The next week passes by with the town's people helping and preparing, everyone getting ready for winter. Monarch helps as much as she can, and they all look up to her now. She does all she can, but her mind and heart continue aching for Alek.

One of the days of the week, there is a loud knock at the castle. A group of almost one thousand men from town volunteer for the army, pledging themselves to Alek and the kingdom.

Alek stands next to his father, his mind shocked. He bows to them. "Alcor and everyone fighting for what is truly right thanks you. Our leading commanders will be the ones training you. You may stay at home but we will give you all your schedules and will begin your training tomorrow." The King bows with Alek.

They all take a knee before Alek. They all say in sync "We will do as you wish, my king." They wait a moment before standing and going back to town, ready to tell the news.

The king smiles and places a hand on Alek's shoulder. "We will be ready in time, my son." Alek nods, heading off to meet up with Karon, the tutor. He paused at the ballroom, seeing a new sleek black piano inside.

He steps onto the ballroom, his eyes studying its features as he drags his hands along the keys. "Do you like it?" Kogan's voice came from behind Alek.

Alek didn't take his eyes off of the piano. "Did... did you get it?"

Kogan walks up next to Alek, a smile on his face. "Yes, you seemed to be acting odd and... your other one was gone so I figured you needed something."

A: (AWWWWWW KOGAN BABY)

Alek touches the leg of the piano, which was carved with intricate designs. "Oh my heavens.." Alek turns and hugs Kogan. "It's truly breathtaking."

Kogan giggles. "I hoped you would like it." Alek pulls away, touching a few keys. "Could you..play a song?" Kogan asks.

A: (AWWW THAT'S SO CUTE)

Alek frowns slightly, desperately wanting to. "I can't right now... but tonight, I promise I will." Alek looks to Kogan with a smile.

"You're doing more training? Alek, you hardly get any time off."

He shrugs. "It's what I need. Now go have some fun, I'll get you when I'm ready."

Kogan nods, running off. Alek also leaves, rushing off to meet with Karon, who was sure to reprimand him for being so late.

Monarch sits in her room, regret paining her. She thinks of Alek, his smile, his laugh, his charm, his clever words and his wity brain. Everything she thinks about, she loves, and her heart aches with the want for him. Tears fill her eyes and she takes a deep shaky breath, staring at the now empty black case. Regret hits again. She knows even though she is a burden, she can't take it. She wishes too deeply for him, even just to SEE him. A tear rolls down her cheek, and she trembles as she plans what she would do tonight.

Night comes, and Bridgette gulps, trying to prepare herself for visiting Alek. She gulps and tries practicing but shakes her head, feeling sick and worried. She trembles and tears fill her eyes. "I-im a burden... t-this time dont be a burden!" She takes a few deep breaths and begins walking to the castle.

Kogan smiles, the ballroom brightly lit and Kogan sitting on the piano bench next to him. Alek was playing a waltz, Kogan's favorite. Alek smiled lightly as well, his mind mostly on the music, some of it on Kogan, and the rest on Bridgette, his dance with her and her smile.

She stops suddenly, remembering every word he said. She trembles and cries a bit, turning back and walking to the inn again. She realizes he is probably better off not worrying about her. She decides to try again tomorrow.

L: (NOOOOO)

L: (GALILEO GALILEO EASY COME EASY GO WILL YOU LET ME GO??)

A: (NO. WE WILL NOT LET U GO. Jk go ahead. But Bridgette turning back. I has an idea)

L: (Okay..plaaaaanssss THAT I DONT KNOW OF)

His hands shut the piano. His mind turns to Bridgette, his smile falling. Kogan yawns, patting Alek's head before standing. "Well, we should do this again tomorrow!" He starts to leave the ballroom. Alek doesn't stop him or reply. He was caught up in the songs he had written. He missed Bridgette, he hated that he missed her, he loved that she was always there, but now, He had a choice. He could either become like one, torn apart and drifting in the wind, or the other, safely set aside.

L: (as far as he knows)

He sighs, the ballroom feeling much larger than before.

