Allura's POV:
"What is it brother? You are scaring me." He is out of breath, holding on to my arms while breathing heavily. "Why I am always the last to find out, your wedding has been moved to an earlier date, for what reason?" Oh thank heavens I was thinking of the worst possible things one of them being that he might have found out about my meetings with Miguel.

"The prince saw it fit to keep the situation in control since that article was published. I thought Lilly would have kept you informed since you see her more than myself." I turn on my heel and start walking and the three follow my lead. "Lilly has been busy lately with a suitor and she is keeping distance from me since she believes I might curse the arrangement so we do not speak much at all." She has a suitor she has not once spoken of anyone to me. How hurtful I would think she would share such news with her sister.

"I see. If it is anything serious she might see fit to introduce him to the family sometime on a special occasion. Is a shame this year my birthday will not be celebrated at home." She would have brought him since mother has a gathering for close friends and relatives who can make it. I do not know how I will celebrate it. "I have forgotten you will now celebrate at Gamming Palace, have they planned anything at all?" Samba is only concerned because he will not get to feast. "I doubt they will have anything planned but if they do plan anything I shall ask Lilliana to extend an invite to you brother we would want you to starve." He looks insulted but does not say anything back.

"And what of me, surely I will be invited to my closest friend's birthday after not having seen you since years ago." I had forgotten we had been apart for long it hasn't felt like we have been apart it is just the same. "I do guess you will be there for me and not the food correct?" He grins slightly "I have a love for food but I will be attending for you. I will not come empty handed I will bear a gift with me." I hardly contain my smile at the sound of that. "I can not wait to see it. But whether or not I celebrate I expect my gift regardless please and thank you." The alarm signaling only five minutes until our lecture rings.

"We must get going see you later Brother." Miguel sprints further ahead of me in seconds. "Will you pace my speed." My etiquette dress is very difficult to do anything but dance in. He slows down and holds a part of my dress from behind helping me quicken my pace. We reach the lecture on time.

Later
At Gamming's Palace

"Allura I have been informed that you birthday is the day after tomorrow, you usually celebrate at home so I would hope your sister will organize a gathering here to celebrate." Aden has summoned me and Lilly to his study after dinner to discuss apparently my birthday. "That would be great right Lilly? You will arrange for it right?" I hope she will agree.

"Of course sister. It will be a great topic for the newspaper publication. Exactly who will attend your Majesty?" I do hope it is not strictly people from his family. "You may invite your acquaintances from the academy and family of course. It will not exceed 70 guests surely." That is the perfect limit. "Alright then I should start preparing. May we leave?" He nods and we take our leave. I know everything will go well since Lilly will be planning it.

"What would you like the theme to be any colors in mind?" The maids are really trying to learn doing my hair but halfway in I always take lead and do it myself. "Perhaps red and grey nothing too bright." I would love to see how the colors will work out. "Please ensure that Miguel get an invite his brother too." I remind her as she takes notes.

"I would like to invite a guest of my own if that is okay with you." Is this the suitor Samba was speaking of? "Who is the guest to you sister?" She hesitates for a while. "Vicount Ike. He is from West Africa he is a potential suitor." A brief description but fair enough. "Of course I can not wait to meet him."

The next day
At the Academy

"You are about to turn 21, had you not been engaged you would be entering Marble Market with me what a shame?" Breakfasts with Ruby are never dull. "I am relieved I will not have to enter it but I am quite sad that I won't be present with you. Do you know what you want in your future spouse?" We never spoke about what we would like in a life partner. "Security as my mother says but I would like someone who will be a good father to my children and I hope that his family loves me. How about you? I know that you are not going to be choosing but what would you choose if you had a choice?"

"Well I would have liked a man who would make me feel safe, someone who is gentle, a lover and someone who loves the idea of family. Someone who sees me." Saying all of this and yet I can not physically picture Aden in my thoughts. "I am glad you will embark on your life journey with Aden." Truly I am terrified that it will not be as I imagine. "Yes I am thrilled...truly there is no one more perfect." How would I know I hardly know that many men to pick from and who is to say that they would pick me.

Miguel's POV:

Today is Allura's birthday I hope she appreciates the gift I have for her. I have been holding on to this since my trip to Janes. I was picking one of the dozen of gifts for Tinni when I came across a bracelet that reminded me of her. It has little suns that go all around they resembled sunflowers her favorite. I will never see them the same after knowing that.

I learnt that we would be attending Royal Academy so I had figured I would gift it to her somehow, I had no idea if she would want to remain friends especially after we stopped writing to each other five months of being apart. I thought she grow tired of me so after writing six letters with no response and with Pedro getting into my head about how she was not truly my friend I stopped sending letters to her. Whenever I had the urge to write to her I did so but they were never sent I stored them in a box along with my old sketches.

