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Where's My Happy Ending? ((butterfly0408/Kolath))

"The poor thing..." the queen whispered back glancing over his shoulder to see her sitting there on the ground. "Perhaps I try and help?" she asked Aiden before slowly crossing the room. Knowing her son, his approach was just confessing it all and hitting her straight forward with a million things at once. A slow, gently, calm approach was much better, she was sure. She slowly walked over to knee near Crista, speaking to her in a gentle voice, "My dear... I don't know what you have been through to make you like such a frightened animal, but it pains me to see you as such. You mean very much to my son, so therefore, you mean just as much to me. I'm sure he was a bumble head and was a bit pushy with his thoughts, wasn't he?"

Crista did not reply, but the queen smiled, knowing she was right, and also could picture her son's reaction to that behind her. "It's his way. He wears his heart on his sleeve and I call tell you are not accustomed to that. So that is why I am going to talk to him, alright? Let him know he can't treat you like this." She was leading her to believe that she was going to talk her some sense into her son. Sense like Crista's thoughts, but not really. Oh but they would talk. "And while I am talking with him, I think you will feel much better in some fresh clothing. Please, please let my maids help you get into something? I promise. No gowns. Something simple for you, is that alright?"

Crista tilted her head up, tears still in her eyes. She looked like a lost little girl, being spoken to by her mother. In many ways she was. "I never should have picked out such a dress for you in the first place. Forgive me for not thinking what would make you comfortable first."

"Oh! Oh no your majesty. The dress was beautiful but I..." Crista was still a little choked up.

"But you don't feel comfortable in it."

Crista shook her head, "I don't belong in a dress like that."

The queen gave her a warm smile, "Then let's get you something you'll feel better in." The queen took her hands and helped her to stand. The two walked to the door, upon opening it, the maids were already waiting, "Please take Crista to the guest room once more, but please find her something else to wear. Something much simpler."

The maids all curtsied to the queen as she handed Crista over to their care. She motioned for one to remain behind however. When Crista was out of earshot, she whispered to the maid, "Do not treat her like a noble woman. Treat her just, normally. Do not push her to do anything she does not want and find her something a little worn to wear, something plain, yet not rags...."

With that, the queen, close the door and looked to her son. "Small steps Aiden. The girl has lost so much. Giving her it all back and more will crush her."
 
Aiden was not at all happy with his mother. Turning on his heel after she sent Crista out he went over to the table pouring himself a glass of wine. â??Why did you do that!? She is all ready to return to that life that she has been forced into because she is convinced that itâ??s all she is worth.â? He drained the glass turning to glare at his mother. â??I am just soâ?¦â? he turned slamming his fist into the stone wall hard wincing as the impact went up his arm. Turning so his back was against the wall he leaned back against it covering his eyes with his hand. â??How am I supposed to make her see that I truly love and want her to be here with me leaving all that behind never having to worry about it again?â? he wasnâ??t asking anyone just putting a voice to his frustration.
 
Even she flinched watching him hit the wall like that. Letting him get it all out of his system, she just stood, watching and listening. At last, she chiming in, "Don't worry Aiden. She's not going anywhere. And even if she does, it will not be back to that life she had to endure before. With her situation now brought to the surface, she will be no slave. She is the rightful heir to that title and I will see she gets it." Knowing that was not going to be the kind of reply her son wanted to hear, she raised her hand to stop him before he even started, "Aiden, you need to trust me with this one. Your Crista is not the kind of girl that will respond well to you trying to FORCE your feelings on her. I can tell, she has been forced to many times already. You trying to do that too her now will hurt you both more then help. Tell me, how were things between you before all this happened? When she still thought you to be common. If you just treat her like you did then, she'll be more comfortable. You have to make her feel comfortable, safe, at ease... only then will you be able to talk sense into her. If you are a raving maniac and she is a raving maniac, you'll get no where, will you?"
 
He sighed sitting down in one of the two chairs. He held his head in his hands as his mother spoke sense but in his mind things werenâ??t making sense. He looked up at his mother, â??how do I treat her the same when she doesnâ??t treat me the same?â? he sighed shaking his head looking in despair at the glasses on the table. He just was totally lost and could barely see the life line that his mother was tossing out to him.
 
"Don't let her see someone she doesn't know. Aiden you at yourself..." his mother said gesturing to his attire. "How can she look at you and see the same man she knew from the market when you look like you are about to go some royal ball?" She stood and went to his closet, opening it and picking out one of his more common outfits. Something he would wear if he went riding, "Change. Let her see you the way she knows you."
 
