Warning Me

I was leaving for Italy tomorrow morning and I hadn't told you about it. Yesterday didn't seem like a good time to bring it up and today wasn't either but it's the last day we had together. You deserved to know I was leaving and I was going to be the one to tell you.

I went looking for you but I couldn't find you anywhere inside. I stopped a few people and they said they might've seen you walking outside. Why the hell were you outside for?

I walked outside and there you were, walking further away from the mansion and closer to the gate. Bryan stopped you before you got any closer.

"Bryan, I got her." I told him.

Once he left us alone, I asked you why were you out here in the cold. You said, you wanted to walk around and I said, way out here.

It wasn't like it was big deal but it would better if you weren't outside, well not so far way from the mansion. Especially not after what happened at the school with the snow frozen mid air. It was a good thing Abe took your necklace.

You shrugged. "I didn't know I walked this far. We can go back."

"That will be better for Abe's sake." I agreed, nodding. "But there's something I need to tell you before we walk back."

When I said that, you immediately looked at me with your worried, concerned face and started asking too many questions for me to keep up with them. I stopped you before anymore questions were asked.

"Everything's fine." I told you. "It's about me. I don't want to leave you but-"

Probably not the best way to say it and you frowned when I said I was leaving you. You thought I was breaking up with you and I reminded you that I was going to stay with you until you realized you could find better.

"Then what is it?" You asked.

"I'm going to Europe for a week."

You wanted to know why I was going to Europe but I couldn't tell you because it was Abe's order. You asked when did I ever listen to what he he said. Which was a good point but this time was different. He put a spell on me so I couldn't tell you where I was going. I could've told you why I was going there but right now wasn't a good time to bring up my reasons.

"So, the only thing you can tell me is that you're going to a place somewhere in Europe?" You asked.

"Exactly."

I could see your mind working, trying to figure out why I was going to Europe but a moment later you gave up and told me how you couldn't believe I was leaving you when you needed me right now.

"I know." I replied. "I know it's the worst timing ever but it's important for me to go."

"But what about me? What am I going to do if I have a nightmare and you're not there to wake up from it? What if I go into my numb state? What am I suppose to do without you?" You questioned me.

I had the same ones and I already had a plan for that. There was nothing you needed to worry about. I took your hand and pulled you closer. I was glad we were away from lurking eyes for the moment. I looked into your eyes and you looked away from me.

"I'll be back before you know it."

Again not the smartest thing to say. Tears formed in your hazel eyes as you said was that supposed to make you feel better. It was but it didn't and I would admit I was an idiot for saying it. You pulled your hand away from mine and said I didn't understand before walking away from me, heading inside.

I didn't see you again until dinner. You sat across from me but you never looked up. You stared at your plate. I looked away from you only to be nudged by Reid. I looked at, wondering why he did that and he whispered that Lily was staring at me. I looked at her and she enough she was shooting daggers at me and I looked away from her to you.

It wasn't until I went to my room, I found out why she was staring at me. She had seen the reason I was going to Europe.

"You need to tell you before she finds out from someone else." She warned me.

"I know I do and I will when the time is right."

"It's never gonna be right. The sooner you do it the better it will be."

"Noted." I said. "You aren't going to say anything to her, are you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. It's between you and her. I understand why you did it and I'm sure she will too."

She left my door room and I thought about what she said. Lily knew I was a traitor. I worked for Ramadi for the past six months but she didn't turn me in. She said she understood why I did it but I wasn't sure you would. I did some pretty horrible things to you. It was one thing to forgive me for breaking your heart but it was another thing for lying to you.

I needed to make things right between us before I left. I didn't want to leave it how it was because I understood why you were upset. You didn't want me to leave you and I got that. But, I couldn't tell you the reason why I was leaving. I'm sure if I did tell you, things would've been differently.

So, instead of going to your room, like I originally planned on, I thought of something better, something I thought you might like. But heading towards your room, I noticed the guardians. I forgot all about the new patrol units. Ever since, the students were brought here when the gate broken, Abe ordered them to walk around the mansion, making sure everyone stayed where they were supposed to.

I'd been getting lucky every time I went to your room and went unnoticed by them. Not this time, though. I couldn't do it. So, I wrote a note to you and found a maid named, Ana. I gave it to her and she went to your room while I headed to the piano room.

I waited for you to show you not entirely sure if you would. Yet, you showed up a few minutes later.

"A little reminder of the guardians in the hallways would've be nice." You said as you walked over to the bench.

"Sorry about that." I told you. "They'll walk around in this area."

"And you brought me here so they can find out about us?" You asked, arching an eyebrow.

I gave you smile and told you, I wanted to keep you a secret a little longer before Abe had me killed for dating you and that the guardians knew I was in here and they wouldn't bother me unless it was important.

