As a week passed, guests flowed in not only to visit me, but also Sora who still had not awoken from his slumber. Aqua and Ventus visited as the questions flowed from their mouths in a flurry, making me smile. 

 

Kairi visited in a state of tiredness and shock after so many sleepless nights of looking after and watching over Sora, Hoya’s friends also visited, saying that they also had done some investigating but could not find out where Xehanort was which I thanked gratefully for their efforts. But the one person I longed yet was nervous to see, never visited me. 

 

I was released from the healing ward after another week of resting, a cheer from the servants and guards welcoming me as I exited with a smile and curtsey. But before getting back to my role as Queen, I searched and searched the castle, searching for the one person I was longing to see. 

 

Finally while running through one of the gardens, I caught sight of him sitting by one of the blossom trees, his eyes closed as he leant against the brilliant tree trunk. 

 

I walked over cautiously, before stopping entirely before him, ‘Riku?’

He looked up at the sound of my voice, a small gasp leaving his lips as he scrambled to his feet, ‘Aria! You’re okay! How are you feeling?’

‘I’m okay … But I wanna ask, why didn’t you come to the healing ward?’

 

Riku opened his mouth but closed it slowly, ‘I couldn’t …’

I frowned, ‘What do you mean you couldn’t?’

‘I didn’t think I could handle seeing you in the state that Xehanort left you in-’

‘You're lying Riku!’ I said raising my voice making a few birds in a nearby tree uplift in flight, ‘I’ve known you ever since we were children and you are a very bad liar! Just tell me the truth, please!’

 

He sighed again, ‘I knew if I came near you … it would make me want to be with you again …’

My mouth fell open in awe, taking his hand in my own slowly, ‘Riku … Why didn’t you tell me that you had feelings for me before all this? Before I got engaged at least!’

 

‘I thought it would wreck your chances of you wanting to become a better Queen, and I didn’t want that … So I put some space between us so you could have your chances with the Prince. But the more I saw you with him, the more I came to realise that I wanted be with you …’

 

‘Riku, the wedding is a week away. And the thing is, I’ve also given some time to Hoya whether to choose to marry me or marry someone else without having his wife being the reason of his death. But Riku, if there is any chance for us … I need you to promise that you won’t break my heart with your stupid dignity to protect me.’

 

Riku chuckled gently, grasping my hand tighter and said with confidence, ‘I won’t, I promise.’

‘Your Majesty?’ I turned to see a guard just standing a feet away, ‘The Prince would like a word with you in the Throne room.’

 

‘Thank you Will, I will be there shortly,’ He bowed in response, turning back and walking towards the castle. I turned back to Riku who kissed my cheek gently, making my eyes widen, ‘Whatever happens, know that I will stand by you in anything you do.’ 

 

I smiled up at him, gently giving him a hug, his warmth enveloping my own in that moment, that I wished could last longer than it did.

 

Hand in hand, we made our way back to the castle, smiling at each other gently as we did. Finally we stopped in front of the throne room and I turned to Riku and said quietly, ‘Wait here.’

 

He nodded, smiling gently. I slowly made my way into the throne room, looking around for Hoya. Finally I caught sight of him, silently staring out of the windows which viewed all the gardens and even past the castle walls. ‘You wanted to see me Hoya?’

 

Hoya turned his attention to me with a smile, slowly walking down the stone steps, ‘Yes I did Aria. I’ve thought a lot about what you said, and I took it into great consideration of your place as my Queen, and also as I as your King.’

‘Oh you have Hoya, and what is your answer Prince of Earth?’

 

He gave me a small smile before taking my hand into his own, ‘I want to be your King Aria. I want to stand by through thick and thin and help you through everything that will happen. I want you to know, that even though I can never be like the rest of the Keybladers, even Riku, I want you to know that I will always try to be the man you want me to be.’  

