Laurie's P.O.V

I sat at my bedroom window humming a strangely familiar tune that I had come to enjoy. Waiting. I knew that today was going to hit hard. 

"Are you okay...?" I heard a familiar voice ring behind me. I turned to my side to see him. My fiance.. Conner. I tried to smile for him. He wasn't who I ideally wanted to marry. I didn't have much of a choice. Though this wasn't terrible... I didn't mind it too much.

My gaze went down to my hand that held Joel's ring that he gave me. I sighed deeply knowing I wasn't thinking rationally.

Joel wasn't the path for me..

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"... I'll leave you be.." Conner said softly gently kissing the side of my head before leaving. 

I stood up and started singing softly to myself. I hated this. I hated all of this shit. I wanted to go find a place to be alone right now. But I couldn't. I had to see someone today.

"Your highness, He's here." I heard a guard say to me snapping me out of my thoughts.

"O-Oh... Send him in... P-Please.." I asked softly messing around with my necklace that was my mothers before mine. A simple moon sign.

I heard the door open and I saw him. I asked for Matthew to send him to me, we needed to talk without any distractions. 

Joel walked into the room his hands done up in chains and his usual smile was replaced with an anxious look.

"Nice of you to bring me up to the main level... You highness." He said his voice lacking the usual confidence or sweetness. I bowed a bit before looking up at him. He let out a deep sigh looking down at me. "What..?"

"I... -I don't want anything bad to happen to you..." I said softly.

He let out a laugh. It wasn't one of his warm laughs, or a laugh that brought joy. It was quite an aloof laugh. "Its a little late, for that isn't it Laurie." He said, his voice ringing through the emptiness of the room.

"... You have a choice... You return to your kingdom and-..."

Before I could continue he cut me off before I could finish my sentence. "I'm not going back to the living hell I had been in for 18 years. Thank you for that kind and respectful offer, but no. I'm not going back." He said his voice and expression both grim.

I didn't want him to stay, but is that worse then sending him back to his home?

"If your trying to give me a choice to not get hurt because I'm a mere mortal. Your wasting your time. A real friend doesn't leave his friends. Or put them in danger." He said his last words of course aimed towards me. "So go ahead and kill me, torture me with the rest of the townsfolk, but I'm not going anywhere." He said his expression speaking for itself as well.

I couldn't speak. I didn't realize that he knew what was going to happen to the rest of the townsfolk. I sighed softly, before pulling off his ring offering back to Joel.

He took it back with no complaint and turned towards the door to walk back to the guards.

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"Wait...!" I cried rushing forward grabbing onto his arm tightly. Instead of trying to push me back or fight away from me he just froze up. Looking down at me his eyes showing pain. "What?" He said his voice not quite matching his expression.

"I-I'm sorry... P-Please just let me e-explain..!" I said softly reaching towards the chains on his arms gently pulling him towards my bed forcing him to sit down as I picked the lock.

He tried to pull away a couple of times, before I forced him to stop as I unlocked his chains.

Joel stared down at his wrists that were now released. "I don't want your explanation."

I held the chains tightly in my hand thinking what purpose I had to take them off.

"I trusted you... You threw it away, this is how this is now. Nothing is going to change that. You could offer me the world, you could offer me safety, but That won't change this." He said as he took away the chains and put them back on locking them up. "I'm staying here. If I'm going to die here, then so be it."

I watched Joel stand up and start to head towards the door. 

"... I hope you have a good marriage, Laurie." He said softly as he left with the guards that were outside the door.

I leaned my head back against the wall tightly gripping my dress skirt. I stood up throwing my engagement ring down on the ground. 

Standing up and taking a familiar route up to the tallest point in my castle. Looking down carefully sitting down on the railing, thinking if I wanted to really do it. 

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"Old illusions drift away when hollow fears are beaten" I heard someone say as I wiped my head to the side. 

"W-Where...?" I asked softly.

"The princess and the boy are waiting for you..." I heard the voice say again. "I'm waiting for my deal, Crescent."

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I rushed towards my room slamming the door behind me breathing deeply. I wanted to die. For real this time. My life was falling apart right in front of my eyes. I sank down to my knees grabbing my engagement ring and slipping it back on my finger, hoping I could at least try to get a grasp on things again. Before looking back out the window again.

"Old illusions... The Illusion mountain.." I said as I stood up walking to the window pressing my palm against it. I pressed my forehead against the window breathing deeply.

what am I doing here...?

"Your Highness? It's time for your dinner with Prince Conner..."

"No.. Please cancel it... I don't want to eat."

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-In the Mountain of Illusions-

I looked through the orb that showed me the Princess who had my freedom in the palm of her hands. Looking around at everyone we had here. Together, were we going to take revenge on that shitty kingdom.

"Oh, You really think you can run, but we'll find you. Princess. We'll wait. We can wait."

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ALRIGHT, SO LIKE 1 CHAPTER A WEEK-

I ALMOST LOST 67% BECAUSE MY POWER WENT OUT, BUT I'M GOOD NOW, AND GOING TO UPDATE A NEW STORY TOMORROW-