Waiting For Spring
Chapter 26

As soon as the door to the rooms closed, I released a tired breath and turned to face my brother. He was watching me with wide eyes, and I would have given anything to know what he was thinking.

Instead, I ran for him, launching my body at his and instantly feeling the warmth and safety of his embrace. This was all I had ever wanted. A place where I belonged and a person who I belonged with, without questions, without conditions. He was my brother and I was his sister and no amount of time, space or kings could change that.

“I love you so much, Arlarose. Please know that. Finding you is the greatest gift Marcus and I have ever received.” I nodded into his chest, my throat too tight to speak and before I could stop them, there were tears falling down my face. Pushing me back from him slightly, he said, “How long do you think we have before he returns for you?”

I shrugged, not certain if he would leave me for the hour, or for the day, All I knew was that I didn’t want to leave my brother’s side. I had just found him and there was no chance I was about to let him go and judging by the hold he had on my arms, he wasn’t ready to let go either.

“Well, why don’t we head for the gardens then?” He suggested and I felt a small smile start to tug at the corners of my lips. “You did always love sneaking off, only to return hours later, your hair matted with dirt, leaves and twigs. Much to our father’s dismay, but mother always calmed him down.”

“I don’t remember them,” I frowned, an image of my mother’s miniature coming to mind. My free hand quickly found my locket and I rubbed the familiar crest, knowing exactly what I would replace inside. “What was mother like?”

“Why don’t we head out, and I’ll tell you all about them?” He smiled, folding my arm into his and walking towards the door of the rooms. As soon as we were in the corridor, four sets of footsteps followed us.

The air in the gardens was chilled and after only moments of being there, Marla was at my side handing me an emerald wrap. She smiled warmly at me as I thanked her for her thoughtfulness. After a quick glance at my brother, she leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead before scurrying away to continue her regular duties. Today had been surreal for so many reasons, but Marla’s change towards me was one of the most unexpected. Ever since replaceing me in pieces in my rooms after the King’s betrayal she has been the support I have needed.

As we made our way through the now barren gardens, my guards and my brother’s followed us at a distance that allowed us to talk without being overheard. David had been telling me stories about our parents and our older brother. Yet, even though I was part of many of these memories they still felt like someone else’s stories.

“Arlarose?” David prompted and I glanced up to him pulling myself back to the present and out of my saddening thoughts. “Where did you go?”

“I don’t remember any of this.” I breathed, searching his face for something that would remind me of the past we shared.

“You were so young, Arlarose. We barely got a chance to know you before you were taken from us.”

“I didn’t even know you existed. I was made to believe that anyone I loved had perished in the same fire that almost stole my life.” I frowned, stepping closer into my brother’s hold because despite not having any of my memories, I knew somewhere deep inside of me that he was mine.

“A fire?”

“The night I disappeared; I was trapped inside a burning barn. I live through the nightmares of that night almost every night.”

“How have you survived this long?” He mused, shuffling us over to a stone bench as the guards spread out around us, eyes alert. There were very few people in the gardens at this time in the morning and being the day of the ball, they were unlikely to head out here when there was so much preparation to be done.

“There was a boy the night of the fire who dragged me out,” I answered, my chest tightening as my last conversation with Simon played through my mind. “He carried me across the border to Citra.

“How did he replace you?”

“He followed our father,” I whispered, pain tearing through my chest and dislodging the tears from my eyes. “He was working in the castle the night of my disappearance and saw you and Marcus searching for me and chose to follow our father who had snuck away. When father found me, Simon followed as he took me further and further away from the castle.”

“That day was one of the hardest of our lives. Mother was a mess, sick with worry.” He remembered, his eyes glazed and lost in the memories of the past. “Father had returned just before dawn. He told us he couldn’t replace you anywhere and then went and locked himself away in his and mother’s rooms.

“Marcus was furious. He led the search parties and for a year we barely slept as we scoured our country for you.” Seeing the devastation sweep across David’s face I slipped my hand into his. His fingers were calloused and warm, completely engulfing my own rough hands. He gripped me tightly, before gathering his thoughts and finally turning to face me, his familiar green eyes staring back at me.

“What happened to the boy that saved you?”

“The King locked him away,” I answered emotionlessly. I hated to think about Simon. I hated to think about the times he had protected me only to have those memories tarnished by the conversation we had shared in the dungeons.

“Why? He saved you and as far as I can tell protected you all these years.”

“I thought that too,” I frowned. “When I was taken from the marketplace, I believed he was the only person in this world who would miss me.”

