Quest 256

[primrosella]

[Private || Hackable by Friends]

And now, at last, it's Rue's turn to go.

It's so strange to think of a City without her. Cain says she was the first person he ever spoke with when he arrived here, and he's been around a good year and a half longer than I have, which means Rue was here longer still. It's really something to imagine, how much she must've seen and done in all that time--and how much of it she spent away from her prince, waiting for him to come back to her.

Rue was the first female friend I ever had in this City; Sam came very first of all, and then I had a few people I was close to after that, but Rue...she was different. She was a princess, like me, and certainly a better one than I've ever been. I remember how I used to look up to her so highly back then--not that I ever stopped thinking highly of her, but I do think I grew a little less awestruck as time went by--because she was everything that a princess ought to be, and I was still hiding my title for fear that Lolotte might've followed me here in death. Rue was beautiful, she was graceful, she was talented, she was kind...and yet, she had her moments of passion and fire and stubbornness. I liked that about her so very much, because if Rue could be as perfect a princess as she was and still be stubborn and strong, then certainly I could, too.

I remember how she encouraged me when I was worried about Alexander, all those years ago when I still didn't know whether or not to trust my own brother. She told me that no one would be a better heir than I was, and not to fret about whether or not Alexander might take it from me--quite the contrary, I ought to go and take it for myself. Don't let anyone take away what's rightfully yours. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and the things you want, the same as you'd stand up for others and the right thing to do. Rue taught me that, too, even if I'm not always the best at remembering it.

I remember the day I finally confessed to her that I was a princess. It was Christmas, or the new year, and I decided to tell the truth to Rue and Blue both. I remember it surprised Blue, but when I went to tell Rue, her only reply was, "Yes, and...?" Because she'd already known, just from how I'd carried myself and spoken and acted. She'd known I was like her without my ever saying a word.

I remember the Christmas she gave me my favorite glass slippers, because they were just right for a princess like me. I remember when I tied myself up practicing with my rope because I was learning magic for the first time, and she came to the Warehouse to cut me loose and rescue me. I remember how she would plan the most beautiful ballets, and how I had never seen one before, but grew to love them after watching her dance. I remember the time I was sick and she was performing, and I snuck out the window to meet Cain so we could go and watch her perform together.

I remember the time, two Octobers ago, when she stole away my heart because she'd gone so long without her prince, and wanted to keep her friends close to her in any way she could. I remember how angry everyone was in the aftermath, and rightfully so, and how I should've been angry, too...but I knew why she'd done it, and that getting angry with her would only make things worse and take her back to the place she was when she started, that loneliness and isolation and fear of losing the few people she still had left. I don't think Tony ever forgave me for defending her then, and perhaps I did deserve that. But she was my friend, even if she'd done terrible things, and if I didn't defend her...then who would?

And I remember her wedding, and how fortunate I was to see it. That was so long ago, so early on in my own stay here. And oh, how beautiful she was that day, in her white dress with her prince at her side and that smile on her face...

If I remember only one thing about Rue for the rest of my days, I hope I remember the way she looked at just that moment.

So many people have left now. It seems as though this is just a year for leaving, isn't it? But now that it's Rue's turn...it's strange, because as much as I'm going to miss her, I'm just as happy that she's finally managed to go home. She's been so long without her prince, loving him from afar, and now at last they can finally be together and live happily ever after as they ought to. If anyone can manage it, it's Rue. And as glad as I am to have known her, I'm somehow just as glad that I've had the chance to see the ending to her story here, and to offer her my farewell. She never liked it here, and now she's escaped it. That's something to be happy about, isn't it?

I never thanked you enough for everything you did for me, Rue. I'm glad you were my friend. And I'll try to remember everything you taught me in all the years I knew you, and be a better person for it myself.

[/Private]

"And the prince came to rescue his princess, and with a kiss, the two of them set out together, off to his kingdom to live happily ever after."

That's a fine ending to a story, isn't it? One thing I've pondered many times over is whether or not there really is such a thing as living happily forever after, since most stories end that way but most lives don't. Lives tend to be more like a storybook full of chapters, with each one ending so another one can begin, on and on with no ending in sight; sometimes, it seems as though it'd be more proper to say that they all lived happily ever after until the next adventure began.

But sometimes it's nice to have things end neatly with a "happily ever after", too.

Yesterday's curse was a terribly odd one, wasn't it? But I do think we managed all right, just the same, even if we never did make it to...er, wherever we were headed. And I'm sure my grandfather would be pleased to know that his advice came in handy yet again, even when traveling around in wagons like gypsies in search of parts unknown. One never knows when a dead fish might come in handy, after all, though it's certainly never pleasant to carry one around in one's pockets.

