Evangeline

Evangeline woke up in a warm embrace. Her eyes fluttered open to find of one Kaden's arms wrapped around her and her head on his chest. She took a deep breath inhaling his scent. Pinewood and soap. The smell that she knew so well. She appreciated the warmth that Kaden's embrace was providing. This was something she had always dreamed of, waking up in the arms of someone she loved and someone who loved her. Did she love him? Maybe, she wasn't sure and she wasn't going to try and find out in fear of getting hurt. But for now, she was going to pretend it was so.

Kaden was now tracing a pattern on her arm leaving a trail of goosebumps along her skin. She shuddered against him liking the way it felt.

"I've found out two things this morning," Kaden said, his morning voice still raw stirring something inside her. "One, that yesterday was not a dream. And two, I really don't want this to end so soon."

Evangeline raised her head to find his face extremely close to hers. His eyes were bearing into hers, unsaid words being translated through them.

"Kaden, I don't--"

"Shh..." His free hand came to her lips, tracing them ever so lightly. "I know what you are going to say Eva, but please, you are my only hope right now, don't take that away from me."

Hope. It was such a fragile thing. Evangeline saw first hand how bad it could be when it was lost and what good it could do when obtained. In their situation, them two against a whole army, the faith of their kingdom in their hands, hope was what they needed. She was not going to take hope away from him.

"Okay."

Kaden kissed Evangeline's forehead making her cheeks burn crimson. There was a knocking sound coming from the door. They both reached for their weapons ready for what stood on the other end. The door slowly opened revealing the boy. His hands went up in surrender immediately upon seeing their weapons in hand.

"B-breakfast is ready," he stuttered.

They both relaxed putting their weapons away. Evangeline straightened out her dress and started to put her hair into a braid while Kaden put away the mattresses and blankets. They made their way to the kitchen where the woman had placed two small bowls of oatmeal. They ate their breakfast and went to the back of the house where the woman had a horse ready with a cloth filled with food to last them a day, a pouch of water, and two blankets for the night.

They thanked the woman and her son before carrying on their journey. Evangeline rode behind Kaden on the horse, not missing the innuendo when her hands wrapped around his waist so she wouldn't fall.

"As much as I like this arrangement. I have my horse hidden in an inn's stable. We will get there faster on two horses," said Kaden.

He was right. That would be much better.

"Kaden, I was thinking... maybe we shouldn't go back so soon," Evangeline expressed.

"Don't worry my sweet, we will face our parents together. They can not keep us apart," he said.

Evangeline's cheeks blushed. "That was not what I meant. I think we should find out how the King had obtained magic. We need to know how to stop it or at least equal out the battle field by obtaining it too. We need to learn how he wishes to use it."

"Oh..." Kaden said sounding defeated. "I don't know what is worse, you putting my notion of love down or that you are absolutely right and that we must stay in Gywith longer."

"Just until we come up with a proper plan, we can't go back to Adersa with the news of being doomed. We need to help them, give them an answer. We can have our men give their lives for no reason. We need to give them hope," she explained.

"You were always the smarter one out of the two of us," he said making Evangeline smile.

"Well it's about time you figured that out," she teased.

Kaden let out a loud laugh. "I've always known that Eva. I've always respected your talent, not that I would have ever told you, but it drove my father crazy every time I told him."

"You told your father?" She gasped. She was surprised Kaden appreciated her talent. She always thought he disregarded her because she was a woman. Now that she thought about it, he always chose to practice with her during training. On missions, he always partnered with her. You wouldn't do that unless you trusted someone enough to put your life in their hands.

"It is no secret Eva, you are amazing, perfect even," he admitted, making her blush all over again. Evangeline noticed his openness now with her, she had so many questions to ask him.

"Why do you tease me so much Kaden?"

"Honestly? It is fun. Your reactions are entertaining. Also, you are the only person to ever talk back to me. It's refreshing, you know? You are not afraid to speak your mind, you are ready to face the consequences, you don't care who I am and just let me have it. Plus I like the fire in your eyes," he admitted.

Evangeline knew where he was coming from, he was also refreshing for her too. The only rule she was allowed to break.

"And all your innuendos... we're those real or we're you teasing me too?" She asked. What she really meant was that when did he start liking her? How did it happen? When did it happen?

"Partly I guess," Kaden shrugged his shoulders. "I have always been attracted to you, I even had a little crush on you as a child.... maybe it never left, but most of the times I was just messing with you. Again, I fell for the fire in your eyes. Don't hit me, but I had always dreamed about doing those innuendoes with you, but I never thought them possible. Now, I am just disappointed I hadn't kissed you sooner."

It was as if dragons were flying around in Evangeline's stomach, like her heart was trying to jump out her chest.

"I have one more confession to make," Kaden spoke again. "I use to always take your first dance because I didn't want you to dance with any other man but me. It drove me crazy any time a man spoke to you, touched you, or danced with you. I just now realized it was my unconscious jealousy coming out."

"You confuse me so much Kaden," Evangeline said trying to keep her voice even, even though her insides were going wild.

"I plan to clear the air between us, I want you to see all that is good for us like I see it. I know you are scared, that all you see is the bad, but I promise I will work every day until you see all that is good," he said making Evangeline's heart shoot out her chest. A man had never been so sweet and romantic with her, especially not Kaden. He only kept confusing her with every passing second.

"I don't know how to do this Kaden," Evangeline admit.

