𝕭𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙 (𝕬 𝕽𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖙𝖔𝖓 𝕷𝖊𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝕱𝖆𝖓𝖋𝖎𝖈)

Part 13

Dahlia's POV

I felt my heart shatter into pieces as I told Remington that truth about how scared I am of my own family and how I scared I am that my sisters might finally know about me and him. I never wanted him to know what it was like for me to live in a family that hates me so much, they almost had me killed one time just because I don't look like the rest of them. Who knows what my sisters will do to me if they know the Prince they've wanted for themselves actually wants me?

"Why didn't you tell me before?", he asked in desperation, "I would have kept you safe from them." I shook my head trying to find the right answer, "I didn't think you'd believe me, and I don't know what they would do to me if they knew I've fallen in love with you and you did, too."

He held me close to him and hugged me tightly as I continued speaking, "My sister always gets what she wants, and when a boy she wanted, asked me out instead when I didn't even like him, she caused this to me" I pointed to the scar on my eye, "to remind me I don't deserve to get the same things she does."

I cried into his shoulder as my mind replayed the scene in my memory where I was left on the ground with a half-masticated eye and then dragging myself back home where my mother helped heal my eye, but I was too scared to tell her it was Rose who caused it to me.

"Dahlia, look at me", Rem said as he gently took my face in his hands and looked me in my eyes with such love and intent to protect me, "You're not alone anymore. You have me and my brothers, and my mother has told me how much she's liked how sweet and generous you are and she always knew you were much purer than your sisters." I couldn't help but blush at how much the Queen admires me.

He kissed over the scar on my eye and told me in a soft and nurturing tone, "I love you, Dahlia. You. You're all that matters to me now and I want to protect you from anyone and anything that might hurt you. Do you trust me?" I might have been delusional, but its like I could feel his strong love for me along with his intense instinct to keep me safe as well.

I nodded and then he met his lips with mine and made me feel calm all of a sudden. I kissed him back and melted in his gentle grasp as he held me close and made me feel so warm on the inside. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead on mine and said, "We'll figure something out, okay? I promise." Then we both stood up and he came out first before I stepped out a couple of seconds after I did. Only when I went back to my room, I found Rose inside and to my horror, looking at and holding the mask I wore to the ball last night.

"Interesting...", she seemed so calm, which was scaring me, "I was wondering why the Prince came up to the girl wearing this mask first and danced with her longer than any other girl, including me. Can't say I blame him, it is a beautiful mask. Which must mean the girl underneath it must be beautiful, too."

Then she turned around and held it up to me before breaking it in half, causing me to form tears in my eyes. "What the hell does an important and handsome prince like him see in a lowly and insignificant waste of space like you?", her hatred boiled through her teeth as she walked closer to me until I was backed against the wall. "All we've taught you is how worthless and inferior you are, and you go ahead and take what's rightfully mine again."

She slammed her hand on the wall beside my head and I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face, "I-I'm so s-sorry, Rose. Please-",  she brought a finger to her lips to silence me, and I stopped speaking except continue crying in fear. "They say if a child doesn't learn from their punishment the first time...", she leaned into my ear and whispered, "...the second punishment works if it's much worse."

She then stepped away from me and stepped harshly on my broken mask, breaking it into more pieces before walking out of my room. I finally let out my repressed cries in fear and anguish as I kneeled down and picked up the pieces of my greatest memory with Remington and I couldn't stop crying.

I didn't feel safe here, I've never felt safe when my family is around. My sisters hate me and my mother ignores me. I know Rem wants to protect me, but he can't keep me safe from my own flesh and blood. I couldn't stay here anymore. I knew I had to try one last time to escape my horrible home.

I walked downstairs to the grounds of the castle until I got to the stables. I went to Martha who seemed to be really calm with me and I set her free from her square before placing a saddle on her and mounting up on her. I led her outside of the stables and then far enough from the castle until we reached into the woods and then I rode her out into it and getting lost in them.

I traveled within them hours later and ended up getting lost. I got off of her and then rested for about thirty minutes before deciding Martha should go back home, so I let her return back to the castle while I walked the rest of the way into wherever I might end up that's hopefully far away from my family. Unfortunately, it was getting cold and I had nothing to cover me up.

After a couple of minutes, I felt my body turn so cold and I ended up coughing and sneezing. I kept walking until I tripped on a branch and scraped my knee. I didn't have the energy to get up and so I just laid there, cold and bleeding on the rocky and grass ground and wondering if someone will find me before my body gives out from freezing or bleeding.

I started thinking about Remington and his beautiful smile every time he sees me or he's with me. I never expected myself to love a boy as much as I loved him. I've never felt more beautiful and special than when I'm with him. Maybe if he was here and holding me, I wouldn't feel so cold. I vividly remember wrapping my father's scarf on his wound to stop his bleeding and he must have fallen in love with me that day.

Now I'm kinda wishing he would save me from feeling like I was dying in the middle of God knows where. I could almost taste his lips on mine one last time as some strange force lifted me off of the ground and carry me as I passed out and the last thing I remember seeing was Remington's face.