“Tell me your story, Arlarose. There is so much I don’t know about you. Tell me everything.”

So, I did.

I told him of the day I was captured and the day I escaped. I told him of the boys I spent my time with and how the king had captured them all and locked them away. Then I told him of the conversation I had with Simon when everything I had known had been stolen from me. I told him everything and he listened like he didn’t want to forget a single word.

“You will be safe from now on, Arlarose. Marcus and I will ensure it.” He promised when I had finished my tale.

“But everything is all confused now. Simon was meant to be my friend, but he’s been lying to me all this time, and the King? He is the greatest liar of them all. There is no one left to trust.” I hissed, clenching my free hand tightly in my skirts.

“You can trust me, Arlarose. I’ll do everything in my power to bring you home.” But his voice rang false because it knew nothing was going to stop the King’s plans.

“He’ll win,” I whispered, dropping my eyes from my brother’s face to our tightly held hands. “You heard his threat. I may not know much, but I know our country cannot withstand his fury.”

“He didn’t win today, you’re here and not where he wanted you to be,” he encouraged.

“Yes, but winning comes with a steep price.” I shrugged, trying to push down the pain from the day before. When I felt my brother’s expectant eyes boring into me, I continued. “Even now he is unfaithful.”

“What?” My brother all but growled, taking my other hand in his and pulling me closer.

“I thought there could be something between us. I thought there was hope, that maybe everything everyone was telling me about his love for me could be true, but he already has another to warm his bed.”

“I’m sorry he has cornered you into this fate, Arlarose. I wish there was a way I could take you away from it, but it would be like wishing to return in time and stop you from disappearing in the first place.”

“I don’t want to be his wife,” I cried, a sob shuddering from my chest and shaking my entire body. David quickly wrapped me up in his arms, his strong, steady hand running soothing lines up and down my spine as my tears continued to fall.

David held me until there were no more tears left to fall. I didn’t want him to let me go. I was afraid if I did, I would never feel the warmth and safety of his hold again.

“Arlarose?” I hummed and pulled back, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “When we first arrived last night, my guards heard some rumors about you. They heard that much of the palace guard has been running scared.”

“Escaping from under their noses tends to do that,” I answered, a small smile spreading across my lips.

“Weren’t you frightened of the King? He can be quite intimidating, even when he isn’t raging mad.” David frowned, probably going back to not only an hour before when the king had threatened the safety of our people.

“I wasn’t nearly as frightened of him when I thought of remaining trapped here and under his thumb. That is far more terrifying when compared with his fits of rage.” I shrugged. “Besides, if he was angry he wasn’t thinking clearly and that would set the guards on edge allowing me the opportunities to escape and ask the questions of the people I needed.”

“I hope you don’t let him extinguish the fire in you, Arlarose. I don’t think I could live knowing the light in your eyes has faded. It may be worse than thinking you have been dead all these years.”

“I don’t plan on making it easy for him,” I answered, a smirk overtaking my face. “Or his guards.” Throwing his head back and laughing, I basked in the glow of his happiness only for it to fade when we both became aware of a flurry of activity coming from the palace doors leading to the gardens.

“The King has ordered your presence for the midday meal, Princess,” Troy announced, bowing his head at both myself and my brother. The four guards at his back followed his cue and I frowned at his show of force.

“I decline,” I answered, raising my chin and clenching my hands in my lap. “I wish to share a meal with my brother.”

“It is not a request, your highness.”

“Why should I follow his orders? He lost my respect the moment he shared his bed with another woman.” I spat, getting to my feet and glaring in the direction of the stoic captain. Mantai and Sam now stood by my side, waiting for their captain’s orders.

Troy was just about to rebuke my objections when I felt a large, calloused hand slip around mine. Glancing up at my brother, I saw him smiling down at me sadly. His hand squeezed mine tightly and he said, “We will see each other tonight.” Leaning in closer, so only I could hear, he whispered, “Don’t anger the King unnecessarily. I will be here when you are done.”

I nodded in reply, the strength of my brother’s support reminding me that for the first time in my life, I was not alone. Looking at my brother, I had no doubt that there was always a person on my side, someone I could trust.

Leaning down, my brother pressed a firm kiss to my forehead before releasing me and falling back to his guard.

Glancing at Troy, I saw his arm extended for me to take but I ignored it and walked right passed him towards the palace. I heard a soft chuckle behind me and knew it was my brother. And despite knowing I was heading for another lecture from the king, there was a small smile on my lips.