Well I told you it was gonna happen sooner or later, but what can I say I've been freaking busy?!

Yesterday, I went with my mom, sisters, and best friend to see Frozen at El Capitan yesterday, and before the movie they had people dressed as Elsa and Anna come out, and Elsa made it snow in the theater. I was crying, I didn't even care...

...Yeah, I know I'm an eight year old at heart and I no longer care what anyone's opinion of that is ^^"

So yeah here's Chapter 26. Enjoy!

Chapter 26:

What's Right For You?

(MK's POV)

I sat by Jenni's bedside, holding a cold cloth to her forehead, while the doctor checked the sickly child's temperature. As he pulled the thermostat from her mouth, she made a face and rolled her tongue a few times, probably trying to get the anti-bacterial taste out of her mouth. I smiled sympathetically, through it didn't feel quite sincere enough.

"Well so far, the fever hasn't risen too much. That's good news." He said to the princess, though I could tell he was trying to be optimistic for her sake. Tarren and I would have to ask him how she was really doing after we'd gotten away from her.

The doctor packed up his things and asked to meet with Tarren and Isabelle in the hallway, and soon it was only Jenni and I left alone in the room. Jenni folder her hands.

"It's worse than he's telling me isn't it. I could tell he was holding back a little."

I sighed. "Jenni-"

"I wish he wouldn't." She said. "I can handle it..."

I smiled. "I'm sure you could your highness, but it doesn't matter anyway. I'll be able to make you better really soon now."

Jenni nodded. "Right...because you're going to stay in Willhollow after all... But didn't you want to go home with Nod?"

I sighed again, closing my eyes so she wouldn't be able to detect the discomfort in them. "I explained already Jenni. Nod doesn't want to be with me anymore, so he's going to go back to Moonhaven, and I'm going to stay here."

The golden hair little girl shook her head. "That doesn't sound right to me. Maybe he didn't mean it? He could've been-"

I didn't let her continue, afraid she'd actually make me start believing that. "No sweetheart, I'm pretty sure he meant it. He made it pretty dang clear that he didn't care about me anymore..."

"Well that's how you know he does still care." Jenni persisted. "Because when boys want to say one thing, they usually get all mixed up and say the exact opposite because they think it makes more sense."

I smiled, ruffling the sick girl's hair. "Well it doesn't matter because... Because we're both going to move on now..."

"But do you think that's the right thing to do?"

"Of course I do!" I said, surprised I was able to fake such confidence. "Willhollow needs me to-"

"I'm not talking about Willhollow." Jenni said exasperatedly, although her voice wasn't quite as strong due to her being ill. "I mean, do you think you're doing what right for you?"

I had been about to assure her that this was the best thing for me as well, but despite knowing I'd save an entire kingdom from utter destruction, I somehow couldn't bring myself to tell her that this was what was best for me.

Maybe it wasn't...?

Suddenly, Jenni's bedroom, doors swung open, and Tanya entered. She had been looking pretty run down since the princess's sickness returned, and I could tell she was extremely worried.

"Excuse me ladies, but the doctor requests that the Princess Jennora get some rest right now. Also, Tarren needs to see Mary Katherine. Several things concerning tomorrow must be discussed at once."

"Oh right... Tomorrow..." I trailed off. Tomorrow was the day I married Prince Tarren, and became Queen of Willhollow, just like the Queen Jennora of legend, and Queen Rheina, Tarren's mother.

Apparently, they'd had everything for the wedding prepared before-hand, considering they were on a bit of a time-sensitive schedule. Everything from the location to the dress to the ceremony had already been taken care of. Now, it would all be taking place tomorrow.

It was almost impossible to imagine. Tomorrow I was going to marry Tarren, and save Willhollow, and become its queen...

I sighed, feeling even more stressed than before I'd decided to stay in Willhollow. You'd think that with the decision made and ties severed, I'd finally feel some relief from all the pressure and anxiety, but since accepting Tarren's proposal, I'd only been feeling worse about it. Everyone assured me it was just wedding jitters, but somehow I doubted that was it. I mean, it wasn't for a while day!

Although, around here, with all the trouble they had been in, a day could mean life or death, and now I could finally put the people's minds to rest about that. I tried to find comfort in that...