 

I gave him a hard stare, wondering what I should say next. I looked through the corner of my eyes to see Riku peeking into the throne room, a small, hopeful smile on his lips. I looked away from both boys, wondering what on earth I was supposed to do. 

 

I sighed heavily before looking up at Hoya with a slightly forced smile, ‘Okay then Hoya, if that is your choice, I will marry you …’

He smiled before enveloping me in a hug, squeezing me slightly as tears filled my eyes. Yet again I looked through the corner of my eyes to see Riku shaking his head, and disappearing out of sight as my tears just fell down my cheeks silently. 

 

When Hoya pulled away he wiped away my tears, probably thinking that I was crying for his final decision to marry me, kissing my forehead gently, ‘I’m going to tell my Mother, okay?’

 

I nodded with a smile, watching him silently as gave me a large, giddy smile before he exited the throne room. As soon as I heard his footsteps fade, I ran out of the throne room, searching for Riku as the tears fell down my cheeks.

‘RIKU?!’

 

I ran throughout the corridors, screaming his name aloud as I went. I finally came to a stop in one of the endless corridors, falling limp to my knees as I sobbed hysterically into my hands. This was all my fault … All my fault-

‘Aria?! What’s the matter?’ Kairi’s voice echoed through my ears as I let out a sob, ‘Riku …’

 

I heard her sigh heavily before hooking her arms under my own, ‘Come on, lets get you to the healing ward.’

 

Kairi held me in her arms gently, leading me towards the healing ward slowly, our footsteps echoing through the almost empty like corridors. Finally, we stood before the large oak doors of the healing ward. 

 

She pushed open the doors, sitting me down in a chair, ‘Stay here, okay?’

I nodded slowly, her footsteps echoing throughout the healing ward as she went to see Nostradamus, most probably to get a potion that would calm my senses down. 

 

I looked over the still lifeless body of my brother, Sora. I stood up slowly, walking of to him in slow steps, sitting in the seat that was vacant beside his bed. I stared sadly down at my brother, his skin as white and cold as snow, his hair lighter shade of brown than it normally was, his lips the dullest of pink. 

 

I took his limp hand in my own, grazing my skin over his cold palm, speaking in a shaky voice slowly, ‘Hey Sora, we miss you on this side, really we do, I do …’

Nostradamus had told us to talk to Sora, telling us that even if he is unconscious, he would be able to hear our voices, and even that could bring him back. But, I had the benefit of the doubt.

 

‘I-I wish you were here Sora … Your the one I always went to for help, if not I could go to Riku … Well ‘would’… Things aren’t that good between us at the moment, love issues. Hoya and I are getting married next week … But my heart is telling me to choose a different path, but then their’s the Kingdom and the realms and-’

 

I gasped for air as my tears fell, squeezing the life out of Sora’s hand, ‘I need you Sora, more than ever … I just don’t think I can do this anymore without, being Queen and having to marry a Prince to get supporters. I don’t want to walk down the aisle on my own, I want you there … Please come back to us Sora, come back to me …’

 

I kissed his hand gently, leaning my forehead against it as I began to pray quietly, my tears continuously falling.

 

‘I-I never le-left A-Aria … An-And never will …’ I my head shot up in shock, looking up at my brother who’s eyes were open, his dazzling blue eyes staring back at me, the ones that I had longed to look into for so long. ‘S-Sora?!’ I said shakily as I stared at him in pure shock, tears welling in my eyes fast. 

 

His eyes also began to fill as he squeezed my hand, ‘Aria, I’m-I’m so sorry, I-I-’

I shushed him pulling him into a tight hug as sobs raked his body, his tears wetting my gown but I did not care, his arms tightened around my waist in a tight grip. 

I ran my hands through his hair, rubbing his back gently as I continued to let him let out his emotions that had been locked away for so many weeks. 

 

Sora’s sobs lessened turning into hiccups as he just laid his head in the crook of my neck, his breathing shallow and slow. 

