He stared out the window in a full-on daze. Trying his best to keep his composure around a sea of hungry sharks began to weigh heavily on him. He wondered if she received his last message. It had been a few days since he sent it. Her eyes were probably red from all the tears she must have cried after reading such a letter. The loss of his father was a heavy subject and the look on the faces of his brothers only meant that his life would be cut shorter if he wasn't careful. The plots for his death were written all over the faces of his enemies and if he were to slip up and lose himself in a pool of grief it would spell the end not just for him but all his people as well.

A loud bang brought him out of his trance, and he turned around to find a servant had knocked over a pitcher of water. He watched her as she tried to clean up the mess only to make it worse by letting some drip onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Your Grace. I was only trying to refresh your drinking water."

As he watched her desperately try to clean up the water a thought ran through his mind. What if Loraz was making her way to him? She was known to make spontaneous decisions. He would probably get word that she was on her way to Mossca. You desperate fool, she is in Ay Su where she is safe and can gain the help, she will need to reclaim her throne, father's death is a shock, but it will not bring her here. This thought made him sigh and a weary smile crossed his lips.

The maid was frantic as he stared at her in silence cleaning up the water. He walked closer to her, and she stopped wiping the table. Hesitant to say anything at first, she looked down at the floor as the drenched rag dropped down her hand.

"I accept my punishment for causing trouble, Your Grace."

"Not to worry. These things happen on occasion. It's only water and I am sure the table will be fine."

The servant's eyes widened, and a hint of confusion cast over her as she bowed her head to him and scurried off to get more tags and another pitcher of water.

Robert chuckled as he watched her make the clumsiest exit he'd ever seen. He picked up a cloth napkin and began to soak up the water left behind from the young girl's attempt.

"If Loraz could see me know she'd probably laugh at the sight of me and say something ridiculous and a bit sarcastic."

He heard the door open and waited for a servant to gasp and rush to take over for him.

"I didn't know royalty knew how to clean. Oh wait, I stand to correct it, you're terrible at cleaning, give the cloth to me and let me show you how it's done."

Robert jumped up at the sound of the voice and turned to look at the door. His eyes confused and relieved at the same time while he held a dripping cloth.

"Yes, she would say something exactly like that."

She stood there smiling at him as he let the cloth drip onto his shoes. He never was good at cleaning up after himself. A giggle escaped her as they just stared at each other.

"So, I can see you are keeping yourself busy. Taking up the work of servants, now, are we?"

Robert threw the cloth on the table and chuckled. The last time they saw each other the conversation ended with him getting punched by her childhood friend. He thought after he left and the last letter, he wrote he'd never lay eyes on her again. The urge to run to her and take her in his arms grew stronger and stronger with each second that passed.

"I didn't expect to see you here. With everything you have going on right now, I figured Mossca would be the least of your worries. I would be the least of your worries."

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. The warmth from his chest and the sound of his heart racing sent a sensation throughout her body. She inhaled deeply and took in his scent, sinckelberry and gimber root. That scent would forever be imprinted in her memory of him. She tightened her embrace as she nuzzled into his chest and sighed.

"How could you think that anything would be more important than father? He was the very reason I was able to push on during my time here at this castle. And you are the very reason I am able to smile again since I left this castle."

Robert slowly wrapped his arms around her as the scent of her hair flowed up to his nose. She always smelled like wildflowers. He could feel his eyes begin to water up and felt the heat of his tears as they pooled together. She was there in the flesh, not a dream or nightmare. He pulled her in closer and buried his face into her neck as he breathed in intensely. Finally, someone who could understand his sadness and the pressure he held on to his shoulders. He felt a relief he hadn't been able to feel in such a long time. His guard had been dropped and all his bottled emotion flooded forward.

"I've had this dream countless times before; please don't let me wake from it..."

She stroked the back of his head running her fingers through his hair. Nuzzling into the side of his face she kissed his cheek.

"This is no dream, Robert, I have come to you. I couldn't leave you here to face these monsters alone. I know all too well how cruel they can be. Father once told me should anything happen to him that I was to stay close to your side; that you would need me more than anything in this world. So, I came as quickly as I could ride. I am here with you, now and always."

"Loraz...he is gone." He mumbled into her neck, "They have called him home and he went to them with little hesitation. How could he leave us behind like this?"

"Shhh, it is okay Robert, father is watching over us. He hasn't left us, only moved on to let us continue the story he started. You still have me here to help you get through this. It will be okay, we will grieve him, and we will show him he raised us to be strong, brave, courageous, and kind. Just as he was when he was alive."

Robert held on to Loraz tightly, his shoulders shaking as he hid his face into her neck and shoulder. He had lost his father, the one person besides his mother and Loraz that he loved more than life itself. Now it was time for him to fill the shoes of a man so great and powerful that just a look from him would have people wanting him as their friend rather than an enemy. He clung to Loraz as if his life depended on them being close. Her presence let him know that he could relax and let everything out.