Bidding goodbye to Jenni, I quickly stole out of the room, and turned to find Tarren listening to Isabelle as she went over the things the doctor had told her. He had a tired expression. Not even tired really. Just drained.

When Isabelle left Tarren alone, I took it as my opportunity to step in. The expression on his face was way past worried. Tarren looked scared. I tried to give him a comforting smile.

"We've been able to bring the fever down a bit." I said in hopes of making him feel better. He did his to smile back, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Isabelle told me what the doctor said. That she's still not going to recover at this rate..." Then he let out sigh that somehow resembled a sob, and made me want to cry myself. "Mary Katherine I can't lose her..."

"I can't trust them, MK. I just can't... and I can't lose someone important to me because of them again... I can't lose you..."

"You're not going to lose me, okay?" I said, sniffing softly. "I'm right here.

I pinched my eyes shut, feeling the pain of the memory like the pangs of a headache, but brushed it off. I had to try and forget him if I was going to be happy again. "Tarren, it's going to be fine. I'm going to make sure she gets better again. I promise.

Tarren sighed, and without warning, pulled me into him. It was extremely surprising to me, although it probably shouldn't have been. If it had been someone I cared about on the verge of dying, I'd need some comfort too. Plus, weren't we supposed to be married soon anyways? I'd have to get used to more than just hugs...

I smiled awkwardly as I backed away, my thoughts starting to run away with themselves. "So uhh what did you want to talk to me about?"

This seemed to bring him back to his senses. "Oh yes of course. I just wanted to make sure you knew when everything was happening?"

I faked a pretty convincing smile, if I do say so myself. "Yup. Wedding's tomorrow, and the next day, I'll be doing some sort of ceremony thing to start healing Willhollow... right?"

Tarren smiled. "Exactly. It's going to be a full moon and Arthur says that will strengthen your powers. Help you to make sure this sickness doesn't spread anything further."

"Okay. Tomorrow's going to be pretty busy huh."

Tarren nodded, smiling "Pretty much. Good luck with that by the way. I'm sure Isabelle's going to be relentless."

I laughed, though it sounded a bit too nervous in my ears. "Uh yeah. I'm honestly considering calling in sick." Not like I'd have to fake it that much. It wasn't even the day of and I was feeling nausea at some moments of the day. I'd be dying by tomorrow morning.

Tarren laughed, whipping me out of my thoughts. "Oh I'm sure you'll be fine. Isabelle's not that hard to handle, once you get used to her." He said, before suddenly growing slightly quieter. "Also..." he whispered, almost as though he didn't wish to speak. "There's... still the matter of the Leafmen however... They haven't said when they wish to leave yet."

I felt a slight twinge of emotion, but quickly masked it with a look of indifference. "It's fine. They'll leave when they're ready, which I doubt will take too long." But even I couldn't hide the tightness in my voice.

There was a slight pause in the air, before I felt Tarren's hand softly landing on my shoulder. "Mary Katherine... You not just... doing all this to get back at Nod are you?"

I stiffened, before suddenly pulling away from the boy's touch, and turning away from him. "Of course not." I muttered, finding it difficult to form words. "I'm doing it for you, and Jenni, and Willhollow. It's what's best for everyone..."

"But is it what's best for you?" Tarren asked sincerely, causing me to turn back to him. He smiled, but it was so full of sadness it seemed out of place, and it made me feel absolutely horrible. "Tarren..."

"Listen," He persisted, obviously wanting to get some painful point across. I was almost certain I didn't want to listen to it, but I did anyways. "You know I have feelings for you, and honestly when you told me you were going to stay, I was happier than I had been... well honestly, than since before my mother passed away."

"Tarren." I breathed, not wanting to hear this for some reason. It hurt for reasons I couldn't pinpoint, or perhaps didn't want to. Still, part of moving on would be learning to deal with the pain, so I listened.

"I do want you to stay here." He said. "But only if it's what's best for everyone... Including you. I want you to be happy too Mary Katherine, and I want to be the one to make you happy if I can."

I could feel a thick lump forming in my throat, and tried to swallow it down, but it remained where it was, and also forced a sob past my lips. "Tarren... I-I'm sorry. I just... I need some time to think..."

And before he could even respond, I was hurrying down the hallway, feeling absolutely horrible. Why did everyone keep saying they wanted me to be happy? Couldn't they see that was am impossibility!? No matter what I had chosen, I would've been hurting people I cared about. People I wanted to protect! I could never be happy because of that!

