ততততত

𝐓 𝐎 𝐁 𝐈 𝐍

It's Gareth.

I can recognize his horse from a mile away. I'm not sure if I should be relieved that it's him or not. My priorities have become twisted up in a thousand ropes, and I can't unravel a single thought. In the daylight, I think of Aspen, alone and fighting her own battles with two small fists. At night, I'm mystified under the spell of a certain princess.

Imogen. She's the key to all of this. I've spent days building up her trust, and that sweet naive smile of hers has gotten into my bloodstream, warming it with every curve. It's godly distracting. So fucking distracting. In the end, I know this connection that binds us is temporary, and that string I've tethered to her will be cut with a blade.

This is all for Aspen. Once Imogen reveals what I need, then this will be over. Even if she doesn't want it too.

Gareth dismounts his steed, his expression tight with a buried vexation. He dresses in commoner's clothes, and I'm happy to see he discarded his Adoridian armour, especially since I know Imogen observes us from a distance.

Gareth's silvery blue eyes close into tight slits. "You never came to the tavern tonight."

I swallow the lump building in my throat. Every night before I scale the castle walls, I update Gareth. He's been pleased with my progress, but let's face it: I've been sparing a few details. He doesn't know about the passageways between the walls and the catacombs beneath the castle's surface. He'll demand a map of those—directions that Imogen purposefully left out of the updated map I stole from her.

Gareth's brow crooks. "There's no need to have your sword out, Tobin. We're allies, aren't we?"

I don't dare let myself look back at the homestead, at where Imogen should be hiding. Instead, I put my sword away. "What do you want?"

"You should be at the castle," he speaks. "In order for this all to work, we need you to do your part. You can't be slacking off by your fucking oasis in the mountains every other night."

My jaw clenches. "I've been in that castle every night for the past six days, and I can't find a fucking way into that locked room."

"You bring back golden rings and arrows, but you're telling me you can't figure out the castle?"

Yes, I want to grit. Everything I have done so far is all thanks to Imogen, whether she's aware of it or not.

Gareth breaks into a sharp burst of laughter. "I thought I knew you better. Nothing seemed to stop you when we were kids."

That's because I didn't realize what I risked until it all got taken away. My mother. My father. Aspen.

I shake my head. "None of this makes sense. All this crap just to get into a fucking room."

"It's not just a room, Tobin," he whispers, his voice dropping to a dangerous, chilling tone. "If the world knows the secret within Lagulon's castle, we can expose it. We can take advantage of their fragility and take what is rightfully ours. What kingdom would trust a king trapped within a scandal?"

"What about the princess?" I ask without a second thought.

If the king of Lagulon is set to fall, then so is their beautiful princess. Or at least, that's what they'd believe. Even I know my princess is a force to be reckoned with if equipped with that bow of hers.

"There's already plans arranged for her," Gareth chides with a smirk ghosting the edges of his thin lips. "She won't be an issue moving forward."

Imogen. She's a fire I tamper with to keep alight, and yet I know she's fractured and fringed, on the cusp of shattering altogether. Like Gareth said, she's fragile, like her kingdom waiting to crumble. Yet, she's an asset to her people. She's King Orion's only heir, but what is it inside that room that could possibly tear down her entire regime?

I wrap my palm around the hilt of my sword. My thoughts swirl with the girl of vanilla and moonlight. My Imogen, a delicate flower I kissed moments ago in a wine-blur to ease her pain. "What plans?"

Gareth chuckles. "Leave the princess to us. All you need to do is your job, which can only be done in the castle."

"I think you've made yourself fucking clear by now."

"I should warn you, though," he begins. "There's an event tomorrow evening. The guards will be fully deployed around the castle. That shouldn't be a problem for you, will it?"

"I have enough problems to deal with," I mutter. "What's another one on the list?"

"This is for Adorid, Tobin. Remember that."

No, this is for Aspen—that innocent sixteen year old girl lost somewhere out in that god forsaken kingdom I had to run from ten years ago. Aspen, Aspen, Aspen. It's a mantra I need to ingrain into my brain, even when the scent of vanilla threatens to change that. As much as I long to protect Imogen, my choice will have to be Aspen.

"You told me Aspen was alive," my voice comes out in a slight quiver, struck by the arrow of emotion at the mere thought of my sister. "Where is she?"

"She's working within the Adorid castle," he says. "I kept an eye on her for you."

I nod, not wanting to know what her duties contain. "And my mother?"

A cord in Gareth's throat twitches. "Disappeared shortly after your father was killed and you fled."

Fuck. So Aspen was alone, and hell knows if she still is alone.

