A/N: Hello readers, so here we are at chapter 5 of Turning Pages. So to those of you who have been reading thus far it means a lot and I'd just like to say thank you. So prepare yourself for an epic ride into the NeverNever in this next chapter of Turning Pages. Enjoy!
I smiled and tried to act happily in love with the Prince of Summer. But my smiles were insincere and I only thought of Vincent and how desperately I wanted to explain everything to him. When the crowd died down I took a deep breath and looked to where Vincent was once standing but he wasn't there. I looked frantically around the room for him but I couldn't find him. I started to walk away but an arm pulled me back. I turned to see Aaron smiling back at me. "I'm right here Princess no need to search around for me." I stare at him in disbelief.
He actually thinks I'm happy about this. I cross my arms over my chest and say "I regret to tell you Aaron but I am not amused by your little surprise."
His smile fades slightly and he says "Well I liked it. I found out about it this morning and I was so excited," he pulls me close and whispers in my ear "I finally get to have you to myself." He kisses my cheek and I would have pulled away in repulsion but I had to pretend until Elysium was over. I pushed away from him and walked to the far corner of the ballroom where no one would see me but of course Prince Charming had to follow me. I saw a few Fey smiling and whispering to each other. I hate how they think this is all real. They think I actually love him when in reality the guy that I love is nowhere to be found. I lean against the wall and Aaron being much taller than I am stands over me with one arm over my head and the other around my waist. "Why do you have to be so close?" I say letting the agitation slip into my voice.
He tilts my chin up to him and says "I'm your fiancé now; I can have you as close as I feel like."
"And what if I object?" I say trying to push him away. He only holds me closer and says "You won't" He brings me closer to him and puts his lips to mine. He to kisses me passionately and will admit he is a good kisser but being with him feels so wrong. I push him away and stare at him with wide eyes.
"What's wrong Princess?" he says lingering close to me. I'd hate to tell him about Vincent. I don't trust him with that secret. I think he might actually want to go through with the engagement. I also don't want him running to tell Mab about it. "I…I um… have to go." I walk away and try to stop the fast beating of my heart. I walk away from him as fast as I can. I feel dirty and I can't shake the feeling off of me. I decide the best way is to leave this party all together. "Where do you think you're going Page?" says the Queen of the Unseelie court. "It is very uncharacteristic of you to leave a party so soon, especially one that is so important." I look nothing like my mother. She is of average height with a great figure and hair as black as night. Her eyes they complement her hair and are as dark and as cold as I'm know she is. I am short with dark skin a chubby build. I guess I look like the father I never met. The sight of her brings me back to the problem I now have to fight.
I stare at the Queen and letting my anger slip say, "I wonder how you would know what is or isn't characteristic of me, mother."
"You are my daughter." She says simply. I see that she is trying to be nice but her eyes tell me that she is offering a challenge. I accept and continue to look her in the eye. She won't win.
"Yeah and you certainly do act like my mother." I say sarcastically.
"I try. Did you enjoy our little surprise?" she says smiling like she's won something. I should tell her what I really think. I wonder how you would like it mother if you found out about him. I hold my tongue and say, "I'll just say I was very surprised."
"I didn't ask if you were surprised daughter," she says a with a hardness in her tone but then it goes away as she says "But fine I'll take that answer but the next time I ask I'd like to get what I asked for." she says as walks away to enjoy the rest of the gathering her long silver dress billowing beautifully behind her. I watch her for a moment as she smiles, a fake smile I'm sure, and entertain the other Fey present. Its then that I see how I am her daughter because we both know how to put on a mask for others. I smile to myself. My encounters with my mother are very few but always amusing. I walk out of the castle and find my way to the garden. In the past few weeks leading up to Elysium Vincent and I have become closer and he trusts me. He told me the password and I smile at the memory as I whisper the words to open up the pathway. I walk farther into the garden hoping that I may find him somewhere. After a while I find him in the spot where we first connected. I return to the place where he saved me from an awful laughing fit that easily could have turned disastrous. He sits there looking off into space and I don't think he has even recognized my presence.
"I can explain," I begin.
"Did you know about tonight Page?" he asks quietly.
"No I didn't. No one even told me. I found out at the same time you did." I say so quickly I don't even know if he caught every word.