There was a part of Aiden that balked against putting on a false image for Crista feeling he had already deceived her too much by not being up front with her in the first place. However after a moment he went and took out his riding clothes going into the other room to change. He took his time feeling unsure about this, but the more he thought about this the more he came to realize that it wasnâ??t the same. He wasnâ??t trying to put on a false image, just a more normal one rather than the grand one that he had on before. Finally dressed in simple leather pants, a loose white shirt and riding vest he walked back into the room where he was to meet Crista again, and despite the lack of finery he looked rather dashing.
 
"Now, don't you even feel better?" his mother asked him when he returned. She came over and gave her son a kiss on the forehead, "Just be yourself Aiden. You don't need to impress her. She already likes you. If she didn't, she would not have been so torn over finding out about you. Just, be calm and casual with her. I'll go make sure the maids know to show her back here when she is ready." With another kiss for confidence, she departed.

But the queen did more then just see to the maids. She went and knocked at Crista's door, entering only when Crista bid her welcome.

Upon seeing who it was, Crista moved to go into her bow again. The queen held up a hand, "Don't, please. You already did it once before and that is more then enough for me."

"As you wish, your majesty," Crista replied, standing there with her hands holding in front of her.

The queen smiled, seeing Crista looking much better now. The maids had done a good job of finding a dress for her. Simple, yet elegant. Plain, yet not in color. It was a very pretty pale green colored skirt, a simple white top, with a corset of a dark green, laced up the front. It was a dress more for a lady-in-waiting... but Aiden had been right about Crista. She looked noble even in this simple, common clothing.

"Is something the matter your majesty?" Crista asked. The queen had not realized she had been staring at Crista for some time thinking without saying a thing.

"Oh! Oh no dear, please just sit a moment, I want to talk with you a moment. Just from one woman to another. Not a queen to a subject. Can we please?" After Crista gave her a nod, she motioned to table and they both sat...
 
Aiden had just smiled at his mother then went to sit out on the balcony that joined the room. He expected that his mother would send Crista right in so he just waited not sure what to do with himself as he waited. Time passed and he was starting to get worried that Crista had really tried to get away and his mother couldnâ??t find her.
 
A short time later, a soft knock finally came to the door and a moment later, it slowly creaked over. Crista tentatively poked her head back into the room first, followed by the rest of her. Closing the door behind her, she paused a moment before turning and just standing there, fiddling a bit with her fingers as she just stood, there. It was a moment more before she realized he wasn't in the room at first glance. "...hello?" she managed to squeak out before just continuing to stand there. She was still in the same outfit she had been in when the queen came to see and talk with her, only now her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that draped over her shoulder.
 
Aiden had just started to get up to come find out what was wrong when he heard her voice. Taking a moment for a deep breath he walked back in smiling at her. â??Hello Crista.â? He walked over to her slowly stopping a respectful distance from her. he took her in and couldnâ??t help but love how nice she cleaned up looking even more noble now then when she normally did. â??You look very beautiful.â? It was all he could think of to say.
 
For a moment, she just stood there still, looking at him. And then, a wonderful think happened. A very small smile crossed her lips. Just like the ones that crossed her lips all those times they had spent together. For the first time all day, she was just looking at him once more, not at the prince. She was the Aiden she knew again and she sighed, visibly loosening up a bit. "Thank you. And you look very.... distinguished." The smile seemed to be staying.
 
He smiled also looking into her eyes. â??Thank you.â? He motioned over to the table still set for tea. â??You know you never sat down and had a drink with me would you do me the honor of it now?â? he was trying to be how he was out in the market wanting to be no different. He had tried before to get her to come out with him for lunch or even something to drink but she had always said no. now he would see if she had just not wanted too or couldnâ??t because of the baroness.
 
Nodding a little, she approached, taking a seat. She was a little looser now, but still seemed a little nervous. She was trying to be open to this but... it was hard to turn off her stepmother's influences and turn on her feelings for him. "I haven't sat down for tea in years..." she commented casually, not sure just how to start the conversation with him.
 
He pulled the chair out for her and smiled waiting for her to take it before helping her push it in and going to sit on the other side across from her. he was just as nervous as she was not sure what to say if he wasnâ??t supposed to say if not to talk about his feelings for her. he poured the tea smiling more. â??Well then its long overdue wouldnâ??t you say Crista?â?
 
"I wouldn't actually..." she said with a slight laugh. "My father wasn't one for drinking tea and such. Only when important people came over. So I'm not very familiar with it. I never learned the 'proper' way to serve it. Or sip it. But..." she picked up her empty cup and held up her pinky, "I do know this." She smiled a moment, but then it faded, "Those are the kinds of things a lady learns from her mother..."
 
