Chapter 34: Farewell (Archer's POV)

I was sitting beside my grandma's bed right before dinner because she called for me. 

"Why? I don't understand," I huffed. 

"Archer, you won't marry all of them!" 

"No, I'll marry Evelyn but..." I groaned, running my hand through my hair. 

"You have to send someone home, sweetheart. Someone who has no hope and no scope with you. It's time to bid farewell to someone," she chuckled. 

"But I don't want to bid farewell to someone," I whined. "It's a lot of pressure, whoever I tell is going to hate me." 

"Some things just have to be done, Archer. Tell me, who do you dislike the most?" 

"Chloe," I shrugged. "But I doubt my mother would let me send her back." 

"So choose someone who you've spoken to the least. Who doesn't make an effort," she countered. 

"Carol," I mumbled. 

"Tell her tonight, good luck. Now come. We have dinner to attend," she patted my cheek before I stood up and then helped her up, taking her downstairs. 

We got downstairs where Evelyn already was. She was sitting near my father, talking to him. I got to my chair, sitting beside her while my father helped my grandma in her seat. She turned to me with a small smile. "Hi." 

"Hi," I mumbled, leaning my head back on the chair. 

"Oh no, what's wrong?" she asked softly. 

I turned my head to look at her. I sighed, grabbing her hand under the table while everyone else arrived downstairs. My eyes fell down to her lips and I leaned in instinctively. 

She pulled back quickly. "What are you doing? Your mother is going to kill me, don't do that," she whispered just as my mother took a seat opposite her. "Tell me what happened," she said, turning to me. 

"I have to send one of the princesses home," I whispered in her ear. 

"Why?" she questioned. 

"Why what?" Chloe asked, sitting beside my mother. 

We both looked up at her. "Nothing," I shook my head dismissively. 

"Why what, Archer?" my mother interrogated. 

"He said nothing, Arabella," my grandma cut in, shooting me an understanding look. 

Dinner was mostly quiet after that apart from the girls talking amongst themselves occasionally and my mother chatting with Chloe. After dinner, everyone said their goodnights and we started heading up. When Evelyn and I got to our rooms, instead of going into my own, I followed her. 

"Why do you have to send one of them home?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her bed. 

My eyes went to her nightstand where she had the flower I gave her today. I turned my attention back to her. "Because my grandmother explained how it isn't right to simply host a princess who has no chance at all of marrying me. It's also getting quite irritating for everybody having so many women around. I have to send home the girl who has spoken to me the least and made the least effort," I sighed, sitting beside her. 

She nodded silently. "Send me home." 

"What?" I laughed. 

"I mean it. Send me home. Please." 

"Evelyn." I turned my body to face hers, my brows furrowing in confusion. "Why on earth would I send you home?" 

"Because I'm asking," she whined. 

"No, what? Why do you want to go home?" 

"Because I miss my parents," she mumbled. 

Oh, I understand. 

"I know I saw my mother just a few days ago but... I miss my house, I want to go back. Archer, I am struggling to stay in a palace for a month, how can I do this for the rest of my life? Please, just... just let me go home, I'll be doing everyone a favor," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion. 

I know that I've worn her out these past few days. After what happened with my grandmother, she's been zoned in on making sure I was okay and I wasn't spiraling out of control. I don't blame her for feeling tired and exhausted. 

"Evelyn." My eyes followed her as she stood up in front of me. 

"Let me go home, please?" 

I stood up, towering over her. "I can't let you leave." 

"Why?" she groaned. 

"Because you are the only girl I am willing to marry. Maybe that's selfish, but I can't let you leave. I can't marry anyone but you." 

"So... so keep me as a possible bride. Just let me live at my own house, Archer. I can't stay here anymore." She walked over to her closet and began grabbing her clothes. 

"Evelyn, no. No, what are you doing? Babe, you-" I cut my words short when I realized what I called her and started taking her clothes away from her, hanging her dresses back up. She turned to me with a frown. "You can't leave me," I mumbled, closing her double-door closet. 

