The following morning, Maren decided to take a stroll in the garden. The walls of the Palace were beginning to get stuffy, and no matter how many books she read, her mind wandered to the previous night. Maren knew the Starlight Trial Tour around the Kingdoms would start the next morning. She knew that meant sharing close quarters with Coralynn for extended periods of time.
She swallowed hard, remembering how intense the previous night had been. How quickly Cora switched from frustrating and rude, to sweet and tender the moment they were forced so close together. Maren hadn't the faintest idea what caused Cora to act like that. They had spent years together, and Cora had made sure every second spent in the others' presence was combative.
But then last night happened.
Cora's touch was dominating, yet tender.
Selfish, and curious.
Maren's face burned at the memory of the way her fingers searched her. Of the way Maren, herself, had allowed Cora quench her curiosity. The way heat pooled inside her like never before. The intensity had burned so hot that Maren could hardly focus on the men in the room or what they were saying, but she knew it had something to do with her close friend, Prince Ariel. They were speaking about the rumors she knew all too well. How his parents were pushing for their marriage.
In fact, just moments before Cora had dragged her to the corner, Maren was trying to see what Cora thought about him. Though there was no romantic love between them, Ariel was a good Prince Candidate, and not just for her own sake. He was a close friend to Maren, and he would never step on Coralynn's toes when it came to policy or decision-making. Maren knew that was important to Cora, and if this was going to be the rest of their lives, she wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable. She didn't want to go into this pretending that she would ever have any real type of power.
Something Maren knew, that she often wondered if Coralynn was aware of, is that the Starblessed Princesses never had any true political power. In Cora's case, given her background and the right marriage partner, perhaps she could.
But the reason for the strict union between Royal Blood and the Starblessed, Maren knew, is because of girls like herself, who are little more than commoners with magic. The union keeps balance within the country. Both the wealthy and the poor have a chance at power.
As for what Ariel wanted out of this marriage, she wasn't sure. He wasn't the type that cared about power or often spoke about romance. He had once told her that he was happy enough to marry someone he got along with, but beyond that, he was especially tight-lipped. She thought it was likely that his parents pushed for this, and he would go along with it, telling himself he's fine with contentment, wanting nothing more for himself.
Maren let out a long sigh, a breeze flowing gently through her hair. She extended her fingers to a flower, brushing against a rose's petals. She wondered if the softness of her lips were what caused Cora's sudden affection.
Maren bit her lip in frustration, snatching a petal from the rose and continued on.
After the men left, Cora escaped without another word or a hesitant look back, leaving Maren to sort out what had happened by herself.
And if she was being honest, she was annoyed. Annoyed that Cora had left without an explanation. That she'd reached places nobody else had, made her feel things nobody else had, and then left her by herself. Maren trudged through the garden, her expression bitter.
Next time, I'm going to make damn sure Cora knows I won't let her cross that line again. Not without proper conversation. Not without an explanation.She can't just be hot one second and cold the next. It's too much…
And suddenly, the world went black.
Maren cried out as something covered her eyes.
Then, at her ear, the familiar brush of lips, "Good Morning, Princess."
Maren sighed in annoyance at her friends' teasing. "Lexi, please. How many times have I asked you not to do that?"
Lexi uncovered Maren's eyes, her hands behind her back as she circled around her, a wide, pearly grin stretched across her face. "When it comes to keeping my hands off you, Princess, I'm not sure it will ever be enough."
Maren blushed, shooting her a look. Lexi was tall — much taller than Cora — with long, dark strands of hair that were often tied up in a ponytail. She was lean and fit, and one of the best Knights to come out of the Royal Academy.
"Lexi, you cannot say things like that!" A familiar voice called from further behind them. "You need to respect people's personal space."
Maren turned, and following behind them was Prince Ariel Kingsley. He ran, like he'd been trying to keep up with her. His bounds of short, blonde curls bounced around his head, and his hazel eyes sparkled in the bright morning light. Ariel was on the smaller side for a young Prince at the age of twenty-one, in both height and stature, but he was surprisingly strong, as well as quick and talented with duel smallswords. Maren had seen him battle a few times, and quickly noted that the best ace up his sleeve was betting on the fact that his opponent would underestimate him.
As for Lexi, her strength was her intimidation factor. As a woman, Lexi wasn't nearly as strong as the other Knights, but she was quick, and far smarter than anyone else on the battlefield.
"I would never disrespect my Princesses requests," Lexi responded, her hands on her hips, leaning down to face Ariel. "I just want to make sure she knows how cherished she is."
Ariel rolled his eyes, as he caught his breath, then fixed his gaze on Maren, his eyes widening. "So yesterday was something, huh?"
"Yes, how are you doing after the announcement?" Lexi added, straightening her posture.
Maren sighed as they continued to walk. "It's not the best case scenario, that's for sure," she said, pondering her own feelings about the situation. "But I suppose in our situation, nothing would be, anyway. I'm not saying I deserve the throne. I know how important ruling the Empire is to Coralynn, but there must be a reason I was born. At least…that's what I hope."
Lexi placed her hand on Maren's shoulder. "There is a reason, Princess. You are not a mistake."
Maren offered Lexi a smile and she continued. "If I'm being honest, I don't like the idea of making all the countries' decisions on my own. Cora may be hot-tempered, but she's damn good at political diplomacy. She recently wrote a peace letter to Durival that both the Emperor Regent and the Star Court signed off on, and they wrote back favorably."
"Wow." Lexi and Ariel said in unison, shooting each other a glance.