The next morning Bridgette walks out as Monarch, helping with those who ask. The whole day goes as normal but she feels worse than before.

Alek feels more depressed than angry, unlike the other days. He runs late to his lessons, putting the minimal amount of effort. When training, he does just enough not to lose his footing.

At night, Bridgette prepares again and heads to the castle, trembling with fear and worry. "D-don't be a burden... dont be a burden... j-just s-see him and..." She whimpers and bites her bottom lip to stop herself from talking. She just walks.

Alek sat at the piano, his mind at a fault. His song sounded robotic, emotionless. He felt so depressed, yet tried to hide it, along with the new bruises. Karon had been furious with his performance, and Alek was only punished when he didn't react. His music was off key, like he had been all day.

Monarch sneaks into the castle, shaking worse now. She walks around, trying to find Alek as she mentally prepares what to say.

Eventually she finds him in the ballroom, and when she sees him her heart skips a beat and her mind empties, filling with pain. She walks in slowly, trying not to make a sound.

Alek begins to become frustrated hearing the failed music. He groans, closing his eyes and laying his head on the keys.

She gulps and trembles, sweating slightly. She tries to speak but it comes out in a whimper. "A-alek...?" Her voice is weak and pained.

Alek opens his eyes. He feels as if he imagined the voice. "...I'm such an idiot..." he whispers, just barely audible.

She jolts and trembles more. "A-alek... i-i just came t-to..." she tries to give the talk she prepared but fails terribly, shrinking back "I-i mean... um... i-i wanted to say um... h-hi... and... uh..." She shakes and shrinks more, taking a small step back. Her eyes gloss over. "I-i just wanted to s-see um... s-see you again... c-cause..." She whimpers and gulps, sweating more and scolding herself for each word that leaves her mouth "I-i love you...! U-um... i-i mean- I mean i-i missed you b-but i..." She gulps and her voice cracks, weak and afraid. Her hands grip her dress and squeeze it tightly, shaking "A-alek... i... I love you... u-um... i-i love you..." that's all she feels like she can say, and tears roll down her cheeks slowly as she whimpers. "I... l-love you... a-and I'll leave, and-and you can be alone i-if you want but i... um, j-just wanted you to know t-that... u-um..." She shrinks back and whimpers more, shaking terribly.

"I-im s-sorry, for what i-ive done," she inhales a shaky breath "And you c-can hate me," her voice cracks and tears continue to flow "And i-ignore me, and that's f-fine because i-i love you and I d-dont want to he a burden!"

Alek looks up, standing slowly as she speaks. His face blank. His heart skips a beat, realizing he hadn't imagined her. He hears what she says, he walks over to her, saying nothing and just looking at her.

She looks up at him with broken eyes, shaking more as she shrinks down "A-and i... i... um..." She whimpers, her chin trembling "A-and I love y-you...! I-i d-do! B-but..." She gulps and cries looking up at him "I-i didn't mean to h-hurt you! And i-i was stupid and d-dumb and y-you can hate me f-for that but i-i just had to s-see you!" She tries to take a deep breath but it's too shaky. She hiccups. "I-i had to! B-but i... I dont-dont wanna be a b-burden so I'll just um... g-go," she takes a shaky step back, still looking at him with pain and heart ache.

Alek takes a step forward for each she takes back. He looks into her eyes, placing a hand gently on her neck. "Oh my heavens..." he takes a handkerchief from his suit pocket, using it to brush away her tears. "Please stop apologizing..."

"B-but-" she hiccups and looks at him with wide eyes "I-im... b-burden...?" Her words are struggling terribly and she takes another step back, hitting the door and jolting at the sudden feeling. She shakes and sweats more, terrified for what he might say.