He sighs and says "Is there another way out?"
"If there were she wouldn't take it, she has never cared about what I wanted."
"Then we should run." He says.
"If we could but we can't." I say defeated.
"And why not? Page had you asked first I would follow you anywhere." He says sounding hurt.
"I know it may look like she doesn't watch me but she does and she would notice if I left and never came back then before you know it soldiers would be dragging me back there and you would be another ice statue in her garden. I would much prefer that you stay the way you are now." I say desperately.
"Then what should we do?" he says frustration building in his voice.
"I don't know but I can't just leave. This is why I turned you down the first time. Being with someone only makes my life complicated." I say walking away.
He pulls me back and says "So what, do you regret being with me now? Things get a little difficult and suddenly you want out." Vincent says staring at me in disbelief.
"I don't regret anything Vincent. I love you but I don't know how we can make it out of this one." I say hoping he will see this from my eyes.
He eyes go wide and I realize that my words have caused as much pain as a knife through the chest. "You love me. If that is true then your love is so short and fleeting I mean if you can't even fight for me way I would fight for you. You would rather forget me; why not fight for us and everything that we have become thus far. You love me Page. Ha! Obviously not, since you're willing to give me up so easily, if that is the case then forget me. Forget us, which should be easy for you Page since our love isn't worth anything to you." He says as he storms away from me into the maze.
"Vincent! That's not what I mean, come back. Vincent!" I yell trying to catch up to him. He moves too fast and I lose him. That is what my life seems to be. I find someone and then through some fault of my own or of Fate's, whichever I never find out, the ones I love slip from my fingers and I am left with only myself. But I am lonely by myself and now that I have found such wondrous love in Vincent I can't let that go now. He's right I give up too easily. I should have fought for him. But the battle has yet to begin. I can still win this I just have to find another way out. If I lose I lose Vincent and that is the same as losing everything. I have to fight. So I have to take on this situation as I would any good battle and the key to winning a good battle is to have an ally. I want to find Vincent but I think it would be a better idea to just let him cool off for a while. I walk out of the garden and make my way back to the castle.
As I walk up to the doors I see Aaron standing there waiting. He of course is the last person I wanted to see. "It's not very polite to keep your fiancé waiting like this. How rude of you Princess to just leave without even telling me first I mean if I was going to escape somewhere I most definitely would have taken you with me." he says winking at me. I hate his guts even more now. I wish the Queen would turn him into a statue. Unfortunately I need and ally and I'm hoping he doesn't want to go through with this. I mean it's the 21st century who does arranged marriages anymore? He seems like a romantic to me so he may want to find love. I just hope he doesn't want to find it with me. "I don't remember needing you permission to go anywhere and it's not like you need me here." "Maybe not but it looks bad that I don't know where you are. Everyone was asking and I hadn't a clue. You made me look like a fool. Either way I would greatly appreciate it if you would fill me in when you decide to go off" he says his tone growing serious. I looked suspiciously at him. It's strange how he was once a charming Prince and now he is a serious prison guard. I must remember to watch out for that.
He gains his boyish grin back and says "In any case, I was sent to go and look for you but according to the staff here you have been known to roam the woods here and you could be anywhere really so I thought I would just wait for you to return."
"I see that. Well I'm glad you're so concerned about me but I don't need a babysitter." I try to push past him into the castle but he stops me and holds me close.
"I don't mean to babysit you Princess I simply mean to watch after you," he says making and innocent face. "After all we will be together soon." He leans in for a kiss like he did before and I turn my head so all he gets is my cheek. But as I turn around I see Vincent standing there in the snow frozen in place. I try to see the situation from his eyes. He and I just had out first argument, he doesn't think I love him even though I have told him that I do and I can't lie to him, he thinks I don't want to be with him anymore and that I regret the whole relationship and on top of all the hurt I have put him through he find me in the arms of another guy. Page you have outdone yourself in mistakes today. I see the hurt in his eyes but they turn to ice quickly as he looks me in the eye one more time and turns away. I push away from Aaron and say "Listen, you can't possibly want to marry me I obviously have no interest in you and our personalities don't match besides we barely know each other and no one can base a marriage on that." I say trying to get him to see things my way.
