I stare at my shoes, at loss for words. 
This is it. I finally get to go back.
Before leaving, Princess Liferia whispers in my ear, "Thank you for everything you've gone through and how you have helped me. I will always be in your debt."

Everyone files out the room until it's only me and Prince Drake left in the room. I get up too, but just as I'm about to leave, a hand grips my wrist and stops me.

"You finally get to go back," he says, his voice once again soft with an emotion I can't quite understand.

I nod and put on a smile. 
"No more being scared of dying," I say in a cheery tone. 
He nods and stares at our linked hands, and to my surprise, doesn't let go. 
He opens his mouth and closes it as if going to say something but thinks the better of it.
 Why does he have to get so sweet just a few days before I leave? I smile to myself when a thought hits me.
Why the hell am I thinking he's cute? Am I falling... No, no, nope. Falling in madness, yes, not that...

I look at his face, his blue eyes staring at my face and I can't shake away the weird feeling, the pang of a little sadness.

He chuckles and smiles, and says, "Don't miss me too much. After all, I'm the 'evilest', but also 'handsomest' prince ever."

I can't control myself and my body moves on its own. And then I'm hugging him, my arms around his neck and his beautiful scent of nature, reminding me of ice,  hitting me. 
He's so, so warm, stiff in my arms.

I feel him stiffly put his arm on my back and I smile, then whisper in his ear, "By the way, evilest and handsomest are terrible grammar mistakes," then pull back. 

His cheeks are gone beetroot red and I can feel the blood rush up to mine too, but before he can see it, I turn around and start walking away, murmuring a bye. 'Stop me,' I wish, but I know he won't. 
Just as I'm walking out the door, I'm not sure if my mind is playing with me or it was real, but I hear, 'I'll see you soon."

Only when I'm outside, reality hits me again. I walked out of the palace, and now I'll be walking out of this kingdom. I won't see him again. 

Camara is already waiting for me outside, her shoulders drooping a little now as if she is relaxed.
"Happy I'm leaving? You know, I won't miss you a bit?" I tell her.
She laughs and answers, "The feeling is mutual my friend. Are you ready to go now?"
"Woah, don't I get to say goodbye to everyone? I still made many friends here."
She rubs her head and sighs, annoyed.
"No, the fewer emotions and connections to this place, the better for you. I'm taking you, now. If you want, turn around and take a last look at the palace, because the next thing you'll know, you'll be back."

I look at her sadly, but give a small smile, and turn around. 
It's snowing once again and the walls of the humongous castle in front of me shine white, waving goodbye.

"Goodbye, Analia," Camara says. 
Everything starts going blurry around me, fading away, as if nothing but a memory, and just before everything is gone, I see his silhouette, Prince Drake's, and my hand reaches out, to grasp him, but everything disappears and goes black.

***

"Analia? Analia? Honey, please wake up. Answer me," I hear a female voice say. 
"Oh, this is all my fault. This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me,"

"No, it's not your fault, okay? We are both responsible. It's okay," this time it's a male voice.

My eyes slowly open and I hear a gasp. The first thing I see is two people staring down at me.
 
Mom and Dad.

I sit up in my bed and a killer headache overtakes me. I'm reminded of the time when the exact same thing happened before, in the Bad Souls kingdom.
I'm in my room and everything is so normal around me I wonder if all of what happened was even real, or was I imagining it? 
No, no, that was real, I know it was. I'm really back.
The same gray and baby pink walls, same drawings stuck on the wall, my room a bit messy...

My mom takes me in a hug, and I wrap my arms around her too. 
"Oh, Sweetie, I missed you so much! I thought- I thought I lost you. You're so precious. Please, please never leave me again," she says, her voice cracking every now and then like she was crying. 
"Hey, it's okay Mom. I'm fine now," I answer her, my voice soft.

My dad hugs me next. I always think before he hugs me it will be a tight hug, but when he does, it's comforting, as if he is holding me like glass, and I'll break if he hugged me too tight. 

"I love you, Honey. I know, everything that happened with me and your mom was tough for you to handle, but we're still your parents and you can still talk to us like friends. We love you," he says, his voice deep.

I hug him tighter and tears flow down my cheek. I always hoped my Dad would care for me like that, hug me like this, be like Princess Liferia's Father. 
I never noticed, but he always loved me. I just ignored it because of his new wife, thinking he never cared. 

"Okay," I answer in a croaky voice.

I pull away from the hug and wipe my tears.
And questions flood me.
"What happened- I mean, what do you think happened to me?" I ask both of them.

My mom takes my hand in hers and my dad answers.

"A month ago, you disappeared Ana, without telling us where you went. We know now you're safe, but at that time we thought something happened to you. We looked for you everywhere in Town. I'd- I'd never felt so scared my entire life. And then, bad things started happening in Town, and I freaked out even more."

"But then, just two days ago, we got a call from The Alopitayas. They told us you were with them, spending your holidays near the coast. Said their daughter was one of your good friends in school, so you went with them. And then they bought you home yesterday, saying you fell and hurt your head, and were waking up and falling asleep time to time. I'm just happy you're safe."

I crease my eyebrows together. Why did that family name sound so familiar? I can't ask Mom and Dad who they are, they'll just get suspicious, so I ask, "What do you mean bad things had been happening in Town?"

They both look at each other, concern flooding their faces and this time my mom speaks, her hands squeezing mine even tighter. I don't think I'm going to like what I hear next. 

"Honey, it's- umm, it's Mari. She- she was found dead in her room two weeks ago."