I sighed, slowing once I turned a corner and was out of Tarren's line of vision, and leaned my arm against the wall, closing my eyes, and praying that this was all some long, elaborate dream. I prayed I was going to wake up any moment, and sigh with relief that I wasn't some magical princess, that I didn't have to marry a boy I was pretty certain I wasn't in love with, and...

And that Nod didn't hate me with every fiber of his being...

I sighed. It was my entire fault anyways. I had brought this on myself, and when he had gotten upset over what I'd done, I had grown angry in return. As if I had any right to be...

I sighed, somehow finding my way back to my room. I slipped into the large bedroom, shut the door, and flopped onto the large bed. With all the stress that the following day was going to bring piled onto everything I was already trying to deal with, some rest would be the best thing for me.

I felt my eyes drift shut, and I knew a part of me wished they wouldn't open.

So I wouldn't have to face tomorrow.

(Nod's POV)

"So that's seriously it," Ronin stated stubbornly as he stood by the door, starring me down with a slight glare. I ignored him as I loaded up my bag with everything of mine that I had brought with me on this stupid trip. "We're just going home?"

"That's the plan." I said, straightforward and bitter, wishing he would get off my back. I'd already explained everything that had happened. Shouldn't it have been obvious we weren't exactly welcome anymore?

"Nod, you realize you're being ridiculous, right? You're seriously just going to leave her here? Just like that?"

I groaned, and turned towards the general. "Ronin, I told you. We're done. She's going to stay here with Fairy Boy, and I'm going to go home, and that's gonna be the end of it."

Ronin scoffed. "Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it..."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that when we get back to Moonhaven, you're going to spend the rest of your time sulking around! Nod... Don't give her up."

"She gave me up Ronin!" I screamed, causing the man to freeze. I softened my face a bit, showing more emotion than I wanted to, and turned away. "She had given up when she chose to come to Willhollow... She just needed help seeing it."

"Nod... What did you say to her? I know she wouldn't have chosen to stay here if you hadn't done something to make her want to."

I sighed. "I told her what I knew would make her stay..."

"And did you mean it?"

I groaned. "I don't know okay?! I mean I was ridiculously pissed so I meant a lot of it... but... I realized the only way to make her stay was to... to make her hate me enough to want to stay away..."

"So you hurt her to make her not want to go back."

I threw my hands up in defeat. "Wrong Ronin. She hurt me! I know what I saw, okay? So yes, that's seriously it."

Ronin sighed. "Nod, I just know that if we leave here without MK, you're never going to get over it."

I closed my eyes, trying to fight back the pain and anger with sheer willpower. It wasn't working very well. "I know that... but I already went too far." I whispered, looking down at the ground.

I knew Ronin was right. I was going to go back to Moonhaven, and wallow in my own self-pity for who knows how long. That, or I'd go do something stupid... Which seemed more like something I was more likely of.

I heard the soft click of the door as Ronin slipped out of the room. He must've figured I was done being interrogated...

I sighed softly. Why should I even still care, I wondered? She was the one who walked away from me. Shouldn't I have been hoping to never see her again...?

I huffed as I sunk down the ground, my back against the bedside. Of course I wanted to see her again. I wanted to take back every word I had said, because I hadn't meant them, and I knew she didn't mean what she had said. Well... at least most of it.

MK and I were both ridiculously stubborn, and it caused us to get into a lot of arguments like these, but we always apologized, and we always forgave because we knew that no matter what was said or done, I still loved her, and she still loved me...

I turned my head, looking out at the window. It didn't matter anymore. She was never going to talk to me again. Hell, she was never going to see me again.

And I couldn't get the idea to stop hurting. The idea of her staying here and falling for that stupid prince of Willhollow. Maybe she wasn't in love with him yet, but she would be. I could tell...

I had lost her now.

And there was no one to blame but myself.

...I'm really, really sorry guys! I know this is super evil but please, PLEASE don't give up on this story. I promise that everything's gonna be okay.

The reason I make so much crap go down is so you guys can all celebrate that much more when it gets better! Like how interesting would a story be if everything were just fine and dandy the whole time? Just one monotone storyline? You guys would get bored, or at least I would.

So just hang in there, and like I've said time and time again, IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY!

Until then!

~ Macy