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(Awesome) Adele leaned into him, trying not to cry. She swallowed hard, stood with Caelan's help, and followed him to her room. Her legs shook and she flopped onto her bed, suddenly so tired that she couldn't cry or think or do anything. Instead, she slept long and fitfully, until she woke late the next morning |
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Caelan watched her sleep for an hour or so before sighing and asking a servant to keep an eye on her. The servant agreed eagerly as Caelan strode away, going immdeietly into the forest to look through the outskirts of the Day Kingdom. He had Aurora brought around, tacked up, after claiming her as his. The stable hand nodded when Caelan asked if Calvin was doing alright. Caelan trotted his mare gently through the streets and around houses until he got flagged down by a citizen. She looked distraught and tired. "Your majesty, please, I found Prince Alban a few hours ago but could never find you or the princess. I...I saw the king and queen....I'm so sorry. They're gone. Alban was beside their bodies, crying in fear. He's in my home now. Come, quick." She said, speed-walking to her house and leading little Alban out. Caelan dismounted. "Hey, bud. I know where Adele is. Can you come with me? Please? I'm Caelan, her boyfriend. I promise I'm safe and I won't hurt you." He said softly, gently picking up the little boy and putting him onto Aurora's saddle before thanking the woman. He gave her a gentle smile before leading his mare back toward the castle. He ran a hand down his face thinking of how horrified Adele would be to find out her parents were dead. He didn't know what to do. "Let's get back to the castle and get you some food, huh?" He said, trying to put on the practiced mask of ease and comfort. He did just that upon arriving, handing the prince off to a older looking servant before going to Adele's room and entering. He laid down beside Adele, curling around her protectively and holding her close before kissing her head and falling asleep. Caelan woke the next morning before Adele holding her and humming a soft tune. When he noticed her awake, he smiled softly and brushed a lock of hair from her face. "Good morning, baby" |
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Alban's tears had dried as he sat in the woman's house, eyes staring blankly at the wall. When a strange-looking man came in, Alban shrank back in fear, but when Caelan said his sister's name, he mustered the courage to let him pick him up and set him on the horse. His mood brightened a little as they rode through the town. He waved to some of his friends, feeling pretty cool on top of such a pretty horse and with who he knew was the night kingdom's heir, who was now apparently nice. His friends stared at him, in awe and wonder. Alban smiled to himself. Then he remembered his parents, lying still on the ground, eyes blank. He shivered and cuddled into Caelan for safety. He was reluctant to get off the pretty horse and go into the castle with the old servant, but it was late and Alban was so tired. He was led into his room and given a plate of broccoli, beef, and potatoes, but hardly at any of it. Instead he asked his maid to sing to him, curled up in bed, and fell asleep, dreaming of his parents, his sister, and him, happily eating dinner in the great hall. . Adele felt Caelan's warm and comforting sidle up next to her during the night, and she curled into him. After she woke up, she tried her best to smile at Caelan. But after the day she'd had yesterday, it was impossible. So she climbed out of her bed and stumbled to her closet, deciding that she needed to wear something more regal if she was going to be talking with her citizens or even Caelan's mother that day. She began to brush her hair, styling it into a braid and then wrapping the braid into a bun. It was a hairstyle her mother had taught her, and just the though of her possibly being gone forever was too much to bear. She felt tears in her eyes, but tried to swallow them down. |
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"Adele, darling...We need to talk." He said softly, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist |
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She turned to him, worry in her eyes. Adele set the brush down on a nearby table and stopped putting her hair up, the braid falling to hang down her back. She knew from the tone of his voice that he knew something she didn't, and from the look on his face she knew it was grave news. "What is it?" She said, fear growing. "Caelan, tell me what's wrong." She was too nervous to do anything except stand there and listen to what he had to say. |
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"I'm so sorry, my love. Your parents...they didn't make it. Albany is in his room, alive and well other than witnessing the death. I'm so, so sorry, Adele." He said, stepping toward her and wrapping his arms around her gently |
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Adele knew it was coming, but it still shocked her. Her parents. Dead. Gone forever. Adele crumpled to the floor, sobbing. She wished she had been kinder to them, or at least acted like she loved them more than she did. Instead, she hid from them because of her power... Wait. Her power. Could she heal them? How long had they been dead? She looked up at Caelan, eyes red from crying but determination and hope in her eyes. "Do you know when they died?" She asked him. |
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"Sometime during the fighting. I'm so sorry, Adele. I can find out later if you'd like?" He offered softly |
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Adele's face dimmed. That was much more than an hour ago, so she couldn't do anything to save them. If only they had kept looking last night. If only she'd tried harder to find them. If only they had gone to where the battle had happened. Maybe then she could have saved them. But she wasn't good enough. Not good enough for anything. Not good enough to be queen, to deserve someone like Caelan, or even to be a princess. She began crying again, quietly, but full of emotion. She wasn't good enough to even be a princess, and now, with her parents gone, she was the heir of the day kingdom. But she wasn't good enough to be queen, and she never would be. Maybe she could simply appoint Alban the next ruler. But he was too young. It had to be her. The thought of everyone in the day kingdom relying on her just made her cry all the more. |
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"Oh, Adele." He said, remembering she was now queen and holding her close. "My beautiful girl." He said softly, rubbing her back. "I can help you rule if you'd like. But first I need to reinstate the truce between our kingdoms..." He muttered |
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Partly Cloudy with Afternoon Drizzle
