Love Through War

C h a p t e r F i v e

Sophie's POV.

"Fitz?" Sophie asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Sophie," Fitz smiled. "I couldn't let you spend your First Swan Ball as First Lady alone, could I?"

Fitz traveled all around the world with his dad, mostly looking for people to join the Blackswan Clan and help win the war against the Neverseen. And also just searching for new battle tactics in general.

Sophie hadn't see him for about three years, so it was odd for him just show up out of the blue.
And the look in her parents and Della's eyes told her they knew something she didn't.

"Where's Alden?" Sophie asked, looking around.

"He couldn't make it," Della answered. "But he did want to see you all."

Sophie nodded. "So what's up?"

"Could we talk somewhere more private?" Edaline asked and lead the group toward a mostly deserted corner of the room where they all sat on cushy armchairs.

"Sophie," Grady started, taking her hands into his own. "Your eighteen and the First Lady of this clan. You've come of age and are now ready to take on that responsibility."

Sophie's heart thumped as she listened. She knew she was going to be announced as First Lady, what was he getting at?

"So," Grady continued, glancing at Della and Fitz for a spilt second. "Your mother and I thought it best that you should be able to share that responsibly with someone. Someone you would spend that rest of your life with."

Sophie suddenly felt a wave of nausea sweep through her.
He was talking about marriage.
She looked at Fitz when she realized the real reason he was here.

Fitz smiled at her and Sophie's mind flashed back to the blonde boy she had met earlier.
Keefe.

Then Sophie's twelve year old self took over, screaming in her head, OH MY GOD I'M GETTING MARRIED TO FITZ VACKER!

But then Sophie's much more reasonable eighteen year old self regained control.
Sure, she used at have a crush on Fitz like, five years ago, but still, marriage?
Did her parents think she needed to be married to someone to be First Lady? That wasn't like them.
Did Fitz even want to marry her?

"Um, I think we're all getting a little ahead of ourselves," Sophie said. "I really not ready for something like that."

Edaline gave Sophie a small smile.
"Of course, sweetie. We just thought it would be easier on you to have someone by your side through all this. And we know you've always liked Fitz, he's really great and you two would be happy together. But of course we respect whatever decision you make."

Sophie face burned and she saw Fitz's face grow
pink as well.
Yeah, she liked Fitz and he was a good guy, but she didn't love him. She didn't want to marry him.

But the look on her parents's face, and even Della's, made Sophie second guess her decision. They really wanted her to do this.

"Can I," Sophie paused. "Can I think about it?"

Grady and Edaline looked relieved.
"Of course," Grady said and stood from his armchair.

He held out his hand to Edaline. "May I have this dance?"

Edaline laughed and took it.
Sophie watched with a smile as her parents waltzed and laughed together, just being happy with each other.
She wanted to be as happy them one day, whenever "one day" was.

Fitz held out her hand to Sophie and she startled. "May we?" He asked.

Sophie figured she couldn't refuse, so she took his hand and he lead her to the dance floor.

A smile crept on to Sophie face as they walked, but it quickly disappeared and her heart ached when she noticed a beautiful blonde boy's pained expression as he saw her and Fitz.

Sophie would see him again. She didn't know how or when, but she would see him.

-

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲!
𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝘇, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁.
𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆, 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘! 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲.
𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴!
𝗕𝘆𝗲!
~𝗧