I silently watch as everyone dances. Dex is now otherwise occupied with different women.It seems that he has a different one every dance. I cannot find Max anywhere. I haven't changed my face since the words exchanged with Dex. Everytime I see him spinning and stepping in front of where I sit his words come back to me. Simple girl. Doesn't know her people. I shake my head as if the words would fly out of my ears in an attempt to rid myself of them. I feel my anger rising all over again. I may not know how to live here, but he has no right to say it. I continue to get offers to dance,but I turn down most of them. Some I dance with to keep my new parents from asking questions,but more often then not I remain in my chair. Until he walks up to me.
Max stands in front of me and bows hand extended. "My lady. My I have this dance?" I study him for a moment. White and silver tunic,straight form fitting tan pants tucked into black leather boots. A red sash hangs from his right shoulder and a sword hangs at his side. His hair is pulled neatly back into a short pony tail. I never realized how long his hair really was. There was always gel or something in it to keep it in place. His bright green eyes pierce mine. For the first time tonight since Dex I smile. I take his outstretched hand and nod. "Of course." Max smiles at me and I am led off by him. He spins me into him and I giggle. "Took you long enough to ask me." Max gives me a sheepish look. "I figured you were still mad at me." I smile. "Max. Even though what you did was wrong and I really wish you would have told me sooner,I can't stay mad at you.Your my best friend,we grew up together and, nothing, no matter what, can ever change that.You and I have been with each other since we were little and I could never stay mad at you and give all of that up.But if there is a next time about you not telling me something I would really appreciate it if you told me. I don't want to lose you to any secret or crown or anything for that matter,but if you continue keeping secrets from me I don't know what will happen to us. I don't want to lose you,Max."
Max tilts my chin up. "Ari,you will never lose me. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon." A single tear falls down my cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb. I smile at him. "Good.I will hold you to those words." With that the music ends and Max kisses my hand."You look beautiful my lady." He is about to walk away but I stop him by grabbing his arm. "Max." He turns back to me. "Yes?" I hesitate before asking. "Why is Dex so cold to everyone? It seems like everything I say or do upsets him." Max looks at me for a moment then takes my hand and nods. "Follow me." I let him lead me away all the while feeling like a pair of silver eyes are following my movement. Max leads us to a beautiful garden outside full of roses,tulips,and plenty of other flowers that I cannot name. Max leads us to a bench in the center of the garden which sits under a weeping willow. Pink and white dogwood trees sit on either side of the willow in a circle with a path in the center of all of them. I think that I hear running water somewhere. Max comes back to me holding a flower in his hand.When he gets closer I realize its my favorite flower. A lily. He hands it to me with a smile and I take it my fingers brushing over his. A slight shiver runs up my arm from the touch. "A Lily. My favorite. I cant believe you remembered." Max shrugs. "Of course I did. I remember when we would walk by flower shops and you would always stop by the lilies and smell them,but no mater what you never bought one." I smile at the memories.
"And yet you always bought me one anyway." Max nods. "I had to. I could see how much you loved them so one thing leads to another I bought you a lily everytime we went by the flower shop." He and I said it at the same time. We laugh. I smell the lily and feel a rush of sadness go through my chest. "I know that I haven't been here that long but I miss the little stuff like that already. I mean that was how I lived for the longest time. It was always something I knew would happen.But now? I am being told my whole life was a lie that I am someone completely different then I thought.I don't know who I am anymore and what my life is going to be now. I'm scared." Speaking the words out loud made me realize just how scared I was.
Saying the words out loud sent a jolt of fear down my spine,knowing that all of this was real and not some long dream that I would wake up from. I didnt even notice that I was crying until a slight breeze blew across my face. I look over at Max who is staring at me,silent. A realization dawns on me. "Oh no did I say that out loud?" Max nods slowly. I whimper and put my head on my hands. "God I'm sorry Max. I shouldn't worry you like this." Max seems to break out of his trance and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "No no no Ari. I want you to tell me stuff like that I dont want you to have to keep it to yourself its not good for you to do that." I tilt my head up and smile."So why is Dex so cold?" Max sighs and looks out over the garden. "When we were kids before I left to protect you we met a girl Amelia. She was so kind and gentle. I was 10 at the time Dex 11. Years went by and we both wanted one thing. We both wanted her. But only one of us could get her. Dex wasnt always so cold. When he was around Amelia he was very kind. He always found ways to make her smile.I lived for those smiles. A few months passed and the three of us became really close,but there was one problem Amelia was a peasent. We weren't."
"What does that matter?" I ask. "Here its considered unorderly to befriend a commoner if your royalty." I huff. "Well thats not fair." Max shrugs." Its how its always been. Anyway one night we all went out for a walk and Dex told Amelia how he felt about her. She looked at him as if he were crazy. She told him that they could never work. But he tried to convince her otherwise but she wasnt having it. She backed away from him and told us to stay away from her. She turned around to run back to the village and I will never forget what she said next I can't love you both. And I won't. With that she left. We saw her in the village once with another boy and Dex went off he yelled at her and called her a pesant she had tears in her eyes but didnt let them fall instead she held a stiff solid stature and said some cold words to Dex. I grabbed Dex from the throng of onlookers,I dragged him back to the castle still stirring and we never saw her again. But I do remember hearing that she had become a completely different person. Cold and harsh. So unlike the Amelia I knew.Soon after that Dex started to become colder and even the sight of a commoner angered him. Amelia tore out of a piece of his heart that night and he hasnt been my brother since." I look at Max with sad eyes. I never realized that he had actually loved someone before. "Wait there is only one thing I am confused on. If you were 10 when you left then how were you so little when we met?" Max smiles. "Just magic. You know that I will always protect you right?" I nod."Thanks Max I have no idea what I would do without you." I lean my head against his chest and wonder if Max's heartbeat speeding up as he held me was all in my head.