He only looks at her, taking another step forward. "And so am I." He looks down, messing with the handkerchief. "Everyone can be..." he looks back up at her, his face sympathetic. "Bridgette, you're not a burden that I'm not willing to carry. With each thing that may weigh me down, there are a thousand others to bring me back up that you've given me." He swallows and his smile falls. "I... I missed you... I missed you so much... more than I thought I could... It hurts... to see you like this... I don't want you to apologize, I don't want you to feel bad." An uncertain smile twitches at his mouth before falling away. "...I was so wrong... I should have told you... I should have... I should have stayed to talk to you... I should have gone to see you... but... i thought... that you didn't want me around. I owe you so much..."

She cries a bit and hiccups, staring in awe. She trembles and burst into tears "W-why would you think that?!? I love you Alek why-why would you think t-that?!" She cries more and trembles.

"I... you said that you wanted me to leave..." he whispers, the words coming back into his mind.

"I-i was angry and m-mad because you c-called me a burden and d-didnt want me!" She looks at him, hiccuping and crying "I-i... i-i-" she can't speak and covers her eyes "T-thats why y-you never c-came?"

Alek brings the handkerchief to her cheeks once again, his face pulled to a frown. "I didn't want to upset you... and please," he kisses her forehead. "Please, please, stop saying that you're a burden... I was angry too..." he sighs. "I love you, no matter the cost, no matter what may follow you... it was so lonely without you... torture..."

"M-me too..." She looks at him and hiccups "I-its torture!" She cries and reaches for him "D-did you s-see all the nice s-stuff I did for you w-while I was g-gone?"

Alek pulls her close, and the beginning of a smile on his lips. "Yes... yes I did..." he holds to her a bit tighter, pride and regret both surfacing inside him.

"Y-you did?!" Her heart skips a beat and she hugs him tightly, trembling "O-oh good! O-oh I hope it made you happy!"

"I'm proud of everything you do." He smiles. "You've done so much for these people."

She smiles and breathes quickly "T-thank you! Oh Alek I missed you!" She holds tighter to him.

He holds her tightly, burying his face into her hair. "And I couldn't be happier to have you back!" He laughs.

She laughs as well and looks at him, kissing him and pulling him close.

He smiles into the kiss, his hands brushing through her hair.

She pulls away and looks into his eyes "I'm so sorry for all I did! I promise to make it up to you somehow, but the innkeeper is expecting me. I said I wouldnt be gone long..."

His finger rubbed the back of her ear lightly. "I suppose... And I have training..."

She yelps and shivers, taking his hand from her ear "A-alek... wait until tomorrow at least..." She smiles a bit "And how is training?"

He inhales holding the breath as he speaks. "I suppose it's alright if I do well." He exhales, chuckling lightly. "It will be worth it though."

She looks worried "He doesn't hurt you does he? Oh that would be awful! Maybe tomorrow I can come to watch! That way I can learn a bit about fighting. I help the town early in the morning, so I have the rest of the day to myself."

He kisses her cheek. "I'd love for you to come... you're my motivation after all."

L: (Aww I can't wait until I start dating because I can be all charming like this to my boi)

She blushes and smiles. She strokes his cheek and kisses his forehead "I did miss you..."

A: (XD awww and I'll be *hopefully* adorable like dis)

A: Well L... Am i?

L: I'd say so.

"And I'll miss you always." He smiles before rolling his eyes, "However, we both have things to get to..."

She giggles and places her hands on his chest "Oh but I don't want to leave! Each day without you I've been aching and pained!"

"Then come as soon as you can tomorrow." He smiles. "I finish my lessons at nine, and then I have training until noon." He kisses her lightly.

She kisses back and smiles "Wait for me then..." She pulls away and runs from the castle, a wide smile on her face.

Alek leans against the wall for a moment, glad and grinning. His eyes widen. "Oh heavens... Karon." He takes off sprinting to the training area.

Bridgette runs into the inn and smiles wide, spinning around and running to the commons area. She stays up telling everyone stories and singing songs.

Alek washes up after training, laying on his bed and falling asleep easily,  very unlike his usual insomniac self.

********

A/N: Dude, if I wanted I could finish this book by the end of the week. L, you would just have to publish.

L/N: LETS DO THIS!