DG spent the next few days in agony. Left with only the hateful words she shared, she could only regret what had been said. She went through the motions of day to day life in the palace but everyone could see something was wrong. That first night after he left Azkadellia tried to pull her away from Cain's room, coaxing her into her own room. DG wouldn't budge and sat on the edge of Cain's bed, holding his hat tightly in her hands. She still couldn't believe he was actually gone. It wasn't like he'd be back at the end of the day and curl up with her in bed that night.
That night she curled up in his big bed and hugged his pillow close to her. Her tear ducts were about as stubborn as she was and refused to cry for her. She just lay there, taking in the scent of Cain, almost as if he was actually there. She hated him and she missed him all at the same time and it threw her into a spiral she was afraid she'd never get out of.
The days all seemed to run into each other to the point that DG didn't even bother keeping track. Eventually she made it out of Cain's room. She watched sadly as her sister closed the door tightly behind them, closing DG off from Cain's world. She even left the hat sitting on his desk. Walking down the hallway towards her room on the other side of the palace DG kept thinking that she was walking away from him. Azkadellia put her arm around DG and DG rested her head on her sister's shoulder. Once Azkadellia had her sister safely in DG's own room, she excused herself and made her way to her mother's room for a meeting with John and her mother.
"You really think it's safe to continue with the plans?" Azkadellia asked. She sat on the edge of her high back chair forgetting all about posture. She looked from her mother to John and then back again. John stood behind Azkadellia's mother with his hands clasped firmly behind his back. He knew what was right but he also was hired by the queen and what she said did matter the most.
"I think it's perfectly safe." The queen placed her hands on her lap and looked over at her daughter. "They are just having a lover's quarrel. You watch, he'll be back here within a few days completely upset about the whole ordeal." Azkadellia laughed.
"Apparently you've never met Wyatt Cain." Azkadellia sighed when her mother gave her a disapproving glance. "Fine, but if DG spontaneously combusts from the amount of stress on her body and heart, I will have no problem pointing fingers." She waggled her finger at her mother.
The trio was interrupted as the door flew open. The queen's nerves were already on edge and the sudden noise made her jump up in her seat, a hand flying to her heart. In a second her husband entered the room, followed by a group of military men.
"Good Gale, what is it?" The queen said as she started to rise. The men all bowed in her presence and she waved them up. "No time for that. What is wrong? Is it Cain?" She looked startled as she glanced over at Azkadellia. Azkadellia started to rise but her father's word caused her to sit back down.
"There have been some uprisings down in the southern lands. Stragglers who supported the witch still think they have control. We're going down there to get the problem fixed." His face was stern as he looked around the room. It softened as he noticed Azkadellia's face. She looked down sadly at her hands. She hadn't thought about it in a while ever since a majority of the problems were fixed.
"It's not your fault sweetheart." He looked back at his wife. "We're leaving now. That is if you give your blessing." He stared intently at her as she nodded.
"Of course I do. Is there anything I can do?" She asked. Her husband nodded quickly and pulled his wife up and into a hug. "You stay safe out there." She whispered. Her husband hugged her tighter.
"I will do my best." He took a step back and turned to Azkadellia. She stood up and gave him a hug. "Where's DG?" He said after they parted. He looked around the room frantically.
"Upstairs, sleeping." Azkadellia said as she pointed a finger up. Her father sighed and shook his head. "I'll tell you said good bye. I know she'll understand."
"Thank you." Ahamo looked around the room one last time, as if he was missing something. He patted his pockets and then shoo his head. "I have to go." He looked up at his wife and frowned. She gave him a supportive smile and her eyes told him to go. He backed away slowly, followed by his men. The queen watched with a heavy heart as her husband walked out of the room. It was at that moment that she knew exactly what DG was going through and it killed her to know her daughter was in that much pain. She looked somberly at her guests in her room and sat slowly back down on her chair.
"Where were we?" She said as everyone tried to regain composure.
"So he just left?" DG said from the large library desk. John and Azkadellia nodded. "Wow." It was all she could say. After a bored morning in her room, DG walked down the hall and into the library. She figured she'd find something to do in there.
"Man you should have been there DG. Father practically stormed and in told mother what he was doing." Azkadellia smiled a large smile and placed her hands on her hips. "He was all assertive and strong just like Cain. I mean I don't think I'd ever seen him that way before. So there's the second man to leave the palace in a week." She sighed. DG took a shaky breath and closed her eyes tightly. John looked at DG's face and took a step in.
"I think it's best if we focus on the wedd-"he stopped and bit his lip. Azkadellia shook her head. She thought she was bad. DG glared over at the two of them.
"Gee guys, you are the best. Really, bring on that support." DG rolled her eyes up and groaned. Where was a falling house when you needed it? She threw her hands on her face and groaned louder into the cupped parts. She pulled her hands back down and shook her head. "I'm fine." She looked from her sister to John. "Really."
"Ooooo kay." Azkadellia smiled, not too sure how to respond. She pointed over her shoulder. "I'm going to go. Do. Something." She nodded and turned around, nearly running out of the room. John kept his eyes on the door for a moment and then slowly turned back to DG.
"I'm sorry about this." He said after a moment. "I know this must be hard on you."
