"Thanks, traitor," I say sarcastically. 
                          
"Iris, you have really changed since you left," Mary says to me while pushing the wheelchair down the hallway. 
                          
"I just became more brave and confident." 
                          
"You think you can teach me?" she says. 
                          
"Let's start now!" I say turning my head back and looking at her. She gives me a confused look. 
                          
"How?" 
                          
I smirk and look straight ahead. "Go as fast as you can." 
                          
She hesitates, but I can feel the speed picking up and eventually its Fast and Furious twenty-one around here. I scream with joy as we rush down the hallway, servants and maids staring at us like we're crazy. 
                          
"Let's go!" I yell feeling the air in my hair and Mary's laugh lighting up my world. I haven't felt like this in so long. 
                          
"And just what do you think you're doing?" 
                          
Mary stops suddenly, almost sending me flying off but I grip onto the handles and look up at the person. 
                          
"Y-Your highness," I say quietly and bow my head. I can tell Mary is freaking out because the wheelchair is vibrating a little. Queen Alexandra stares at us with her two bodyguards behind her before signalling them off. 
                          
"Let me try," she requests. I gawk at her and Mary looks like her soul left her body. Before coming to help me, Mary-Jane was with the queen, and I'm pretty sure Alexandra was sober. 
                          
"I'm sorry, what?" I say. The shock and surprise in my voice are beyond anything. 
                          
"You heard me. I want to try," she says grabbing my arm and making me stand up. At that moment, I smell a strong whiff of alcohol from her breath. Ew.  
                          
I look at Mary who's staring at me all worried, her hands sweating like her forehead. "H-help?" 
                          
"She's drunk. Very drunk," I whisper trying to walk towards her. "If something happens. It's accidental." 
                          
"Bring the p-pretty girl cru-crutches!" The queen laughs after. Her head going back and forth and round and round. 
                          
In a few minutes, I am handed crutches that help me stand next to Mary. "Just one ride." I look at the queen, and she nods like a child. She's in her nightgown which means she was most likely having dinner while Mary was with her. 
                          
"Iris, I don't wanna do this!" Mary pleads, and I put my hand on her shoulder. 
                          
"Good luck soldier," I say and give her a small push to move forward. She waits a few seconds before drifting off. I watch at the queen squealing with happiness, and I think- 
                          
The queen hasn't felt this way since the death of her husband. 
                          
"What are you doing here?" 
                          
I freeze at the voice and crutch around. Aiden stands there in a white t-shirt and sweatpants as usual. It's like he has nothing else to wear. His face looks pale, in a sick kind of way. I watch as he puts his hand on his stomach and then running it through his hair.
                          
"Um," I look to the side where a guard stands, but he is not the talking type, "I was just getting some air." 
                          
"Let me take you to your room-"
                          
"Actually," I cut him off, catching him by surprise. His hair looks so good this way. "Can we go to your room?" I gulp at my question, but he just smiles warmly and nods. 
                          
"Guards, wheel-"
                          
"No-" I interrupt again. "Give me a piggyback ride." I come forward and throw my crutches to the ground. The guard picks them up and walks away leaving us two the only ones in a deserted hallway.