Loraz held his trembling body close to hers as he mourned the loss of his father. She felt his pain as if it were her own and would repeatedly assure him it was okay. Knowing how one must always hide what they are going through when in that castle she could understand how he most likely kept everything inside until then. As she had predicted, he would spiral down a long and dark hole towards a depression so deep he'd end up dead because of it had she not made it in time. The desire she felt to be near him over powered all her other emotions and logic.

He pulled away from her slowly and they looked at each other than taking his hand he traced her lips with his fingers. She had such soft pillow-like lips. He remembered kissing them for the first time back at Ay Su. How they moved with him perfectly and had they only been left alone a bit longer they could have stayed that way.

She closed her eyes as she felt the tip of his fingers run across her bottom lip and let out a soft gasp. The journey she took making her way to him gave her plenty of time to think and she finally admitted to herself upon arriving that she was without a doubt hopelessly attracted and in love with him. While her heart did beat for Vestin, she knew she held more love for Robert. With him not being around her for so long and then the thought of him not coming back to Ay Su brought forth a tidal wave of emotions she hadn't wanted to admit to having. She knew he would eventually find out about her conclusion on the topic, but the fact of the matter was they could never be together. It didn't matter how much she lusted after or loved him. She had declared war on her kingdom's false monarch. How could she fit romance into the picture? Let alone how they would even conduct a romance such as theirs. Both ready to be rulers of people who will depend on their every decision, hang off every one of their promises, and be ready to point fingers when disaster befalls them. She felt her eyes water as the future they were to lead; always longing for each other, but never able to have one another.

Robert brushed the tear that slowly made its way towards her cheek then leaned into her, his eyes focused on her lips as they touched his.

She felt his lips touch hers and melted into him. At first a small peck then soon the force behind it. All of his emotions were in that kiss and she could feel them all. She pulled him in closer to her losing herself in the moment.

He held her tightly as she pulled on him. Their bodies so tightly pressed together nothing could squeeze between them. The warmth of her breath floated into his mouth as their tongues danced with each other.

She felt her body become weak and pulled away to gasp for air. He took to kissing along her neck and biting softly at her collar bone. A moan escaped her throat, and he came back to her lips.

He lifted her up into his arms and she giggled. Holding her in his arms he walked over to his bed and placed her down. He leaned down over her, and she pulled him into her gently locking lips once more.

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought them to a halt and they both looked up at the door to see Vestin and Jensek standing there. Loraz 'face went pale as she stared at Vestin.

Jensek scoffed as he balled his fist at his side.

"We've only just arrived and already she jumps in his bed. You couldn't even give it one night? You sure are a loose one."

Vestin placed a hand on Jensek's should and when they locked eye, he shook his head slightly.

"Jensek shut it. We didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to make sure that Lo made it safely to you. If you'll excuse us, we will head to our rooms now."

Vestin pulled Jensek and they walked off.

Loraz sat up on one of her elbows and wiped at her lips with the other as she realized what was about to happen. Had they not stopped them she would have gone through with everything Robert wanted. Everything she wanted, but she had to let Vestin know of her feelings first. She owed him that much.

"It's probably for the best that we were stopped here."

Robert rolled over to his back and covered his face with a pillow.

"What was I thinking? I am so sorry, Loraz. I just got caught up in the moment and I took advantage of you."

Loraz looked over at him and watched him try to hide his face.

"It's not entirely your fault, Robert."

"Yes, it is. I used the mourning of my father and turned it into a heated love affair. Again, my apologies, I didn't even take your feelings into account. I'm an idiot."

Loraz sat up and took the pillow from off his face. She looked him in the eyes and then kissed him so passionately when they parted, he gasped for air.

"If I didn't like what was happening, I would have stopped you, but I didn't. Had Vestin and Jensek not announced their presence I would have continued. So the fault is not all yours to hold. I kind of took advantage of your vulnerability."

Robert laid there lost for words as she looked down at him.

Loraz kissed him one last time and then got up out of his bed. She walked over to the door then looked back to see Robert had followed behind her and placed a hand on the door so she couldn't leave. He wrapped his hand around her waist and held her close to him and kissed the nape of her neck.

"I won't let you run away anymore."

She spun around and he locked the door as they stared at each other in the eyes. Both breathing heavily as the space between them disappeared he reached for her dress and untied the ribbon that held it close. Looking at him slowly untie her dress she carefully reached for his chest and undid his shirt.

"I'm not running from you."

Robert paused as her dress fell to the floor.

"Are you sure about this?"

She unbuttoned his pants and bit at her lip.

"Yes...because I love you."

He leaned in and kissed her as they slowly made their way back towards the bed.