He laughs and says "Page I've been alive a long time and I know how these things work. I know you care very little for me now but soon you may just change your mind about me. That is why I will be staying here in Tir Na Nog for a while so we can get to know each other. They were going to have you come to the Summer Court with me but I insisted on letting you stay here you know since it's more comfortable for you," he smiles at me. My heart sinks. If he is here then I have even less chances to make up with Vincent and stage a plan to fix this whole mess. He will take up the majority if not all of my time. He will want to do all kinds of romantic things that are going to make me hurl and they will all be public. My poor Vincent will be at them and he will think more and more about what I said to him and make it that much harder for me to apologize. Well then I must find him tonight. I must make it up to him before everything goes crazy. "Princess?" Aaron says bringing me back to reality.
I stare at him and say "Yes I'm glad that you are thinking of me in this situation but I really have to go Aaron perhaps some other time we can talk about this more." I say walking out of his arms and running through all the places Vincent might be. They flash through my head at the speed of light and before I know it the most likely place is there. "Princess you must tell me where you are going?" Aaron whines. "I'm going away. That's all you need to know." I say growing irritated with him.
"Well if you won't tell me then I must accompany you." He say following after me. I stop and turn to him. I wish he wasn't so tall then I wouldn't have to look up at him all the time. "Listen Aaron if you really want to be with me you have to learn that I need my space and that means no Aaron at certain times of the day," I say as I turn him around and try to push him back towards the castle.
He turns around and holds my wrist close to him. "I don't have much time to get to know you as it is Princess I would much prefer it if you would spends at least a little of your time with me," he says giving me his best puppy dog eyes. I can't even count how many female Fey have probably fallen for this trick.
"How much time do we have together before the wedding Aaron?" I ask.
He stares at me for a moment and says defiantly, "No I'm not telling you until you spend time with me." I sigh in defeat until an idea strikes me. I can use Aaron after all. He will be my ally without even knowing it. Aaron wants a Princess who love him and shower him with affection and since that is what he wants that is what he shall get. In return I shall get information. I smile say "Aaron don't be unfair you want to spend time with me fine, we can spend time together," I take his hand and lead him away. "But you have to hold to your end of the bargain as well. I want you to tell me how much time we have. That way I can anxiously count the days," I say kissing his cheek. He is so desperate for me he doesn't even question my change is tone. He just nods vigorously. I smile and think of easy this will all be. Aaron is like a dog if I pet him for a while he will do whatever I ask. He smiles back at me and we take a walk through the ice covered forest. I can't say that I completely hate his company but I don't really enjoy it either. To make myself feel better I try to believe that in part it is his fault for my argument with Vincent and for the tension that not exists between us. But when I think about the truth of the matter it's all my fault and I just want to fix it. I've gotten to be very good at multitasking. I think of Vincent and strategize a plan for him and me while being sweet and romantic to Aaron. I have a hard job but it is one that I must complete. Aaron is an interesting individual. He reminds me of a small child in the way that he thinks. He is intelligent but when we talk it is about such useless things. I grow bored of him quickly and start to count the minutes I have left until I can run, no…sprint to see Vincent. "Princess?" he says bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Yes Aaron." I say trying to remember the last thing he said.
"Are you listening to me?" He asks accusingly.
"Yes" I say just remembering the answer to the question I know he will ask. "What was the last thing I said?" he says stopping. I stop and say "You were telling me about a summer jester who played a nasty trick on you. By the way I personally find it a bit amusing myself" I say laughing a little.
"Fine, but I didn't find it funny" he says laughing with me. "Tell me about you now." I sigh because I was so hoping he wouldn't ask about me. I can't think of things to say and count the minute as well as think of things to tell Vincent when I see him. I really don't want to participate in conversation with him as well. I guess it was bound to happen at some point so I think of meaningless things to tell him. I tell him about my brothers and what being in Winter is like. I get a little into my love of reading simply because I could talk about it a long time without ever changing the subject.
"Wow where do you find the time or patience for reading?" he says sounding astonished.
"Time is easy to find and reading doesn't require patience. I love it so I spend as much time as I can with a comfy chair and good book. Books take you places without taking you anywhere at the same time. It's wonderful. For humans it's the closest thing we get to real magic."
