So, just out of curiosity, would y'all like to see the honey moon and like wedding plans…or would you just like me to have the wedding as an epilogue and then have the other stuff as flashbacks in OTI (and get OTI started sooner)?
Chapter Fifty
❂Of Truest Heart❂
…
Prince Logan
My fingers drummed against my desk, the noise keeping me from tipping over the edge and murdering my father. It pulled me back; it tethered me to reality. And there was no way in hell that reality would allow me to kill my own father without consequences, but it didn't stop me from fantasizing. Three delicate knocks tapped against my door, jolting me out of my plotting. I waived a hand at the window without turning, a motion inviting the guest in. But as the door swung open, I glanced over my shoulder to see Elia, her face red, eyes bloodshot, and still in her white and gold dress. I shot to my feet without a second thought and dashed over to her, pulling her to my chest. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and I kept a hand on her head, my other arm wrapped around the small of her back as hers encompassed my waist.
We sat there, unsure where one of us ended and the other began, her shampoo filled my nose as she tried to pull herself together without needing to tell me why. She'd just been forced to sentence a girl who helped her to death, forced to do so without so much as blinking. We sat there in silence for what seemed like eternity, yet wasn't quite long enough before a thought that had been plaguing my mind pushed past my treacherous lips, "What do you see in me?"
Her movement stopped and she drew away, just enough to look me in the eyes, "What?" She gaped, still sniffling.
Retracting my arms, I retreated back to my desk, "C'mon, Elia, I killed two men who no doubt had families or at least people who cared about them," I took a step back, gesturing to my office, "I'm cooped up in here because all I can think about is strangling my father, my kin. I'm blind enough not to notice that one of my Elite has been flouncing around with one of my guards and I snap. I yell at people I shouldn't yell at, and I'm utterly selfish."
Elia scratched her head, incredulous, and tried to venture closer to me, "Logan, those men were going to kill us, so you chose us over them."
I shook my head, my words suddenly coming out in gasps and stutters, "I could've just shot them in the leg, they didn't have to die,"
"You chose to save me," She repeated, enunciating her words carefully, "How does that make you selfish? For all you know, those men could've killed someone else – someone innocent, someone you love-"
I raked my hands through my hair, feeling as though if I pulled any harder I would be left bald, "Stop defending me!" I cried out, sinking to my knees, shaking my head like a rabid animal, "I'm selfish, not for the things I've done in the past, but for those in the future. I'm selfish because the only life I could give you would be one I could never wish for you – but I still want to give to you. I'm selfish because I love you!" Elia rushed to my side, kneeling down beside me, but my raised hands prevented her from trying to console me, "What you did today," I explained, "You sentenced a girl to death because of me, because my family made you. And I could never forgive myself if I forced you to make decisions like that day in and day out because that's the job of a queen and king."
She pressed her lips together in a thin, white line, shaking her head, "No, Logan, you don't get to do that. We all have flaws, I know what I'm getting into loving you, I know the Selection is more about finding a husband, I know that!" She grabbed my hand, entwining our fingers, "I've made bad decisions in my life, too, so don't you put it all on you. I made the decision to dig a knife into my thighs because the pain made me feel like my life was actually my own. I made the decision to run away from home. I made the decision to almost result to being a prostitute for survival. I made the decision to enter the Selection and I made the decision to let myself get close enough to you to love you. So you do not get to take all the blame because I made choices in there, too. I love you, Logan. It's probably the only thing I am certain of. The only thing I've ever been certain of."
"I-I-I-I just can't! I can't keep living like this, Elia! Worried that someone's going to take my throne in my weakest moments – or take the people I love. I'm sick of the memories of the gun in my hands haunting me, and Xavier getting shot – my grandfather growing older, one of my Selected murdered, my half brother almost killed, the castle healer murdered, my little brother thinking I have no time for him. I'm sick of playing it off like I have everything together and that you're not the only thing keeping me from falling apart," I gazed at her, my eyes brimming with unshed tears, "How did you do it, how did you stop the pain?"
She bit her lip and sat down beside me, outstretching her legs and resting my head in her lap, "I didn't, I still feel the pain of being controlled and then being out on the streets every day. It gets easier, in time, definitely not right away, but in time the pain wont be so unbearable, and when that time comes – I hope to have been by your side, helping you get through it all because no one here is giving up on you, no matter how crappy your life continues to get."
I let out a bitter chuckle and squeeze my eyes shut – to think this started off with me comforting her, but just in time to have someone new burst into my office.
"We have a serious problem," Bash announced.
…
Lord Sebastian
I froze, catching sight of Logan sprawled out on the floor and Elia beside him, both seemed pretty shaken and guilt suddenly gripped me and refused to let go. I regretted my words almost instantly but also knew that there was no one else I could turn to, no matter how much I wanted to relieve him of more pain. My half brother raised his head out of his lass' lap, "Logan," I spoke slowly, worry adding onto all the other negative emotions I'd been bottling up inside of me, "There's been a mistake."
