Auphine's P.O.V

     The garden is absolutely beautiful. I'm not used to seeing so many unique flowers at once. At home all I saw was dirt and trees. My town would never compare to this place. It smells of wet leaves and honey.

Verbena flowers twirl around columns that lead to this breathtaking waterfall. Ocean blue lights surround it and it creates a peaceful atmosphere. Kian walks towards the waterfall and I follow him. It seems like the perfect spot to sit and watch the sky.

He takes a seat on the pearl colored stone bench. I take a shallow breath and sit next to him. He moves a bit away and I become frustrated. I know that we're different, but he doesn't have to treat me as if I'm a monster. The way my entire town treated me. The way my . . . the way my own mother used to treat me.

"I'm not a disease," I scoff.

"Pardon me?" He raises an eyebrow.

"You do not have to move away from me all the time. Yes, we detest each other and neither of us wants to be here, but don't treat me like a monster," I sigh and look up at the clouded sky.

"I'm sorry," he looks up as well. "I just have a lot on my mind. It isn't that you are a monster, I just refuse to get close to people is all."

"And why is that?" I look at him, but his eyes remain on the sky.

"I really do not want to get into that."

"Kian . . . at first I thought you were like every other royal, but there is something to you. I see it in your eyes. Even now, you just seem like you want to talk to somebody, you want to get close, but you're afraid. I feel the—"

"No!" He looks at me with such fire in his eyes. The ice fortress I once saw is now turning into a melted hell. "You don't feel the same. You do not know how I feel. Here, I deal with great pain. In your peasant village, what did you deal with?"

"Everyone wanted me dead. My own mother would think about it some days, I know she would. Instead she chose to throw me away, I'd rather be dead. No one likes me and everyone treats me as if I shouldn't have been born and maybe I shouldn't have."

"I'm sorry that happened to you, but look at you now. You're living in a nice home, you can still see your mother sometimes and I'm stuck here living in my past."

"What is your past exactly?"

"I think we enjoyed our time in the sun enough. I am going back inside."

He stands up and I feel as if my insides are crumbling. I do not know what this feeling is, but I can't help but want to tear my insides apart. Is this anger . . . or disappointment?

I stand up and grab Kian's hand. He looks at me with worrisome eyes and I show a confident smile.

"You need more fun in your life and so do I. Come on."

He gasps and I pull him towards the garden's gate. The guards look at us with great caution and I look for a way to escape. We approach the guards and they place their hands on near their blade.

"It is far too small in this garden. We just wish to take a stroll."

"Auphine, they won't listen to you. This is a crazy idea."

"Stand down and go back," the guard says with a bold tone.

"Sorry, but I simply cannot."

I clench onto Kian's hand and can hear an uncomfortable grunt leave his lips. I use my leg and put as much force as I can into kicking the guard between his thigh. He grunts and falls to his knee. The other guard takes out his blade and yells, "Alert the queen!"

I take this time to run around him and and leave through the garden's gate. Kian and I begin to run through the back of the castle. It won't be easy making it through the front.

"You're out of your mind!"

"We got this far!" I laugh. The breeze is knocking against my face and I've never felt more alive.

"Follow me, I know another way out."

I nod and our hands separate and he runs in front of me. I follow him towards the edge of his home. He looks at me and I show a cautious expression. He holds out his hand and his brow raises.

"Just trust me."

"Trust that I'll fall to my death," I cross my arms.

"You won't die. You want me to trust you? Then trust me!"

I hear the heavy footsteps of the queen's guards and I begin to panic. I sigh and take Kian's hand. He looks down and I keep my eyes forward to keep myself from getting anymore terrified. He moves forward and the next thing I know, we're falling!

My hands squeeze tighter onto his and my body hits a large stack of hay. I shake some of it off me and pulls strands out of my hair.

"What the hell?" I look around.

"When my brother and I were kids, we used to escape all the time. Our mother was always protective."

"Are you an idiot?! If this was here all the time, then why didn't you just use this path instead of going through the trouble of bickering with your mother?"

"Honestly, I forgot. I haven't used this passage in years. We were nearby and it just came to me. It felt like my brother and I were running away like we used to."

There is a smile on Kian's face that just cannot be described. It's more of a feeling than a look. He seems so innocent and pure in this moment.

"You and Kynn are pretty close, huh?" I smile.

Kian's bright expression disappears immediately. It's almost like his bright smile was the sun and the thought of Kynn became the dark clouds.

"Not really. Let's go."

I try to not think much into it and I follow him towards the docks. It's quite relaxing out here. The sounds of the waves crashing gives me such peace.

Right when I think I can enjoy a nice morning, the guards rush down the stairs towards the dock. I sigh and Kian grabs my hand.

"Let's cut through here!"

We begin to run through merchants and townspeople and all I can hear are the angry shouts of the queen's guard. It's quite exhilarating. Kian knocks over a lady's cart and he gasps. I cover my mouth and try not to laugh, but a chuckle escapes from my dry lips.

"Ugh, shut it!" I see a slight smile.

We continue to rush through crowds, then a guard comes in front of us. Kian looks around and he shows a hesitant expression. I feel like I won't like his next idea.

He turns around and begins to rush towards the ocean. I look at him, but he seems too focused for me to ask him anything. He runs to the edge and jumps right into the ocean, dragging me along with him.

The feeling of cold water pierces my skin and I begin to hear fizzing sounds all throughout my ears. My eyes open and I only see a bit of under the water before my body resurfaces. I catch my breath and look at Kian.

"Ha!" I start to laugh hysterically. "Your hair looks ridiculous. I never thought I'd see a royal mess up his nice attire and appearance."

"This attire needed some fun to it," he chuckles.

"I guess so," I smile. "So did this gown."

We look up and the guards move aside to reveal the queen. I look at Kian and he seems utterly terrified.

"The fact that I had to step out of my kingdom and risk my safety means that I should just have the two of you locked away with no windows, no food, no anything!" The anger in her voice is enough to send children crying to their mothers.

"Mother—"

"Don't you dare! You look disgusting. Don't let this child rub off on you or you'll make what happened last time happen again." She presses her eyes closed so tight that I can see the bold veins on her eyelid. She takes a deep breath and her eyes open again.

What an unsettling forest.

"Get them out of there and bring my son home. As for the girl—"

"I will talk to her!" Firefly pushes through the crowd and the guards. "She is far from home, I get that feeling . . . Queen Mara. Let me bond with her, help her see that she is . . . ahem. Safe here. She is to wed your son soon, it must be a lot for a girl such as herself."

Kynn moves through the crowd and stands alongside his bride to be. Firefly looks up at him and shows a warm smile.

"Very well," the queen rolls her eyes. "But if she pulls something like this again . . . you'll be in the same boat Firefly. I still want the guards to accompany them. They need to be punished. No outdoor strolls for you two for a while."

The queen brushes off her gown and some of her guards accompany her back to her home. Kian and I begin to swim closer to the wooden dock and Kynn helps us up, but Kian refuses his help and pulls himself up on his own.

"Well you look like a kid again," Kynn smiles.

"You still look like an adult."

"Um, thank you Firefly and Kynn. I owe you two everything," I bow.

"No need to thank me. It was all my beautiful bride to be," Kynn rubs her shoulder.

"I'm going to take my leave," Kian rolls his eyes.

"Today was fun!" I shout at Kian.

"Yea." And Kian is already through the crowds.