"I couldn't do anything like that. I find the whole reading thing kind of boring." It takes everything I have not to freeze him where he stands. First he insults my relationship by existing and therefore being the reason for this forced marriage and now he insults my first love before Vincent. I have had enough. "Aaron it's getting late I have to go back to the castle" I say as sweetly as possible.
"Sure Page." He says taking my hand and leading me back. I hate my name after he says it. I don't how I am going to handle being with him but I must do it so that I can find a way out and I need to know what the royals are thinking to do that. He will be my little spy. He walks me to room and before I go in I say, "Aaron we hung out now will you tell me when the wedding is?" He smiles and says "Yes, I almost forgot our deal. I honestly don't know the exact date but they have told me that it is soon." If I could punch him and get away with it I would. I was nice for nothing. He may not be useless to me after all though. "Is there a way you could find out for me darling. It would make me so happy to know." I say giving him my best smile. He nods and says "Yes I definitely can find out for you."
"Fantastic!" I say as I kiss his cheek. "Good night Aaron"
"Good night Page" he says his eyes growing wide with surprise. I walk inside me room, lean against the door and sigh. I had to give him something to make sure that he does what I want. Being with Aaron is like training a dog. I just have to love him a little and he will be loyal forever but in order to train him to fetch things for me I must give him a treat once in a while. However I'm not enjoying the process it must be done. I plop down on my bed and think to myself. Vincent where are you?
I wake up the next morning fully prepared to find Vincent and explain everything to him. I just have to find him first. I decide that I should dress similarly to last time I had to apologize to him. I take a long shower, do my make-up and look through my vast collection of dresses. I pick a sleeveless dark blue colored dress with a silver belt around the waist and a lot ruching in the skirt and I grab a blue crop jacket to finish the outfit. I curl my hair and look at myself once in the mirror. I sigh and think I'm ready to go. I go to the library first but he isn't there. Then I go to the garden but I couldn't find him. Then I visit the glade where he taught me more about using my Glamour and I find him there. I just watch him for a minute. He has a flower in his hand. It's the rose much like the one I tried to freeze when Ash was teaching me. I have yet to freeze anything which disappoints me. I wonder how Vincent got one. I can tell he is trying to figure out whether or not to keep it alive. It's so pretty I hope he does. He looks at home in the glade. There is nothing but forest and snow surrounding him. He is wearing silver today but as he lies in the snow with one hand behind his head and the other holding the flower above him, he seems at one with everything. I watch him for a little while not wanting to disturb him. If I was arranged to marry him I wouldn't mind at all. But unfortunately Fate once again deals me a bad hand in life. He sits up and stretches then turns in my direction and I hide behind a tree. "Who's there?" he calls out walking in my direction. I wanted to talk to him but suddenly everything I was going say can't escape my mouth. Funny how once again he leaves me at a loss for words. He walks in my direction and then stops. He waits for a moment and walks back to where he was sitting. I peak around the tree as I see him smile and run away. I run to the spot where he was standing see he left the rose behind. I pick it up and put it behind my ear. He is challenging me. I accept it. I run after him to the next place I think he would be. It is hard to run in my dress but I chase him nonetheless. I see that he is heading towards a fountain. There is no water flowing from it. The water has frozen over and now just sits in place a clear monument to what might have been a beautiful water show. There is the snow everywhere and I sit on the fountains edge. Vincent and I came here to get away once. We talked endlessly and I didn't get back to the castle until late. He also tried to teach me to dance here. I remember laughing and apologizing immensely for constantly stepping on his toes but he didn't care because he just wanted to be with me. I remember when it was getting late that we sat together and I dozed off to the sound of him reading to me. The memory brings a smile to my face. I stand and walk around the fountain. I see another set of foot tracks and I follow those through a maze to the very center. We had never been here together. I walk around and see him standing in a corner waiting for me. "You aren't very good at hiding Princess." He says not looking at me.
"I will have to work on that." I say awkwardly.
"Yeah I'm kind of glad now that I didn't run away with you. We would always be hiding and with you it would be just my luck to get caught." He says bitterly. I see my words still sting him. "Vincent I just wanted to say…"he holds his hand up and stops me.
