The Prince's Choice ✔

Chapter Twenty Four • Anger and Despair

Before you read, this will not be a satisfying or even emotionally pleasant chapter. I know that it feels like we are going forth and back a lot in Jade and William's relationship. Please bare with me. I don't want to stray too far from my original story in Swedish, I have pushed this part up a bit.I even considered not including it, but it is an important part. Maybe not for the story in its whole, but for their relationship. So pleease be patient. I know it is frustrating. But that's kind of what I want, real relationships are frustrating and a bit confusing at times, and so is this one.

I still hope you like it, even though you might hate me a little after this.

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-Jade-

Jade was walking down the streets. They were alive with merchants, customers and other people. No one frowned at her or even so much at noticed her, but in a good way. Here she was one of them. Equal. Girls just passed her by without giving her venomous looks or whispers.

Jade kept walking and took her time to take in her surroundings. She had never been in a city this big and alive before. Her father had brought her along to the nearest city from their village once or twice, but it couldn't even compare to this one. There were people in every street and around corner.

After an hour or so, Jade's feet were getting sore. She hadn't walked this much since she had been home and got lost in the forest. In the chaos of people Jade saw a well that she could rest by. She walked over to it and sat down on the stones that the well was built of. Next to her ahe noticed a little girl. She couldn't have been older than five summers. She looked a lot like Iria, only her hair was raven black and her eyes dark brown. But the life in her eyes and her little mouth reminded Jade of her littlesister.

"Hello." Jade said friendly and smiled at the little girl. She covered her face shyly to hide a smile from Jade.

"I am not allowed to talk to strangers." The girl said and Jade could hear a wise but scared mother behind her words. Jade sat down next to her and leaned towards the girl.

"Me neither." Jade whispered in the girl's ear, holding her hand between their faces so the girl would know that she was being silly. The giggle she received made her feel warm inside.

Finally someone that doesn't ignore me or hiss at me. She thought. Be it from a child but still...

"Mie!" A woman's voice called out close to them. Jade looked up and a woman almost her own age came at them. It was the girl's mother. She looked a few years older than Jade and she was already expecting another child. Her stomach had already formed into a considerable size.

"It's my fault." Jade said when the woman reached her. "She told me she wasn't allowed to talk to strangers." The girl's mother gave Jade a quick glance and then reached her hand out towards her daughter. The little girl took it.

"Then why did you keep talking to her?" The mother asked and studied Jade for a long moment.

"I meant her no harm." Jade answered patiently. The mother's worry was not misplaced.

There were a lot of people around and anyone could have tried to lure the little one away. It never happened in her village but Jade's mother had told her horrible stories about abducted children when she was little, to prevent Jade to stray too far away from her.

"My apologies." Jade said and smiled at them. "Your daughter just reminded me of my littlesister and I miss her dearly." The mother seemed to accept Jade's answer and she pulled her little girl closer to her.