Page 31

Story: Nova

"I'm awake!" I sit up and scan the room. There were bodies everywhere, "Oh God they are dead" I mumble. "Sister you are incredible" Rinus crawls out from behind the throne I had been sitting on. "They are not dead just sleeping" he reassures me. Looking down I gasp "my corset, its, I'm..".

"You took it off because you were hot" Rinus laughs.

"Cain allowed that?" I say shocked. "Cain, after several drinks and drinking games you taught us, let you do whatever you wanted".

"Where is he?" I scan the room. He was cuddled up next to Ares, their heads leaning against each other.

"Oh my god I need a picture of that, ugh I don't have a phone" I sigh.

"Here, I took one already" he hands me a polaroid.

"We are going to revisit this" I say getting up.

"What happened last night" I hear Alara ask me. I turn to Rinus as she stretches next to me. "You two threw a last-minute party after Nova got everyone drunk" he laughs. "You aren't intoxicated?" Alara asks. "Well, someone had to be responsible" he pours himself a glass of water.

"Here Nova, I made you some tea. It will help soothe you voice for later" he then lets out a loud whistle.

"Shut the fuck up Rinus" Cain groans. "We have three hours to get this place in shape, dressed and ready to receive the royals" he yells.

He whistes loudly again making everyone cuss and groan at him "Lets go people".

Alara and i managed to walk to our old room and get ready.

We ate breakfaast silently trying to come down from whatever last night was.

"Do you remember anything?" she asks me.

"Not a thing" i shake my head. "Do you think the Princes are mad?

" she asks. "About what?" I say gently. "I'm not sure" she laughs.

I was confined to the room til i was to sing, Rinus came and kept me company after Alara fussed over me getting my make up just right.

"Are you nervous?" Rinus asks me. "No, I think we practiced enough" I say as i try to calm my nerves.

"How did you take a polaroid picture?" i ask him.

"I can't tell you all my secrets" he laughs.

"Do you like it, the picture?" he asks. "I love it, when they are at each others throats i will show them" i smile evilly.

"Rinus I am going to ask you something and I need complete honesty" I say.

"Let's see what the question is and i will see" he replies.

Since that was the best i would get from him i continued "Do you know about human reproduction specificcally women" i try and phrase it in a way that if he didn't i wasnt giving away information.

"Ah i was wondering when you were going to ask me that.

" he smiles. "I do know, i was a what is it called um the doctor sepcifically for women" he scratches his head.

"You were an OBGYN? You?" i point at him.

"Yes, why are you surprised?" he asks. "You are a mystery" i shake my head.

I then remember what Cain asked me the other day "I know I am your sister-in-law but since you have the knowledge can you remove my birth control? "

Rinus's eyes widen, I had finally surprised the man.

" Are you trying to get Cain to kill me?

" he asks. "No, believe it or not, you are growing on me" I smile.

"I will remove it, lay down" he orders. "Wait what?

Right now?" I question. "I mean we have nothing to do until you sing" he shrugs.

"When does Cain want it sorted?" he asks. "

"Before the wedding..." I mumble. "Well it will hurt a little for a couple of days but nothing major, I would advise you do it now so you can heal" he replies.

I lay down on the bed a little nervous. "Hi, welcome to Rinu's clinic.

I'm Rinus your doctor" he says. "What are you doing? " I prop myself up to look at him.

"Trying to make this comfortable for the both of us so play along" I burst out laughing because this was wild.

"Hi, Doc" I reply when I stop laughing. "I see you want to remove your birth control" he contiunes.

"That is correct" I nod. "Well Mrs. Cain, it is a simple procedure.

You will be out of here in no time." he smiles.

"Thats wonderful" I try not to giggle. Rinus puts a blanket over me and walks to the bathroom I hear him wash his hands.

"Mrs. Cain are you ready?" he asks as he steps closer.

"I am" I hold my breath. I smell alcohol but think better than to say anything, I try and imagine what my future kids would look like to distract myself.

"Alright we are done" he moves away and shows me my iud. "That was quick" I note. "I was very good at my job." he praises himself. "Clearly I dont feel any pain" I tell him. "Good" he smiles. We sit in silence for what seems like ages.

Finally Alara comes in "Alara" we both greet her excitedly.

"Why are you two being weird?" she asks.

"I will see you out there sister" Rinus leaves.

"Well?" she stares at me. As she puts me in my dress and does last minute touch ups I tell her what happened.

"I'm not sure what to think but I am certain he would never put you in harms way".

Alara leads me to the stage, I could hear the chatter on the other side of the curtain.

Rinus is sat in front of a beautiful black piano.

When he sees me he smiles before asking one of the harmonizers to lift me on top of the piano.

"We didn't rehearse this" I whisper. "Don't worry, go with the flow" he winks at me.

Alara gives me a thumbs up and lets me know she will be waiting for me backstage.

I tried to steady my breathing, Cain didn't know I was performing.

We hadn't seen each other all day besides the kiss he blew me before Alara rushed us out of the dinning hall.

Once the harmonizers began humming and Rinus played the first note the curtain opened.

I began singing trying to ignore the eyes that were staring at me. Rinus tapped his foot softly to keep the beat for me. The room was silent except for my soulfully voice flowing through the room. As I got lost in the song my voice became ethereal and then honeyed as I saw Cain gravitate toward me.

Our eyes locked and I then only began singing for him, every word became about him about us.

I felt my heart stir as we stared at each other.

As I was singing I noticed Rinus had not joined in as we had practiced that fucker tricked me.

I pulled my eyes away from Cain to glance at him and he had a smirk plastered on his face.

One of the harmonizers came and lifted me off the piano, not sure what I was supposed to do because apparently rehersals meant nothing and I was supposed to go with the flow.

I squatted down to be closer to Cain, he came to me and my fingers brushed against his face.

Smiling I got up and sang the last note as the song came to an end.

A deafening whistle and cheering erupted from the audience, Rinus came over to stand next to him. Smiling he grabbed my hand and we bowed. "They love you" he whispered.