Status: ACTIVE

Ever After

River Haelen Manning

"Really, Auden. You should go with River! Who knows what troubles there may be on the way to the village! Bandits have been rampant over the last few seasons, you know! What if the carriage gets hijacked? What if the horses go berserk and run my poor little brother off the trail? What if-" Rapunzel rambled, until Auden's hand clamped over her pink lips, sighing as he slightly smiled, the corners of his lips quirking up to reveal shallow dimples in his cheeks. He dropped his hand from his fiancé's mouth, Rapunzel pouting and daintily elbowing him in the side of his royal garments which sat fittingly on his muscular form.

"Seriously, Rapunzel. Goldie is reliable and she'll be with him the whole time, and the drivers are perfectly capable to get to the village and back without a hiccup. I don't think River would want me to be tagging along when he visits his family and... friends," Auden replied, his voice slightly course at the mention of my 'friends' (even though the plural form of the word isn't necessary, since I only have one friend), his eyes falling from min to Goldie's hooves which kicked at the dirt. I laughed awkwardly, my hand gripping onto a fold in the front of my stiff shirt which Rapunzel had ordered me to wear since she thought the colour and fabric 'complimented my eyes'. A sweet notion, but when someone beautiful like her compliments someone mundane like me, it doesn't make me feel as joyous as it maybe should.

Auden was half right in what he said. I absolutely did not want to be in a carriage alone with him, not when it made me feel slightly sick every time we were alone together. My stomach was often knotted, and no matter how much I moved around to relieve the discomfort, it grew worse and worse as I continued to listen to his smooth voice. It's not that I felt like vomiting, I just felt... I didn't really know how I felt, since I hadn't felt this way before. I was wondering if I should visit the doctor and get some herbal medicine for this feeling in my stomach, but as long as I didn't start getting black blisters along my body I believed I was okay. I just hoped that the familiar environment of my village would help the discomfort to subside.

Rapunzel clutched my hand, mumbling that I have to be careful, and to apologise to Mama and Papa that she couldn't come since he had to help prepare for the ball, but that she wishes that they come and see her and the castle. She hugged me through the small window of the elegant carriage, before Auden pulled her back, his hands around her waist but his eyes far away from her form. I tore my eyes away from his hands around her body, the driver nudging the horses forward, Goldie neighing before moving at a gentle pace.

"Remember to apologise to Mama and Papa!" Rapunzel called, and I waved in acknowledgement before sinking into the regally upholstered seats of the carriage, my fingers stroking the red satin that seemed to slip through my hands. I clasped Carsen's cross necklace that dangled from my shirt, closing my eyes as the bumps in the road slipped away, the trip escaping into my dreams.

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"Well, we would love to come, River!" Mama exclaimed in a frenzy, jumping up, her skirt flying around her pudgy waist as she clapped her hands together, startling the sleeping Caesar that had made my lap his bed, his tail prickling before settling back down with a yawn, pink tongue slipping over his share teeth.

"Well, you'll need to have a gown, darling," Papa murmured, tapping his hand on the table as he sipped his drink. Mama sighed, rushing to her bedroom to rummage through the limited amount of clothing she had. She soon bounded back out with another gown on, Papa's face glowing as I smiled, stroking Caesar.

"Your wedding dress! I can't believe you kept that after all this time," Papa said as Mama twirled, her twinkling laugh familiar in my ears. I had missed them, and I hadn't realised it until they were right in front of me. Eveyrthing had been so overwhelming I didn't even have time to be home-sick, Auden alleviating some of the longing.

But he's making me sicker by the day. Just picturing his face in my mind makes my ache in my chest.

"I think the unbelievable thing is that I can still fit into it!"

"You look wonderful, Mama," I said, cradling Caesar in my arms as I stood up, hugging Mama with one arm. "You'll need a mask too, though. It's a masquerade ball."

"I'm sure I can make one with something around here. I'll also have to bake something for the King and Queen, not to mention our soon-to-be son-in-law!" I felt the pain in my stomach and chest start up again, coughing softly before telling Mama that I had to go visit Carsen, since it was getting quite late. I would have to leave before sundown, or else I'd still be travelling at the dead of night, and everyone knew that it wasn't safe to travel from the outer villages to the royal castle when there was only moonlight. Bandits, as Rapunzel said.