But today is the seventh of March, and that means it's only two more weeks until the first day of spring! In past years, we've usually had some sort of event for it--two years ago, Blair held a very lovely garden party, and last year Penny had one down by the lake with the ducks. This year...perhaps I'll try my hand at one, myself. I've never been much at planning parties--that was always my mother's area of expertise, not mine--but it's something I really ought to learn sooner or later, and there's no way of improving unless I start to try in the first place. So...once I give it a bit of thought, shall we have a party for the twenty-first? I suppose I'm a bit biased, but I think it'd be a fine day for a party, really.

It is, after all, only fourteen days away.


[OOC: Spoilers: March 21 is also Rosella's birthday, hence the obligatory countdown. Party, anyone? I'm thinking party. :D]

Comments

[thenormalsquint]

Oregon. We were headed to Oregon.

And I do hope I see an invitation to this party sometime soon.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oregon? My, what an unusual name! Oh, er--do you have any idea why it was we might've been headed there in particular?

Once I sit down and manage to put them together, you certainly will, Angela.

[thenormalsquint]

Do you want the historical explanation or the computer game explanation?

I'll be waiting by my mailbox with bated breath.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Whichever explains it better, please. It's for a sort of experiment I'm trying lately.

If you don't mind my asking, Angela, what sort of things would you like best to see in a party for the first day of spring?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I think I'm quite glad I was allowed to stay home yesterday. I'm not really one for wandering around lost.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

No, I imagine you wouldn't have liked it very much at all, really. We ended up encountering a bear at one point, even.


[OOC: Would he be interested in a little subterfuge? He could help her with her own (admittedly basic) plans on the surface but then go behind the scenes and end up surprising her with a much more elaborate one than she's expecting, if he likes. :D]

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

A bear? Yes, I'm quite glad I was at home, just reading about all of your ordeals.

I trust you weren't hurt by it.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, I threw a dead fish at it and we got away perfectly fine. And I think it fell in love with one of my fellow wagonmates, come to think of it, which might explain some things. All in all, it was a terribly odd day.


[OOC: Then by all means, feel free to get him in on this shindig! She won't be planning anything too complicated herself, so by all means, go wild with your scheming--I'll roll with anything. o/]

[adamantined]

What about when - The likelihood of anyone living happily forever after while traveling the Oregon Trail is pretty slim to none, but I like to think there's some possibility outside of a curse like that.

Maybe party planning runs in your blood.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wasn't thinking of yesterday's curse when I mentioned that sort of storybook ending, really. I was thinking of a friend of mine.

And I don't know about it running in the family, really; I know I'm certainly not at adept at it as my mother is, but then I suppose she's had a number of years to practice it herself, while I'm still something of a beginner at it.

[adamantined]

I know, I was just... never mind. The point still stands. Someone from here or someone from home?

Well, you've got to start somewhere, like you said. I think something like that would be nice, especially for spring.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Someone from here, a very old friend of mine. She was a princess, too.

I think I can manage something in two weeks, at least. It may not be as elaborate as Tamaki's Valentine's ball was, of course, but nothing says a party has to be big to be nice, just the same.

[wandbreaker]

You ought to ask Su.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

For help with planning a party, you mean?

[wandbreaker]

Well I would certainly be a poor choice.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

And I'm already a poor choice myself, so it wouldn't do at all to have two inept people working together on it. Unless you think we'd somehow cancel each other out in the process!

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[sparkling-by.livejournal.com]

Haaaaaaaaaappily ever after, and theeeeeeeeen -

[sparkling-by.livejournal.com]

The end.

[sparkling-by.livejournal.com]

[sparkling-by.livejournal.com]

...come to think of it, we'll need those for your party, won't we? Lights, stars, and dreams.

Miss Rosella, please allow me to inconvenience you with my unneeded help.

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[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, look! How lovely, Tamaki!

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Inconvenience me? Why--goodness, no, if anything I should think it'd be the other way around! I'm certainly nowhere near as skilled at planning things as you are, but I'd be terribly grateful for the help at getting things right, believe me.

[sword-of-zero.livejournal.com]

You're right about both things. Real life stories usually end with a "and so a new adventure begins" instead of a happily ever after, but it would be nice if they ended with a "happily ever after" more often.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I think so, too. And I hope it's that way for one of my friends, since she's certainly earned it many times over.

[sword-of-zero.livejournal.com]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your friend. Can I trouble you with a question, Rosella?