The Daughter Of Illéa

Chapter 40

The snow drops at a graceful pace, synchronizing with my maids as they dance around the room.
They haven't spoken much, obviously due to my encounter with Officer Wesley last night. I guess they think it's best not to speak, even though this holidays for joy and happiness.
I scan the clock on the wall as the short hand inches closely towards the engraved six.

"Wanda, fetch me a dress please. Make it fit for warm weather. I'm going out in a few."
"Yes miss."
She comes back with a long sleeve white dress with a sweet heart neckline. Cute, warm, simple.
She helps me into the gown, and zips up the zipper so the fabric fits all my corners.
"Now do you have a jacket?"
She comes out of the oversized closet with a grey furry cloak.
"We got this."
A flashback of the hooded figure crosses my ray of vision, but I push it out instantly. Something as spooky as that woman will not come in between a happy White Christmas with my best friend.
"Yeah, whatever, just-" I stretch out my arm and I take the cloak, and wrap it around me.
"You look like a pretty gray fox, Delilah." Tinsley says, but I shake off what was supposed to be a comment and absorb the figure in the mirror.
The dress hugs my body innocently, and the cloak does add a very wintery touch. My hairs sexy waves, and my face has only the lightest of makeup, besides the hot red lipstick that they dabbed on last minutes.
"You really do look stunning, Delilah." Patsy says, pricking at her freshly filed nails.
"Thanks guys, I know I've been grumpy, but we all have our moments. I'd just like to take this moment on Christmas Day to thank you all for being the amazing people you are."

Tinsley broadly smiles, as Patsy sheds a tear.
"I hate to ruin the moment," Wanda interrupts. "but someone has to meet Prince Augustus in a minute and thirty seconds."
My sense of sight comes into contact as I witness the ticking red hand gliding closer and closer to the twelve. I got a minute left.
"Oh shit..." I throw on the hood of the cloak, and I run for the door.
"I should be back soon."
And with that I exit my room, as my heels collapse against the plush carpet of the halls.
Right now, most of the families are at dinner eating smoked ham and baked deserts.
I skip down the candle lit stair case, and down the main hallway. The halls are coated in vases full of holly, and bright sparkling tinsel lined the walls. I can smell the ranges of foods from the kitchen, and dining room, but I fend off my taste buds as I reach the garden doors.
"Name?" One of the guards ask. Despite my incident with Officer Wesley, I still have respect for those in uniform. Ones stupid mistake shouldn't reflect on those innocent.
"Delilah Primar, a selected. Prince Augustus wished for my time."
He nods as if remembering his presence and opens the door.

The gardens aren't just gorgeous in the blooming season. Tinsel is strode from bush to bush along with white lights that can't help but glow off the ice stone ground.
I grip the hood of the furry cloak, pulling forward my defense against the chilling weather.

In the distance, I hear the faint sound of a piano playing. I want to follow, eager to search for the sound. Last night brung me something I didn't expect, so how can I be positive this won't? Well for starters instead of the vague eeriness of the sound, it's full of passion and sureness. Plus, I knew what was at the end. It was like encountering your futuristic death, and knowing something good would come out of the sacrifice.

"Gus?" I question, as my voice echoes threw the landscape.
I trace the sound distinctively, and eventually I'm in the center of a clearing where a piano, a bench, and my appealing best friend rests.

He sits at the snow capped piano gracefully playing tunes, stroking his fingers with elegance.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my friend?"
I kid, stepping forward as he finishes the last few notes.
"Try not to sound to surprised! Plus, that's not the only thing I'm talented at."
"Oh really- What else?"
"Picking up girls."
I smack his arm playfully, as he instructs me towards the bench gripping my shoulder to direct me, but a shock of pain stirs threw me.
"Ouch." I say, my hand magnetizing to the hurtful section of my arm.
"Can I-" he questions, but I move faster than his thought as I remove my cloak and pull down my sleeve revealing a bruise that's new to me.
"What's that from?"
I hadn't don't anything hurtful in the past hour, so my lack of response reminds him of the attack.
"Okay, well..." He unhandily guides me to this concrete bench. It's as clean as an ancient bench can be. It has engravings of flowers and old gorgeous designs.
"Did you know this bench has been here since the birth of Illéa?"
I grin weakly as I ask,
"So you brung me here for a history lesson?"
He shakes his head, adjusting his torso so he's facing me.
"Delilah, you've been threw a lot in life. In the selection and before. I wanted to get you something that could possibly be something to look at and get lost in it's wonders of fantasy."
"What are you talking about?" I question and as if on que, he pulls out a decent sized box and uncaps it revealing the beauty inside.
A necklace unlike an wonder I've seen before. It has a nice long silver chain, and the weight at the bottom is a heart. It's silver and shiny with several different fractures in the opal like rock. The christmas lights ray down spiraling off into different directions like a beaming star.
"GUS! I can't accept this!"
"Why not?"
"Because, I didn't get you a gift!"
The worry flushes from his face as he touches my hand with his rather tan one, reminding me of the warmth of summer.
"Are you feeling better?"
Confusion strikes me. Feel better? But of course I know he's talking about the incident of me getting sexually harassed, but why would he ask about that now? I just decide to answer his question.
"Better, yes."
He grins widely,
"Then that's all I ask for."
I roll my eyes at his cliche comment, and finally pull the collar of my cloak down and my hair up, as he pulls the necklace around my neck and hooking it at it's hinges.
"And with this necklace, I oath my appreciation and respect."
I turn my full body, so I can just take a moment to stare at the boy whose made my stay worth while.
"Where did you even get this from?"
I say, fiddling with the jewelry as he smirks. "Don't worry about it."
The next moments, we just sit on the bench staring at each out and our surroundings rather distinctively.
"Oh, look. A mistletoe."
I look at Augustus, and then to where he points above us where there's nothing but falling snowflakes.
"No there isn't."
He laughs,
"You've got an imagination."
And with that he cups my pale cold face into his warm tan hands and stares deep into my eyes as if asking for permission for his next move.
I lightly smile, and he goes in for the kiss.
The way his lips gently kiss mine, make me forgot about all of the rebel and officer attacks. The terrifying memories of Maria, and the hurtful memories of my mothers death. Augustus Maxon Schreave is the cure of all that's hurt me in my past life.
His lips fall away, as he strides away from the bench and begins slow christmas classics on the piano.
I stare at his hands for a while, watching as the glide from key to key and see it. The scabs scorned into his right knuckle. He did that for me, and for that I'm more than thankful.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I'm not posting tomorrow, so here's your Christmas chapter!
If you celebrate something different, "Happy-" whatever it is!
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Don't forgot to go check out @Toribella99 story "The Chosen" and the Christmas edition "The Chosen Christmas Special"
http://w.tt/1zgkQK3
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Don't forgot to vote & comment!
Stay safe, and I love you all!