Not So Quiet In The Garden

*Ana*

Why go here? It's the only question that looms over my head the deeper we walk inside. The giggles and squeals of the girls, the soft clutter of teacups clinking, all growing quieter behind us as we pace on. Traded, instead, for rocks tumbling forward with the scratchy rush of grass brushing against our shoes as we step together. The Ivy walls quickly closed in behind us with a turn, silencing any signs of life outside of the labyrinth-like tomb.

Does… he plan to take me out of sight? I swallow roughly as it dawns on me how, this far away, no one can overhear us, let alone see anything. The thick ivy bushes will act as a curtain and block anyone's view. Giving us privacy. 

But privacy for what exactly just sends an icy sweat down my back. As I already can guess why. He's going to berate me.

It would be best if it happens without drawing unnecessary attention. I consider taking in another dry swallow while desperately trying to cling to one saving grace to all this. He wants to be discrete. This would just stay between them. 

He's… taking this better than I expected. And again, I have to be grateful for the small things. He has yet to explode in anger or berate me up and down. That alone should be more than enough for what I should expect for disobeying him.

I keep my eyes forward as we turn another corner, ivy rustling in our wake being the only sound. Aside from the occasional rock clatter across the others, we haven't spoken. Not since I asked if we were entering, and he answered, silence has come over the both of us.

A silence that now, with the sounds of the party long behind us, cut off behind layers and layers of trimmed hedges, I can't help but swallow again. It's somehow louder without anyone speaking, and I can't resist stealing a tentative glance up to give a short cry as I find sapphire eyes waiting for me.

He's been watching me for who knows how long. Taking in my face, my expression. Possibly looking for some new fault. Which I know I have many. But as much as I wish to just curl up into myself and hide from that penetrating eye of his right now. I can't do this anymore. This tortuous silence is like screaming in my ears, making my heart rush and jolt with each step, crying for release. Not able to put this off any longer.

If he won't start, then I will. And I suck in a choppy breath through my teeth and swallow before creaking out.

Your majesty, I want to apologize for – "

"It's been quite a while. " 

"What?" I flick my eyes up to find Father shifting his eyes ahead as if interested in the path now.

"I said it's been a while."

"That, oh…" I swallow, forcing down whatever keeps trying to crawl from my stomach and up my throat. 

"Yes, it has." I return quietly, but inside, my mind is clattering as I try to decipher the meaning of his words.

Does he mean it's been that long since I've been silent? Since we last saw each other? Or…

I press my lips together to swallow another dry gulp quietly as I wait for Father to continue. But to my surprise, he doesn't. 

Rather than talk, Father carries on walking. Sapphire's eyes focused ahead as his feet tracked a well-worn path in the grass, turning us another corner before I could hear it. Water. We were coming up to the fountain.

Father is taking us toward the center. My eyes widen at the realization before my shoulders drop. Was he taking us here? Of all places? It just seemed too cruel.

Please no. I plead, but he doesn't stop, turning his leather boot to squeak at the last corner before I see it. The fountain. Still sputtering out of three spots, water glistening against the high sun. Splashing on just as it did last night.

But where the sight filled me with light and hope before, now just feels like a twisted joke.

Please, not here. Please don't ruin this place for me. Anywhere but here. But just as I make the futile wish, I know it will stop nothing. Because I did this to myself.

I broke our promise. And it was time to pay for the consequences.

I struggle to keep myself standing against my shaking knees, but it's hard. Taking a great amount of energy not to just break down right here, fall to my knees, and cry. And cry.

But I don't. Somehow. Instead, I swallow, pushing down any feelings to be numb enough to go on. My fingers flexed against his hand still holding my wrist. Trying my best to formulate some control, if at all. As everything else is gone.

And again, I speak first.

"Your Majesty-"

"I thought you might not come back. "

"What?" Again, I am lost as Father interrupts with something new. And I can only watch on dumbfounded as he lets go of my wrist to walk short of the fountain. His back to me for a moment as he stares down at the bubbling liquid. 

I almost cry in fear as the abrupt laugh rings out. The sound was rich and warm as his broad shoulders shook back, letting another laugh run through him. He shoved his hands into his pockets before giving a hearty sigh, nodding after the water.

"You two look so alike, yet you couldn't be more different. "

Who do I look like? I blink back rapidly after him. I'm not sure whether to even ask or be more stunned at him in general. He was laughing. Why was he laughing?

