The Last Princess [EDITED]

Chapter 18

ARDEN and Maple arrived days later.

Aiden and I were training, as usual, when we heard shrieking from inside the house. We exchanged glances before Aiden sheathed his knives and we walked inside — there was Arden, being smothered by his parents and Meadow. Beside him was Maple.

She turned as we walked in, her eyes widening. I looked down at what she was wearing. A beautiful white gown, but torn in places, dirt ruining its bright beauty. Arden had arrived just in time, it seemed.

Aiden gave a happy cry, and ran to Arden, while I stood in my place, looking at the girl who'd been my best friend.

"Maple."

"El," she whispered. I could see her hazel eyes becoming watery, and my own vision was becoming blurry. I blinked hard to push back the tears.

"Let's go outside."

She nodded. I led her out, into the trees, where we stood, facing each other.

"El, please let me say how sorry I am — "

"Why did you do it?" I asked sharply.

She looked down, biting her lip. "The Queen — she had my mother. She knew of our friendship — El, you know how much mother means to me, after father passed —"

"She threatened you," I said. It sounded just like Ivy.

Maple nodded, tears spilling over her eyes. "I — I know I shouldn't have betrayed you, but mother — "

"What did you tell her?" I asked. "You said you didn't betray Juniper. What did you do?"

Maple sobbed. "About you. How you were doing, how hurt you were — I never betrayed Juniper. I wanted you to escape as much as you did."

"You never let her know when we were going to escape."

"Not you and Juniper, no..." Maple didn't meet my eyes, and I felt my gut sink. "But she was getting suspicious, once, around Juniper's death anniversary — "

"I was going to escape," I said, realizing.

Maple bowed her head. "I'm sorry, El..."

"You told her. You told her I was — "

"She had my mother, El, she was hurting her!"

She was hurting me.

I didn't say that, though. I could understand. Maple loved her mother more than anything. If Ivy was threatening to hurt her...she'd betray me. I couldn't forgive her...but I could understand.

"Your mother?" I asked. I'd met Maple's mother when I was young, too young to remember her.

"I don't know where she is. Or if she's alive — " Maple's voice broke as her shoulders caved in. I nearly took a step towards her, but thought better of it.

"I'm sorry. I know you won't forgive me, and I don't expect you to," she said, wiping her tears. 

"Maple — just tell me what happened at the palace."

"I don't know half of it. They locked me up in a room for days. Then some women stuffed me into this dress...the rebels came just in time."

I nodded slowly, pursing my lips. I didn't know how I'd deal with Maple — but I needed some time away from her. "Let's go inside."

She followed me back in the house, where we found Arden and Aiden talking alone, the others gone. They looked up as we came in.

"Princess," Arden said, standing up.