Page 79 of A Kingdom's Heart
I walked behind them in silence, my hand resting on the hilt of my sword. Each step felt heavier than the last. I watched her from where I stood, how she nodded when he spoke, how she smiled just enough to seem polite, how her eyes fell to the ground whenever his gaze lingered too long.
To anyone else, they might have looked perfect. The prince and his soon-to-be bride, walking through a garden of roses.
But I knew the truth behind her smile.
And it hurt more than I cared to admit.
The distance between us felt both too far and too close. Every time she moved, every sound of her voice, I felt the ache of what I’d lost, and the weight of what I still couldn’t seem to let go.
A long while passed before the prince finally turned to her. His tone was gentle, courteous, every word measured like a man
who’d practiced charm until it felt like a habit.
“You should rest, my lady,” he said. “You have had a long journey. You must be tired.”
She nodded. “A little.”
He smiled, the picture of grace. “Then come. Let me show you to your bedchamber.”
They turned back toward the castle. I followed, as I always did: silent, a shadow where I was meant to be.
The air changed as we stepped into the marble corridors. The scent of the garden faded, replaced by the cold hush of polished stone. Silver and white stretched in every direction, the light from the tall windows falling across the floor like glass. The candles flickered in crystal sconces, the reflections trembling against the
walls.
She walked ahead of me, the train of her gown brushing the floor, her movements light but unsteady. For a moment, I didn’t see a princess walking toward her gilded cage.
I saw her.
Elara, the girl by the river, the one who smiled too shyly when I teased her, the one who held my book like it was a secret worth keeping.
And I realized how much I hated that I still saw her that way.
Because I wasn’t supposed to.
Not anymore.
Once we reached her bedchamber, the prince opened them with a quiet smile. “I had the servants decorate it extra special for you,” he said.
The room inside shimmered in pink and silver. A large bed stood in the center, draped with silk sheets and gauze curtains that caught the light. A tall closet stood to the side, and beyond it, a smaller door led to a walk-in chamber joined with a private bathing room. A vanity sat near the wall, covered with glass perfume bottles and a silver mirror. There was even a small bookshelf beside the window, its shelves already filled.
The balcony doors were open, and the air that came through carried the scent of roses from the garden below. Beyond that, mountains rose in the distance, dark and sharp against the pale
sky.
I took my place near the balcony, watching the light move across the floor.
Prince Lorenzo turned back to her. “Rest here, my lady. The servants will come for you when it is time for dinner. You are free to explore the castle before then. Tomorrow, I will take you to the village and give you a proper tour of Valebran.”
Iris managed a small smile and nodded. “Thank you, my lord.”
His smile lingered a little too long before he inclined his head. “Until dinner, then.”
He stepped out and pulled the doors closed behind him. The
sound echoed softly through the chamber, leaving only the quiet of the wind and the distant waves.
Iris moved toward the bed and sat down. I stayed near the balcony, pretending to study the view, though my eyes weren’t on the sea. I could hear her, the quiet rustle of silk, the unsteady sigh that followed.
