A wave of pain rushed through my arms and legs as I got out of bed. With every movement the pain diminished but it was still there. I welcomed the coldness of my room as I got dressed. For the past three mornings, I had swapped  the dresses and dirty nightgowns for leather pants and jackets. I grabbed my silver daggers, a fur coat and disappeared in the shadows of the castle halls.

It had been three days since my disagreement with Dylan in the library. I haven't spoken to him since then.  I had devoted the past days to learning the guards rounds in the garden and training.

When I got to the garden, it was deserted. Around this time, a change of guard happened every day, which gave me enough time to climb the castle walls without getting caught.

Once I was on the other side, a feeling of freedom invaded my body. The forest that surrounded the castle was the perfect training ground. It allowed me to perfect my: stealth, speed, aim and awareness of my surroundings. It was the perfect obstacle course.

Austin and I always thought training in the woods would make us the perfect assassins. If you were invisible in the woods, you'd be undetectable everywhere else.

I had stablished a workout plan. Three days a week I worked in my speed and the remaining four were devoted to stealth, aim and hand to hand combat. My muscles were sore after being inactive for the past two weeks, but I welcomed the pain.

I looked for the marked tree. Inside it's hollow trunk I found the bow and five arrows that I had stolen from the armory. The tree to its right held the stolen sword.

I placed the arrow into the string and began shooting.

"You are avoiding him."

I rolled my eyes at Alyssa, in return, she laughed at me.

"I'm not." I complained. Having breakfast together had become Alyssa and I's thing, but I was starting to regret this decision.

"You haven't seen him in the past two days, you haven't gone to the library even though you know he'll be there, you haven't made the effort to talk to him... You are avoiding him."

"I guess you must know a lot about avoiding people. You did send Kasper away just because you didn't want to confront him." My voice was harsher than what I had intended.

"Careful there, Aelyn." I knew I had gone too far. "Don't try to change the subject, we are talking about you."

"I've just been busy," Alyssa raised her eyebrows, "Okay, maybe I have been avoiding Dylan."

"I knew it!" Alyssa's eyes lit up, her smile reached her eyes.

"I just don't have anything to say to him. I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize for speaking my mind."

"Aelyn, you are not one to apologize, are you?"

"Me? apologize?" a small smile crept into my face, "never"

Apologizing it's not a sign of weakness, but do it enough times and it starts loosing its meaning. I have told many lies in the past, but I will never profess my love or ask for forgiveness unless I truly mean it.

The beauty of the Royal Gardens was overwhelming at sunset. The cold breeze played with my platinum blond hair. Somehow, I always found my way back to this bench at the end of every day. I could already hear Austin's voice, warning me about my foolishness, already listing the many reasons why I should not have a routine. I didn't care, not right now at least. I missed him, my family, my kingdom and my home.

Austin would be here in a matter of just weeks, but in the Ice Court time seemed to go by slower. My impatient nature didn't make the matters any easier. My eyes drifted from the lilies to my right hand. My two rings beamed with the last golden rays of sunlight.

I still remember with clarity the day my parents gifted me with the family ring. We were in a council meeting and three of the lords crossed the line. They called me a child, accused me of neglecting the crown and my responsibilities because of my training. I was young and had a quick temper but I controlled it. I didn't allow myself to be overwhelmed by the situation. I put an end to the lords' ramblings with dignity and the maturity they didn't have.

Later that night I was called to my parents chambers. They mentioned the virtues a just and good monarch should have. They told me that I had demonstrated in front of everyone that I had them. Their faces were filled with light, a happiness that could not be contained.

My mom was always the most graceful and composed woman in a room. My father always stood with a kind but stern look on his eyes. But in that moment, they let themselves get carried away. Tears of joy streamed down their faces. When I was awarded the ring, they weren't the king and queen anymore. They were just my parents, and they were proud of me. We spent what seemed like hours embracing one another.

Since I was little I had been hyperactive, impatient and forgetful. Always got distracted, carried away, and had no filter. I would get overwhelmed easily. My parents loved me just the way I was, with all my imperfections. They made sure I knew this, but that doesn't mean they couldn't help me improve. They spent countless hours encouraging me, teaching me and training me to overcome the tricky political games of the court. That day had been the first time I had been able to control myself. Our hard work had paid off. To this day, that night still is one of my favorite memories.

