Sorein didn't know what he was doing.

Especially as he stalked back down the walkway and into the Heartline City's parade of performers.

He'd not offered, but demanded she follow him to the Ceremony of Lights.

Such behavior wasn't normally his style, it certainly wasn't the reason she'd been friends with him so long ago.

The look in her eye said that much.

"Hey, where have you been?" Noah asked, approaching briskly.

Jeremy trailed him to the left.

"More importantly," the Captain added. "What was that about?"

Sorein felt a lot of things. He didn't know if he was annoyed by his friend's tone or caught off guard by the implications of his question. The feeling didn't sit well in his chest.

"What?" he asked, staring at him. Daring him to continue.

For the first time in many years, Jeremy took that dare. "Threatening the Lord of Teresii? Guarding the Princess of Chiori? Are you out of your mind?"

Potentially.

Sorein hadn't taken the time to consider what it might look like to stand in front of her, holding a blade to her abuser. He'd wanted to do a great deal more than that considering how rare it was for her to find the courage to leave.

He didn't particularly care what they thought, he decided.

"I don't see how it concerns you," Sorein replied, making his way through the streets.

When they stepped onto Honeyrock street, the scene of his crime, he noted the way others strayed away from him or stared. His teeth gritted at the thought that standing up for someone, that refusing to be a bystander was wrong.

"You know her," Noah said. A hint of a smile graced his lips, vanishing quickly because he valued his life. "You know her, don't you?"

Sorein rolled his eyes. "Of course I know her," he muttered. "Do you think when my father sent me here, it wasn't political? He wanted to establish better relations with Destry, so naturally I've been to the estate."

Half truths whisked into lies.

He knew better than to find himself caught up in these terrible webs. By now his friends had backed off several times, Sorein didn't imagine he'd continue to be so lucky.

"You had her by the arm, Sorein," Jeremy stated, an incredulous look growing on his face. "You were dragging her away."

He felt himself quickly running out of things to say. Coming up short, Sorein scrambled through his brain hoping to find some saving grace. There was none.

"I don't know Therisii, but I do know whatever you said to her made the difference between her breaking and snapping out of it," Noah wagered, feigning a deduction.

Sorein attempted to reign in his disappointment, his friend so close and so far from scratching the surface.

Jeremy even seemed to notice, frowning.

"I told her to come with me," Sorein sighed. "I walked her back to the Estate..."

"And then what?" Jeremy pressed, his dark brown eyes narrowing.

He'd have to tell them sooner or later, Sorein knew. This was the hole he'd dug himself. "And I'll be escorting her to the Ceremony of Lights tonight."

Noah started laughing, bracing himself on a nearby railing. "That's a good one, Sorein."

The Prince's face remained unchanged, the portrait of unamused. He would wait. They could figure it out on their own.

It didn't take long for the silence to turn awkward. "Please, tell me you're joking?" Noah asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not."

"We're stuck playing sitter?" He groaned.

Sorein growled at the implication, the sound of violence echoed in his throat. "You're stuck doing nothing," he snapped. "She is not much younger than I am, her life is hard enough without your complaints."

"But now we have to-"

"Go play with Charlotte then," Sorein retorted, aiming to swiftly deal the fatal blow to their conversation. "I'm sure she could use the attending."

Noah went still, eyes hardening, though not out of anger. Shock lived in those irises, swelling as though he never truly thought the Prince could be upset with him.

Sorein glanced around at the crowd, at the people gawking as if he were a wild animal someone caught from the Wildlands. He felt the heat of their gazes and the whispers sliding through the air, a part of him burned to end it.

So he twisted and stalked into the crowd, leaving his friends standing in the center of the excitement.

They weren't paid guards.

They could do whatever they pleased and he would be more than happy to allow them the leeway.

He only knew he had to escape the awful staring, as they refused to leave him be.

~ 🔮 ~

The entire world moved around him as though he didn't exist. Sorein's heightened senses traced over the citizens of Chiori and their lively festival, memorizing the curves of each establishment and person, only to realize they went on without him.

He wandered until the sun began to set and time became something less of a courtesy, many times wondering what he'd rather do.

Before too long, he was once again waiting outside of the Estate, alone.

Sorein didn't even know if Iliya would leave her castle of solitude again or if she'd stand on her balcony and watch. He knew the likelihood of her staring down at him, knew she would weigh her choice until the last bitter second when she either made a fool of him or stepped out.

The Guard hadn't so much as sneezed in his direction, marking him as nothing more than a guest or a bystander.

Rhydian wouldn't be pleased, he thought.

Sorein peered up in an attempt to snag a look at her balcony. The door was wide open, but there was no one there. The curtains danced against the gentle summer breeze.

