Petals in the Wind

Chapter 41: Think happy thoughts

   Today was the day.

    Rone is having his engagement party and is set to get married in a couple days... and oddly enough I didn't feel as empty about it as I thought I would. I have never been big on the whole forgiveness thing but oddly enough Rone brought that out in me... he brought a lot of things out of me. Even though I taught him how to fight, how to be a king, he taught me how to be a person people would love, he taught me that it's okay not to have everything planned out. I hadn't realized that to be a leader you had to earn your peoples love, without it you're nothing. My mother used to always tell me how stubborn of a girl I was that it would lead me to my own downfall when it came to love and maybe she was right.

   I could go over the things I should of done, the moments I should have savored with my mom and the truth I should have spoke to Rone but there was no point anymore. Rone has moved on and my mother was put to rest and wherever her spirit is I knew she was watching us.

   "Knock knock." I turned around to find Gregory leaning against the door frame watching me.

   "Hey," I said smoothing out my brown ridding dress. "Why are you not dressed and ready to go?" I frowned taking in his disheveled hair and bare feet he didnt look too good.

   "I'm not going," he said shoving his hands in his pockets unable to look me in the eye, that was news. "The team needs a lot of work and frankly I'm scared if I leave them alone they'd kill each other. Uh, Myra and Kendra are not happy to be in one house together."

   "I'm sure none of them are, you sure though? I could find someone to-"

   "It wouldn't be a good idea if we went together Nadia," he said abruptly. "I will always be here for you and fight by your side but being with you all the time isn't always easy. Especially when I'm trying to move past things," I knew what he meant. He was trying to find love or at least something close to it, he was trying to love himself again and nothing else mattered but that. "Ash will be escorting you, he actually insisted," he said giving me a half smile there were bags under his eyes indicating he had little to no sleep. 

   "I understand Gregory you know whatever you need is what I want," I said honestly still standing in place trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. I missed being a kid, I missed being so young and oblivious, "I guess I just missed you so much that sometimes I forget that things aren't the same for you."

   "But they will be one day," his dark eyes were now relaxed the worst part was over. "Plus I am guessing you'd rather go with Ash than me even if the two of you are in the outs."

   "I dont know what I'd do without you," I mumbled closing the distance between us and giving him a tight hug. I didnt know if hugging was okay but it seemed like he needed it. 

   Running his hands through my hair he said, "Neither do I but now it's time to show the King what he could have had," he said putting his hands on my shoulders to look me in the eye. "Make this your party," I gave him a vengeful smile, he knew I would. "You know one day maybe in a few years, decades we'll all be safe and sound."

   "You think so?"

   "We're in good hands arnt we?" I didnt answer.

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   I decided to fly beside Arisella to court instead of riding in the carriage with Noah, Gloria and Simon just so I could get a little more time to myself. 

  When arrived at court I took a second with Arisella to take a good look at the castle and how ancient it looked. Almost all of the windows at the top of the castle were busted out, plants and vines growing through the broken windows in all the lost rooms. Once we got through the gates and into town I made sure Arisella was taken care of, getting all the love and attention she craved from the kids in town. I figured it was safe enough for her to roam about after all she was just as strong as me and she didn't complain.