Once we established everything was good, you asked me what did I have to tell you. And I said, I wanted to wait the end to tell you and play your song. It's been awhile since you last heard it.

"You mean our song." You corrected me. "And you're right, I haven't. Why don't you play it for me?"

"Right away, Your Majesty." I teased with a bow.

You nudged me with a smile and told me to play the song. I did as you asked and began to play your song I created for you birthday. You smiled the whole entire time.

When I finished the song, I looked at you, staring into your hazel eyes. You placed you small hand on top of mine.

"What do you have to tell me?"

I sighed. "I know you hate that I'm leaving and want to know the reason why I'm leaving but I have to go. It's for a good reason. I didn't bring you in here to tell you that. I have something to give you."

"You have another surprise?" You asked, surprised.

I grinned and told you it was more useful and pulled out the phone. I told you it was untraceable and you could call me whenever. It didn't matter what time it was. I promised you I would always each and every time and I would call you everyday to make sure you were doing okay. You stared at the phone with a small cease between your eyebrows.

"James will be with you while I'm gone." I told you.  "And if something somehow goes wrong, he'll call me and I'll be on the first flight back to you."

"What if, I call you one night, really needing you?" You asked, glancing up.

I told you, I'll be on my way back and I needed you to keep trying to be yourself and stay strong. I promised you, I'd be back before in no time. I wouldn't stay for the whole week.

"Don't give me false hope." You whispered.

"I could never do that. I'll come back before I have to. I'll do that for you."

"Thank you." You said, hugging me.

I hugged you back. "That's the least I can do." I muttered.

We stay in the piano room for a few minutes before going to you room. Before you fell asleep, I whispered good night to you. I stayed awake just in case you had your nightmare but you didn't. You didn't scream and that was a good sign. I closed my eyes and went to sleep only for a few hours before I had to get up.

I carefully moved from underneath you and placed your head gently onto the pillow. As I watched you sleep, I reminded myself to hurry back to you. I pressed a light kiss to your forehead and slipped out your room. I headed to my room and got ready for my departure.

I grabbed my bag and hitched it on my shoulder as I walked out my room and towards to the front door. I placed my bag in the passenger side before I started the engine. I stepped out the vehicle to to talked to Greg, one of the guardians on patrol.

"Everything is set." He informed me. "You're good to go."

I nodded. "Good."

There was no signs of Morches lurking in the woods and that could be seen as good or bad. Good because I didn't have to deal with them but bad because there hadn't been any sign of them recently. 

What were they up to?

I headed to the car and I was stepping inside when I heard your voice, calling out my name. I looked over at you and you were coming down the stairs.

I got out the car and walked towards you.

"Were you really going to leave without saying bye?" You asked, sadly.

"I thought it would better that way than waking you up." I replied. "I was going to text you when I got on the plane. That way you had something to read when you woke up and realized I wasn't there."

You shook you head and said that was the worst thing I could've ever thought of and you wanted a proper goodbye. I told you I could do that for you.

I brought you closer to me as I wrapped my arms around you in a hug. I kissed your forehead, muttering goodbye. I asked if that was better.

"Better than your idea but still not good enough." You said.

I arched an eyebrow. "What's good enough for you?"

You took me by surprise when you stood on the tip of your toes and leaned in closer to me. I knew what you were thinking and I wasn't sure if you were ready for that. So, I asked if you were sure. You nodded your head and said yes.

You pressed your lips on mine and I'm not going to lie, I missed feeling your lips. I kept the kiss soft and gentle and you leaned back a few seconds later, smiling.

"That's how you should say goodbye." You informed me.

I grinned. "I'll remember that next time."

You said bye and I did too as I kissed your head for the last time before getting inside the SUV. I drove to a private lot where Abe had arranged for my plane. He kept my parents' location a secret, only allowing one other person to know where I was heading but not exactly where I was going. Ty, the pilot, knew he was taking me to Italy and he didn't ask questions. He followed his orders without curiosity.

I broad the plane and made myself comfortable for the next ten hours. The plane began to its takeoff and in no time it was in the air. I looked out the window, searching for any signs of danger but there wasn't any. After an hour of keeping a lookout, I decided to rest my eyes for a bit.

Which turned in hours of resting because when I finally opened my eyes, we were flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Ty informed me it wouldn't be very long before we reached Italy. I stayed awake for the remaining hours of the flight and because of the time differences, the sun was already down and up back in Montana.

Ty landed the plane twenty minutes away from my destination and I informed him I would let him know a day before when to arrive back for me. I walked off the plane and found the car Abe have given me to use.

