Oh, she shouldn't have run off on him like that. He'd said something to her just as she had, but her screaming thoughts had overpowered it. She didn't remember and it was driving Azkadellia insane. Something… something… It could've been anything. She should not have run off because she wasn't running away from him, she was running from herself.
It was the phrase she'd spoken that sent the sudden surge of fear through her before everything went wrong. That one phrase about the perfect day was one of the few she'd spoken before the witch… It brought about bad memories that she didn't want to remember, but couldn't help herself remembering anyway. Everything from that one day from the little girl illusion, crying alone in a cave filled with mobats to the immense hatred for her sister and her mother that the witch felt inside her head at the sight of them together spun together for a fraction of a second; enough to make Az frantic. She'd also thought Jeb would want to kill her, again. Why did she keep thinking that? She couldn't help herself with that one either. Jeb felt so right when he hugged and kissed her, but a soft, nagging voice at the back of her mind persistently told her that he was only getting close to hurt her.
"God damn it," she swore aloud, causing her guard to glance over at her curiously. "Sorry, just thinking. Don't mind me, Johnson." The guard nodded, going back to staring out the window and Az diverted her thoughts to him instead. She'd always wondered what exactly it was guards did, standing around all day. What went through their minds? Maybe it was a story for another day…
Getting up from her seat in the library, Az decided that it was time to hide away in her room again. She didn't want to run into anyone, least of all her bouncing little sister, DG, who was always curious about everything, which seemed to include Az's love life more and more. As much as she loved spending time and sharing thoughts with DG, not today…
In the back of her mind, she knew she'd have to find him eventually and apologize.
---
DG found her sister in her room several hours later. She strolled into the room, carrying a large, freshly baked apple pie in her hands, followed by a furry dog who's eyes never left the pie.
"Heya, sister-o-mine," DG exclaimed, setting the pie down on the bed and giving the dog a stern glance before settling down against Az's footboard and staring at her.
"Hello DG."
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much… I'm just finishing up this book." Az shrugged, putting it down next to her. When DG came to visit, DG stayed until her guards forcefully removed her or Wyatt Cain showed up to steal her away. Seeing the younger princess slung over the shoulder of the Cain, often kicking and protesting fervently, was not an uncommon sight at the palace these days. Scandalous, the people said. Hilarious, the family called it.
"You're always reading Az!" And you never are, DG. They had several classes together. Where Az sat quietly, doodling little pictures and listening to Tutor, DG often either fell asleep or fidgeted up a storm. "I brought you a pie." Then, DG leaned over and picked up the furry dog to plop it on the bed as well. "And this is Francis. He's the cook's dog and he's here to tell you so much reading is going to ruin your brain."
"Oh DG," Az sighed, glancing toward the pie wistfully. "What else is there to do?"
"Mmm… Many things? You could explore the palace with me, bother dad, watch the men practice – let me tell you, they're pretty good with their hands," DG paused to wink and giggle at her sister. She would never consider seriously looking at another man besides Wyatt, but she loved her little jokes. Az nodded and smiled for her. "You could go riding. You could hang out with that boyfriend of yours." DG dragged the last word, looking toward Az expectantly. "You know, Jeb?"
"Deege, don't call him that. It's a little odd anyway, kissing him and thinking of you kissing his dad. We're sisters… that's a pretty big age difference there," Az pointed out, wondering if she should be looking at the old, old nobles that came to visit the palace instead. The idea of kissing one of them forced a laugh out of her.
"Age-shmage," DG proclaimed, crossing her arms. "If you go into that Wyatt-is-way-too-old-for-you nonsense, I will hit you with this pie." She picked it up and acted as threatening as she possibly could without breaking out into giggles.
"Not the pie!" Az put on a tragic, terrified face, the laughter all too obvious in her eyes. "Anything but the pie! Have you no mercy?"
"Watch it, missy, or the pie gets it."
Both little princesses burst out laughing and the pie survived.
How long had it even been since Az had this kind of fun with DG? They were always in class or busy or with their personal Cain-men… It seemed like it had been forever and a half ago that they just sat around and laughed together, but it was natural.
Just like kissing Jeb; natural.
Az liked it.
"So. So. So. Tell me about Jeb," DG finally announced after taking a deep, calming breath.
"There isn't much to tell." Az clearly attempted to shrug the question off; a wrong turn when it came to her sister.
"Do you loooveee him?"
"I… I don't know. He's maybe the greatest thing I could have… I mean besides you guys." Family first? "It just seems like it should feel so wrong but it feels so right… That and I keep thinking he's going to turn and kill me. It's that odd little voice in the back of my head… You know?" DG frowned at her as Az spoke, picking at the pie with a fork she found in one of her pockets.
"Nope. I'm not the one hearing voices… sure you don't need to see a medic? Or Raw? He's quite good in the hearing voices department…"
"Yes. I'm fine. You could say I'm a little too in-tune to my subconscious, with all the time I spent in there."
DG made a face, pulling out a large piece of apple and chewing on it thoughtfully. Francis whined at the pie, promptly getting a piece for himself as Az tangled her fingers in his long fur.
"But it also feels so right. Like… he's perfect, absolutely perfect," Az sighed, glancing toward the window.
"Oi, if you were more confusing…" DG wasn't even sure how to finish that sentence. "See now, with Wyatt, it just hit me in the head one day and hey, there I was, in love with him."
"That's because you fell down the stairs and hit your head, Deege. He was the first thing you saw, and you told him you loved him." Az stuck out her head. Maybe she should find some stairs to fall down while Jeb was nearby…
"And then he spent a while blaming medicine for my sudden hormones… but no, silly man. Here we are, getting married now."
"It's easier for you. Wyatt isn't supposed to want to kill you."
"Jeb doesn't want to kill you. I don't think he ever did," DG proclaimed, frowning. "He wanted to kill her, and there's a huge difference Az. Seriously."
"Yeah. He says that too."
"Mmkay, I'm dropping this one and leaving it now… You do what you want, but don't you sit here all day and avoid the poor kid. If he goes to me again, I'm pulling out a pair of handcuffs and attaching you two at the ankle."
"Deege, be serious. How did you know you loved Wyatt?"
"I told you, I hit my head."
"No, I mean really…"
"I don't know. It hit me and I just knew… You know, everything feels right… perfect, almost…" DG's voice lowered and her eyes widened as exactly what her sister was thinking reached her. "You love him! You do!"
"I don't know, Deege. Don't say anything to him."
"You're kidding. Of course I won't, that's something you need to tell him. Like. Soon. Now."
"No, no, he's on duty… He doesn't need a heart attack."
"Soon, Azzy, soon. Seriously. Wow. You love him!" The younger princess clapped her hands excitedly before turning to the pie and sticking a fork into it. "Have some pie, you're all skin and bones. You need to look good in a wedding dress."
Az stuck her tongue out at her sister but reached for the fork.
"Guess I might…"
Author's Note: This one's kind of short, isn't it?
I'm just not quite ready for everything that happens in Chapter 12 yet.
Glad you guys haven't forgotten me yet :D
The next chapter will be longer, I promise. :]