He hoisted himself to his feet, "What do you mean 'there's been a mistake'?"
I winced recounting my relationship with Sawyer to him - and all events tied to it, "I love her, Lo, I can't let her die and I certainly won't let Jace take the fall for me."
Rage burned inside the very depths of his eyes. Rage and betrayal, "How did my father find out about your affair? Does Úna know?" He prodded.
I shook my head, "I think my mother told him, with the exception of replacing my name with Jace's."
His hands clenched at his sides and Elia reached out to him, trying to soothe him, "Your mother is the reason that everything bad that's happened to me these past few months has happened in the first place," he seethed, brushing his lass off, "We let her stay, we gave her a home here in Illea, and she swoops in and stabs us all in the back as soon as she gets the chance?" he clamped down on his lip, not even flinching as blood welled to the surface, "No. No way in hell am I letting her get away with that."
For some reason, panic flared inside me, "No, Logan – you can't, she's my mother!"
The crown prince froze, and even Elia seemed a little frightened, "Xavier was like family. Enzo only did what was asked of him. Lucille was simply born into the wrong family. Elia was targeted because of the feelings I have for her, must I go on?"
If there was one fact that I couldn't deny, it was that my mother had opened my home and my half family's home up to countless threats all for a fruitless reach at a throne I would never be able to have. Logan came from a Schreave bloodline, I came from a Reyes and Le Tourneau, neither royalty, neither rightfully the heir. I squeezed my eyes shut, and the guilt intensified, "Just please, save Sawyer and Jace."
Logan smiled, toothlessly and painfully, and grabbed a bottle of his grandfather's bourbon off the shelves, pouring the amber liquid into an old crystal glass, "A toast to my crappy life," he raised his cup, "It's a wonder I ever get a happy moment in these days," he downed the contents in one gulp and Elia winced – knowing that had to burn, but the prince made no inkling to any sort of physical discomfort, aside from the split lip.
I took a step closer, "Not to pry, I'm incredibly sorry for dragging you into this, but how do you intend to pardon both of the parties? It was broadcasted publically."
"It is my Selection, right?" He shrugged, reaching for the bottle of alcohol, but before he could grab it, Elia pushed it just out of his reach, shooting him a glare. He huffed, but none of his hostility redirected itself at her.
Scratching the nape of my neck, I tried to summon gratitude, but all that surfaced was more worry. Sawyer couldn't die. Jace shouldn't pay for my treason. I shouldn't have pulled Logan into this. This was between me and my father, but there wasn't really anything I could say, but the clock was ticking. Their executions were set for the next day, the Aralynn Knotley girl, Sawyer, and Jace – but I had a feeling that instead of Sawyer and Jace, my mother would lose her life. The thought somehow still pained me, no matter all the unforgivable things she'd done, I didn't know if I could ever hate her enough to wish her dead.
He sighed, pressing his palms against the wood surface of his desk, "Bash, we'll fix this. I'm not entirely sure how, but I feel it's pointless to punish someone for who they love," Elia rested her hand on his shoulder and it was the first time that I'd really processed that someone else was in the room, someone else knew about my relations with her fellow Selected.
I nodded, "You don't know how much this means to me, brother."
Raising his head for a brief second, he scowled at me, "I'm not doing this for you, you messed up big time – not that I can blame you, the heart wants what it wants after all. I happen to like Jace and Sawyer and would never wish such a fate on either of them, that doesn't mean I'm not still pissed with you," I tried to suppress a smile, I knew he would hate me for what I did, but at least he was helping me save the person I loved. "Listen, Bash, I have to go now if I want to also speak to Brooks like I promised I would – just, while I'm gone, don't tell anyone else about this," he walked up to me, and I realized that I was blocking the doorway, Logan turned to Elia – his anger dissipated for a moment and his eyes warmed, "I'll see you later, okay?" His Selected nodded, a weak smiling playing on her lips.
My eyes darted between the two and the negative emotions were replaced with this warmth that my half brother had finally found love again after Eveline.
…
Lady Sawyer
I couldn't believe this was happening. My brain completely shut off after I read that one name written on my card. My name. Someone had seen Bash and I together and either thought it was Jace or purposefully targeted him. The metal bench sent a chill through my legs despite the dress still adorning me. At least Bash was safe. At least one of us would make it through this.
I let myself romanticize that the son of the king would burst through the doors and carry me away, out of my prison cell with the other two set to be executed tomorrow. I shot a glance at Jace Westfall, he was sitting stock still upon the metal bench, unflinching, and I found words that I wasn't even sure I meant run out of my mouth, "We'll get you out of this Jace," I promised, "You aren't going to die because of faulty information," He said nothing, but looked at me for the first time all day, but then turned back around and avoiding me all over again.
Not that I could blame him, because of me he was going to be shot in the head – all of the good he's done for the country, all gone because of some scandal he didn't even participate in. I wondered if there was a girl he cared about, someone he would never see again if I couldn't find away to get him out. I was convicted for something I'd actually done, Jace – on the other hand was innocent and had saved countless lives while I mixed alcohols at work.