"Let me lead you Eva. I love you, I shouldn't but I do. I love you so much, I want- I need you to give us a try," he said, desperation laced in his voice. Evangeline has never heard Kaden being desperate for anything.

Evangeline opened her mouth and closed it. She had been left speechless, clueless as to what to say.

"I have a proposal," Kaden said. "Give me a chance in Gywith, if by the time we get back to Aderesa and you still are not convinced, I will leave you be."

For a few days... Evangeline will act free for a few days until she must except her responsibilities once more. A small smile took over her lips. "Is that a challenge I hear?"

"With you Eva? Always."

***

Kaden

Kaden and Evangeline had found a private place to plan their next step. They figured out one thing that was to happen for sure; they were to end up back in the castle.

"How will we disguise ourselves? We aren't so easy on the eyes if you know what I'm saying." Kaden couldn't help but smirk earning an eye roll from Evangeline.

"You can shave your beard," Evangeline offered. Kaden's jaw dropped. He very much liked his beard. It made him look more masculine. Plus, the ladies loved it.

"You can cut your hair," he countered.

Evangeline opened her mouth and closed it making Kaden smirk in triumph. "See? No shaving it is."

"Okay fine! What do you suggest?" Evangeline twirled a strand of her blond hair, Kaden could only associate her hair with the warmth of sunshine. He wouldn't let her cut her hair for a mission, he loved it too much. 

"There is always the long-term plan," Evangeline furrowed her brows in concentration. Kaden raised his brow in questioning. "Seduction. You can get us into the castle by flirting with a maid, I can flirt with one of the King's Ten and get him alone in a room where we can torture information out of him."

"No." Kaden's nose flared in anger even considering another man touching Evangeline, even if it was for a mission. "Plus, I doubt the King's Ten would confess through torture."

"We can listen to the gossip of the workers closest to the king, the one's that clean his quarters and bring him food, even ask them questions about thing they wouldn't have noticed until asked," said Evangeline.

Kaden nodded his head. "Okay that's a start. We'll meet at sunset at the rendezvous point, we should have gotten some intel by then."

They snuck back to the castle, slipping in through the worker's door. He busied himself by imitating those around him with their work, listening in on shouts and instructions so he could blend in. He noticed a lot of looks from the workers sizing up the new guy, other than the occasional small talk he made, his end goal was finding out who was important in the castle. 

"Oh yes, Esmerelda is the best I'm telling you. Her potions healed that nasty cut on my arm, I was sure the doctors were going to amputate it," said one of the workers. Kaden's ears perked at the word potions. Could she have been the king's magic source?

Kaden grabbed his hidden dagger and cut a line along his forearm before hiding his dagger once more and crying out in faked pain.

The worker that had been speaking about potions earlier looked at him in worry. "Brother, you should go see Esmerelda."

Kaden had no idea where Esmerelda was. He pretended to be too focused by the cut in his arm to know what the man was talking about. "Oh lord, come with me, I'll take you."

Kaden followed the man to a part of the castle he hadn't been to yet. He knocked on the door and waited with Kaden until someone opened the door. A beautiful dark-skinned woman stood on the other end eyeing the two. 

"You've got another one Esmerelda," the man said as he put his hand on Kaden's shoulder. Kaden held back a smile seeing how easy it was to get to Esmerelda.

She eyed his forearm before nodding her head and ushering him in. The man had left them at the door. Esmerelda sat him down on chair and asked him to lay his hand on the table next to it. She began picking things out of a jar and throwing them into a rock bowl.

"Is it true you make magic?" Kaden asked. Esmerelda looked at him with an amused look tucking a strand of her braided hair behind her ear. 

"If that's what you would call a healing potion then sure," she said.

"A healing potion, that's magic isn't it?" Kaden asked not knowing the difference.

"No," she shook her head, as she ground the different ingredients in the bowl. "I use herbs, natural ingredients, I know the right mixes for the right remedy. Although I could see the confusion with the type of things these potions do."

"Do elaborate," Kaden flashed one of his notorious smiles to get the young woman to open up to him.

He noticed her blush before looking down at her potion in the making. "There are healing potions, sleeping potions, truth serum potions--"

"Truth serum? Does that actually work?" he asked. 

"Well yes, it relaxes the part of the brain that goes into defense when denying the truth, being in such a state allows an openness to one's consciousness," she explained before walking over to Kaden and wiping his arm with a cloth. She began spreading her healing potion along Kaden's forearm before laying a type of leaf on top of the potion. He immediately felt a sting followed by relief. He could see why people thought her potions were magic.

"Do you think? I could get a sample of this truth serum?" Kaden asked trying to use his charm to get what he wanted.

Esmerelda looked at him wearily. He raised his good arm in surrender. "It's for a good cause. My father has been robbed by a man who refuses to admit to his crime. Being a lowly potato farmer, no one will take a look into it. I just want to help him seek justice."

A small frown tugged on her lips. "I came from a family of farmers and healers. It is true, farmers are never treated right. I am only doing this as an act of kindness from one farmer to another."

Kaden nodded his head before grabbing her hand in his running his thumb in a circle on her skin. "Thank you for this Esmerelda, I am indebted to you."

A blush took over her skin before she walked away from Kaden to work on the potion. "All you need is a drop, either put it in his food or drink, if you want you can put a drop on your finger and stick it in his mouth. Just as long as the potion goes inside him then it should take a few minutes before it kicks in."

Kaden nodded his head taking in this information. Esmerelda finished the potion before pouring it into a small bottle and giving it to Kaden. "Good luck."

Luck. Little did she know how much he needed it.

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