Yours truly, Anto

Chapter 14- Goodbye Anto

The next morning at dawn Antonio and Diego were to be escorted to the chariot waiting for them and on their way back to Spain.

My father, me and the King unfortunately were there to see them go. Diego had been depressed all morning because he was leaving Mina. Gosh I can only imagine what kind of disaster Mina is right now. 

I walked down the palace steps with the King next to me as he huffed about the weather.

"I never liked the weather here." He said.

"It is too dry." he continued placing his hand on my back which made me tense up.

"Answer me!" He said. I jumped.

"Yes. The air here is dry."

"Good. And the air is better where?"

"Scotland." I whispered.

"Which will be your what?"

"My home." I whispered again.

He slapped me on the behind while chuckling. 

"Good girl. Now go say goodbye to the imbeciles." He said pushing me.

If only he knew I thought. 

Antonio said good bye to my father and came up to me while Diego was striking conversation with my father and the King.

"We got this." He whispered softly.

"I will come get you and everything will be perfectly fine. Just do your part." He said.

I nodded as my face started to get red. 

He looked behind me to see if the King was looking and then stroked my cheek.

"Mi princesa, wipe those tears. I will be back." 

He then handed me a slip of paper which I quickly tucked beneath my sleeve. 

"Let us depart." Then said Diego. 

They both hopped in the carriage and I took one last look at him. I had hope and so did he. There was a glimmer in his eyes that I knew I would one day see again, even if that day seemed so far away, even if now it seemed all so lost and all hopeless. He was sent to me to save me, and I imagine if I never met him in that forest.

The carriage then started moving as Hamish grabbed my arm turning me around. I started walking back towards the door turning my head towards the rumble of the wood wheels hitting the smooth cobblestone.

Goodbye Anto I thought. Let it not be forever. 

There was a sting in my chest, one I had never felt before. It felt like a part of me just went missing, like a part of me was empty. 

Back in the castle I went into the library and hid behind a bookcase in the corner. I carefully opened the letter that was in my sleeve. It read,

Mi Princesa, 

I will always thank the Lord for the day I met those green eyes in the forest. A day that I will never forget and eyes that I will wake up to every morning. 

This will be the first letter of many so get used to my cheesy remarks. I miss you already as I am writing this. The day will come where I get to be near you again, where your scent will consume me again. Until then mi reina, be good, be strong, be brave, and have courage the way I know you already possess. 

Yours truly, Anto 

I held the letter close to my chest. I yearned for the day I could get another letter from him. No, I yearned for the day to see him again.

I got up and started walking towards my room. I saw my mother in front of me. I quickly tried to hide the letter in my sleeve again.

"What are you doing?" She said looking at me with a sneer.

"I was just in the library, I am now headed to my room."

"What did you need in the library?"

"I uh needed a uh book about Scotland."

She lifted her chest and stared into my eyes.

Don't break.

"Well then, you can study later. There will be a gathering tonight before the King departs in the morning. But as for now, you need to do your piano lessons, archery, quilting, posture, and you will also be attending morning mass at the chapel. You are about to be the highest member of the Scottish court after all."

I nodded trying to smile. 

"Mina will be up shortly after she can compose herself to do your hair, it looks horrendous."

I went into my room and put the letter in the nearby drawer. 

This would be the hardest year of my life.