"I'm not leaving you, I'm leaving the palace," she shrugged. 

"Why?" I whined, grabbing her hands and pulling her back to the bed. I sat down and had her stand between my legs while I held onto her waist. 

"Because it's exhausting! It's very draining to live a lifestyle that I'm not made for. I don't live like this, it's not who I am." 

I listened, understanding her feelings. 

"Every single day, I have to abide by the rules of royalty. I have to wear a dress, I have to act formal, I have to be at the table for every single mean, sharply at the times given. I... that's not how I live. It's very tiring, I want a break. Let me go for a little bit, please?" she complained. Rightfully so. 

"No," I mumbled, pulling her down onto my lap. 

She sat sideways, so she could still look at me. "Archer," she sighed. "Before I moved here, did you ever see me act the way I do now? I never even dressed like this," she frowned at the gown she was wearing. "I would wear jeans and shorts around town, for god's sake. I would be thrown out if I did that here." 

"That's not true." I tucked her hair behind her ear. 

"Archer, I lived a very ordinary life. And I liked it that way. Please, just let me go?" 

"I can't let you go," I said softly. "I don't want to." 

"Rules don't change for people. I'm not that kind of exception. I will have to change. And I am trying, I swear. But I need a breather. I need my life back for a little while," she explained. 

I started contemplating it but then the thought of not having her around, and the risk of her not coming came to mind. I shook my head, "No. I'm sorry, I can't let you go." 

"You don't think I'll come back?" 

"No, I don't think you will. You wouldn't if you were in your right mind, which you are. You hate living this way, I know that. And I can see that you're trying. But I cannot stand the thought of you leaving and me having to marry someone else." 

She stared down at me. 

"I cannot let go of you." 

She rubbed her temples. 

"And you can wear whatever you want, Evelyn." 

"Are you joking?" 

"Not at all. You are free to wear whatever you want. If anyone says a word to you, I will handle it, I promise you. I am there for you, okay. As for the formality and the table rules, I can't do much, I am very sorry," I shrugged, brushing an eyelash off her cheek. 

She looked down at me pleadingly. 

"Don't leave me, please," I said softly, kissing her shoulder. 

"Archer," she groaned. 

"Please," I whispered against her skin. 

"Why can't you let me go?" she questioned. 

I sighed, looking into her eyes. "Because I'm falling for you," I shrugged. 

She stared at me, her eyebrows shooting up. "What?" 

"I wasn't going to tell you that," I admitted. "But I can't let you leave either. I'm falling for you," I confessed. 

"Since when?" 

"Probably since that night when I got the call about my grandmother." 

"But..." she trailed off, dumbfounded. 

"Evelyn, you took care of me. You made sure I was okay every single day and you were the only person by my side." 

"I was the only one who knew." 

"Regardless of that, Evelyn. If you would not have been there, I have no clue how I would have handled myself. I don't think I could have." 

"Of course, you could have." 

"No, I could not," I scoffed. We both sat in silence for a moment. "Don't take that away from me, please," I whispered. "Don't go." 

She thought in silence for a minute while I gazed at her, getting lost in my own thoughts. "Okay," she sighed, finally caving. "I won't go. But I need to see my parents." 

"I will take you myself tomorrow, I promise," I agreed almost immediately. 

"Thank you," she said, looking down at me. 

"Thank you. For staying and everything that you did for me. It means a lot to me." 

"I'd do it all again, you know that," she said, looking away while scratching her eyebrow. "But who are you sending home?" she questioned. 

I groaned, putting my forehead on her shoulder. "Carol."

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Chapter 34

okay so...

I have mock exams now which is like pre-boards

for my us readers which is a lot of you, idk if you guys understand mocks but it's like a pre-exam exam. it's bullshit, basically.

anyway, I have those till the 15th of Feb with a lot of spare days in between

SO

I may not be able to write as much because I have to study for them but I WILL continue writing in between, just maybe not as often until they are over

just letting ya'll know

next chapter: theatre