"In that same place thou has appointed me
Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee." ~ William Shakespeare

Dakota was still stunned when they reached the backside end of the palace gardens.

"What do you mean 'meet my family'?" She asked.

Still looking out for guards, Trina spoke. "Your family was invited to the capital to come and see you."

"What? By who?" Her confusion spoke.

Trina stopped short and looked her in the eye. "Theodore. Whether you mention it or not he knows how much you miss your family so he organized this entire escapade,"

Dakota had no words.

"Why?" She blurted. "Why go through all these lengths?"

"It is very simple. He did it for you. In case you had not noticed my brother is very fond of you," Trina whispered, squeezing Dakota's hand.

Something in the depths of Dakota's heart warmed.

"Now no more talking, we have quite a journey ahead of us."

******

Dakota was stunned.

She still could not process what was happening around her.

Not when the parade came marching in.

Not when young noble ladies were prancing around the streets in nearly nothing.

Not even when the priestesses were preaching about morals in this capital, when their scandalous outfits contradicted their every word.

All around her people moved in a flurry of movements. Dancing, screaming, singing that was close to shouting. People had gone wild. Endless amounts of alcohol was being drunk, endless amounts of shameless activities were being practiced in the streets.

This was no thanksgiving festival, this was the party of the year.

Coming back to her senses, Dakota wished she was back at the palace.

"Trina, is this really a good idea?" She asked wearily.

"I know it is bad but try to ignore the scene around you. We almost there anyway," Trina reassured.

"Where exactly are we meeting my family?" Dakota asked scanning the streets. A drunk man had his hand pushed up a middle aged woman's skirt and she seemed to be enjoying it, right out on the sidewalk.

How revolting.

Dakota quickly averted her gaze, wishing she had not seen such atrocities.

"Your family is currently waiting in the main church. With all that is going on, the place is empty and is the best place for a secret meeting,"

"One would think that at least the priests would be the most holy," Dakota muttered.

"Haven't you noticed? In this city the priests are the most contradictory." Trina said dryly.

Truer words had never been spoken.

Trina dragged Dakota to a very expensive looking building, almost like everything was cut from gold.

The church was so pristine that it's beauty could have rivaled the palace itself.

If the building alone was this rich, what about the people inside?

Dakota refused to finish that thought.

Trina ushered her inside and led her to the back hall, the back hall were five very important people stood.

"Dakota!" Ally exclaimed, rushing up to her sister and hugging her ferociously.

"I've missed you little one," Dakota said, smiling down at her little sister.

Next came Elle, her older sister with a mischievous smile on her face. "Well, did you fall, for the prince yet?"

Dakota flushed a darker red than she would have liked and said nothing.

Instead she huffed and glared at her sister.

"You're the worst Elle," and the two embraced each other.

"It is not the same without you Dakota," Elle brokenly whispered in her ear.

Dakota could do nothing more than clutch her sister even tighter.

Last but not least of her siblings was her brother André.

In the past few months that she had left, he had become more closed of. His face held no smile and his body held no continuous energetic buzz.

Almost like he was drained from his energy source.

Almost like he lost a part of himself.

Almost like he lost a twin.

Instead of pointing out the obvious, Dakota stated instead. "André did you actually grow this time?"

A crack of a smile bloomed on his face and he grasped his twin tightly in a hug.

"I was always this tall," he murmured.

"Could have sworn I was taller than you,"

Finally releasing each other, they gazed each other's eyes for a moment and André understood.

He understood that she would never come back home, it was time he made peace with that.

He took a step back and nodded.

Dakota smiled sadly.

She turned her parents just to be pulled into another vicious hug.

Except this one was more comforting and protective, the kind of aura her father always carried.

She smiled into his chest.

"I missed you Papa,"

He kissed her forehead. "I've missed your laughter my child,"

Lastly her mother stood, watching her family embrace each other. Tears running down her face at the notion that her daughter would never come home at the notion that her daughter was to become queen.

Painful pride seeped through her.

Dakota stepped towards her mother and embraced her in a gentle hug.

This one spoke more than the ferocious I miss you hugs.

This one conveyed sorrowed and sadness.

Happiness and joy.

Hellos and goodbyes.

It held understanding.

"Thank you Mama, for everything," she whispered.

