mouth shut. "You must stay I character darling." I roll my eyes and continue. I flop next to him on the bed.

"Oh I think I do. My father is quite terrible and my mom is gone because of him. We are almost the same." I say back, the humor now void in my voice. He turns his head towards me.

"That's quite true." He mumbles. The light hearted feeling comes crashing down. I want to scream. I want to cry. So I do.

A ripple of a giant scream tears through my throat. Luke jumps up and shakes me out of my daze. Jaques runs in, paler than a ghost. I pinch my eyes shut and inhale a sharp breath.

"I-I'm fine." I mumble rubbing stray tears. But Luke looks at me like I'm insane. I shake my head and walk into my bedroom. I felt nauseous and tired. I wanted air, and this giant room seems to be shrinking the longer I stay in the palace.

I walk out my door and hurry down the hallway, my arm shrieking in pain but I ignore it. I push past the guards in the hall, and the ones at the garden entrance door. I ignore their pleas for me to stay inside. I sprint out the door and down a familiar path. One worn with age, not grace. A headstone peaks through folliage, fall is upon us. Summer rarely lasts longer than a week here, I guess it's gone already. I was probably in the hospital for those warm glorious days.

I walk over to the entrance of the clearing, but stop dead in my tracks when I hear someone talking.

"I'm back. I know this whole talking to you is weird since I never met you, but her grave is miles away. Who knows? Maybe you can speak to her about this conversation." The voice pauses. I crane my neck to see Harry sitting like a young child in front of the late queens grave. It's strange that someone else finds comfort in her.

"Alas, my queen, I feel our days are numbered. I grow colder and weaker. My intentions were never as pure as they were when she was on earth. But now, there's another." Harry stops, his voice quivers. My breath holds. Another? He loves someone else?

"And it's like the sun has never shone in her power, her grace. She walks silently, but nothing can replace the energy she creates." I yearn to know more, but I feel like I'm intruding on his private thoughts. I go to back away, but he speaks again.

"What am I to do with Ellie Wren..."

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These chapters are fillers for the big finale. Just saying.

-Katy