They're gone. She sat on the floor, emotions swirling as she repeated those two words to herself. There were noises, loud noises. People were talking, yelling. Maybe even to her, but she did not care, or even notice. She held Princess Dollia a little closer to her as she pulled her knees up to her chest and curled into a ball, hoping that she would disappear. But she did not, much to her disappointment.
More voices, Jane's and Gunther's. Both were talking loudly to Sir Ivon, and Sir Theodore who were also talking loudly. Lavinia tried to make sense out of everything, but only ended up repeating the same words to herself. They're gone. Tears made a waterfall out of her face as they continued to pour from her eyes. She did not want to believe it, she refused to believe it! But, she had too. She knew she had too. Even being so young, she understood what some people never did. That no amount of tears, or screams could bring them back to her, no matter how much she wanted them to. She understood that even though many people had and would tell her otherwise, it would never get easier, or better. She would eventually be able to cover up those feelings of grief, and lose, and despair, with joy and content, but they would not leave her. They would remain with her forever, haunting everything she did. But one emotion she would not be able to hide, was fear. Fear that each morning she would wake up and pretend this was just a dream, fear that each meal, each game, each toy, would remind her of this, and fear that it would happen again.
She finally looked up from the floor to find everyone had gone quiet as they starred at her, most with tears in their eyes. They stared, and then they all got on their knees and bowed. And she knew why. Because that man, whose rage and blade had destroyed her family, had made a mistake. Had left something out of his plan. They stared, and bowed, because she was now the future ruler and Queen of Kippernium. Because They're Gone.