My mind drifted to the other four girls in the Selection, wondering what they thought right now – were they disgusted with me for falling for Logan's half brother? Would they grieve my death? Aaliyah, Elia, Scarlett, and Clare. Each of them had proved to be great people, great friends, and while some of us were closer then others, I'd been grateful to have met them. I'd come to terms with the fact that I broke the law, fully aware of what I was doing – naïve enough to believe I could get away with it. In the castle, prying eyes were everywhere, desperate to find some gossip that would get them noticed.
I snatched the thin sheet off the floor and bundled it up into a makeshift pillow and finally let myself drift off into sleep, knowing for a fact what the next day had in store for me, and for the first time since I'd entered the Selection, I wasn't afraid. I wasn't afraid of my feelings for Bash, or being caught. I wasn't afraid of dying; I wasn't afraid.
But despite all of that, I still held onto the glimmer of hope that I could hold Sebastian in my arms once more.
❂Of Truest Heart❂
The commotion snapped me out of my sleep, the sound of gates shutting, shuffling of feet. Jace flew up and Aralynn squeezed herself into a corner, trying to make herself invisible, as I simply lay staring at the ceiling. My cell door swung upon and a pair of rough hands gripped my arms. From the sounds of protest in the cell beside me, I was guessing Aralynn and Jace were experiencing the same treatment, but still – Jace never spoke a single word.
They dragged the three of us down long hallways, up stairs, and down more hallways. Aralynn had given up, she sagged, letting her body go limp and forcing the two guards carrying her to exert more effort to bring her to death's door. I walked along beside the guard, my bare feet chilled from the marble after they confiscated my necklace, earrings, headpiece, and heels, leaving me in just my dress and my hair falling out of the gorgeous up do my maids had crafted. Four words replayed over and over in my head, keeping me from falling apart. I knew I was going to die, I knew it, but not all of us could take it with such bravery as Jace Westfall.
I love you, Sebastian. I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you.
One final door opened and the sun flared right in my eyes, I squinted, and noticed Aralynn drop her head beside me. I stumbled out into the courtyard and a guard pushed me and my two companions to our knees. Raising my eyes, I searched for the love of my life in the crowd of people there to watch my end. When I found him, I also found his eyes also on me a glimmer of hope hidden in there somewhere. I smiled, sad and and loving, and waited. Waited for them to pull the trigger.
"Wait!" Queen Mila called out, emerging from a back room, two guards hauling Sebastian's mother behind her, "Under the request of Prince Logan Reyes, I hereby pardon Sawyer McAlister and Jace Westfall; however, I also am convicting Aretha Le Tourneau of treason, conspiring against the king, threatening the lives of my own daughter as well Lady Elia Starr and Lady Sawyer McAlister – and in the process injuring one of our officers, working beside the rebels, and providing false information to the king in which we almost killed the innocent Officer Jace Westfall. Her charge is death."
Bash hung his head, ashamed to so much as look at her mother, but despite that, I pulled Jace into a hug, relief coursing through my veins, and the four Selected came rushing over to me, pulling me away and back into the crowds where they all fawned over me in concern. Before anyone else could speak, two gunshots rang out, two bodies hit the pavement – the sound of bones and flesh slamming against the gravel marring my ears. And ignoring my better judgment, I glanced up to see Aralynn and Aretha's lifeless faces, each with holes in the middle of their skulls, each with blood running down their ashen features. The English lady's face still ruddy from her previous tears and the prisoner's still covered in scars.
Two bodies. Two deaths. Two convictions. Somehow I'd managed to stay alive. I didn't even realize the tears running down my face until Clare, Elia, Aaliyah, and Scarlett all pulled me into a warm embrace. Hushing me, whispering words of encouragement, of condolence. But all I could do was stare at the clouded eyes of the assailants finally put to death. I don't exactly remember being brought to my room one final time before I would return home to Tammins. I don't remember my maids drawing one final bath for me. I don't remember changing my clothes. I don't remember Bash entering my room.
What I do remember is his arms around me, his kisses on my cheeks, his cologne filling my nose, and one final question that would keep me with him, he whispered the words in my ears, and they aroused new tears, "Marry me," he pleaded, "Marry me, and let me love you for the rest of my life."
And most vividly, I remember saying yes.
HELLO LITTLE DUCKLINGS
This is chapter 50, sorry, it's like pretty depressing as Logan tries to recover from all the shit I put him through. But I did rectify the Jace/Sawyer situation and I hope the ending made you happy! I mean, Aretha's death probably pleased you, too, and maybe even Aralynn's (but I hope I at least made her somewhat likable to where it was still sad – I couldn't pardon everyone – especially when Aralynn killed Nala and tried to kill Bash)
So I don't have much else to say because I'm about to go out onto a boat and I need to hurry before my mom yells at me xD
Let me know what you thought!
Bye Lovelies!
~Hailey
