The King's Choice - Red Queen Fanfiction

Chapter 35 (Mare POV)

I wake up to a loud knock on my door. It's Jane.
"Your majesty? Mr. Tiberias Calore has invited you for a walk around the Royal gardens this morning. Would you like me to tell him to wait?" I rub my eyes as I process her question.
"Tell him I'll be out in ten minutes." I don't reach for a dress, my crown or fancy makeup. I grab a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt. Then I make my way to the gardens. Cal is waiting for me with his hands in his pockets, looking at the ground. Like me, he's dressed casually, in a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. When I reach him, he turns and offers me a single red rose, just like on the day of my wedding. I take the rose with one hand and Cal's hand with the other. He leads me through huge bushes and tall trees until we reach a clearing surrounded by flowering plants with a fountain in the center.
We sit on the edge of the fountain for almost five minutes, just admiring the scenery before Cal speaks.
"Maven and I used to come out here all the time when we were younger and burn the flowers and leaves. We thought it was hilarious. Then our nurse would come outside, scold us, and drag us back in for our lessons." I laugh. Burning beautiful flowers in the Royal garden is such a Cal and Maven thing to do. We  return to silence before I decide to speak.
"Where are you going from here Cal?"
"Probably staying near the palace, there are some nice hotels around and if I start working I could..."
"I'll pay for it. I'll pay for anything you need." I feel bad. He has nowhere to go and it's my fault.
"You don't have to Mare. I can scrape something together."
"No. I can't let you do that. I feel so bad about everything that's happened. I wish I could just turn back the clock you know." He nods.
"Don't feel bad Mare. You did what you needed to do. As for turning back the clock, I think both of us can agree that would be amazing." we sit there in silence for another few seconds before Cal speaks.
"Maven offered me the marriage alliance. I assume that was your idea?"
"Not really. I suggested asking you because the cabinet wasn't pleased with Maven's offer of just a noble. Honestly, I didn't want you to take it."
"Good, because I didn't. Maven has to find his alliance somewhere else." He gets quiet and I know that he's wondering if he did the right thing. I know he did. So I press a quick kiss to his lips before taking his hand in mine and pulling him up.
"We have to be at breakfast soon and if I don't show up in a dress, Maven might have me put to death." We laugh together. The sound of our mixed laughter in the air is like music. We approach the doors to the palace hand in hand, attempting to make ourselves ready for whatever life tries to throw at us next.

Playing with ur feelings on this one. Sry about that bc it will get darker and there will be less happy childhood memories going forward. Thx for reading! - just Jules

PS - so my life is getting pretty crazy with summer starting and everything I have like 3 different trips planned and rn I've got finals and it's just insane. So tbh writing is the last thing I'm thinking about but bc I'll be flying, I'm hoping to write on the plane and get a bunch of stuff done so that while I wont be constantly writing, I'll be updating as usual.