At Gamming's Palace

There are quite alot of people in attendance today. A whole lot of the royals from the academy are present. The decoration are eye catching indeed. At the head of the ballroom there she is. She looks ethereal. The red on her skin brightens her face, her hair is styled up. Stunning. I make my way towards her and she notices me and walks towards me.

"Miguel finally. I had to socialize with strangers Ruby hasn't arrived yet as well." Her hair scent is so unreal I can always tell when she has it braid again. "I was making sure your gift looked as good as new." I reach for my pocket "Happy Birthday." I pull it out the gift box as she reaches for it we are interrupted. "Allura, it is time for our dance." She is pulled from me to the dance floor and I annoyingly put the box back.

They start dancing and I can tell that she is having difficulty dancing with him. She seems to be missing the steps and I will take a guess and say she is stumbling on his feet because I can see discomfort on his face. I am tempted to laugh but I can see that she is anxious as well as nervous because she looking at the ground scolding herself under her breath possibly. Once the dance is over she paces towards me and pulls me to the drinks table. "I have embarrassed myself I am sure everyone could tell that I am an awful dancer. He will surely complain to my papa. I shall never hear the end of it. What if he calls off the wedding?" I barely caught all of the since she is talking so quickly.

"I do not believe it will be that disastrous. Surely he is not that cruel to dismiss a wedding for one terrible dance." I laugh and she just glares at me. "So you admit that it was terrible? Which means everyone thought so? Goodness" She puts her face in her hands and sighs deeply. "That is not what I meant. It was not your best dance and I would know since you dance with me often and you never stumble on my feet as much as you did with him. Your feet just have favorites." She laughs into her hands and I am glad she feels lighter. "I take it they have a good judge of character."

"Shall I gift you your gift now?" I pull out the box and hand it to her. She opens it and she is in shock or surprised I can not tell which one. "This is where you tell me whether you despise or love it?" She looks up at me and smiles. Oh she loves it. "It is beautiful. I love it. Thank you." I take it from the box and try putting it on her the glove makes it hard to. She lowers her glove a bit so I can place it on her wrist. Her skin is as imagined soft and warm, I have never touched her skin and now I will never forget the feeling. "I am glad you love it. I quite enjoy getting dear ones perfect gifts." I enjoy seeing her happy it is healing because in my mind she adores me in the way I adore her so my heart often swoons.

"May I have a dance? You will redeem yourself I promise." She takes my hand and we head for the center among other dancers. We have been in close proximity before but now as I have felt her touch I wonder how it may feel to have her hand touch my face. How it might feel for her to enlighten me with her touch wherever she might please. I desire her.Does she think of how my touch felt? I know it was not for a lengthy amount of time but does she wonder? So far she has stumbled on my right foot twice it is not awful it is usually five times if she is nervous. Whenever she missteps I always follow her lead so that it may looks planned so she is never serious when she makes a mistake.

This whole dance she has been rather close to me. Close enough to hear her breathing even with the music sounding. She usually keeps her distance to look at my feet to check and count our steps to the music. The music stops playing and she hesitates before pulling away and curtsies. "I should find my sister she must want to cut the cake. Excuse me." She dissappears into the crowd of guests and shortly after she is joined by her sister and...her fiance. Lilly says a short speech before hugging her sister and she cuts the cake and the servants hand out the slices of cake.

Allura stays attached to the prince the enire evening whenever she would look in my direction she would redirect her attention back to him swiftly. Have I done something wrong? I hope I have not done anything to make her uncomfortable perhaps it is because I touch her skin. I would have apologized had I not been occupied by ladies try to make their advances and not long after we were told to leave so I will have to apologize after the weekend passes by.

At the Academy

For the past two days I have been harassed by my own mind with dreams of Allura. I only ever touch her skin I am always close to kissing her but even in my dreams she is so far from my reach. I hope I will be able to be normal after these dreams I have been having. I am always looking forward to our lessons it is the only time I am alone with her in our little world.

It is my favorite part of being here. There she is. She is here earlier than usually. Walk normal. I try not speeding towards her I should act normal. "Morning Princess. Early for our lesson I see." She turns to face me she glows gracefully as the sun kisses her skin. "Yes. Well mainly because..." she looks to the ground and breathes heavily. "Is something the matter, I apologize for touching you. I did not mean to...I should have been more careful in placing the bracelet on you. That is not an excuse I-" I stop as I hear sniffles. Did I discomfort her so much as to make her dislike me so.

It is very distasteful and upsetting. I can not touch her because it will make it worse. "It is not you Miguel. We will not continue meeting and we must distance ourselves. Else I will be ruined." What does she mean?