Dear Diary

Seven

Hunter and I rode in the front for some ways, simply trying to pry more information out of Xavier, but he had become silent.

"These questions are for your mother to answer; not me." He would say.

Eventually, Hunter and I returned to the inside of the carriage, sitting in silence. It was just as before, except we were silent for a different reason entirely. Our entire lives we had spent questioning the existence of any family out there that we had once belonged to. It was back in the orphanage we had given up that dream and forgotten it. Yet, in these past few hours, it was as if all the memories and emotions came rolling back all at once.

I felt a twinge of fear cling to my heart, causing me to break the silence. "Hunter? What if we're not what she expects?"

"What do you mean?" His head snapped up. He had been deep in thought, red marks on his forehead where his hand had been for the longest of times.

"She's a Duchess. We're nothing but commoners." I pouted my lips, unable to shake the nerves building underneath my skin.

"She's our mother, Anabella." Hunter smiled. He reached over, placing his hand over mine. "I'm not sure exactly how mothers work, Bella, but I've seen enough of them to know that they love their children regardless of any faults others might see; including themselves. Mothers love purely for the heart. We'll be okay."

"But what if she's different? Different from all the other mothers you've seen before?"

He began to laugh, then paused to think the question over. "Then we leave. We've never had a mother before, so it shouldn't be too hard. We don't love the woman just yet." He smiled at me, squeezing my arm. "Don't be so worried, Anabella. Things are going so well. Life is finally starting to turn around for us. I have a feeling she's going to be the loveliest woman we've ever met before, much less laid eyes upon."

"Perhaps."

It was comforting to know that Hunter was entirely for Xavier's mission of bringing us home. I wish I could have been as relaxed as he was, so excited for the unknown. I had been excited about it in the beginning, but now as reality crept closer and closer I found myself feeling uncertain. Something felt off, but I couldn't place it.

Hunter drew his hand back, settling down in his seat once more. His gaze grew locked on the window.

"Anabella."

I blinked, eyes flickering up towards Hunter. I had first thought it was his voice, but recognized it seconds later. I stared at my brother, wondering if he had heard the soft voice. Judging by his still body, I thought not. I looked to my pillow and gently picked it up. I felt for the book, finding it by the warmth it was giving off.

"Touch it. Anabella, touch the cover."

The cover? It seemed an odd request, but I didn't protest. I trusted Diary. I reached into the pillowcase and laid my palm flat against the cover. I kept it there for a solid minute before drawing my hand away. Diary's voice had disappeared. Believing it to be nothing, I placed my pillow down at the other end of the seat I was sitting on.

The minutes ticked on endlessly, little bumps in the road annoying me as they hit the carriage wheels harshly. They had been fine at first, but now it was irritating. Yet, there was nothing to do about it. No reason to complain; complaining wouldn't make it better.

Not knowing what else to do, and feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion, I laid down with my head against the pillow. I stared at the ceiling, trying to imagine what our mother would look like. I wondered if Hunter would look more like her, or if I would. I tried to put together a picture of her, imagining her to be this beautiful woman who looked like me in some aspects, but far more breath-taking. Despite my ongoing nerves, I couldn't help but wonder if she was laying in her bed wondering what her two children looked like; if they were as good as all the other children. The thought made her smile.

The carriage came to a stop just as my eyes were growing heavy. I kept them open long enough to watch as Xavier opened the door. He shot me a smile, then looked to Hunter. "I'm going to stop us here for the night. You two stay inside and keep the doors shut. I'll be right outside if you two need anything."

"Won't people find us?" I protested, sitting up on my elbows. It hurt, but it felt odd talking to someone while lying down.

He shook his head. "We're on our own territory now. No one here will mess with me, I assure you of that."

"Are you going to sleep?"

"It's a possibility." He smirked, locking eyes with mine. He held my gaze gingerly before taking a step away from the door. "Goodnight you two. See you in the morning."

Hunter and I said our goodnights to each other and settled on our own side of the carriage.

As soon as my head hit the pillow again, I realized I was more tired than I had previously predicted. Sleep washed over me like a wave, sparing not even a second to allow me to register that I was falling asleep.

Yet, it was peaceful.

At long last, the world was peaceful.