All of her composure had, seemingly, flown out the window. As soon as Nadeline and Wesley were locked into that cell, she could only lean her head onto the door, mentally pleading with it to open. If Grant was here, she needed to protect Emiri. And yet, once that thought had crossed her mind, Emiri's screams would tear right into her heart. She cursed Grant, she cursed her country, and she cursed herself above all. What was the point of being a princess if she could do nothing for her friends? For the first time in a very long time, Nadeline was shaken to her very core. Her usual, unfazed self had all but disappeared. She wanted to scream, to shout, to cry, to break something, but she was uncharacteristically silent.

And then they heard Jaakuna's confession.

She could not say she was surprised; all the hints were there. Maybe somewhere deep down she had known, but she just didn't want to accept the truth. It was cruel, it was pure denial on her part, and she couldn't take it. She went to the bench and sank into it, placing her head in her hands. Where did everything go so wrong? It was not long ago that they were so united, now they were broken up. Well, she felt broken, anyway. While she was wallowing in her thoughts, she felt Wesley comforting her, and looked up at him. Oh, how could she have been so foolish? Why couldn't she stop Vlyn and Aloa? Why?!

At this point, she just cried.

It was a truly rare sight to behold. For as long as she could remember, she vowed to wear the royal mask with pride. She could not show any weakness, as that was just a way for the enemy to take advantage. All her fears were behind her, as they would only drag her down. And yet, at this moment, she just couldn't take it. So she hugged Wesley tightly cried into his chest. And she cried, and cried some more. 

---------

[i]What?[/i]

Emiri laid against the wall, eyes wide with shock. That couldn't be true, could it? He murdered his father...for [i]her[/i]. He did it for her. And yet it pained her to hear this, not because of what he did, but what he said. It kept echoing in her head. '[i]For you[/i]' he had said. '[i]For you[/i]'. She felt numb, and sad, and angry, and frustrated, and every other emotion just seemed to pile on and confuse her more. Was she in denial? She didn't know or understand what she was feeling. Her heart beat against her chest and made her feel sick. So then, did he still love her? And right then, when that thought crossed her mind, she lost it. [i]Why?[/i] She asked him mentally as she cried harder. [i]Why did you have to go and say that?![/i]