Final chapter! Kind of forgot to mention that… Whoopsie! I know the last chapter was only posted earlier today, but I've been doing nothing but typing all day. This is what you can call procrastination. (I have SO MANY FREAKING EXAMS.)
Hokay, so I was doing some thinking. And I have yet another story idea. Yep. As for my other stories… Bare in mind, I started those like a year or so ago, and I don't really know where they're going. So until I have more inspiration for them, they're going to have to wait.
Beauty From Pain
Flora had been changing out of her gown for hours. Or so everyone wanted to believe. They realised that something must have happened, which was unfortunate because everything had just gotten good.
"Guys… I don't think Flora's changing…" Stella said quietly. They all nodded in agreement
"You're not going to like this… But I just got a planet-wide news update…" Tecna said sadly, "It says that five minutes ago, Prince Elliot and Queen Flora got re-engaged…"
"THAT BITCH." Stella exclaimed, Brandon put his hands on her shoulders.
"Honey, I don't think it was her choice. You told us how much she hates him." He said.
"So what you're trying to say is that…. THAT BASTARD!" Stella exclaimed.
"I can't believe this… I should have gone with her! That's my job or whatever, right? I'm such an idiot…" Helia seethed, everyone in the room could feel his tension growing.
"Come on man, it's not your fault." Sky put a comforting hand on Helia's back, Helia swiftly brushed it off.
"She's done a lot for me. The least I could have done was stop her from getting kidnapped!"
"Oh my… They're not wasting any time with the ceremony, it starts in five hours!" Tecna exclaimed.
"Okay, first of all, Tec, that's not helping. And second of all, there is SO much planning required for a royal wedding, you must have gotten the date wrong." Musa fumed. Tecna shook her head.
"No, I'm not wrong. It has been quoted that Prince Elliot said that they would be inviting close friends and family only."
"But Flora has no family left, and her friends are here!" Bloom exclaimed.
"We can't waste anymore time! We've got to get moving! TO-…" Stella paused, "Which nation is Prince Elliot prince of?"
"Vallisto." Tecna stated.
"Oh, so he IS an actual prince, I thought there was some major conspiracy behind that for a moment," said Stella, "Anyway, TO VALLISTO!"
~o~o~o~o~o~
"How are you getting on, my sweet?" Prince Elliot swung the door open to where Flora was getting her corset tightened by a group of maids.
"Get OUT!" Flora screamed.
"That's no way to speak to your fiancé, you should be more caring. Like you are for art, flowers, poetry, literature and the stupid boy and his sister…" Prince Elliot muttered, Flora pulled herself away from the maids and ran up to Elliot, delivering a swift slap in the face.
"Helia is FIVE TIMES the guy that you'll EVER be, and DON'T YOU EVER FORGET IT!" She yelled.
"I wouldn't do anything like that in your situation!"
"You told me to marry you, not to be nice to you!"
"I don't get what you see in that boy anyway. What does he have that I don't have?" he asked.
"Humanity, morality…. Mortality… Kindness… a functioning heart… You know, everything that a basic being should possess."
"Like it matters anyway." He laughed slightly, "he should be making his way here, and at least I can rub this in his face."
"Gosh, aren't you just the charmer? Keep talking and your appeal will fall into minus numbers!"
"When I'm king I'll make you wear a permanent gag…" he hissed in her face, then turned to the door, slamming it behind him. Flora sighed and turned to the maids, who were staring at her.
"Is it true that you love another?" one asked her. Flora nodded slightly.
"I think so, I mean, I really do like him,"
"We were told that you and Prince Elliot were desperately in love."
"That couldn't be further from the truth. He's an arrogant arsehole who needs to be hit in the face. With a chainsaw."
"So what's this other guy like?" they asked, motioning for her to sit back down. Flora smiled slightly as she took her seat.
"He's amazing." Flora said, dazedly, "He's quite simply the most driven, incredible guy I've ever met. He always caught my eye when he was working around the castle, but I never actually got to speak to him up until a few days ago. He'd do anything for the people he loves, I just kind of wish that one of those people was me…"
"You mean he doesn't love you back?"
"No. Well, I don't know. He's so… I don't know, I just… He's just so closed,"
"Closed?"
"It's hard to tell what he's thinking, it's probably pointless looking into it."
"Why don't you? Why are you marrying Elliot?"
"Because he made me! He told me that if I didn't, then he would kill my friends… And Helia…" the maids were quiet for a second, then one of them clasped her hands in front of her face and radiated a warm smiled.
"It's a real life fairy tale!" she exclaimed, "Listen, you queeny, flowery, pink queeny queen. You're going to get out of this. Helia is going to ride in on his majestic white steed, he's going to whisk you away and marry you before Elliot can get his grubby hands all over that ring!"
"If only it were that simple!" Flora laughed. "There's nothing I can do now. I'm not allowed to walk from one room to another without Elliot's permission. Is this what my life is going to be like forever?"
"NO! Did you not just hear what I just said?" The same maid exclaimed.
