Head in the Clouds

Chapter 22: Outside the Capitol

She sat up quietly and listened patiently. The knocking ceased for a couple of seconds but resumed shortly after. She quietly climbed to her feet, and grabbed the sword she rested right near the fence of the stable. With her weapon out, she approached the door and listened.

"D, it's me!" A hushed voice called.

"Clyde?"

She opened the barn door, slipping out to find Clyde standing right out front. She stood with her back facing the barn, subtly guarding it against him.

That's when she noticed it. His beautiful eyes were weighed down by heavy bags. His usually cheerful face was forced down into a miserable frown, and his weight shifted between his two feet. With his body wrapped up in a sweater, he looked truly... lost.

"What's wrong?" asked Deidre. Her voice became small and comforting as she reached for his face, but pulled back remembering their circumstances.

"I- I don't know," he mumbled, "They were talking about flowers and tuxes, and crowns, and wedding gowns, and I asked to be excused. I- I walked out, then I just kept walking, then I was here."

Deidre nodded along. She took the risk and reached for his arm. She carefully guided him back to her home and sat him down on the couch. As he ranted, she prepared some tea.

"I know this is what I'm supposed to do. I know I should marry Princess Anna, but every time I see her I just don't feel anything. She talks to me, and I can barely even listen. She looks at me, and I pretend I don't see. I don't think I can take it much longer..."

Deidre poured their tea into mugs and carried it over to him. He gladly took it and enjoyed the drink. He seemed to calm, and she sat quietly just listening.

"I think that's what my parents are like," he said, "I see them together, but they never talk- not really. They exchange pleasantries here and there, maybe even discuss me and Carter, but they don't really seem to like each other."

He shifted in his chair a bit.

"Do you ever feel that way about your parents?" He asked.

Deidre didn't have to think about that one.

"Not at all," she replied, "I always felt like my parents loved each other. I remember when I was little, I would see Mom and Dad sitting in a tree laughing together as though they'd heard the funniest joke in the world. I always admired how close they were, but sometimes I just wanted to be a part of the joke too, ya know?"

"But you all seem to be pretty close," he said.

"We are, but... I don't know. They'd whisper to each other, and when they noticed me just stop talking. They never want to talk about their lives in Jelanie," Deidre sighed, and shrugged, "I always felt like they were keeping something from me."

Clyde nodded. He mulled the thought around.

"Deidre, am I marrying someone I don't like?" He asked.

"Only you would know that, Clyde," she responded softly, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

He was silent for a moment.

"I don't know if I want to spend my life with anyone just yet," he confessed, "I always figured that marriage is something you're supposed to do at our age."

Deidre shrugged, "I always thought seventeen and eighteen was a bit too young anyways."

"I mean, Carter married Gianna when he was sixteen," defended the younger brother.

"And do you think they're happy together?"

He thought for a moment.

"I don't know," he replied finishing up his tea, "Gianna seems happy to be a wife, and Carter seems happy to have someone on his arm, so I guess they're happy."