Later that night, Heine laid in his bed, unable to sleep. He couldn't help but notice the softness of his bedsheet, the mattress, his pillow, the contrast to what Aithne was – or would be – sleeping on and with. He didn't deserve it, any of it. She, on the other hand, did. She deserved the world, and in his eyes, even more.

He found himself tossing and turning, just the same as the night he first slept in this room, before finally sitting up. He panted and stared into the dark.

You shouldn't have done this, Aithne. You... you should've stayed hidden... You shouldn't have to endure this kind of treatment, just because I couldn't do anything in the moment. You're a hero, even if you did, what you did. It shouldn't matter. It was for good, for their safety. Who knows how many lives you saved through your actions...

He remembered the wounds she'd received while saving them. Her leg and shoulder needed medical treatment, that was almost painfully obvious to him. She had smiled through it, but he knew from experience that her wounds must have hurt. She had tried to dismiss them, to ignore and hide them from him, just so he wouldn't worry about her.

"You're too reckless...", he murmured. "Way too reckless for your own good..."

Though, she'd always been that way, he knew. More than it was healthy she'd put others before herself, pushed through for the people who needed it. Never had she complained, and now...

Now it has finally caught up to her..., he thought, weakly gripping the sheets. Troubled he laid back down again, wondering how he was supposed to find sleep, when the woman he cared so much about was imprisoned in the very same building, without him, inevitably forced to sleep in a luxurious room, that was unfit for him.

The next morning, Heine tried not to let anything of his restless night and his thoughts show during his lessons with the princes. Dark bags under his eyes, however, betrayed him. His demeanor didn't falter as much, yet he had to admit, that once he appeared for Prince Kai's lesson, he was more than exhausted.

"Is... everything... alright, teacher?", Kai asked, leaving Heine to answer a little distressed.

"Yes, Your Highness... I didn't catch that much sleep this night, that's all."

"Is... it about... the woman...? Aithne...?"

Heine laid down his pen, sighing. "Yes.", he admitted. His gaze wandered to the window, the tree and the birds within sight. "You see...", he sat on to explain. He was tired of evading the question again and again, so he decided to be honest with his eldest student. Until now, Prince Kai had shown to be the best person to talk to, if something happened. "Aithne is actually quite the nice woman... She never did anything without a reason, so it's kind of harsh to see it fall back to her."

Kai nodded. "I... understand... Maybe she didn't do, what they suspect her to have done..."

His teacher didn't comment on that, silently massaging the bridge of his nose, before letting his glasses fall back into place. In the end, he knew the truth. Boasting it out would do her no good, so he didn't. A moment passed. "Let's continue, shall we?"

The white-haired prince watched as Heine left him to himself. His teacher's and his own words repeated themselves in his mind.

If the professor is that worried about her... Then she's probably a good person...

He petted Shadow, the palace dog, and continued his chain of thoughts. He hadn't had the impression of the woman who had saved him, his brothers and the professor, as a bad person. On the other hand, he didn't really know her. The situation reminded him of the moment, he, Heine and one of the guards had been held hostage by a former student of the military academy. There, the professor had saved them, and he had worn a look on his face, that kept him thinking. It had almost been, like their professor had been lost in thoughts and memories, as if it wasn't the first time something like that had happened.

Maybe... I could find out for myself if she is as bad as they make her out to be... If I recall it correctly, she's being kept in the dungeon of the palace.

He stood up, petting Shadow on the head again. "Good boy... Go play, with Adele for example..."

The dog barked, and Kai took off towards the cellar.

His Royal Highness didn't know what he had expected her to look like, after a night in her cell. His first impression of her had been rather blurry, since everything had happened so fast, and he found she was a rather pretty woman. Dirt covered some parts of her body, and he noticed, that she had tried to bandage her leg. Some blood had reached through the cloth, dried and was mixed with the dirt. Her shoulder didn't look well either. Had she gotten these injuries during her fight?

She had white hair, just like him. Longer, though, reaching until the middle of her back. Her eyes were truly remarkable, white, like he'd never seen before. It was a mystery to him, how she'd managed to escape the guards up to now, since those were rare traits. They suited her, made her unique. Her name fitted as well, somehow. 'Goddess of Light'...

"Why don't you come closer, Your Highness? I'm sure it's rather uncomfortable to try and stay hidden.", she suddenly called out. He took a step back. Would his communication skills be enough? Would she be scared, like everyone else? "I'm not afraid, Your Majesty. I've lived through worse than a glare-like expression."

He still hesitated, before leaving his hiding place. Awkward. That described his feelings well, and he was a little bit embarrassed to be caught. She smiled.

"What do I owe the pleasure to?"

"The... professor... He's worried... about you..."

A sigh escaped her lips. "I should've known he would be." Then she looked up at him. "Still, it is an honor to meet you, Prince Kai."

Said Prince nodded. "It... is an honor... to me as well..."

Aithne grinned cheekily. "My, I'm flattered. I am no one special, you know?"

For a second Kai was taken aback by her almost casual language, but then he eased himself. It calmed him, somehow.

"Are you... really a bad person...?"

She rose an eyebrow. "Well, that depends on whoever you ask. To some, I am the worst villain you'll ever find, while to others, I'm something else." The woman thought about it. "Personally, I don't think there's anything like a 'bad' or 'good' person. In the end, it's always subjective. What one can see as evil; another might think of as holy. Every action has reasons, is based on the person's experiences, their opinions..." She turned her head back to him. "So, Your Highness, I'm afraid, I'm unable to answer your questions." She gave him another smile.

"You... are... pretty kind..."

"Oh?", she jokingly said. "Who's saying that?"

Kai couldn't help but smile. "You... are one of the few people... who talk to me... Unafraid... I mean..."

Aithne's eyes softened. "Then those people really miss out on something. I don't think there is any reason not to."

Startled, he cocked his head. "You think so?"

"Of course, I do.", she laughed. It was an enchanting laugh, that made him wish for her to laugh more. Even if she most likely didn't have much reason to right now. He chose to sit down on the bench, next to her, on the other side of the bars. In some way, he enjoyed her presence.

A few hours went by, until evening rose again, along with him. He was just about to walk out the door, as she raised her voice once more.

"Could you do me a favor, Your Highness?"

He stopped, turned, and nodded. A last smile grazed her lips, although it didn't reach her eyes this time. "Could you please tell Heine not to worry? I'm quite fine here, so there's no need for it."

He nodded again and walked out.

She really doesn't seem as bad, after all...

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I DO NOT OWN THE ROYAL TUTOR; ANY PICTURES OR THE MUSIC USED IN THIS FANFICTION