"If only…" Flora said, but her voice trailed off. The maids continued to get her ready for her 'big day'.
~o~o~o~o~o~
Helia and the others were walking through one of the many alleyways of Vallisto, kicking empty beer cans and empty liquor bottles out of their way.
"So this place looks nice." Said Layla.
"I have no freaking idea where we're going." Said Riven.
"Guys, just focus. We have three hours until the ceremony, and we have to stop it, at all costs." Helia said, from the front of the group.
"Focus on what? I just said that I didn't know where we're going."
"You never needed to; Tecna has her GPS, and that is why we're following her." Timmy stated.
"We're not too far now, just about half way through." Tecna said automatically, just like satellite navigation.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up." Riven scowled.
Inside, Helia was still feeling a little sceptical. 'Did Flora really want to marry that monster?' he asked himself. 'That's exactly what I'll ask her. And if that was her plan all along, then fine. As long as she's happy.'
FLASHBACK
"The princesses quarters," Griselda said to Helia as she walked down the line. He nodded and left immediately. Young Helia had never seen the princess before, but he had heard things from other servants. He had heard that she was always writing in her diary, or 'plotting her evil plans'. And when she wasn't doing that, she would apparently be reading. Helia knocked on the door and it quickly opened, revealing Flora standing there with a blank expression on her face.
"I'm here for…" Helia started, but Flora just nodded and walked back to her desk, where she continued to write in her diary. Helia shrugged and started to sweep in the far corner of the room, and worked his way around until he was on the other side.
He leant down next to her chest of drawers to pick up the dust in his dustpan, when carvings in the white wood caught his eye. It was one of the biggest tally charts he had ever seen, all over the chest of drawers, and had presumably not been finished. At the very top it read 'One mark per day'. What was she waiting for? Helia finished picking up the dust and turned around to see that Princess Flora was staring at him. Was she angry with him for looking at her things? Those markings.
"I-I'm so sorry your highness," Helia bowed quickly, Flora quickly looked away, "I-I'm finished with my duties now, I'll be taking my leave." Flora nodded again, not looking back.
END OF FLASHBACK
'I understand now.' Helia though to himself, 'She was waiting for happiness, and for freedom. She almost had it, but Prince Elliot had to crush her again. I promise you Flora, I will rescue you.'
~o~o~o~o~o~
"Your highness, the ceremony is ready and everyone is waiting for your entrance." One of the maids said from the other side of the door. She had been given her final hour free alone, and had just spent it sitting on a chair and staring into space.
"Already…" Flora said quietly, and then slowly stood up. She checked her appearance in the mirror. "Not too bad," she said as she twirled around in the mirror. Although the corset she was being made to wear was crushing her organs, the white gown was beautiful. It wasn't something that she would choose herself personally, but the delicate lace gown fit her in all the right places. Her hair was in an elegant bun, decorated with white flowers. "Goodbye." She said to her reflection. She felt like she was about to walk to her own impending doom, to her own funeral. It wasn't very different though; this ceremony would suck that much life out of her. She picked up the pink rose bouquet and slowly walked towards the door. "I'm coming." She opened the door swiftly, and the maids beamed at her appearance.
"Don't you like beautiful, your highness!"
"So elegant!"
"I think I should give myself a pat on the back!" said the maid who styled her hair, "Remember Flora. That love interest of yours is going to rescue you, and be so enchanted by your beauty that he'll want to grasp you in his arms and kiss you until your lips are numb!"
"You remind me so much of the princess of Solaria!" Flora giggled, "That's exactly the kind of thing she would have said, if she were here…" The maid put a hand on her heart.
"I hope you get your dreams Flora," she said calmly, "Now we've got to go, else we'll all get into trouble."
~o~o~o~o~o~
"We're here!" exclaimed Tecna.
"And just in time, too," said Bloom, checking her watch.
"Let's go!" Stella said, "Helia! You go first!" she pushed Helia ahead of her and gave the others a thumb up.
"Okay." Helia sighed.
~o~o~o~o~o~
"You look beautiful Flora." Prince Elliot told her, clasping her hands at the end of the aisle.
"Just shut up and let's get this over with." Flora said through her teeth, so no one else in the grand hall could hear her.
"Have either of you written vows?" asked the priest. Elliot shook his head.
"No amount of words could express my love for you," He said as he stroked her cheek, Flora wiped his hand away.
"No, because it wasn't in my contract." Flora said blankly.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, what contract? What a joker you are! What fun this partnership shall be!" Prince Elliot wiped an imaginary tear form his eye.
"Just stop it. You don't love me, you never will. Let's just get this stupid formality over and done with." Flora fumed. Prince Elliot turned to the priest.
"As the queen says, on with the ceremony." He muttered.
"Are there any people in this room who object to the-," the double doors at the end of the aisle flew open, cutting the priest off.
"I OBJECT!"
"Helia, you went in at the wrong time! That guy hadn't finished speaking!" Stella hit him on the arm.
