~3rd person's POV~

"Open the gates!" The soldiers shouted to each other when they saw the person approaching on a white horse.

But let's not run so far ahead.

~~~

Elizabeth thought that if she was not in the boys' house, no more royal armed delegations would appear, so no one else would be injured. She could no longer forgive herself if another innocent person was hurt through her fault. Even so, she cannot forget what she did to Louis.

When the five boys returned from the lake, everyone headed for their rooms - except Harry, who disappeared right behind the first door that had been kept closed. It was horrible for everyone to see him like that, because he had just found happiness after all the sadness.

Beth glanced at a depressed Niall, but he disappeared into his room only after a sad, forced smile. The girl couldn't help but stare at the door of the room, looking at the shattered vampire boys.

She thought it was her fault.

Because of her, the king sent soldiers. It was because of her that Louis died. It was because of her that Harry collapsed. Because of her, all the boys - even James - were devastated because in this short time he could see how good and protective Louis could be when it came to his friends or even his love.

Because of HER1, everything happened. But she can still fix that, maybe not entirely. True, the boys will not achieve their goal, but at least they will live this way. And this is more important than anything.

Yes, they may have to be in another country, state, or continent, but at least they can remain flesh, blood, breathing people (~vampires). And they may not like this option, but Beth can't do anything else.

This is the best decision.

So they will live.

~~~

Late in the afternoon, Elizabeth went out into the garden to breathe fresh air and saw two horses tied to a tree with a carriage behind them. She didn't know why the boys kept them - she had long since realized that they used it to travel from the palace to the house - but she was glad that it turned out that way, because it allowed her to sit on one of them and a clear way to the castle.

It was no problem where to go on the road not far ahead, because the horseshoe marks of the horses of the soldiers who had fled a few hours ago  was still visible.

Britain is big and dangerous, but that didn't frighten her as long as it came to whether the most important people in her life were safe.

And no, no one's eyes are dazzled, because during these 4-5 days they actually became the most important in Elizabeth's life. She wanted to protect them at all costs.

Yes, they broke some laws. Yes, they kidnapped the princess. Yes, they blackmailed the king.

But they didn't hurt her when she was vulnerable and scared. They didn't touch her with a finger. They knew she was so afraid, but they didn't take advantage of any of these moments.

They were good to her. I dare say they are better than anyone ever in the palace. Her opinion was heard. They let her ask and didn't pretend she had to know the answer to everything. She was not interrupted when she added something to a topic. They did not treat her as if she were the future ruler, but rather like an ordinary citizen.

After all, the girl wanted to repay for this. But there was only one way to do this: to disappear from their lives and thereby save it.

~~~

Soon after dark, she was on standby, waiting for the moment when everyone would fall asleep, so no one would be able to stop her from carrying out her plan. Her only 'luck' was that today exhausted the boys both physically and mentally. They will fall asleep soon.

No one had dinner that evening. It wouldn't have gone down their throats. Grief and anger dulled all their senses, almost shutting out the entire outside world. It was fortunate that they still had the presence of mind and did not collapse the moment the ominous moment occurred - Louis' death.

Thirty minutes later, when the clock struck nearly half past ten in the evening, Beth made sure everyone was sleeping.

She glanced into Zayn's room, but it was empty, so she looked confusedly at Liam, where she found the lovers lying close together.

The next one was Harry, but she couldn't find him right away either, so she considered the second option. Her train of thought soon seemed to prove itself. H. crouched by Louis' bedside and held his hand while he slept leaning on his forearm.

James, according to this, slept in the living room, which will make it difficult for Beth to get out, but somehow she will definitely solve it.

Finally, the boy who saved her life by giving her hope of true love.

She headed for the door opposite her ideological room. She didn't want to say goodbye to him, but she knew it would be best for them, even if her own heart fell apart.

Entering the room, she leaned the door wide behind her and headed towards her blond prince's bed.

Each step hurt more and more as she approached the sleeping figure. She didn't know if she would be able to live with such an empty and disappointed heart.

The ballads will be sung by royal musicians and poets:

Once upon a broken heart...

The ballad of never after...

Stepping next to the bed, shefroze in her movements as she watched Him. It wasn't that scary stare, but rather the pained look people exchange in the last minutes, knowing; They will probably never see each other.

"Maybe, when the time is right, you'll come and find me again." Her voice was soft, yet heartache was pouring out of her.

She knew it was the best decision, but she didn't want to do it.

For a moment she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to take hands and escape to a completely different continent, where no one cares who is a vampire or who is human. In other words, she wanted it not to matter who was what on this continent.

She wanted equality and peace, even though she knew it was possible: it would never come.

"Je suis désolé, mon amor" She whispered, then sprinkled a kiss on the soft skin of his sleeping forehead.

She then scrambled out of the room as quickly as she could. She couldn't have stayed another minute with the person whose heart would surely break if she left now. But she has to do it.

Walking quietly down the winding staircase, she reached the bottom, but was startled when the person below spoke. His dark figure could be seen in the open front doorpost.

"I felt you were going to do this," James said, the moon shining from outside drawing his figure in silver.

"And you're going to stop me?" Elizabeth asked, her right hand wandering to the gold chain hanging around her neck, previously hidden under her T-shirt. She moved the star-shaped pendant nervously along the chain, generating a soft, buzzing sound. James looked closely at the chain, as if thinking about something, but then looked into her eyes again.

"No." It was a simple, short, concise answer, yet it surprised the girl. "It's your decision and I respect it."

"Why?" slipped out of the girl's mouth.

"If you think it's best, you're probably right."

"Why do you agree with me? What are you planning?"

"Absolutely nothing," he said, stepping aside from the entrance, leaving her a free pass.

Elizabeth was extremely suspicious of James' behavior, but after one last glance at him, she walked out the door, walking along the wall of the house into the garden behind the building.

She chose the snow-white horse instead of the gray. She couldn't tell why. It may not have mattered. But when she held the bridle in her hand, the animal looked at her as sadly as if it knew how difficult it was for the person in front of it.

Beth sat up on top of it with a sigh, which was especially easier in the pants the boys had given her instead of the multi-layered prom dress that had been going on for several days.

She took one last look at the house, then trotted onto the road, tugging at the horse's cartar. 

James leaned against the door and watched her, not even trying to stop her.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking there must be another way, but she soon realized that it was the best thing she could do.

With her head pointed forward, she struck the side of the animal with her heel, which immediately began to gallop.

Elizabeth did not look back.

She knew in her heart that she wouldn't survive if she even took a brief look at the house with the people who changed her life.

Following the footsteps of the soldiers, she disappeared into the night.

~~~

"Open the gates!" The soldiers shouted to each other when they saw the person approaching on a white horse.