"You have no idea." DG stood and stretched high towards the ceiling. You would think a palace would have comfy chairs. She walked over to a notebook sitting on the edge of the table. "So what else needs to be done for this wedding that needs to be planned but probably won't happen?" She stopped and looked over at John with wide eyes. "Hey, I should have used that for the invites." John shook his head.
"Right, that would have been quite an announcement. But that reminds me, your invitations were sent out a week ago. Right now you have 12 messengers all throughout the kingdom passing out your invitation." He leaned on the edge of the desk, his arms crossed at his sides.
"Wonderful. I'm excited." She smiled a cheesy smile and then sat with a thump onto a nearby ottoman.
"I love how you went from mopey and sad to sarcastic and cynical in a matter of days." John said. DG shrugged as she leaned back, resting on her hands.
"It's a gift." John shook his head and smiled. "Will I be ok?" DG asked seriously. John looked over at her.
"I want to say yes and that the heart is a powerful mechanism that heals itself on its own, but a part of me thinks that something like that can only happen if you want it to. And right now, I don't think you want it to." He frowned. He walked over and knelt beside her. "I'm not saying this because I'm your wedding planner, but as what I hope is as a friend." DG looked down into his dark eyes.
"I think if you and Cain love each other as you say you do, then you'll not only be ok, you'll be married. Cain would be an idiot to let something this stupid prevent him from getting married." He patted her shoulder. DG nodded and
Azkadellia knocked on DG's door as she walked into her sister's room. DG sat on her bed, surrounded by books and drawings of everything from cakes to dresses. DG really did not have the mind frame to handle any of this, but she did it anyway to appease everyone. DG looked up at her sister and tried to smile.
"Maybe you should take a break. You know clear your head a little bit." Azkadellia nodded. DG looked around her at the materials spread out. She still had so much that needed to be done. She looked up at her sister with sad eyes.
"I found my dress." DG said softly. She handed over a sketch of a simple white dress over to her sister. "John just left to give the dress maker my measurements." She watched as her sister scanned the dress with her eyes. Azkadellia looked over the top of the page towards her sister, her eyes rimmed with tears.
"It's perfect." She smiled. DG nodded somberly and closed the book that sat in her lap. She let out a small sigh and took the drawing back from her sister and looked down sadly. Her face filled with sadness and Azkadellia raised her eyes in hope. "He'll be back Deeg. You can't lose hope. You'll see, he'll be back any day now."
"Thanks mother." DG said in a mocking tone. Azkadellia knew she deserved it after she offered her such false hope. Who knew when or even if Cain would return? He was just as stubborn and pigheaded as DG was. DG sat the drawing down and looked back over towards her sister. "What reason do I have for the pleasure of your company?" DG asked. Azkadellia walked over and sat on the edge of the bed after she moved over a stack of books.
"Yeah, about that. Um, mother and I are leaving tomorrow morning." Azkadellia held her breath and waited for DG's reaction.
"So you're leaving me too? First Cain, then dad and now you too? What is wrong with all of you?" She crossed her arms tightly as her mouth gaped open. Azkadellia reached over and pushed her sister's chin up so her mouth closed.
"We'll be back the next evening. We just have to go into Central City for a few things for the wedding. All the messengers are out delivering invitations and mother wants to see how the progress on project "Clean up City" is going." Azkadellia pursed her lips together. "Raw and Glitch will be here for you. It's not like anything is going to happen. Just think of it as a vacation away from the family." Azkadellia shrugged. DG rolled her eyes.
"Nothing will happen, right. How many times has that been said?" She looked over at her sister and tried to smile. "I'm going to miss you. Mother's timing is quite impeccable." DG sighed. Azkadellia grinned from ear to ear.
"That's what she said about you around the time she announced she was expecting." Azkadellia ducked as her sister flung an oversized pillow in her direction.
The sky rumbled in the distance as DG stood outside hugging her mother and sister. Raw and Glitch stood close behind her, carefully watching out for her.
"I really would feel better if you had more guards." Her mother worried. DG smiled.
"I'll be fine. Fort Knox doesn't even have our security mother. Besides, I have Glitch and Raw to look out for me." The queen looked over her daughter's shoulder and watched as Glitch moved his zipper back and forth as he imitated the sound. She glanced back at her daughter.
"Why do I not find that statement comforting?" DG smiled again as she hugged her mother tightly. "Be strong. It will all work out." Her mother whispered in her daughter's ear. DG nodded as her mother pulled away. DG watched as she made her way to the car and then side glanced over towards her sister.
"We'll be back tomorrow afternoon.
"If you see him-" DG started. Azkadellia nodded and brought a finger up to the side of her nose. DG nodded and took a deep breath. Azkadellia turned and headed towards the car. John held the door open for the young woman and helped her safely into the car. He shut the door firmly behind her after he knew she was in. John turned to DG and smiled.
"If there was anyway I could, I would." He told her. DG nodded, fully understanding the situation. "We'll be back soon." She watched as he walked to the opposite side of the car, getting into the passenger side. After a quick wave he ducked into the car just as the rain started to fall. DG looked up towards the clouds and covered her head with her hands. Dreary weather always felt ominous to DG. Now, as she stood by herself in the rain, she felt the true sadness she'd been holding back for so many days. She turned her back to the moving car. She looked up at Raw and Glitch and her eyes started to pour like the skies above her.
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