"Sure, sure, River. Just make sure to come say good bye to us before you return to the castle!"

"Of course, Mama. I'll be back soon." Kissing her on the cheek, I left and ran to Carsen's house, ignoring the curious gazes of other villagers. There was no doubt in my mind that the news about my sister and her engagement would have fallen on the ears of every villager for at least a 3-town radius.

"Carsen, are you here?" I called, knocking on the door to his house before peering over the overgrown hedges, spotting his lean body scrubbing Camomile's glistening coat. "Carsen! Cam!"

"River?" Carsen's voice called, peering over Camomile's back as she snorted, stamping her feet in excitement. Caesar leapt out of my arms and scampered over to Camomile, who tiled her damp head down so Caesar could resume her usual resting position on her head. Carsen's face had a wild grin on it, stretching from sun-kissed ear to sun-kissed ear as he hastily asked for me to wait, clicking his tongue for Camomile to return to the stable even though she was half soapy. I laughed, climbing over the fencing, nearly face planting in the process.

"You alright there, Your Highness?" he asked, bowing down at me before helping me up as I scowled, playfully pinching his side. His eyes brightened, ruffling my hair before pulling me into a tight hug. "Sorry, pretty boy. I just missed you a lot. It's lonely without you here, I mean, as much as I love Cam she only responds to me in grunts." I laughed, embracing him, my stomach settling with his familiar scent. Like earth and horse soap and his mother's pie.

"I missed you too, Carsen. I don't even know what's going on in my life, but this really kept me grounded," I said, holding up his necklace. "It's my good luck charm now."

"I'm glad you like it, and need it," I said, an odd smile crossing his face. It disappeared soon enough, since he pulled me down onto a soft patch of grass, forcing me to tell him everything that has happened over the time I was at the castle. I told him everything, about how lovely my sister was (even if she was a bit overprotective), how the Kind was intimidating and how the Queen was his exact opposite. I told him about Ned and Emery and the time I fell off a horse (Carsen laughed at that, since he knew exactly how uncoordinated I am). I also told him about Auden, but not a lot, since Carsen had cut me off half-way. I was a little disappointed I couldn't ramble on and on about Auden. I had a lot to say about him, but I noticed that as I spoke about him that unsettled feeling returned to me.

Auden made me sick, Carsen soothed me. But, even though the feeling that Carsen gave me was pleasant, I still couldn't help but think about what Auden would have been doing whilst I was sitting there. I chuckled, imagining him prancing around the castle shirtless, provoking his father and excitedly preparing for his wedding.

His wedding.

I shook my head, removing all thoughts of him and his wedding, turning to Carsen, who was absentmindedly playing with some daisies that he had plucked from beside him.

"Hey, Carsen," I asked, Carsen smiling, turning to me to put a small daisy ring around my finger. I rolled me eyes, but sniffed the small flower anyway, continuing with what I was saying. "Do you want to come to the masquerade ball with me? It'd be much more fun if you were there."

"You didn't even have to ask me, pretty boy. I'll be there," he laughed, brushing his pants as he hopped up, stretching out a course hand to pull me up after him. "Do you think I'll look good in a suit?"

"Not at all," I replied, sticking my tongue out at Carsen, who pouted but smiled nonetheless.

Carsen really did soothe me. I just hoped that bringing him to the castle will be able to keep me safe when I see Auden in the flesh again because this feeling, this sickness, whatever this was, scared me. It scared me, because I knew deep down that something was wrong. I knew that there was something wrong with me.
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WELL. NOW THIS IS A STORY THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD UPDATE EVER AGAIN.
But I did, and here it is!
If any of you have actually stuck with this, then I loveloveloveloveLOVE you. So much. Seriously, if you are still waiting for this then I an so grateful and touched.

My old co-writer, Bolts;;, is inactive (and I don't know why, but one day she went blip and wasn't on the site anymore, which was really saddening), but it's okay now because this story has a brilliant new co-writer- L.G.Ayala!
I hope we'll make this story as enjoyable to read as before, and if not more enjoyable, so sit tight and look forward to future chapters!

p.s. I noticed that in previous chapters, Caesar happened to be called 'him' and 'her' haha Oops. Caesar is a MALE. TOTALLY MALE. Just making that clear :]