Iliya might've finally decided she had no interest in him or his antics. They had made it through the fifteen minute walk without chewing each other's heads off, even if it was largely due to her shock.

He truly did wish to split the royal prick's head in half. Bone splintered though and he'd be disappointed knowing he couldn't make the halves even.

Sorein snorted, wondering when he'd begun to care so much for symmetry.

The pain in her eyes had been enough. He didn't think she would hold that grudge, so he allowed himself to do it on her behalf. If for no other reason than he couldn't split his own skull for causing such a similar look to line her features long ago.

He didn't blame her if Iliya couldn't stomach coming down those stairs, walking towards him.

Sorein hadn't ever known the Princess to yell until that night.

So he leaned against the gates of her personal confinement and took a deep breath. He said he would wait until the Ceremony was over and he would. His own self imposed punishment.

Yet he was clueless as to how lucky he was as Iliya opened the front door, her small frame lingering in the doorway before she committed fully and escaped into the growing night.

She was stunning.

Her long, unruly hair fell in long rippling waves down her back, glowing under lamplight. She wore no traditional garments this time, opting for a mid-length dress the color of old parchment with golden flowers weaving up the sides.

Iliya kept her hands clasped behind her back as she approached, a critical eye running him over the way she'd always done.

Sorein never knew how to interpret the gaze, nor how he was supposed to feel as she analyzed his every breath.

"You look nice," he said, offering a tight smile.

"Thank you," she answered, looking away. Her eyes wandered over him as she considered returning the compliment, but she stopped. She pursed her lips, fighting a small smile and chose to say nothing. "Shall we?"

"Of course," Sorein said, gesturing forward. "After you."

He watched her walk out in front of him, careful to only find herself a few paces forward.

Sorein was inclined to remind her that his presence was meant to shield her, to keep her safe. Instead, he observed the Princess's appreciative eye as she inspected the city she so often only glanced at. Iliya wandered out in the open, just as she had during the festival last morning.

Dusk had settled nicely along the horizon, soft purple hues radiating off the waves of Glacial River and farther out to the shorelines.

They followed the river for half an hour, the only sound echoing between them being the gravel beneath their boots.

Flocks of people passed them, laughing, tossing things, and threatening to knock each other into the frigid body of water. Most of their taunts sailed straight over Sorein's head as he spaced off at the fading sunlight.

The crowd's shoving and jeering grew as they drew near the beachside clearing. Ribbons and magic braziers lined the sidewalk, guiding the event's participants to a large stone gazebo.

Several docks branched off the building, while plenty of designated parties took up spots along the beach.

Sorein saw Iliya light up when the booths began handing out different paper containers meant to entrap their mana.

"The sun hasn't even fully set yet," Sorein chuckled, speaking mostly to himself.

To his surprise, Iliya looked up. "Yes, but why would we want to fight the lines when everyone is trying to get one?"

"You know-" he began, thinking of the laundry list of reasons bobbing to the surface of his mind. The rest of his sentence died on his tongue when one of the drunk festival goers went flying and almost plowed over Iliya's small frame.

Sorein yanked her against him hard enough they both groaned, the obnoxious kid tripping over Iliya's feet and falling into the river below.

"What are you doing?" Iliya stammered, pulling away from him.

He raised a brow at her. "Keeping you dry," he said, trying not to laugh.

The group of hooligans had raced over to try and save their friend from the river.

Iliya watched them, her mouth slowly parting as she realized why there was a dull ache in her ankle. The world moved faster than anything she was used to up on her perch, he assumed.

"Everything is so overwhelming," she whispered.

He wasn't certain if he was meant to hear it.

Sorein pretended he wasn't. "So where is Miss Duskwind?"

"I'm sorry?" she asked, face contorting.

"Qudja Duskwind of the Wildlands, your accomplice for the evening."

"I-I don't know," Iliya stammered. Her eyes widened like a frightened animal, glancing around frantically. "I didn't even know who she was..."

Sorein wasn't used to seeing the impulsive and defiant Princess so unnerved. He knew what it felt like to be out of control, though he couldn't fathom what it must feel like to be her.

He only knew he didn't like seeing her that way.

"Come on," Sorein said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go get some lanterns, I'm sure we'll find her."

Her muscles relaxed under his grip, the stark fear melting away into something softer. He watched the edges of jade blending into golden honey begin to shine in the light again.

All Sorein had to do was get Iliya to concentrate on the festival, on the Ceremony.

Surely, it'd be easy.

So he led her through the crowd, doing his best to point out the flame dancers and the magic braziers, hoping she didn't notice that the Chieftains daughter was nowhere to be found.