"I am very proud of you my joy, I know you will become a very wise queen," her mother readily replied.

"It was all thanks to your teachings," Dakota said smilingly.

"I'm glad you remembered them, in such a city it makes me happy to see that you remain unchanged."

She released her mother only to grasp her hand and turned her tearful gaze upon her smiling family

*******

An hour had gone past, Dakota's time was up.

Trina did not want to intrude her family meeting, but the guards would be changing shifts soon and someone was bound to notice that the queen regent had gone missing.

Walking back to the back hallway, Trina pocked her head around the corner and witnessed what a true family looked like.

Dakota held her mother's hand and her father had his arm around his wife's midriff. They were all laughing at the sight of her youngest sister being held in a headlock by her red faced brother.

I wish my family was this close.

She watched the scene before her with a sad smile, momentarily forgetting that time was once again not on their side.

Dakota looked up and saw Trina, already knowing what that meant.

Her time was up.

Gently squeezing her mother's hand, she let go and turned back to everyone.

"It seems like I must leave," she softly spoke.

All the smiles of laughter were immediately wiped off from their faces.

Instead tender smiles of goodbye graced Dakota one last time.

A smile that was prepared to let her go this time around.

"I hope to see you all again sometime," she choked with a smile and walked away with Trina before she ran back home with her family.

Once again they joined the rambunctious behavior of the capital on their way back to the palace.

They reached the backside of the palace gardens before they noticed a lone figure waiting by the fountain.

It was Theodore.

In the midst of her sadness something warm washed over Dakota.

"Theodore, what are you doing here?" Trina asked as they approached him.

"Waiting for you two of course," and he diverted his gaze to Dakota.

"Why don't you go enjoy the festival and I will walk Dakota back to the palace," he spoke once more, not breaking eye contact with Dakota.

Comprehending her brother's intentions Trina smiled.

"I'll see you later," she lightly grasped onto Dakota's arm and walked away.

Once she was out of earshot Theodore stood and offered his arm.

"Shall we?" Silently taking it, he led her away from the gardens and the walkway to her chambers.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked looking up at him.

"You'll see,"

They walked up to a tower in the middle of the garden, one that had endless stairs for its impeccable height.

"Unfortunately it is a bit of a walk to reach the top," Theodore said looking down at her.

"Then it is a good thing that we have time,"

With a shared smile they began to walk up the endless spiraling stairs, talking and laughing as if they had only been apart for mere hours.

Finally reaching the roofless tower, Dakota gasped at the sight before her.

The capital was lit up in millions and millions of lights almost like a reflection of the star born sky.

"This is the only reason why I tolerate the Cosmet festival, the view of the city is breathtaking," Theodore said from the her right.

She could only awe in reply.

Slowly but surely Theodore grasped her hand and together they stared out at the millions of lights that covered the sins of the city.

A large burst of light shot to the sky like a raging bullet before exploding into a myriad of colours.

Fireworks.

Fireworks everywhere dazzled the sky leaving the stars to cry their tears of joy.

Fireworks like when Dakota first truly met Theodore.

Love is not the magic trick that pulls you in with the perfect illusion.

It was like a bright unbending light that lit up her sky endlessly.

Love is the real thing.

It was the endless bond they shared that was deeper than the sea.

It's the sea; it will let you dive deep into it

It was the shine in his eyes that rivaled the prettiest of sunsets and blessed her with eternal warmth.

It will give your heart endless sunrises, and it will warm into it forever.

It was always the beauty of Dakota, not the one of the outside but the one she wielded within, the one that made Theodore admire her more and more each day.

The end of it will always carry beauty.

Her thoughts, her ways that depicted change. That yearned to guide and help others.

It will always be full of the unknown to discover

It was her beautiful soul that always stayed, that never changed and left him drowning in her infinitely.

Love should never be the wind, it isn't supposed to come and go like the breeze.

It was something that they both shared. Something that they both saw.

True love was meant to be felt but not seen.

It was the dream in his heart and the future in her eyes. It was the breathtaking world they created together.

Their gazes met.

It's present, it's evident, it's consistent, and it's undeniable to the eyes, the heart, and the ears.

It was him and it was her, that became one with a passionate kiss.
____________________________________

Quote by Pierre Jeanty