Gareth swings himself over to his horse, mounting the saddle. There's a flint of pity in his eyes as he stares down at me, and do I blame him? I left everything behind only for him to pick up. He prospered from the blood I spilled on my hands before I ran. I lost everything, and he gained it all.

"I'll be at the tavern in two nights time," he speaks. "Don't be late."

He snaps the reins on his horse as he barrels out of the meadow. His unwanted arrival only served as a reminder that I need to keep my head in check. There's no more time for gallivanting the meadows and drinking cheap wine with the princess. I need to figure out some information.

I need to do it fast.

"And who was that?" Imogen's voice cuts through the silence with such authority.

I spin on my heels, nearly colliding with a miffed princess. Hell, she shouldn't be out here yet. What if Gareth turns back? Her arms cross over her chest, her nostrils flaring slightly with an inner frustration. Still, somehow, my mind snaps into two as the vanilla scent wafts through the space between us.

Damn her. Damn this whole situation.

"No one," I grumble.

"I thought I'd get to see you use your sword," she smirks with those kissable lips. "You carry around a weapon like that and I've hardly seen you swing it. You only threaten me with it."

"He wasn't a threat."

"And yet I had to hide." She releases a stifled giggle. "Sounds like a threat to me."

I give up on arguing with her and decide to get to the point. "You can't stay out here. We need to get you back to your castle."

She pouts. "Why not?"

"We almost got caught," and those moonlit eyes jump, almost enticed by the danger of it all. Seeing her thrill warms my blood, causing it to flow to places it shouldn't dare. "If I was discovered with you, my head would be hung in the town square."

She pokes my chest. "Wrong. I'd convince them to pardon you."

"I'm serious. I'm not a fan of dying." I've already had to escape death so many times before. Too many times.

Imogen eventually budges at the request to board Neph, not that she wants too. As I wrap my arms around her torso, her posture deflates, and the hum of excitement that once coursed through her silences to a still. In a night, I fear I've given her too much of the world, and now she can't afford to go back to the castle where she belongs.

A sting rings through my chest, and I force myself to snap out of my trance and think of one girl: Aspen.

Everything is for Aspen.

AspenAspenAspenAspenAspen.

We climb onto the balcony to her bedroom, and she tosses her bow and arrow to the side. Everything smells of vanilla. Everything appears to shine like gold and moonlight.

AspenAspenAspenAspenAspen. I'm not here for Imogen. I'm here for my sister. I'm here for answers. I'm here for—

"Tobin?" Her voice leaves her lips in a such a tender bird song. At once, the chorus of Aspen's name comes to a dead halt. The grey moons catch me, lock me in. I become a puppet, and she tugs on my strings as I step closer to her, close enough to comb her blonde waves behind her ear. "Stay? Just until I fall asleep?"

I've stayed before, but for some reason this is different. This is a plea for help, for comfort, for me.

AspenAspenAspenAsp—

Fuck it. What's one more time to indulge in Imogen?

I kick my boots off, and she removes her cloak until she's dressed in that white silk nightdress that I secretly adore. Her fingertips caress my knuckles, as she lifts her gaze to my lips. It would be so easy to kiss her, to smother her voice silent with a taste of me until she falls into her blissful dreams. I could bask in the blanket of vanilla twirl my finger around waves of moonlight blonde hair.

I clear my throat. "You should, uh, get some rest."

Gods, I sound like an idiot.

She takes my jaw with her soft palm and kisses my cheek. "Good night, my petty thief."

Petty. If only she knew, but the remark breaks a curling grin from my lips. Instead of the hearth, I follow her to her bed, crawling in on the far side. There's a distance between us, one that I'm petrified to close. Sure, I caved in to Imogen tonight, but I can't let myself become attached with that damning soft heart of mine. Because if I tie my heart to her, I won't be able to let go when the time comes.

Imogen is temporary. Aspen, my sister, will be forever.

I roll over, and Imogen already sleeps soundly underneath the quilts. I should go back out into the wild where I belong and try this again tomorrow, but the 'shoulds' and 'don'ts' are all the same in her bed. I lace an arm around her waist, loosely pulling her closer to me.

My beautiful moonlight. My sweet princess. My Imogen. Mine.

Within her presence, I fall captive to sleep and drift off into the night.

── •✧• ──

Our Tobin is a little conflicted on what to do with Imogen, but that's all good, because that only means more Tobin & Imogen moments to come (aka, my favourite type of moments).

Whose POV do you enjoy reading more? Tobin or Imogen? (Because there's plenty more of both to come.)

Also, a friendly reminder to vote, comment, & share!