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Adele was finishing up her piece of marionberry pie when Caelan walked up to her. She had seen his father take him aside and speak with him, and she hoped it hadn't been bad. Adele nodded and folded her napkin, then stood and took the prince's arm, ready to go wherever he took her. |
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"I need to blow off some steam. Let's head back to our spot for the night" He murmured quickly, ushering her to his room and grabbing the same stuff as before and leading her to the stable. "I'm riding fast, so please try and keep up." He said, irritation in his tone from his father. "It's not about you,my love." He added quickly, taking off into a lope, then gallop the same trail toward the spot. He dismounted upon arriving and grabbed out his daggers. He looked at a certain knot in a tree and threw the daggers at it, the tips of the blades sinking in with precision. He sighed and retrieved them before continuing for multiple rounds and he was sweating and panting. He sighed one final time, retrieved his daggers, and sat on the blanket on the grass. "Let's go to the beach in a bit, hm?" He suggested softly |
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Adele nodded to his question. "Sure." She was fine with whatever he wanted, and he looked like he defintely should get his way, or else he'd burst into flames. Adele followed him around obediently, helping him pack, and changing into the clothes he'd made her. She felt much more comfortably riding with pants than a skirt, and easily kept pace with the prince as he dashed into the woods. Adele slowed Calvin early, worried that he would get worked up or overworked. She arrived at their spot to see Caelan forcefully throwing daggers at a tree. She untacked the horses for them silently, letting him get out his anger. Clearly that talk with his father had snapped something in him. Adele was watching Caelan with concern as he retrieved his blades and threw them over and over, thinking about what could have made him this angry. When he suggested they go down to the beach, she brightened and nodded. Adele would have rushed down the path towards the ocean, but it seemed to her like Caelan needed good company, so she stayed walking next to him. She took his hand as they continued on, hoping he was calmer now and ready to talk about it. Once they made it down to the shore, she laid out a blanket and sat down, motioned for the prince to do the same, then said, "It's hard for me to see you like this. What's wrong?" She spoke kindly, but with a tone that suggested she wanted to be told everything right now. |
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"My father asked about a wife...and after my mother's false accusation of calling me a bastard and useless beast, I guess a bit of my hidden ager came out to play. What if she's right and I screw everything up? What if I hurt you? What if you lose interest in me?" Caelan asked, now spiraling. "What if- what if your father hurts you to make me promise something huge to benefit your kingdom? Or declare war? I'm not trying to speak badly of your kingdom, but I'm terrified....My father would whip me if he found we were dating...Adele, I don't know what to do. I love you and I don't know what to do, I'm sorry..." |
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Adele listened, pained to hear Caelan so scared. When he finished, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. When she spoke, in was barely above a whisper, kind, compassionate, and loving. "Don't be sorry. Like I said, I'm scared too. And I'm worrying about it just as much as you are. I don't know what to do either, but I think for now we need to simply do the next right thing. But I know that won't help with your worrying." She looked into the prince's eyes and continued. "Is there anything I can do to help you know that I'll always be on your side? Anything I can tell you that that will keep you from worrying about things we can't control?" |
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Caelan shook his head. "Just...don't leave me tonight. I don't want to ever leave you, but just please don't leave tonight if you're going to..." He pleaded |
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Adele's kind eyes softened even more, and she nodded. "I promise." She kept Caelan in a comforting embrace and looked out at the dark horizon. Adele suddenly realized how tired she was, and released the prince, lying down on her side, facing him. Within about ten minutes, Adele was fast asleep. |
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Caelan noticed she fell asleep and carefully helped her into a more comfortable sleeping position. He wrigled out of her arms and grabbed another blanket from the pack before settling it over both of them. He lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her before pulling her close and falling asleep |
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That night, Adele had two dreams. The first had a shimmering black wolf, pulsing with blue light, that looked down at her from atop a mountain. It had an expression of pleading and sorrow on its furry face. That dream ended when the wolf tripped and fell off of the mountain, rolling over and over until it landed at her feet, dead. The second dream began with Adele wearing a white dress, walking in the forest. She walked into a glen and saw someone sitting on a rock in the middle, hunched over. When Adele got closer, the person turned, and she saw it was Caelan. He looked so desperate, terrified, and empty, looking at Adele as if she was a prison guard about to take him away forever. Adele stopped and knelt, trying to speak to the prince. Nothing came out of her mouth, not even a whisper. The dream ended with Caelan standing, face growing cold. He stared down at her, an evil glint in his eye, before lunging toward her and grabbing her forearm with a cold, clammy hand. Adele woke up, sweating and teeth chattering. It took her a moment to realize she was safe, warm, and protected in Caelan's arms. The sun hadn't risen, but she couldn't get back to sleep. So Adele lay there, thinking about the journey ahead of them. |
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Caelan woke shortly after her, looking at her in distress. "Are you alright, darling?" He asked softly, pecking her head. "Did you have a bad dream? You need anything?" He asked softly but in a hurried tone. He was very obviously worried about her. "Anything at all, just tell me what you need" |
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Snow and Sleet Mix, Clearing at Night
