Page 4 of The Princess and Her Grand King

"Are you sure?" Otto pressed.

"Yes." Aekeira took a shuddering breath. "Yes, I’m fine. Worry not, Otto. It’s nothing."

He looked skeptical, his eyes searching hers for the truth. His concern was genuine, a kindness that made Aekeira ache for the simpler days of their childhood.

Unlike King Orestus, whose motives were a mystery, Otto's care was real. He had been there the night her and Em were born, tending to their mother in one of the hidden underground rooms. Since their return, he had become their silent protector, always fretting over them… especially since they refused to speak of Urai.

“Really, I'm fine,” Aekeira reassured him once more.

"Your sister hasn't been in her chamber all day." Otto shifted uncomfortably. "She joined the hunting party, but they returned hours ago, and she hasn't."

Case in point.

Aekeira sighed, placing her needlework carefully on the table before standing.He does have a point though.She hadn't seen Emeriel since her abrupt dismissal from court earlier. "I’ll go find her."

After searching all the usual places, Aekeira finally found Emeriel in Prince Daviel’s garden. She had avoided searching there, making it her last resort. Emeriel usually stayed away from this place.

Hands crossed, her sister stood motionless before the meadows, eyes watching the twinkling stars above. The night was beautiful, glowing softly, giving the sense of serenity. But Aekeira knew it was never truly safe.

Stepping up beside Emeriel, Aekeira turned her eyes to the sky as well.

“We are not being married off,” Aekeira said at last, breaking the silence. “Orestus put a stop to it. I’d say we’re safe for another six months, Em.”

"Don’t call me that," Emeriel mumbled, her gaze never leaving the stars.

Aekeira ignored that. Her eyes followed her sister’s line of sight, but her thoughts were elsewhere. "Do you think they are alright?"

Emeriel remained silent.

"I can’t help it sometimes," Aekeira admitted. "Has he gone feral? Is he doing better? Has the darkness consumed him yet? Does he think of me?"

The longing rose again. Approaching like a forceful tide, hell-bent on sweeping her away.

She fought to keep it from spilling into her words. "Sometimes, I fight for hours on endnotto think of him."

"Why are we talking about them?" Emeriel asked, coolly. "We agreed not to."

"Maybe it’s time we did."

"I don’t think so," her sister stated firmly, her face devoid of emotions. "It's best not to."

They never did, not anymore.

Aekeira swallowed the lump in her throat. It was a double-edged sword really, because forgetting helped her move on… but at the same time, she yearned to reminisce.

It was the only way she could feel alive again. To remember what it had once felt like to trulylive.

For Emeriel, it was easier to block it all out.

In the beginning, Aekeira had almost lost her. TheSoulbondhad been so terrifying; she had watched helplessly as it tore Emeriel apart. The pain of being separated from her beloved had pushed Emeriel to the brink of madness.

Emeriel didn’t eat for days, barely slept, and spent most of her time in tears.

When she wasn’t crying, she would fall into a hollow, distant state, staring into nothing for hours—sometimes days—on end, barely leaving her bed.

Those were dark times. Dark, dark times.

Aekeira shuddered at the memory of the worst of it. The time Emeriel disappeared.

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