Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 322: Overflowing Love

Chapter 322: Overflowing Love

Talia walked through the rows of the graves of Lockhart family members. At the end was Cyrus’ grave, adjacent to his mother’s grave. Talia pulled a rose from the bouquet and placed it in Cyrus’ mother’s grave. She was a very close friend of her mother.

"I’m sorry, aunty Clara." She observed a moment of silence in front of her grave.

Next, she stood in front of that well-maintained grave. For her the headstone seemed new and she thought it was made only recently. If so what did the previous tombstone said?

The granite headstone had a smiling picture of Cyrus engraved in it. Below it was his birthday and the day he died. To the side a sword with two roses by the hilt – One a red rose and another a Juliet Rose, was engraved.

Below that was an epitaph. Reading that epitaph, she felt her heart clench.

He wore no shiny armour,

He belonged to no Royal Order,

All he had was a heart so true,

For the Princess he found so pure.

Beloved son, brother, father and by his words ’The Loyal Knight of HRH Princess Talia’

Talia knelt on the grass floor and placed the flowers on the grave. She looked at the picture of Cyrus with his usual bright and warm smile.

"I’m sorry I’m late to visit you, Cyrus," she said in a soft voice and her voice trembled unable to finish the sentence. Kneeling on the grass with her eyes closed, she reminisced the past she shared with Cyrus. From her first memory of him - when she was almost three when he protected her from the barking dog, to her final moments with him, she rehashed everything. There were joyous moments, poignant moments, scary moments and a lot of calm moments between them.

Without knowing, tears dripped from her eyes. Cyrus... her Knight... the one who always was with her and protected her. He was her teacher, her guide, her best friend and her family. He was everything spare a lover for her.

And yes, she killed him. And it broke her.

But all in all, if there is a choice for her whether she could be acquainted with Cyrus or not know him at all; she’d choose to know him.

Arthur checked the time. It has been half an hour since she knelt in front of the grave. As much as he hates seeing her cry, this time he didn’t want to disturb her. She should let out whatever resentments or grievances she has so that she can have her peace.

He wanted to hug her, but he had a feeling that he’d be of more help if he stands behind her. He should let those two speak.

In silence, he looked at the picture of Cyrus. Cyrus’ usual charming smile that hid all the stewing stink of his heart made his skin crawl.

I hated you, Cyrus, from the bottom of my heart for putting my Iris through all this. But I won’t anymore. After all I know for sure, Iris won’t be alive for me to have and hold if not for you. You protected her with your life and you let her take your life. I will thank you for protecting her and make her the incredible woman she is now. Thank you!

"Thank you, Cyrus."

Just as Arthur was thinking in his heart, he heard the soft voice of Talia and his lips curved up. How in-sync are we!

Talia felt her heart lighten after spending some time here. She, who is always scared to visit graves, found out why people visit graves of the ones they lost. It does give a sense of closure.

Still on her knees, she crawled to the headstone and kissed the picture of Cyrus and a tear dripped from her cheeks as she could smell his scent. Maybe it was encrypted in her memory; she felt his scent in a place where she is not supposed to feel it.

She gripped the locket hanging right at her gut. She was planning to leave the locket in his grave. As much as she loved Cyrus and knew how much this locket meant to him, this locket for her is a constant reminder of that day he died. She didn’t want to keep it with her and return it to him. But then she changed her mind.

This should belong to his son!

Arthur saw her struggling to get up and immediately went to help her. He didn’t like her kissing the picture of Cyrus right in front of him, but what could he do to a dead guy?

"You’re still here?" Talia who had almost forgot she came here with Arthur asked with her eyes wide. "I thought you went back to the car." Seeing his displeased face, she explained.

"No, I didn’t" Arthur gave her his hand kerchief to wipe her face. With her eyes swollen, she looked so pitiful. "Let’s go." He kissed her forehead after she cleaned her face.

On their way out, they met with Cyril.

"You’re wearing it," he pointed at the locket. That locket never left his brothers chest and seeing it on her, felt weird for him.

"Can I meet Thomas? I want to give it to him." Talia said and removed the locket from her neck.

"Thomas lives with his mother. And at this time, he’d be in school!" Cyril answered. It shocked him more that she didn’t want to have the locket with her anymore.

Can’t she leave it with me? But then, Cyrus left it with her and it would be her decision what to do with it. Ah! Being an understanding and mature adult is hard! The petulant child in me wants to get the locket from her for myself!

Cyril was in a dilemma. Cyril invited them to his home, but Talia politely refused. She was really scared of Lord Lockhart and didn’t want to meet him.

"By the by, Vivian wanted to ask you out for coffee. I think she’d call you later in the evening." Cyril said as they were leaving and Talia’s face lit up with a smile.

"You’re too happy to meet Vivian than me," Arthur pouted as they got in the car. "You do know with my engagement broken publicly, we are free to date out in the open, right?"

"Ah, right!" Talia didn’t think about it.

"You made such fuzz about it before and after it happened, you aren’t even showing any enthusiasm!" he complained.

Talia couldn’t deny him. She did wanted that public announcement to happen before, but after her decision to not get ashamed during the Spring Ball, she didn’t find that announcement that important.

"Should we announce our relationship this soon?" she asked and Arthur sighed. "Let’s do it slowly, step-by-step." Talia added and Arthur agreed with her. There are already speculations about their relationship and they need not hurry to announce it.

For now they should concentrate on bringing the Council down.

"Did you find out where that Prince Hypocrite is hiding?" Talia asked Arthur who had a very serious glare.

"Him?" Arthur’s face twisted. "I don’t know. I couldn’t even figure out if he is dead or alive. He must be protected by someone powerful to go off the grid like that."

"I could find him if I search. He wouldn’t have hidden without leaving any digital trace. He’s too egoistic to be smart..." Talia shrugged. "But I don’t want to waste my precious time with my Freddy bear, searching for him," Talia pinched his hard cheek making him scream.

"Iris, you..." Arthur leaned and grabbed the back of her head and gave her a deep kiss. "You’re right. We shouldn’t waste time." He grinned and leaned once more.

When they got to the Oakley Castle, Talia didn’t know what to answer Mrs. Grey who panicked as she stepped out of the car.

"Little lady! Whatever happened to your lips? Is it allergy? Should I call for a doctor?"

"Mrs. Grey, you’re her governess and you still don’t know how to address Her Royal Highness properly. Apologise now!" Sebastian, the butler, saved Talia the embarrassment of explaining.

"No need to apologise. I don’t care how any of you address me, Sebastian. I know how much you all love me. That is enough." Talia spoke from her heart.

That night, she was tortured in bed by the guy who is now entirely hers as she wanted.

"There is nothing left to separate us anymore, Iris. I’m happy." He said kissing the small of her neck.

"Nothing..?" Talia was happy too. But for whatever reason, there was a slight tug in her heart.

"There is nothing." He repeated and Talia turned to look at him in the eye. She wanted to believe him.

There was a proud smirk in his lips and a naughty grin in his eyes. His skin was glistening in sweat by the horizontal dance they did just now, making him look mature. His hair was messy and his expression made him seem like a boy. He is the only one who’d give the vibe of a mature man and a silly boy at the same time.

"Don’t change, Fred. I love you just the way you are and I don’t want you to change in the future." She kissed him.

She loved kissing him. The more she kissed, the more she felt the bubbling joy in her heart multiply.

Bubbles of love...

I won’t be able to live without you, Fred! I love you to death!