CHAPTER TWENTY – In the Castle Garden (Colette and Liam's Point of View)
Colette sat on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the garden, the arbors hung with lanterns that reflected in the rippling water. The lights from the party glittered in the windows, but the garden was now soaked, and had lost some of its original luster with debris strewn everywhere from her sudden storm. She couldn't help herself though. With that sort of news, she thought, anyone could lose control.
Why? Why did they hide it from me? She felt betrayed, by both of her parents. I mean, I have been to Rumplestiltskin's castle every week for almost my entire life, and he never thought to tell me? He was lying to me that entire time!
"Colette!" Liam ran into the garden. She knew that he had chased her, so she tried to lose him through the many corridors in the palace until she finally reached the garden. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
"Colette, is – are you alright?" Liam walked up to the fountain, and sat down beside her. It had been ages since he had seen her lose control like that, the last time being when Kendra had tried to kidnap the two of them to get them to actually talk to one another when they were too shy to admit their feelings, and couldn't help himself from feeling just a bit wary around her. He was always astonished and amazed whenever she performed her magic for him, and it never truly frightened him, but in times like this he knew it was best to just let her be.
"Of course not!" She got up and started pacing. "How would you feel if you found out your parents had lied to you for eighteen years, never telling you who your father was? And then suddenly your mother from the past starts crying when she sees your teacher for absolutely no good reason, until he says 'Oh, by the way, I'm your long lost father you never knew. Sorry, I guess I forgot to mention that in this last decade!' " She glared at him.
He replied tentatively, after some thought "I would probably feel angry, betrayed, but most of all…sad, since I had lost so much time with both my parents. Time that I could have had if they weren't so foolish."
She looked away. That is exactly what she felt, though she wanted to feel angry more than anything. The anger felt like fuel, something she could work off of. The grief felt more like a wet blanket dragging her down.
Liam motioned for her to sit down, then put his arms around her once she sat down. She leaned her head against his chest, and let out a deep sigh. At least he got it. He didn't need to say anything else, since he knew it would probably be pointless anyhow. She appreciated the silence, once more left to her own thoughts but comforted by his presence.
After a while seated like that, he said quietly into her ear "Come. I must dance at least one waltz with you before this evening is over. After that, we'll see how you feel. If you want to return we can, but under no circumstances do you have to. Agreed?"
She nodded her head, then let him escort her back into the ballroom. They joined the couples in the middle of the floor, and Liam swept her into his arms as the music began. She settled into the pattern of One two three, One two three, and with his arms strong and sure around her, she forgot about her worries waiting for her in the Library.
However, the music did come to an end, and Liam looked down at her and said "Well?"
"Alright. I think I'll be okay." Nevertheless, a subtle wind swept around their feet and ruffled her skirts, revealing how nervous and out of control she still felt. Liam just smiled, held her hand in his, and then the pair made their way down to the library once more.