I placed my bag in and got into the car. I drove to Florence to start my search. Ramadi, said six months ago, he would let my parents ago after our deal was called off but if I learned anything from Ramadi was, I could never trust him. I needed to see them with my own eyes.

I arrived to my destination in thirty minutes and walked into the out of sight building, on the edge of the city. The building was only known to the guardians and the government agents. It was a place where guardians could get together and discuss their mission in private and get a new mission.

On the outside it looked like an old rundown building that should be tear down and if it wasn't for Abe clear directions, I would've drove right passed it, without giving it another glance.

Yet on the inside, everything was brand new. It was a building where you could discussion an assignment or relax and have a good time. The latter was the first thing you saw. Music was playing and drinks in flukes were seen everywhere. There were more guardians than I have anticipated but I was hoping they heard something, anything, about my parents whereabouts.

I grabbed a glass when the drink tray walked passed me. I scanned the room, looking for someone familiar but I didn't recognize anyone. If I met they, it probably was very briefly and didn't require me to remember their names.

"Hayes?" A voice called over the music. "Hayes Cipriano?"

I turned to my left and I saw a man around the same age as my dad. As he got closer, I realized who he was. Enzo Rosen. My dad's best friend.

"Hey, Enzo."

"You remember me?" He asked, somewhat surprised.

"Of course. After all, you were the one who got my dad in all his troubles back on Arysn."

He laughed. "Those were the good times and he would agree with me."

"Not sure my mom would want him to."

I might've been seven but I still remember all the scolding my mom gave my dad. She treated him like a kid, granted he acted like one.

"Speaking of your parents, have your heard from them?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, not really. I was actually hoping you might've seen them around."

"Not recently. I thought maybe they would've been here tonight since Ramadi have sent his men all around the world."

I frowned upon hearing the new information. "Why?"

Enzo shrugged. "Who knows. Ramadi could put up to anything but it has something to do with the Morches disappearing."

So, I wasn't the only one who noticed that. There was a reason why they went MIA in the past two weeks.

"Why are you here?" Enzo asked.

"To see my parents." I replied.

"No, you wouldn't have left Montana to journey half way around the world to see your parents. You wouldn't risk leaving Princess Millian."

I glanced around the room, aware of the watchful eyes, probable wondering the same thing.

"Let's talk in private."

He nodded in agreement and I followed him to one of the vacant rooms in the back. He closed the door behind me, waiting for the real reasons of my appearance but I wasn't going to tell him.

"Abe sent me on a small mission." I lied through my teeth. "I'll be here for a week at most. It's nothing too serious but he wanted me to check out a few things, I'm not allowed to discuss with anyone except my parents."

He watched me, studying if I was lying or not, but I knew better than to slip up. I kept a straight face, not wavering from his eyes, a habit I broke a long time ago when I lied and I got caught in a lie.

"Okay. I'll might sure to keep my eyes out for them." He said, believing me.

Enzo had connections everywhere and if anyone could find someone, it was him. It never occurred to me ask for him help months ago. He wouldn't have gotten them out of Ramadi's hands but at least I would've known their location and Ramadi's.

Opening the door, Enzo paused for a moment then he turned me.

"I guess you don't have to wait anyone, they're here."

I moved past him and into the main room, and there they were, walking through the crowd, as if they own the place. Letty and Ander Cipriano, my parents.

At first glance, they didn't seemed to be harmed, despite being in the hands of Ramadi for six months. It was almost like he did all his torturing at the beginning of the deal when I didn't produce information quickly and when I did, he didn't harm them.

They noticed me and by the look of their faces, they were surprised to see me as if I wouldn't come to Italy to make sure they were okay.

"What are you doing here, son?" Dad asked me.

There was no warm greeting for their son they haven't seen in a few years. I should've knew better to think, I would've at least got a smile or something but that would've been too much for them to do.

"Abe's order." I responded. "We need to talk."

Once we were in a room, behind closed door, I didn't waste any time in asking questions.

"Where's Ramadi? What's his plan?"

They looked at me in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Mom asked, lifting an eyebrow. "We haven't been able to locate Ramadi in thirteen years. No one has seen him since we've left Arysn."

"Why would you think we would know anything about him?" Dad questioned.

It would've been too easy to find Ramadi if they would've known his location; if they could remember anything about where they've been the past six months. But he erased their memories of anything that could've gave him away.

I had to at least jog their memories. Something was better than nothing.

"Because the last six months, you two been with Ramadi. He tortured you both because of me."

Now they were really confused.

"What?" They said in unison.

"In the summer, Ramadi took you both. He wanted information and he knew I wouldn't have gave him anything unless he had something important to me; you two." I explained.

"Please tell me you weren't stupid enough to make a deal with that devil." Mom replied.

"I wish I could, but I can't." I said. "I agreed to work for him for six months to keep you both safe."

