AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She had to decide whether Asturia was part of her future or not, not Akil. She had to set the boundaries for any future relationship with her family, not him. She’d been passive long enough. It was time she came out of the shadows. Of course she wanted Akil by her side when she did, but thanks to him she was strong enough to do it alone if she had to.
She just hoped she didn’t.
It was mid-afternoon by the time they reached the beach and the car park was busier than she’d seen it, families unloading picnics and groups of teens with surfboards. Many stopped to stare curiously at the limousine.
‘Don’t open the door for me, Henri,’ Clem asked as he pulled the handbrake. ‘I don’t think anybody will mistake me for my sister, but if they see you acting all chauffeurish someone might put two and two together and make six.’
Sure enough, although a few people stared at her as she opened the door and slid out, no eyes widened with recognition and no one showed any sign of being interested in taking her photo or speaking to her. How different it must be for her sister, not able to even have a simple walk on the beach without Henri’s presence to keep onlookers away. If Akil was right, if her sister was prepared to risk scandal and have Clem close by, then was Clem prepared to be the scandal? To be stared at and whispered about and photographed?
With her sister and Akil by her side, she could weather anything.
Clem slipped off her shoes and walked barefoot onto the beach, heading towards the shoreline where gentle waves lapped the sand, holding up her skirt so she could wade in up to her ankles, tipping her head up to look at the sky, the same deep blue as the sea. How she loved the smell of sea air, the salt and water and air combining into something more than the sum of its parts. It smelt like home. She could live anywhere as long as she could feel sand beneath her toes and submerge herself in the sea.
She checked her phone, there was no message, no answer from Akil, but there was a brief message from her sister.
I just want to say that whatever you do decide I have your back, always. I’m proud of you and I’m proud to have you in my life and I am happy to shout it from the rooftops to anyone and everyone if that’s what you want. I love you, big sis.
Clem swallowed. She’d cried more than enough today, but it was hard to read the message through blurry tears. She quickly sent a reply.
Right back atcha!
Casting a hopeful look back towards the harbour, Clem continued her slow wade through the soft surf feeling freer than she had done for longer than she could remember. Free of worries, free of insecurities, free to be herself whoever and whatever that meant.
Without allowing herself to think what she was doing, she headed back to the beach and pulled her dress over her head, wrapping her phone in it and laying them on her shoes, and then she turned to wade right back in, heading out until she was waist deep and then diving into the waves, submerging herself, letting the water wash away the last of the doubt and the insecurity. Not the grief; that would never quite go, but with time she would learn to manage it.
As Akil left the castle his phone buzzed and his heart rate sped up, only to decrease when he realised it was from Arrosa.
Whatever Clem wants, whatever Clem decides, I will always back her.
He inhaled, relief filling him. He didn’t necessarily need the Princess on his side, but he did need her on Clem’s. He replied quickly.
Thank you. I’ve just had an interesting conversation with your father, I think we’ve reached a similar consensus.
He sent the message and jammed the phone back into his pocket as he reached the car, unlocking it and sitting behind the wheel trying to decide where he should go, what he should do. In one way nothing had changed since he had left Clem and yet at the same time everything had changed. He understood her position a little bit better, thanks to his conversations with Arrosa and with the King, and he knew that he could promise with truth that if Clem decided to stay she wouldn’t be reliant on him, but that her sister would also have space for her, that there was the possibility of a more open relationship with her father, but they were just words. How could he make her see his truth when through fear for herself and love for her sister she’d erected barriers so tall and so thick it would take more than words for Akil to battle through them?
Think, he told himself fiercely.Think.
Finally Akil jumped out of the car and half jogged through the streets until he reached his home, letting himself into the apartment where, after quickly feeding Tiger, he rooted around looking for his spare key. Pocketing it, he checked his watch, still not sure if Clem was meant to be heading back to the UK that night, and wended his way through the maze of alleyways behind his apartment until he reached the small jeweller’s shop where he and Clem had browsed just a few days before.
The shop specialised in sea glass, and Clem had exclaimed at the beautiful turquoise and greens of the polished jewels. Akil stepped inside and selected a keyring and a matching necklace, quickly paying before jogging back to his car. He slid inside and took the key from his pocket, carefully fastening it onto the keyring, and put the keyring and necklace onto the passenger seat. Right, he had a plan, he just needed the girl.
He pulled out his phone to check it again, his heart speeding up when he saw her name. She was on the beach. That had to be a good sign. He didn’t need to ask which beach, quickly starting the car and driving as quickly as he legally could out of the city and across the hilly terrain until he reached the harbour. To his relief he saw her limousine parked up at one end of the car park, Henri leaning against it, the usual inscrutable expression on his face. Akil parked next to it and got out, palming the key and necklace and putting them in his back pocket.
‘Is she still here?’ he asked, and Henri nodded.
‘She went for a walk.’
‘How strict are your instructions? Is it a case of getting her to the airfield no matter what, or is there some flexibility?’
‘I think they were open to interpretation,’ Henri said. ‘She’ll be safe with you?’
‘Always.’
Henri nodded. ‘Her bag is in the car.’
It was almost heartbreaking to see how little she had with her, just one small duffel bag that fitted even in Akil’s tiny boot. He locked the car and nodded one more time at Henri.
‘Thanks for looking after her.’