"My apologies for not wanting to waste anymore time!" Helia exclaimed, and then turned to Flora. "Do you really want to marry this guy? Honestly, do you?" he asked her. "Because… If you did… Then I don't know what I would do…"
"Helia…" Flora smiled, "I never wanted to marry him. You should know that better than anyone."
"Ignore these people, they weren't even invited!" Prince Elliot exclaimed, the priest shook his head.
"I'm sorry your highness, but I can't go on with the ceremony. At least half of these people are high nobility, and the queen herself just said that she objected to the whole thing." Prince Elliot gritted his teeth.
"I can't believe this." He said, walking up to Helia, "I can't believe I'm doing this," he said again, pulling a knife out of his trouser pocket, "But it's everything you deserve!" he ran up to Helia with full speed with his knife aimed at the ready, Helia dodged easily. The prince turned back around, looking even more irritated.
"Everything I deserve? Try almost having my little sister killed! What about putting Flora through mental torture! What about what YOU deserve?"
"I deserve everything I've been waiting for!" Elliot exclaimed, he thrusted the knife at Helia, but he pushed it away.
"And what about what Flora's been waiting for? Can't you just give her a break? All the emotional turmoil that could have been cut in half if it wasn't for you. You disgust me, you really do. Putting the most graceful girl on this planet through this. I'm surprised she hasn't turned her back on the world." Prince Elliot pushed harder, gritting his teeth, but Helia pushed back on his arm even harder.
"Elliot just stop! Please!" Flora exclaimed, running from the alter. "Leave him alone! He's done nothing to you!"
"NOTHING?" Prince Elliot stopped trying to stab Helia and turned to Flora. "It's completely obvious. This boy ruined absolutely everything, my plans, and my future."
"And how did I do that?" Helia asked.
"You ruined my future with Flora! If you weren't around, then we would already be married! It's so easy to see, I knew from the beginning. Flora is so obviously head over heels for you." There was a moment of silence. Helia slowly turned his head to Flora, as did Elliot. The audience who they had forgotten about had been stunned into a silence for a while now, and the rest of the girls and the guys were standing with their mouths open. Musa stepped forward.
"That's the one thing he is right about," Musa said, breaking the silence.
"Musa!" Flora exclaimed.
"What?" she replied.
"Flora?" Helia asked, "Since… Since when?"
"Helia, just don't worry about it. It's fine, I know it would never work out, I was just kidding myself, and you were the first guy who ever treated me like an actual person, so I guess that's a tough one to get over and-," Flora was completely cut off when she felt Helia's cool lips down on hers. He folded his arms around her waist and pulled her in tighter. Flora put her hands on Helia's shoulder and gripped on his tee. He eventually pulled away and smiled back at her bemused expression.
"I've only heard you say that to me in my dreams…" he blushed.
"You mean… You feel the same way?" Flora asked, still not being able to show any sign of happiness.
"Yes, I really do." He smiled, "You were always such an intriguing person to me, and when I finally got to know you, it confirmed the feeling I had. And now all I want to do is protect you," he pulled her in tighter.
"I'm so happy…" Flora breathed.
"That's all I ever wanted you to be," he said back.
"ARREST PRINCE ELLIOT!" Stella yelled, startling Helia and Flora and making everyone else stare at her.
"Stella, you can't order the guards of Vallisto on the Prince of Vallisto." Tecna put her hand on her head.
"I'm not that stupid." Stella said. There was some thumping in the palace halls and ten of the Hench guards from the palace of Solaria stormed in.
"When on earth did you call these guys in?" Layla exclaimed.
"It was my back up plan to my other back up plan." Stella shrugged.
"On what grounds can you do this!" Prince Elliot exclaimed, as the guards restrained him by the arms.
"You almost had a girl under the age of ten killed! I can arrest the hell out of you for that if I see it's necessary!" said Stella. Everyone turned to Tecna.
"She's right, she can." Tecna stated. The guards dragged Prince Elliot out of the grand hall. He had nothing to say, so just made some distressed noises as they pulled him away. When the doors slammed shut, Flora and the girls cheered. The audience stood up and walked casually out of the room.
"Well that was a bit of a waste of time." Some people muttered as they left.
"You look beautiful Flora," Helia smiled, still not letting go of her, "You always do…"
"Hey, do you want to help me rebuild Lynthea?" Flora asked with a smile on her face.
"I would be honoured, your highness." He drew Flora closer to share another kiss.
THE END
A/N:
Well. That's that. I really enjoyed writing this, and I can only hope you enjoyed reading it! My next story is going to be very different, and it should be started in the next couple of days or so, I'm just going to give my poor fingertips a little break!
As a little teaser, it's called 'You shouldn't have trusted me,' and it's yet another Flora x Helia, and it was inspired by Flora's hair in comparison to Darcy's hair, and also… You know what, I'll just save it until it's up. Yup. Hair. Look out for it!
Again, I really hope you enjoyed reading (even though after about three and a bit years I'm still not the best at this ^^) and please review for the last time!
Miku xox