My eyes drifted to the ring placed on my ring finger. A beautiful golden band encrusted by a precious burmese ruby. Austin had a matching one, his had a sapphire instead of a ruby.

Three years ago, Austin's brother was betrayed by his best friend, when this one seduced the girl Hunter Silverhall loved. His brother spiraled and to this days hasn't completely recovered. Austin was devastated to see his little brother go down such a dark path and not being able to prevent it. He started pushing away people, scared someone would do to him what they had done to his brother. I refused to step aside and let Austin isolate himself.

We made a promise, to be loyal to the other until our last breath, to never let a lover distance us. We sealed that promise with a ring, to always be reminded of it. To help us keep in mind that the we would always take care of each other no matter where we were.

The left hand is reserved to wedding rings, so I placed Austin's ring on my right hand. He's my right hand and no one will ever change that. Since the day we swore that promise, we haven't taken off our rings.

Of course the rings raised plenty eyebrows on Kaerndall's Court. In addition to the unexplained disappearances, it further fueled the rumor that Austin and I were romantically involved. If I ever had to marry him because a war erupted, I know I'd do it. I could love him, carry our children and rule next to him. But what I know without a shadow of a doubt, is that I would never be able to fall in love with him. He was my companion, my best friend, my most trusted confidant; but he wasn't my soulmate.

No matter how far I traveled those two rings reminded me how loved and capable I was. They gave me a reason to keep fighting, to keep going. The most important people in my life had placed their trust in me, and I would not disappoint them.

Someone was walking towards me, I let them think I hadn't noticed.

"Alyssa told me I would find you here." I raised my head and gave him a small smile. He seemed to be encouraged by it.

"Of course she did." Dylan's hand played with his hair. His eyes fixated on the horizon.

"You haven't come by the library in the past few days."

"So you've been asking about me?" A playful smile guarded my face but he didn't notice it, he still wouldn't look at me.

"I, yea, I guess I have. I hope it's not because of me or what I said. It was not my business I didn't mean to be nosy." For the first time, his eyes searched mine. He scratched the back of his neck.

"Don't lie, you know I haven't been going because of our conversation. And yes, you were trying to be nosy, but that's okay. It happens to the best of us." A small smile appeared in his face.

"I haven't been going to the library because you told me it was your safe place. If we have a disagreement, I don't want you not to go in fear of bumping into me, it wouldn't  be fair. I'm a guest in your house. I will not make you feel like you can't go to your safe spot." My answer took him by surprise. He sat down next to me.

"That was very thoughtful of you, Princess," he looked carefully at my reaction, as if he was testing whether I was still mad or not, "thank you for giving me space."

"But, I still should apologize, I shouldn't have been so noisy and get upset when you didn't want to answer," he was waiting for me to say something, I remained silent, "I'm sorry, Aelyn."

"Apologies accepted," he let out a small relieved breath, "You know what, let's make a deal," He leaned closer, "Whenever we get in a fight, we are not allowed to enter the other's safe place, unless we are trying to make amends."

"That sounds rather interesting, Princess. What would be your "place"?

"The gardens of course, specially at sundown. Yours will be the library, specially during sunrise."

"Deal." Dylan took my hand and kissed it. His lips lingered while he kept eye contact.

"It's gettin cold out here, we should head back. Also, if we stay here much longer people will start talking."

"Wouldn't you love that. The golden boy swept Kaerndall's princess off her feet in just 5 days. You would probably hold a new record." We both laughed. Our knees were touching, our hands still clasped together.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, my lady. My record is quite faster than 5 days," he winked, "but you are way classier than she was," he looked at the sky, pretending to be in deep thought, "I would need two weeks to steal your heart"

"You think highly of yourself, don't you?" He had plenty of reasons to do so, that gorgeous smile of his being the first one, "but, we both know, you'd fall for me first."

He got up, our hands still linked. We walked towards the castle in a comfortable silence. Before entering we put some distance between us.

It was time to part ways.

"You know Aelyn, time will tell. Good night." With that he turned his back and walked away. He didn't turn his head.

I still had a smile on my face when I walked into my room.

AND THAT WAS IT! I hope you enjoyed it. This one was a hard one to write but I'm quite pleased with the final result 😁

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Reviewed by Nico610