"Yes, very different indeed." Father continues, nodding once more to the rushing water before turning on his black leather boot with a squeak. His eyes instantly met mine with a grin showing all his teeth.

"My daughter, it's so good to have you back at last." Father lifts his tanned, muscular hand out for my cheek, fingertips just grazing my pale skin before I know what happens next. I jolt, shaking my gold chains on the shawl as I swiftly step back, arms crossing my chest out of reflex.

Immediately, I feel myself wanting to scream. I didn't mean to do that. No, why did I jump back? Oh no!

"Daughter?" Father's hand is still up, his bushy brows knitting as he blinks after me with his jaw slightly open. 

"Why did you…?"

"Ah- Forgive me." I rush, sucking in a painful gasp of air as I try to swallow the heart lodged inside my throat. "I didn't mean to. I was just-" I step back, but where there should have been rocks, I meet slippery grass, wet from the fountain. My shoe loses traction, and the weight of the hoop skirt works against me, suddenly jerking up and forward, putting much weight at the wrong time. And suddenly, the ground is rushing up to replace the sky as I fall backward.

"Ah-" 

I still have half the scream coming up my throat, well-intending to burst out as soon as I meet the ground. My body is already tense, My arms are pulled tightly to my chest, eyes are already closed in preparation. Only waiting for the dull pain to punch into my back and head as I find unforgiving earth and rock. But as I await the inevitable outcome, I realize something warm on my back.

Warm and soft and…am I moving? I am, I realize, shifting my head to hear the gold chains clink together. But, it's not downward, it's not to crash into the ground like I expected. This is different.

Am I in the air? No. Something is holding me. Something that's warm and soft and firm yet…

"Wha…?" THe word dies just as my eyes slowly open to find Father's borad chest. And now I know what that warmth was just now. It was his hands. His hands now switched to his arms that cradle me gently. Carrying me over to what seems to be the fountain.

Is he…he's not going to throw me in, is he? The thought flashes across my mind, making my breath hitch. Would he do that? Was he really that angry?

Please no! I clamp my eyes shut as the water rears closer. My hands curl back tightly to my chest, trying desperately to hold myself as I try to mentally prepare for an onslaught of freezing water to envelope me. Already swallowing air as I will be plunged deep into cold liquid at any moment. 

"Forgive me!" I rush, body trembling as the bubble of water fills my ears, and a tear breaks free to run down my cheek. 

"I only wanted to see Nicoli." I shudder, sucking in one more good breath before clamping my mouth close, ready and waiting for the descent to happen, and water rush over me when I drop from his arms. Spalsashing and drowning in the water any second now and…

"When did I ever say that you couldn't see your own brother? "

"What?" I dare open my eyes as I find myself shifting, not to fall into the basin, but to something firm underneath. I was no longer in his arms. Instead, I was now sitting on the ledge of the fountain. 

He…didn't throw me? I blink. But why…?

And even more confusing, I now found him doing the same. He shifts his navy blue jacket with gold lapels up to avoid getting soaked before plopping a seat next to me. 

"What are you-?" I nearly felt faint right there when his tan hand moved to take up mine, closing his fingers around my small pale one gently but not letting go.

"Where did you get such an idea?" 

"Where did I?" I blink up, finding his oceanic eyes already watching me, but where I thought I would find cold, hard eyes, I don't. His brows are furrowed, but not to glare, not to berate me. He only presses his lips together as if trying to understand.

"My baby," He goes again, his tone warmer than I ever expected it to be. But it is, and when he speaks again, I can feel his fingers lightly squeeze mine, not to be aggressive, but comforting.

"What are you talking about?" Father asks gently as if he truly doesn't know. It's as if he's clueless about it all and wants me to explain as if I could enlighten him when he is somehow in the dark. 

I reply quietly after a moment. "From…the letter," 

"The letter?" His blue eyes blinked after me slowly before a spark of something ran behind them. "And…when did I send you a letter?"

"After I...left, "

"After you left," he mumbled back. His face darkened as he continued to stare off. His eyes then grew sharp and severe but not heated with anger. It was something else.

And then, abruptly, he let out a new laugh. "It's been so long I must've forgotten. "

Father then moved to lean back on the ledge, shifting his feet to rest on the back of his heels before he turned. Bright blue eyes, full of the same mirth and mischief as Nicoli's, regarded me.

"Remind me." Father's voice chimes on sweetly. "How did the letter go again?"