"No, you're lying." Dad said. "Your mother and I have been in Italy doing our job. There's no way we were captured six months ago."

I shook my head. "I'm not lying. No one has seen you two in months. Sophie, who by the way is in prison, hasn't received any letter for you in months."

Mom frowned. "Sophie's in prison? What did she do?"

"That's a story for another day. Right now, I need you to try to remember the past six months."

"Son, we told you, we've been in Italy the whole time. We never left and we were never taken." Dad told me.

"Now, that's all cleared up, tell me why Sophie is locked away." Mom demanded.

Sighing, I told them everything that had happened while they were gone. They didn't believe Sophie would do any of the things she's done but eventually they did. I was hoping they disowned her the very next second, like I did, but they didn't.

They wanted to talk to her and hear it for her. As if my story didn't sum everything up and I excluded a few things. Which I did but that's not what they were looking for. What they were hoping for was something that was liable for costing Sophie's crazy ass behavior.

There wasn't any purpose for me being in Italy anymore because my two main lead couldn't remember anything yet I was hoping while I was here, I could get a new lead. Otherwise, I would've been on plane back to you.

I called you throughout the day but you didn't answer. I wasn't sure what time it was over there so I told you to call me when you got the chance.

Which was a some hours later as I was walking through an alley. I answered your call almost immediately.

I asked you how your day was and you lied to me. You told me I was fine. You didn't know I spoke to James earlier and he told me the school knew about the trial. I didn't let you know, I knew, you were lying because I needed to be right in front you when I asked.

I didn't know how they found out but I made a promise to found out when I got back. I hung up, when there was a crash behind me, but I told you I would call you back.

I pretended as if I didn't hear the noise and kept walking. I rounded a corner and pressed my back against the wall, waiting for the person following me.

As soon as he walked passed the building, I grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall.

"Why are you following me?" I growled. "I'm done being Ramadi's messenger."

"He told me to keep an eye on you." The man grunted out.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask questions."

"You tell him, he made the wrong choice taking my parents and I'm going to kill him."

I walked away from him and continue my walk. I was looking for something to help you sleep and the source I got my information wasn't all that helpful. All he gave me was a name and it would've been useful if I could actually understand the guy but I couldn't speak Italian all that well. I know you're probably surprise to learn I'm not good at something.

I've been walking around Italy for awhile, trying to find a source that would help you and all I had to go off was a name, Rosalinda. I finally got on the right track and found a store called Destino.

When I walked in, the bell above me chimed. It was empty and creepy store. It was like the store was made to tell your future or whatever.

"Hello?" I called out. "Rosalinda?"

I walked further inside and a black cat ran by me. Then an old lady emerged from the back room, coming from the shadow, like she was fog. She had long white hair falling down her back and blue eyes. She had a lot of wrinkles and I could only guess how old she must've been.

"Yes?" She croaked.

"Um, I'm looking for something and a friend of mine told me this was the place to come to."

"Your friend told you right. What you're looking for, is right here." She picked up a small purple seashell from the middle self on her right. "Here you go."

I took it from her. "What is it?"

"It's called Dormine. It'll help your girlfriend sleep."

I frowned. "How'd you know it was for my girlfriend?"

"I know a lot." She said. "Now, to use the shell, you can speak in a soothing voice or you can sing." She shrugged. "It's up to you. You can only use it once."

"Why?"

"The more you use it, the more your girlfriend won't want to wake up. She'll love how peaceful her sleep is."

"Okay, thanks for the warning. I'll bring it back." I told her.

After I left the store, with a lot on my mind, I called you back. You answered it but you didn't speak.

"Boo? You there?"

You finally said something and I had a strong feeling you were already up and you confirmed it. You said you were waiting for me to call back. I apologized for taking so long. You had something to tell me but when I asked about it, you changed your mind. You held back and said you wanted me to help you fall asleep.

I informed you I had a way to make you sleep better and you wanted to know how. I told your options, knowing which one you would leaned towards.

"I pick the second option." You said.

"Of course you do."

You reminded me of what I said. I told you whenever you wanted me to sing for you again, I would. I asked you what song you wanted me to sing and you said, it didn't matter, you just wanted to hear me sing.

"You must really love my voice." I joked.

"Obviously. You can make anything sound good."

I picked a song and began to sing to you. The shell was right beside the phone as I sang. Soon, your breathing even out and I knew you were asleep.

I hung up and sent you a text to find in the morning. I return the shell back, wishing I could keep using it while I was away from you but Rosalinda's warning came back to me, along with her another warning. I didn't know what she meant back then. I thought she was a crazy lady but I should've listened.

"They will come for you. They will not stop until you are dead and she will not forgive you."