As Hollow As A Mannequins Grin (Keveridge)

32 - On The Blackest Side Of Night

It'd been almost a month since we'd defeated The Cardinal, and things had been a whole lot better. No one was arguing - that much - and everyone just seemed to be out to help sort the palace out and the things that The Cardinal had screwed up for everyone. The windows in the ball room had been replaced and looked as good as new - the shitty picture of The Cardinal that had been at the entrance of the palace had been swiftly torn down and was due to be burned with many other things that belonged to him later on that day in a massive bonfire. Unfortunately the one of my parents up there had been destroyed - so they were going to remake it, in the mean time they'd put up one of me... It was kinda weird seeing me in place of my mother and father, but I didn't say anything.

The city itself was a whole lot better than I had ever seen it before. People were getting along, there was hardly any fighting going on, when you walked through the streets of the city there was music playing and people dancing...and that's kind of what was happening today but on a much bigger scale.

I don't know who'd arranged it, or how people managed to put it together, but there was a parade going on in order to honour those who fought against The Cardinal and his forces, and also to those we lost in those battles.

However when Kier and Luke told me about it I only had one request - that it wasn't held in the ballroom. That place seemed to just be bad luck, especially me. No one seemed to have a problem with that, and we'd all went our separate ways to get changed and ready. It was an all day event, so it had to be something comfortable to wear - so I settled for black jeans and a shirt with my blue blazer (which The Cardinal hadn't destroyed thankfully). 

A small knock came at my door and I turned seeing Kier standing there in a black shirt, waistcoat and jeans with his ever lovely skull belt buckle. That was another thing that had gotten better since The Cardinal left - me and Kier. I smiled at him as he shuffled into the room, his hair slightly damp having obviously just washed it with a small smile on his face.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" he asked as he gently pecked my cheek.

I just gave a small smile back and shook my head, "Of course not, darlin'."

"Good - cause we're going right now," he grinned and grabbed me hand before running out the door with me. He continued down the hall and outside where confetti exploded over us and the cheering began. I couldn't help but let out a yelp as it happened then almost immediately started laughing along with Kier who looked more amused than anything.

I hadn't seen Grandomina looking so alive and full of life since before my parents died - so this felt new to me. I felt Kier's hand disappear from my own as I was whisked away by a young girl into a massive circle of people dancing and twirling with each other. I couldn't help but laugh along with everyone.

The music from the band was blaring and that seemed to bring the mood up even more. I'd lost the girl who'd pulled me into the circle to begin with, and had gone through around another five of them as they all spun round each of the guys to different tunes.

To be honest - I was getting exhausted, even more so because the band started picking the pace up. I could see Kier and Luke at the side of the group smirking at me and giggling every so often. I mouthed a 'help' to them to which they both shook their heads, and when I danced past them I casually flipped them off - which they more than gladly did right back. Nothing could possibly get me down right now - the mood of everyone else just seemed to be bouncing off of me. 

I spun the girl I was dancing with off to the side and stepped out of the circle, taking a few seconds to try and get my breathing back under control and just compose myself once again... But that didn't last too long and once again I was pulled back into the swirling masses. Only this time it wasn't by any girl - it was Kier.