Slowly, he pulled away from me, giving me a small smile as he looked around, ‘How long have I been unconscious for?’

‘Two weeks … Terra said that you would be out for a while since Xehanort was using all your powers to control your body fully …’

‘Sora?!’

 

We turned to see Kairi, tears welling up in her eyes just as mine had at the sight of Sora. He smiled up at her, ‘I’m back Kairi …’

 

Kairi walked around the bed, embracing Sora in a tight hug, his arms instinctively wrapping around her as he placed a kiss to her temple. I smiled at them, knowing how worried Kairi had been, spending endless nights beside Sora in case he ever woke up. 

 

Suddenly the thought of Riku came up into my head, I slowly connected my mind to his own, speaking softly, “Riku, Sora’s awake …”

I pulled out of his mind, knowing he probably wouldn’t answer. I turned back to Sora and Kairi who both looked at me, ‘Did he answer?’

 

I shook my head, ‘I don’t think he will, not after what happened this morning … Could you try Kairi?’

‘I will-’

‘What happened this morning Aria? What would make him so angry-’

‘Anything makes him angry Sora-’

‘All talking about me, huh?’

 

We all turned (hypothetically Kairi and Aria) to see Riku, his clothes covered in dirt. Probably having done some kind of physical work to let his anger out.

 

‘Yes I did get Aria’s message, so since I was so close I thought I wouldn't need to reply. But when I walked in I happened to hear you all talking about me-’

‘Riku it wasn't like that-’

‘It was!’ Kairi burst out, cutting me off, ‘He gets angry for every single little thing! And thats not right Riku-’

‘Kairi-’ Sora tried to intervene but was stopped again by Riku.

 

‘Well I’m sorry thats annoying Kairi, but as you can see I am TRYING to control it with all I have. Its harder when you've been possessed by one of the darkest Keyblade wielders in all the realms!’

‘Who’s fault is that! Having done that JUST to get more power than the girl you love AND your best friend-’

 

‘STOP IT!’ Riku roared, silencing Kairi who cowered in fear, ‘I see that I have no place in this group anymore.’

‘Riku don’t do this-’ I said grabbing him arm but he shook me off, ‘Don’t you start! After what happened this morning I REALLY have had enough of you!’

 

‘Riku-’

‘You said we could be together, you said we could TRY, but you go ahead and get engaged to that Prince who HATES my guts! Well, I guess beggars can’t be choosers, once a Queen always a Queen I’m guessing …’

 

‘Riku please I want to be with you, really I do its just-’

‘Don’t Aria. If your going to say that it was stupid you chose him over me, please don’t. I’m sorry, but thank you for what we shared,’ He said with a smirk as he just squeezed my hand gently before exiting the room.

 

I breathed heavily, feeling myself fall without thought as my mind went blank, only to be caught by Nostradamus, ‘Are you alright your Majesty?’ 

‘I’m okay, Nostradamus, just got a little light headed, and call me Aria … I don’t really want people to call me your Majesty anymore …’

 

Nostradamus placed me beside Sora, ‘Don’t say that your Majesty … Whatever happens,  even if I am a servant to the Queen and Prince, you have all my support through and through …’

‘Thank you Nostradamus, you are too kind … Please know that I take your support seriously.’ He smiled as he gave me a bow, returning to his work. 

‘Aria … I’m-’

‘Its not your fault Kairi, its mine … I started all this and I played Riku the same way he did with me and now I’ve earned the consequences.’

 

Kairi shook her head instantly, ‘No, its fault … I’m going to find him and apologise, I’ll try to talk to him about this marriage problem too…’ Without another word, Kairi exited the room, her heals clicking against the marbles floors once again. 

 

I turned to Sora with tears in my eyes, ‘Oh Sora, I’ve ruined everything …’ 

His arms enveloping me as he my hair, my tears falling fast, kissing my head comfortingly gently whispering, ‘Its okay, we’ll figure out something.’