Dreams of Shadows [Revising]

Chapter 28

Dancing with Matt was something I could never forget. It felt like a dream. A certain dream where you dance with the most dashing man with a beautiful gown and it's just you and him during this glorious night to remember. I had such wonderful time I didn't want the night to end. Then to avoid dancing and the crowd, he took me to the back of the castle and enter a place I've always thought would be in a fairytale.

"This the most beautiful place I've ever seen," I exclaimed, with much awe in my voice.

"Glad you like it," Matt said. "It's my Mother garden."

"She grew all of these?" I asked, in wide-eyed on the variety of flowers.

"Yes, of course. My Mother loves to garden a lot." He gently touches a white rose with the tip of his finger. "My brothers and I would always play here to avoid boring lessons my Father would make us do."

"Seems you've been naughty as a child," I giggled.

"Yeah."

His voice had died down when talking about his mother. The way he smells the fragrance and smile. But, that smile means happy nor sad.

I could feel his pain. I'm in the same position where you can't run away from it. Losing a mother is like losing some more important than gold and jewelry. It's like you've lost a part of your soul, a tiny part that you find hard to forget.

This garden is a remembrance of his mother, as I have inside of me.

"I forgot to ask," he returned from his grief, talking normally. "I didn't see your brother or father?"

"Oh! Um...Eli is still out of town, whereas my Father he's not into fancy parties."

"That's right," he says. "He told me he won't be attending. He's missing out all the fun."

I nodded in agreement. "He sure is."

I really hate myself for lying.

Exploring this garden maze, I imagine myself in this puzzle spot where you have nowhere to go. Lost and alone. This garden maze would sure be a new place for me to hide. That's how I think in my mind.

Though, this is truly amazing how Matt's mother worked so hard to grow such beautiful flowers. My Mother has a garden of her own but isn't large the size of this backyard. I would remember her make a crown use of flowers and place it on my head for my birthday one year.

This a pang feeling shot through me. I gasped, covering my mouth. How could I forget such an important date? The day I was born. Thinking through of all the days had past, the day Father came home and was murdered the same night. He came home for my birthday. He came home for me so I wouldn't feel alone. We would celebrate it together as always but now he can no longer fill his promises for the rest of my life. He won't attend tomorrow.

"Danielle," a gentle grasped my hand, I turned to look at Matt. He saw my eyes in tears.

I sniffled. "I'm sorry," dabbing the back of my hand to clean the tears away. "I don't know why I'm crying."

He didn't say a word at first, but with warm hands cupping my face, he thumb the rest of my tears wiping them away gently. Just the touch his skin send my skin shivering and greedy for more than just a touch.

"I've must of upset you," He said. "I talked about my mother which lead she reminded of yours."

Not just my Mother but my Father as well. They are both gone. But, Matt doesn't know that. I love how he's concern of my sad heart of losing two parents I most love so dearly.

I shook my head as more tears slide down from my eyes. Matt pulled me in an embrace. He caressed my hair and said sweet words of comfort that it's hard for me to stop. With his arms around me, I felt safe in them. He eased my aching heart of having nobody around. I was thrown off because of my existed yet gain a new family. Still, with Matt warm embrace I would never think of myself alone. Him alone brought a small memory of a boy I used to play with as a baby. I never remember it until now. A boy a few years older than me, would laugh and play with me in my mother's garden. It's a bit fuzzy that I couldn't remember his face but his and Matt's touch felt the same. His arms wrapped around me tighter I didn't want this moment to end.

He's my blanket on a cold winter night.

My handkerchief when I cry.

My light that would lead me out from darkness to see the sun again. The darkness growing inside of me.

Papa, Mei-Li, and Grace are important to me like family, but Matt is all I deeply care about. He may have pledged to another, but I want to take the moment to stay in his arms long enough to feel safe.

"Are you alright?" He asked, slowly pull apart from our embrace.

I nodded and sniffled. "Yes, I'm alright now. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Don't concern yourself of what you can't control," he said. "I thought you would be furious with me that I mentioned about my Mother."

I chuckled. He smiled. "There's that smile. I want that smile to stay on for the rest of the night. No, forever."

I frowned playfully.

"Don't pout," he tapped my nose with a finger made me smile more. "It's an order by the Prince."

"Then I must obey and won't let him be disappointed," I mocked and laughed at his expression.

"Come, let's go in before my brothers would find me alone with a beautiful girl. And their endless talk would be the death of me when this ball is over." He raised his elbow. My smile never fade and I hooked my arm to it as we head back inside the castle.