Private! Note not included in word count. 500+ words.
####Princess had found the note days ago, maybe even weeks prior, but had not given it a second thought. The rolled up piece of paper, tied with ribbon with a droopy pink flower sticking out from the end, had easily escaped her thoughts, overtaken by thoughts of her own troubles, mainly what she was going to do about Haven and herself. She wanted to be with him, but there were too many things in the way. There was her brother, and Haven's sister, and her higher ranking status (shallow as she could be), and the pack separation to deal with. If only there was nothing holding her back; then she could happily leave Crimson Dreams to be with him. The idea seemed like it would never happen, no matter how much she wished it could.
####Now, however, Princess remembered the rolled up and tear-stained note as she dressed herself in her simply white halter dress, to match the snow she could see falling from outside her window. Though it had been left on her bed, she had moved it somewhere, and it took a few minutes of looking to find it again. The flower was now shrivelled and dried, but she put it aside as she sat down on her bed to read it. Sliding the string off the end, Princess unrolled the note, golden eyes scanning its appaearance, also covered in tear drop stains, before she began to read it. Quickly, she recognized it as her brother's handwriting, fresh in her memory from the poem he had shown her at the pack's celebration.
####"Princess --
I'm sorry I'm not stronger. I wish I could be a better brother to you. I wish I could be a better wolf, then I would stay and take care of you, like I promised I always would. But Mati told Tokyo where I am. She knows that I'm living here. I haven't been able to sleep for three days - I start to drift off, and I swear she's right behind me, just waiting for me to fall asleep so she can kill me. It's stupid, I know, but I need to leave. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hate me, I.. will come back, someday. I promise I won't leave you forever. I just can't stay here. I hope you understand. Please, please don't hate me. I'm so sorry. Tell Mati it's not her fault, I don't blame her.. I just wish things could have turned out differently.
Til we meet again, I love you and I will forever,
your big brother Ares"
####The words shocked her, and her body was overcome by a cold, tingling sensation. She could not bring herself to believe the words written by her brother, and yet, her heart knew that there was no way he would lie about something like this. Because of their awful mother, Ares had left her. Because of Mati. . . Ares had left her. The numbness was quickly replaced by anger as she threw the note on her bed, rising quickly and starting towards the door. As an afterthought, Princess seized the note harshly again, intending on bringing it to the Church girl and giving her a complete taste of her mind. No matter what Ares said about not blaming Mati, she could not help it. She needed somewhere to direct her anger, someone to project it on, and Mati was the first one she could think of. Later, it would shift to Tokyo, but her thoughts were not rational at the time being. There was no room for clear thinking, as pained emotions had completely overtaken her mind.
####Moving down the hallway, Princess found the door with the painting of a sunflower hanging on it. She knew that this was Mati's room, though she could not remember how she knew this. It was no matter, though. The girl that had succeeded in ruining a part of Princess' life lived in this room, and Princess was about to give her what she deserved for this. How could she tell Tokyo? Didn't she know anything? Eyes hardened and shoulders stiff, Princess raised her hand and knocked, the other hand still clutching the note tightly. She hoped Mati was in there.