"Don't apologize to me. I just wish you would make up your mind and stop playing with me. You make me think you love me one minute and then you turn around and tell me you don't then you apologize and come back to me. Pick a side. Do you love me or don't you?" he says frustrated. I stare at him in disbelief. I am angry at him for insinuating that my love isn't real. I should just let it go but I can't I have to settle this right here and now.
"Vincent I have never stopped loving you. Never, ever. You mean the world to me and I would do anything for you…"
"Why won't you run away with me?" he interrupts.
"Because I rather face my problems than run from them. I just need time to get a plan together. Before you interrupted me I was trying to tell you that I love you. I was just upset because I didn't know what to do. I don't want to give you up it's just that I feel like I might have to since the odds are so obviously stacked against us. I want you to be with me." I say.
"You didn't seem to be worrying about me when you were in his arms. I saw you with him. You're with him just like you're with me. You laugh at him and hold his hand. Princess you practically flirt with him." He says crossing his arm over his chest.
I roll my eyes and say "You can't possibly be jealous of him. I only act that way with him because that is what is expected of me. I have to act like I love him but my heart is yours."
"I saw you two together, Princess! I trusted you and you're a liar!" he yells.
I gasp and yell right back at him, "I was using him! It was an act! I can't lie to you remember, you can trust me and dammit call me by name Vincent!" We stand there in silence for a moment. We just stare at each other him looking like a deer in the headlights and me taking a deep breath after I just yelled at him for the first time. There is silence for a moment. I feel bad for yelling at him but it needed to be done. I just can't lose him to everything right now. So we stand there in perfect silence. "I'm sorry Page." He says breaking the quiet. "I shouldn't have doubted you. I was jealous and I freaked out because I didn't want to lose you to him. I love you." "I love you too. I should have told you everything but I couldn't get him away from me long enough. I shouldn't have said what I said in the garden and I should have come to you sooner and…" I can't finish because his lips are on mine. He brings me close to him and kisses me softly. I kiss him back graciously. I don't like him being upset with me but I feel like in the next few weeks we may be angry with each other a lot. We pull apart but he still holds me. "I agree you talk too much." He smiles and kisses my cheek. I laugh wholeheartedly. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now that he and I are together we can do anything. "Now, I take it that you don't have a plan," he says smiling at me. I love his smile. It fills my heart with warmth. I nod and smile back. "Well," he says taking my hand and walking with me through the maze. "What have you gotten from him so far?"
"Nothing much, he's turning out to be pretty useless. I'm getting him to find out when we are supposed to be married. At least then we know how much time we have," I say. I hate to think of what it would be like to be with Aaron mostly because that means I wouldn't get to have Vincent. "We have a whole forever Page. I know because I'm not going to let you go through with this engagement. I can't" he says with determination in his eyes. I smile and say, "Trust me I have no intention of marrying him either. I spent yesterday with him and he's so boring. I mean he hates reading. Who in their right mind hates reading? It's the best hobby in the world." Vincent laughs and kisses my cheek. "You're so cute Page. I agree with you though. I don't know where I would be without books and…poetry," he says staring at me a little longer. I look away smiling and say "Yeah poetry is my new favorite writing form." We continue walking not even talking about our plans anymore but rather just enjoying each other's company. I laugh, smile, joke and I do all the thing that happy people do once more and it feels good because everything I do with him makes me happy. It only hardens my resolve to make everything better. To finally have my happily ever after.
A/N: Hey people sorry I haven't updated in a long, long, long, long, long, long, time but I have a good reason. I have been in school and I have to maintain my straight A's and I also started working with the crew for my school's production of West Side Story and those things take up a lot of my time. So expect more short chapters and long waits for updates. I promise when I get my spring break I will update but that isn't for another few weeks so….I don't know what else to say about that. I do thank you for sticking around to read this long and I hope you continue to see what else I have in store for Page and Vincent. I promise my next chapter will be longer but I just had to update so I wouldn't lose you guys. Anywho, if you have in suggestions for the story or comments or questions or whatever you have to say or think you can review or message me. I thank those of you who have reviewed already it means a lot to know you like my writing. So keep reading. Thanks from Maria and Page.