Chapter 23

**Odette’s point of view: A Bittersweet departure**.

A few hours later it was time for us to return to the fairy realm. Alex walked us up to the carriage and helped my mom and dad to climb in.

Afterwards he turned to me, but instead of helping me into the carriage, Alex held out his arm and with his eyes, motioned for me to place my hand on his forearm. With my hand securely on top of his arm, he gently led us to the side of the steps, away from prying eyes.

When we were completely alone, he looked down at me with a soft expression on his face and eyes filled with raw emotion. Then he reached down and took hold of both my hands in his and held them tightly against his chest.

Alexander: “The coat fits you perfectly, I’m filled with joy to see you wearing it today.”

His roaming eyes then landed on the silver necklace around my neck and a wide grin spread across his face.

With the sadness in my heart momentarily lifted, it felt good to know he approved of me wearing the necklace.

Alexander: “Long ago my father gave that snowflake to my mother as a declaration of his love and devotion towards her.”

Then he lifts up his head and stared directly into my eyes, but not just into my eyes, into my very soul.

Alexander: “Whenever we are apart, just know that with the snowflake near your heart, I’m always with you.”

Unable to speak, I just slowly nodded my head, while a small teardrop escaped my eyes.

I then suddenly remembered something; Bella styled my hair with beautiful flowers, earlier this morning. With one hand, I reached out to my hairdo and gently took out one of the beautiful forget-me-not blue flowers and slipped it into Alex’s side coat pocket.

In response Alex then squeezed my hand, that was still in the grip of his other hand, as a gesture of his appreciation.

Alexander: “My dearest Odette, for now we must part ways, but hopefully it won’t be for too long.”

Alexander: “Soon we will reunite again in the fairy realm, when I come and visit you, but until then we will still be able to communicate with each other, through writing letters.”

Finally, a little hope to look forward to, during the time we will spend apart.

Odette: “Then we should write to each other as often as we possibly can.”

Alex nodded his head and gave me a reassuring smile.

Alexander: “Dearest Odette, I give you my word I will do my best, to write to you as often as I can.”

I nodded my head in response and with a sad smile, I gazed up into his eyes.

Odette: “My dearest Alex, I will miss you unconditionally… But I know you have duties to fulfil within the tree realms; as our Emperor.”

With eyes fill of emotion and a sad expression on his face, Alex lifted my hands up with one of his much larger ones and placed them firmly on his chest again. Before reaching out and placing his free hand on my waist and pulling me closer and hugging me tightly.

He then lowering his upper body and resting his forehead against mine, before whispering:

Alexander: “Until we meet again my beloved.”

After standing in that position for a while, Alex slowly lowered his arms and released me from his warm embrace. With a sad grin on his face, he took my hand in his and squeezed it softly, before leading me back to the carriage.

In the mean-time everyone was patiently waiting for our return. When we reached the carriage, one of the guards opened the door and lowered the attached staircase for me. When Alex glanced in his direction, the guard respectfully bowed his head, before returning to his assigned post.

Alex then led me closer to the carriage and helped me clime in through the open door. But before letting go of my hand we shared a meaningful glance, while he planted a soft kiss on the back side of my hand.

Afterwards, I turned around and sat down in the coach, next to my mom. Alex then closed the door behind me and took a step back. One of the footmen retracted the stairs and made sure everything was secure, before the carriage slowly started moving forward.

With a sudden overwhelming feeling of despair overcoming me, I quickly turned around in my seat and looked back, through the small, cut out window just above our heads. Tears started to flow down my cheeks when my eyes landed on him.

Alex didn’t move an inch and was still standing in that same spot as before. As I watched from afar, I saw him reach down into his pocket and carefully taking out the small, blue forget me not flower, that I gifted him earlier. He just held it in his hand and smiled when he slowly looked back up in the direction of the, now gradually disappearing carriage.