"Try the strawberry cakes." Aunt Stella says to Elena. Elena looks over at the pink delicious-looking goodness and she picks one, she takes a bite from it and while chewing her eyes widen. "Oh my God," she says with a mouth full, something she never does and her family members laugh.
"These are so good." she takes another bite and begins to eat it at the speed of light, also another thing she never does. She has found a new obsession. Strawberry cakes.
"Thank you again, Alex and Pierre. For bringing our princess back." Uncle Conrad says to Alex and Pierre who are too busy stuffing their faces with food when they hear the King thanking them they freeze and they drop whatever they are about to put in their mouths to tell the King they were just doing their job and it was not a big deal.
Elena looks at them with a half smile and half grimace thinking to herself if that's how she looks when she spoke with cake in her mouth. How embarrassing. But no one here cares, they're just happy to see that she's back to them.
Alex swallows the cookies he put in his mouth.
"Elena's my best friend," Alex says smiling at her. "I would do anything for her." Elena smiles back at him and mouths a "thank you"
"Ah, the walkers and the Baron-grants have had a strong friendship since the beginning of time. Our bond will never break." Uncle Conrad says then turns solely to Elena. "I wish your parents were still alive to see how you've grown to be the beautiful young woman that you are," he says and Elena's smiley face morphs into a sad expression. She wishes they were alive too but they were killed by witches, the ones who wanted to kill her when she was a baby.
Alex did explain to her that witches are ruthless creatures. He was not exaggerating when he said it because the witches that attacked her in the train station earlier were ready to strip her of her power and destroy her but they couldn't handle her power because only the most powerful and skilled witches can get the power out of her.
That witch or those witches are still out there, they escaped before they were caught after killing her parents. The thought of them still being alive scares her a bit. They're out there planning, plotting on what their next strike is going to be.
"I know it's too soon but their graves are out back if you want to see them. Or if you think it will be too emotional for youthen you don't have to go there."
"No, it's fine. I do want to go there." Elena says.
"Are you sure honey?" Aunt Stella asks.
"Of course she is, she wants to talk to her parents. Let her." Aunt Imogen winks at her. Elena smiles at her Aunt Imogen and then looks at her Aunt Stella.
"Yes, Aunt Stella I'm sure," she says confidently. That's the only way she can be close to her parents or even have some kind of conversation with them. They protected her before they were killed. She's grateful to the people who stood by her.
"Ugh, you being here warms my heart." Aunt Stella says. "You would have met Henry but he's already in school. You're going to meet him there soon though."
Elena nods her head as she continues to eat her cake. She doesn't want to show that she doesn't think she wants to see Henry. He sounds like a douche not to mention what he did to Pierre, taking his girlfriend from him. That's all so shady, she wonders how an awful person would have come out of two nice people.
After having a much-needed meal. Adele and Uncle Conrad escort her to the royal cemetery. A place where all the royals since the start of the monarchy are buried after they die. Some died of old age, some died of deadly viruses, some took their life, and some were murdered like her parents.
Elena has been to a cemetery many times. To see Alex's mother. But this cemetery is a new one, it has a gate in front of it and it looks regal. People clean the place up every daynon-stop so it's always clean and it's less creepy compared to the cemetery she has gone to. Maybe it will be scary at night, she's not sure.
As she walks past the graves she sees the names of people who have been dead. King Edward the third to Queen Elizabeth the second to Duchess Reyna. She spots her Grandparents' grave, they died of old age but the sad part is that they died after their son was murdered and they didn't get to watch their Granddaughter grow. Elena was three when her grandfather died and she was twelve when her Grandmother gave up the ghost.
She still has distant family members that are still alive, maybe she'll see them soon but she's happy to see the ones that live here.
"Here they are." Uncle Conrad says and Elena stares at their large tombstones, she has always dreamed of the day she would meet her parents which would not be a great sign because her parents are dead and she's alive maybe after she grows old and dies is when she's going to see them or worse if she gets murdered by a witch. She tries hard not to think about the possibility but it is possible.
"We'll leave you alone." Uncle Conrad says and he and Adele walk away from their graves. She can't imagine what her Uncle Conrad and Aunt Imogen must be going through. They're the ones who grew up with him. They were so close that they were called the royal three. Unlike past princes and princesses, there was no rivalry between the siblings and they all loved each other so much. And to hear that their brother had been killed by witches must have been hard. Sending Elena to Earth is the hardest decision they have ever made.
She looks at her dad's tombstone.
King William 1V Rufus George Baron-Grant
1977-2004
A Brave King would have been an amazing father.
He was already an amazing father. She thinks, then she looks at her mother's grave.
Queen Consort Elizabeth Precious Baron-Grant
1980-2004
An Amazing wife and sister would have been a great mother.
But they were good parents. They sacrificed themselves for their daughter to live. They're the reason why she's still here. They left her with her Uncle Conrad while they fought those witches off. The witches were injured and weren't strong enough to fight the guards charging toward them so they disappeared. They put up a good fight and they died trying to protect their daughter which is pretty amazing to Elena.
"Hey, guys. It's your daughter Elena." she starts. "I'm grown now. I'm no longer a baby. I'm sixteen, going to be seventeen soon. I wish you were alive to see me grow." when she says that there's a sting in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. "I wish none of that happened in the first place. I wonder how life would have been if those witches didn't attack you. Maybe you would have still been alive by now." she wipes the tears.
"I'm not going to let you down. I'm going to make sure to learn more about my powers so I know how to fight any witch or creature of darkness that tries to hurt me or any of my family members. I know vengeance would be a waste of time so I'm not going to be looking for the person or people who killed you. But just know that when they come back I will be ready for them and that's when I'll avenge you." Elena says with the utmost determination and confidence.
One of the reasons why she's here isn't because she came to admire this beautiful world. She also came to learn how to be a weapon a weapon that protects the innocent.
"It was nice talking to you," she says then she plants a kiss on her hand and places her hand on both of their tombstones. She looks at the tombstones one last time and then she walks away from them and she's headed toward Adele and her uncle.
"Are you okay?" Uncle Conrad asks her. Elena nods."Being here is actually quite sad," he says and Elena understands she cannot imagine losing Alex she would be a wreck and it would be hard to visit his grave as well.
"Okay, It's a busy day for me today. Being a king and all. Adele's going to show you around the palace so you don't get lost."
"Okay," she says looking at Adele. "That's fine."
"Alright." he walks away but then he stops, turning around. "I almost forgot we're going to have a welcome back ball tomorrow all the important people want to see you."
Elena's eyes widen in shock. A ball already, she has always wanted to attend a ball and now one is hosted for her.
"A ball," she says.
"Yes, a celebration of your return. Hope that's not too much."
"No, no no I'm beyond excited."
"Okay, good. You're going to love it. It's going to be amazing." he walks away and the guards follow him.
Elena scoffs not believing her life right now. Well, this has always been her destiny to arrive here and attend balls like a princess.
"I guess it's you and me now," Adele says smiling at Elena. "Alright, let's go, so much to show you."
They cross arms and they leave the cemetery.