Chapter 29_No more tears

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"Hey, wake up," I heard a deep masculine voice, I felt a hand on my face, gently rubbing my cheeks. My eyes fluttered open and at first, I saw a blur then after some blink...

"It... It can't be." I said sitting upright.

"Xavier ?!!"I called in shock. I grabbed his hand that was on my face and squeezed it slightly.

"It's really you," I said and tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Hmm, it's me."He said with a smile on his lips.

"How, how did you get here... What are you doing here?"I asked looking around, it was late so no one was around. I wondered how or when I fell asleep here after cleaning the pile of poop the fat which ordered me to clean. I couldn't even remember falling asleep, maybe it was just exhaustion.

But all that didn't matter now, Xavier was here, right here in my arms.

"I couldn't find you in Cranes kingdom, I can't believe my father sold you. Well, he forgot to know that anywhere you go... I'll follow." He said in the sweetest voice she had ever heard.

I burst out in tears and embraced him, not having the intention of letting him go again, I missed him so much and I couldn't believe he came all the way here for me.

"It's okay my love, I'm here now," Xavier said, comforting me as he patted my head and kissed me on my forehead. We walked hand in hand around the dark castle, it was strange how there were no slaves or soldiers. It looked as if Xavier and I were the only ones around.

" Where is everyone? " I asked.

"That's not important right now, what matters is that you get to eat, you look so thin." He said and led me to the Stones kingdom's garden, there was food placed like a picnic set up underneath the full moonlight as the cool wind caressed my skin. we sat on the soft grass-like rug and I felt his hands on my hair.

"What happened to your hair?" He asked with a deep frown and I was reminded of how he loved playing with my hair, back then he would sniff and inhale my hair or play with them also giving me a title because of my blood-red hair and whenever I packed it he would release it saying the word 'I like your hair down, I turned my gaze away from him and to the moon, tears brimmed in my eyes and I bit my lips to suppress the urge to sob, I didn't want him worrying about me so I hugged my knees.

"Xavier, please take me away from here. I don't want to be here. Please."I cried.

"Hush my love, don't cry," He said dragging me into his embrace, I gazed up at him, and I saw tears in his eyes also.

"I was always useless, I couldn't do anything before and I can't do anything now, Forgive me, my love." He said and my heart tugged, my hands subconsciously traveled to his face and I wiped the remnants of tears with my thumbs.

"No more tears," I said forcing a smile, he leaned in closer and my heartbeat thumped in its ribcage, I closed my eyes expecting it, the lips I wanted to kiss when his lips were just an inch away and... "Athena wake up," I heard Rose voice and my eyes flew open.

"Rose, Belle?" I called seating upright.

"How could you just fall asleep here?" Belle asked.

"Where's Xavier?" I found myself asking despite already knowing the answer but I wasn't going to believe it just yet. I looked around in hope and stood up to check behind the tree I lay on.

"Who's Xavier?" Belle asked.

"Xavier, what do you mean? Xavier is not here." Rose answered and I shook my head in denial, I tugged at my hair and crouched to the ground.

"No, no, He... Xavier was right here. I saw him, I touched him," I said as tears brimmed in my eyes.

"It was all a dream Athens, Xavier is not here," Rose said.

"I saw him, we talked... Xavier, I felt him, Rose, he was right here, it can't be a dream, it's not a fucking dream !!" I cursed.

Rose crept down and embraced me while I sobbed. Why was the universe playing tricks on me, it was too much and I can't take it anymore, if it continues like this... It might break me.

"It's Late Athena, Belle could you help me?" Rose asked and Belle came over to support Rose so they could both help me get back to our room.

They took me back to the room and Rose went out with Belle to walk her back to her room.

"Who's Xavier?" she asked.

"He was Athena's lover, he was courting her, he is a prince at the Cranes empire," Rose said, and Belle's jaw fell open.

"A prince?" She asked and Rose nodded.

"But a prince is only meant to associate himself with a princess, how did he get involved with Athena?" She asked.

"It started Six years ago, although they were foes at first then it bloomed into something magical," Rose said with a slight smile, but her eyes held a glint of sadness.

"What happened to him, did he die?" Belle asked.

"Heavens, no!" Rose rebuked. "He had to leave, and it's been months since he left, then we were sold here." She replied.

"Leaving your sister... heartbroken," Belle said in understanding.

"It's been a while since I saw her smile genuinely," Rose said with a sigh when they arrived at Belle's room door.

"Everything will be okay, my mother used to tell me that I should always think positively even in a discouraging situation," Belle said with a smile and embraced Rose.

"Thank you for letting me in, I haven't had a true friend before," Belle said and went in, closing the door behind her.

"True friend?" She asked herself.