Aiden couldnâ??t help but smile and chuckle when she made a joke about knowing how to hold her pinky when drinking tea. As her face fell about her mother Aiden reached over placing his hand on hers looking into her eyes. â??Iâ??m sorry Crista I didnâ??t mean to bring up a hurtful subject.â? He sighed letting things stay that way for a moment not sure if he should do more or say more.
 
"It's okay," she said. It was nice to have someone to comfort her like this. It had been so long since she had anything remotely like it in her life as of late. "I didn't think it would be until I just thought of it. And even so, it doesn't hurt to much. I don't remember her well. I know I lost something great, but I never got to experience it to REALLY know what I had lost." Talking of her mother never hurt. Her father was another story. "Can you pour? I'll just spill it everywhere."
 
He smiled and nodded taking the pot and pouring out some of the hot steamy liquid. â??I am more then happy to. Though itâ??s a good thing that I drink tea because I like the taste rather than just at â??properâ? times. Otherwise neither of us would know what we are doing.â? He took his own cup and instead of sipping at it he downed about half the cup sighing in pleasure. â??Mmmm much better.â? He looked over at her smiling more, â??I want to take a moment to say Iâ??m sorry about before I was being the ass that I was trying to avoid being when I came out into the market.â?
 
She was just holding the cup, not really doing anything put looking into it and listening to him. There was a pause between when he finished talking and when she at last started to talk once more, "And I want to take a moment to say... I am sorry as well. It all just hit be so fast. One thing after the other. By now I guess you realize I'm not exactly a strong person. I cracked and I just......" she sighed and took a long sip of her tea, hoping it would calm her a bit. One more sigh afterwards and she went on, "I didn't know who you were let alone who I was. I honestly didn't know Aiden. I never lied to you when I told you I was common because I really thought I was. My father was a humble man and never taught me that the title was be mine when died. Juliet just..." she started to get a little tense again. She could kick herself for never seeing it before. But how could she? She was young and lost after her father's death. Naive to say the least. She didn't even believe him earlier when he claimed she was who she was. It took a long, calm conversation with the queen, showing her the records just as she had shown Aiden, and explaining the laws to her that she finally understood. "I feel like an idiot. I let her walk right over me and crush me like that..."
 
Aiden stood as she started going in on herself. She had been explaining everything and he knew a lot of it but when she started beating herself up for not knowing all of it he came over to her. he dropped to his knees in front of her taking her hands in his both sets in her lap. He looked intently into her eyes, â??Donâ??t ever say that about yourself Crista. The baroness used you and lied to you. You are not a idiot for not knowing something you were never told.â? He gently rubbed her hands looking up into her eyes, â??Talking to yourself like that is just part of what the baroness wants you to think so please donâ??t give into her anymore.â?
 
Sighing, she closed her eyes, turning them away. It was not the same way she had done it before. It was much more innocent this time, "I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it. I just... uuhh!" she groaned in frustration, standing and crossing away. Things where all suddenly so clear that she couldn't help put look back on all the mistakes she had made, lies she believed, pain she suffered. How could she NOT beat herself up over it? "I'm a fool! It doesn't matter that I didn't know. I SHOULD have known." Crossing to the open doors of the balcony, wanting to just clear her mind, but as she leaned against the door frame and glanced out over the balcony... she paused. A light gasp escaped her lips as she slowly went out onto the balcony. The view was amazing. The whole kingdom before her, from a point of view like she had never seen before. It took her breath away from her and for the time made her forget about the things that worried her in her life.
 
Aiden was about to stand and go after her to try and continue fighting the lies that she first had believed and now that she was telling herself. However as she reached the balcony he smiled seeing her reaction. He slowly followed her out smiling looking across the kingdom for a moment but then his eyes returned to her, despite the beauty around him there was only one thing he wished to look at and that was her. coming up closer to her he smiled standing just a little bit behind her and waited.
 
"This is amazing," she whispered. She knew he was there, but her eyes were still fixated upon the view before her. "You must never tire of this view. I know I certainly would not." And then, it really dawned on her. REALLY dawned on her. Turning to him, she looked at him, right in the eyes, "You really are the prince..." She leaned back against the railing, looking like she has just been hit with a ton of bricks, "All this time..."
 
He smiled softly and nodded looking at her loving the way she looked against the railing and the view behind her. â??Yes I am and always have been.â? He took a step forward and brushed a hand over he cheek lightly. â??And I do not tire of this view ever.â? He was looking directly at her into her eyes making it clear that he was not referring to the view of the kingdom but rather the view of her.
 
She got what he meant, but she couldn't see why. Even a title could not change the fact that she was still plain. That was still something she had always thought about herself, even before Juliet. "You could have any girl in this whole kingdom. And probably any girl from the bordering kingdoms as well. Why could you possibly want me?"
 
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