Aurora had packed her bags and was ready to leave, if she was being honest, she did not know when she would be back.
Relief coursed through her, but at the same time, a sharp pain stabbed her heart. She didn't want to leave Caspian.
Her bags were being loaded, and when she went out Nadia and the other concubines were there,
"Morning My Lady."
"I hear you are going for a few moons," Nadia replied taunting her.
"Yes My Lady."
"Smart move Aurora, seems like you learned your lesson, have a safe journey."
"Thank you for your kind thoughts, My Lady."
"The prince has arrived."
They all bowed, and Caspian came in front of her and pulled her into his arms. He pulled back and she could see Nadia and all the concubines fuming.
"I will miss you, My love."
"So will I."
Caspian didn't care and he kissed in front of everyone, when he pulled back he touched her cheek, "Don't be gone for long and don't forget me."
"I would never."
She climbed into the carriage and saw Nadia moving to stand beside Caspian and she had a sly smile on her face.
With Eleanor inside, they started the long journey, and Aurora held back her tears,
"Wait, Halt!"
The carriage stopped and she looked out and saw Caspian had come to her window. She could see the pain she felt reflecting on his face.
"I love you Aurora."
He kissed her though the window, he pulled back. She couldn't tell him how she felt or else her will to leave would diminish or he would stop her from leaving.
Aurora turned away and motioned for the carriage to go. She didn't look out the window no matter how much she wanted to, it was all too painful.
Tears started to fall down her face as she looked out the window, the sky was lovely and it was sunny but she felt the opposite of it all.
Aurora sighed, she would miss her friends and Caspian. They would be separated by many miles but they were still under the same sky and they would both look at the same moon.
She went the whole way looking outside and she felt free for the first time in forever. She has always been stuck in the palace as a maid than a concubine.
After a couple of days of traveling, she finally arrived at the place she would be taking her break. It was a monk's temple that was not occupied and could only be used with permission from The king and the descendants.
Her things were unloaded and she sat outside. The days went by and she was healing, her face had healed, and was lucky she hadn't lost any teeth.
Today it was raining and she stood underneath,
"Why do you stand in the rain, My Lady?" Eleanor asked her quizzically.
"I just like you wasn't afforded much freedom for me it was from a really tender age up until I became a concubine, this is the first time I have been outside in a long time."
Eleanor nodded, "Were you also a maid?"
"Yes, up until a few moons ago."
Eleanor seemed to be surprised, "The prince must truly love you, My Lady."
Aurora nodded, she did not want to think about Caspian, the first few weeks that was all she thought about but never had she in her life thought about herself.
She had even requested that he not send her letters, she wanted to be alone and pretend to not belong to anyone.
At times she would think about her friends and it always hurt her that she had left abruptly without seeing them.
They probably had heard how she was beaten and things didn't get better with her just leaving like that.
She wished they were here with her, just normal ladies sitting here, free at last. That was not possible now but one day she would ask for them to be excused for seven moons.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. She was fully healed now and was often complimented by the servants and Eleanor that her beauty could not compare.
She did not care about that as Nadia had seemed to be a beauty but inside she was another person and proved to her that her beauty could be taken away in a matter of seconds and take forever to have back.
She had grown a flower garden that she loved to walk through, it was a while since she felt so whole and happy.
She would decorate her place with her flowers, take long walks, stare at the moon, and the stars, and receive the sunlight that made her blossom.
She savored every moment that she could get and kept everything in her mind sealed so that she would not forget that she was once this free.
After standing in the rain and dancing as she usually now did, she went inside and changed her clothes, and sat by the fire until her hair dried and Eleanor would brush and braided her hair.
She now often left her hair loose, she felt free that, and only when she worked in the garden at times would she put it in a loose braid so it didn't disturb her when she was working.
Aurora enjoyed hearing the fire crackle, everything she had now she did not take for granted. Rather she appreciated it all the more.
She went to the dining room and sat with all the servants as she did now, they all spoke freely and it was a nice atmosphere.
They passed bread and stew to one another eating and being merry. At times they would be music played and they all danced and sang.
She even had cooked for them even though they insisted she not, but she wanted to. And looking around the table, the laughs and relief were apparent.
Aurora knew that they were also in the same situation in the past where their lives were dedicated to the palace.
So if she could relieve them too, it was the least she could do for them so they could have memories of joy.
After dinner, for tonight they shared tales that were sometimes funny, and scary and they were very animated when they did that.
She would laugh and be frightened at times. The scary stories they often sat outside around a huge fire and that made them all the scarier.
After a few more weeks that had added to the months she was gone Aurora was let in the palace gates.
The palace seemed different and felt like it was a lifetime ago that she was here, some things never changed and some did.
She spotted Elliot by the horse field and stopped the carriage, "Eleanor go ahead to my villa and unpack my things, I have some catching up to do."
She could see that Eleanor and the servants wanted to resist but her glare and tone did not leave any room for arguments.
She knew the minute Elliot had spotted her he stopped brushing the horse and jumped over the fence.
Aurora now stood in front of him and his smile was beaming and he looked way much better,
"My Lady you have become more lovelier than ever, I am even afraid to say you are the loveliest maiden."
"Thank you Elliot the break did wonder for me."
"How could you leave without a farewell?"
"I had no choice, Elliot."
"Tell me? We can be walking to your villa bit by bit."
Aurora told Elliot everything that lead to her leaving, and he understood everything.
She walked down the path and saw the tree she often sat at,
"I often sat alone thinking about you." Said Elliot.
"You don't have to think, I am here after all."
Elliot smiled, "I can't believe you are back, it felt like you would never return."
The wind blew as they passed more trees, she was glad she met Elliot first, he was her friend, and would feel as depressed as she already was about returning.
It felt as if the journey was faster on the way back, and now she and Elliot had both healed physically and she also emotionally.
They walked down as Elliot filled her in on the things that she had missed but all that was on her mind was to go and see her friends.
Aurora could not believe it when there were people who turned the corner into the path that she and Elliot were walking on.
Aurora froze when she realized that it was Caspian, Nadia, and all the concubines. It now felt real that she was here and could tell that they all saw her