Chapter 71 Together

Chapter 71 Together
~Lyra~ 
I sat on the floor of my room with one of my bags open beside me and the other resting against the bed. Most of the things I owned could fit into two bags, which was honestly pathetic considering how much peace I had found in Silvercrest. I had stayed there long enough to convince myself that maybe life had finally decided to stop throwing punches at me.
Apparently, life had other plans.
My meeting with King Lionel had gone exactly the way I expected. The moment I walked into his study and saw the disappointment in his eyes, I knew my fate had already been decided.
He had not shouted, he had not insulted me. Which somehow hurt even more.
He simply told me that Silvercrest could no longer shelter someone whose loyalty had already been questioned. He said I had brought trouble to his kingdom and that he could not risk keeping me there any longer.
He wished me luck. And just like that, I was homeless again.
I shoved another dress into my bag and tried not to cry.
A knock sounded at the door and I didn't even have to ask who it was.
"Come in."
The door opened and Ariel stepped inside, her green skirt swaying softly around her legs. "How did the meeting with His Majesty go?" she asked quietly.
I shrugged without looking at her. "The same way we all expected. I'm to leave his kingdom and never return."
Pain slipped into my voice despite my efforts to hide it.
"I don't know why Elira is so hellbent on seeing me miserable. There was no reason for her to send a letter to the king explaining everything between us. Now everyone in this place sees me in a bad light."
Ariel walked closer. "I do not see you in a bad light."
I scoffed. "Yeah, right."
I folded another shirt. "The last time you looked into my eyes, you called me a liar."
"Aren't we all?" she asked softly.
That made my movements stop. My eyes burned and before I knew it, tears rolled down my cheeks. I hated crying. Hated looking weak. Still, I kept packing.
Ariel noticed immediately. She moved beside me and gently placed her hand over mine.
"Hey, hey." Her voice was calm and this just seemed to worsen it. I lowered my head and sobbed. "I do not blame you for what you did, okay?" she said.
I raised my head slowly. "What?"
She nodded. "You did what you thought was best for your pack. That's all that mattered to you. You wanted things to go back to the way they used to be. Even though people see cruelty, I see loyalty and dedication. I think your approach was wrong, Lyra, but I understand why you did it."
My face softened despite myself. "But everyone thinks I'm evil." I pulled my hand away and continued packing. "Everyone."
"You don't have to keep punishing yourself," Ariel said softly. "You made a mistake. We all make mistakes."
Her hand rose to my face and gently wiped away my tears. "You are a good person, Lyra. If nobody else sees it, I do."
I stared at her for a moment before looking away. "Thank you for the kind words, Ariel. But none of that matters, okay? I'm leaving today."
I grabbed some hair ties from the drawer and dumped them into my bag. "I'm back to my lonely life. You'll go back to who you used to be and it'll be like this never happened."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You'll find another woman and forget me."
I turned, but Ariel stepped in front of me. "But I don't want that."
This made me stop in my tracks. .
"I don't want another woman. I don't want to forget you. I don't want you to forget me. And I definitely don't want to stop loving you."
My expression softened before reality slapped me. "Wake up, Ariel!" I snapped. "I'm leaving. How is that supposed to work?"
She inhaled deeply and stepped closer until there was barely any space between us. She hesitated, watching my face, almost asking for permission.
When I didn't move away, she rested her forehead against mine. Then she tilted her head and kissed me very softly. 
My body melted immediately, but fear kept me frozen. I didn't kiss her back, nor did I push her away.
She broke the kiss and looked into my eyes. "I'm coming with you."
My eyes widened. "What?"
She smiled faintly. "I packed some essentials already. Enough to last us a week if we have to camp in the woods."
"No." I shook my head immediately. "No, Ariel. I'm not letting you put your life on hold because of me."
"I already made up my mind."
"The woods are dangerous."
"But you survived them."
"That's different."
"How?" She asked adamantly. 
I stared at her. "You've always had a home. You've always had your brother. You've built a life here."
She smiled. "My brother is almost thirty and he's been smiling like an idiot over one of the market ladies. I doubt he'll even notice I'm gone."
Despite myself, I laughed. That earned a smile from her and she held my hands. "Just think of this as an excursion. I get to discover new plants and flowers."
I laughed harder. "That doesn't make it sound better."
Her laugh joined mine and for the first time all day, I didn't feel miserable. "I just want to hold your hand through it all," she said. "Until you find somewhere that feels like home again."
My eyes burned. "Ariel…"
"Then I'll visit Jude once you’re settled, and we'll continue from there."
The sincerity in her eyes shattered every wall I had built. "What about your brother?" I whispered. "He'll never agree."
She grinned. "That's why I won't tell him."
I blinked. "Ariel."
"I'll leave him a letter."
I laughed through my tears. "You're unbelievable."
She shrugged. "I'm in love."
I stared at her. "Are you sure about this?"
She nodded. "I'm sure. I love you, Lyra."
My eyes flooded again and I threw my arms around her. "Thank you."
Her arms tightened around me. "You mean everything to me."
I felt her lips against my neck and smiled. When we pulled apart, I kissed her. This time I kissed her properly.
And when we separated, I realized something. I was actually smiling.
"I should finish packing."
"I'll help." She added. 
 
Night came fast and quietly. The kingdom had become peaceful, and most people had retreated indoors.
Ariel and I stepped outside carrying our bags. She looked around cautiously.
"We should avoid the main street. Jude usually passes there."
I chuckled. "You really thought this through."
She grinned. "I've had hours."
We walked through smaller paths and quiet corners until we finally reached the gate. The guards recognized me immediately.
One of them nodded and said, "Safe travels."
But the other guard frowned when he noticed Ariel. "Where are you going?"
Ariel smiled sweetly. "My brother asked me to accompany her and make sure she reaches the next kingdom safely."
The guard looked suspicious. "Jude said that?"
"Of course. You can go wake him up and ask if you want. Or perhaps His Majesty would love to know you're delaying his orders."
The guard immediately straightened. "No need."
I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.
The gates opened and just like that, we stepped out of Silvercrest. We were free.
We looked at each other and then burst out laughing. "That was smooth," I said.
Ariel squeezed my hand. "I'm not letting anyone stop this."
We started running down the path like two children escaping punishment. Our laughter filled the night.
Eventually, we slowed down, breathing heavily. Behind us, the gates of Silvercrest had become distant shadows.
I looked over at her. "Have you ever been outside the kingdom?"
She shook her head excitedly. "No."
I laughed. "Then you're in for a ride."
She smiled and intertwined her fingers with mine.
"Good." Her eyes sparkled beneath the moonlight. "Because I have a feeling life is about to become very interesting."
And as we disappeared into the night together, leaving Silvercrest behind, I noted I wasn't afraid of the future. Not anymore.
Because whatever waited ahead of me… I wasn't walking toward it alone.
I had Lyra with me. And that was more than enough.