"My point is," Maren continued, gazing up at the clear sky. They stopped at a stone bench beneath a tree. "I'm not sure that's something I could do on my own. Maybe if I had the right partner, but I can't deny that Cora and I both have strengths and weaknesses."
There was a long silence between the three of them, and Maren turned to face them, sitting on the bench. She gazed up at the two standing, both deep in thought.
Then, Lexi blurted. "Not that I'm particularly fond of this idea, but why can't the two of you just get married?"
Maren's eyes widened, a question she hadn't yet asked herself.
She considered the truth of the statement. Why couldn't it just be them? Why even bring a Prince into the mix to begin with? Weren't most royal marriages a political tie anyway?
"I-I don't think Cora likes women in that way." Maren said, lying through her teeth.
The feel of her fingers tracing the inside of her mouth was practically embedded in her mind. Even now, she could still feel her.
Maren's face burned red hot.
Lexi laughed out loud. "Oh, come on Mare. You can't tell me you haven't thought about it."
"N-no…" Maren blushed furiously. "It's not that."
"Then what is it?" Ariel asked.
Maren's gaze fell to the grass, her two friends standing before her. "Have you both forgotten Cora's ire toward me?"
Lexi and Ariel were both startled by her question, but that shock settled into understanding, as both of them remembered their time at the Academy, and how Cora made it a point to single out Maren.
"It's not that I haven't thought about it," Maren continued. "I have thought about it. Extensively. So much so that I know that Cora would never allow it. Whatever company she prefers, she will never allow it to be me." Maren touched her bare fingers to her lips, tracing where she could still feel Cora's touch. "Not publicly, at least."
Lexi and Ariel were silent for some time, letting their friends' words sink in.
"I am a Prince Candidate," Ariel finally spoke up. "If I win, I'll be sure to make you happy. And Lexi-"
Lexi practically jumped on him, cutting off his circulation with a choke hold.
"-hhhaaaas a surprise for you," Lexi finished for him. "But not until we get to Forsyth."
Maren raised an eyebrow, looking between them. Ariel attempted to catch his breath, shooting Lexi death glares. She just continued grinning, like she hadn't just choked him out in the middle of the garden.
Then suddenly, Lexi's jovial expression dropped to something flat, her eyes fixed on something beyond Maren.
"Lexi?" Maren asked, turning her head.
But just before she could fully turn to see what her friend was looking at, Lexi was suddenly close — so close that Maren could feel the warmth of her cheek. Not the red hot blaze that seemed to radiate around Cora, but instead a softer, more human warmth.
Maren jerked back slightly, startled by Lexi's sudden proximity, her gaze washing over her in reflex. Since they started the Academy at fifteen, Lexi had liked to tease her, but it was playful, harmless teasing. Many of the students came from families already aligned with the Valenyne's of Garyn. After all, most of them were royals themselves, or something close enough. Maren was used to her small, ragtag group of friends. Even though Lexi was a few years older than both Maren and Ariel, they'd become like family. She'd become accustomed to the laughter, and the playful teasing. She'd become accustomed to late nights in the student dorms playing games, sneaking out of the senior hall, and eating more than they should.
Now that they were adults…something about this felt… different.
As Maren gazed up into Lexi's sharp, deep brown eyes, she felt that something had shifted.
"Lexi?" Maren asked, leaning back.
Lexi was motionless, gazing unsmiling into Maren's eyes. She wasn't joking. She was still, her gaze steady, emanating a seriousness Maren had never observed within her. Then, Lexi outstretched her gloved hand, moving it slowly, threading her fingers through Maren's sparkling blonde tresses.
Maren felt her pulse quicken, agonizingly so. To her, Lexi had always been a Knight in shining armour, even in their Academy days. When the other students played cruel tricks on Maren, Lexi was always there to pick her up, dust her off, always making sure she got her revenge. Though she was only distantly related to Macon royalty, Lexi weaved through high society with ease. She was effortlessly beautiful, friendly, strong, confident and well-liked in high society — by both men and women. Back then, Maren had thought her friend to be the perfect partner.
That was, until the rumors.
The Royal Academy house students ages fifteen to nineteen, and by the time Maren turned eighteen, Lexi had already graduated and taken a position at the Palace. The whispers that followed her were sudden, and damning. Maren could not ignore what she was hearing. She desperately wanted to defend her friend, but she couldn't lie to herself, knowing the rules Lexi had one night whispered to Maren.
She'd knocked on Lexi's door, late into the night, wandering into the female Knights' quarters after a blowout with Cora at school. Lexi was something of a night-owl, and during their school days, welcomed her at all hours.
But something changed in Lexi after she graduated.
Maren would never forget it.
It took her a while, but she opened the door, and when Maren explained what had happened and why she was there, Lexi drew a line with her. Lacing her fingers around Maren's shawl, pulling it tighter around her, Lexi told her they could speak of this in the morning, but a girl like her should not be wandering around at that hour, with so many wolves on the prowl.
Maren had never visited her at that time again.
The rumors started shortly after their encounter.
When Maren confronted her, Lexi was surprisingly honest. She didn't deny a thing. She spoke plainly of her evenings in the red-light district — a place of gambling, indulgence and debauchery — and made it quite clear she had no shame about it. And once her secret was in the open, Lexi even seemed delighted in teasing Maren, amused by the way she flushed bright red in horror and embarrassment.
Despite her friend's new midnight social circle that shocked Maren, they remained good friends. Lexi kept her worlds separate, and Maren learned not to ask too many questions.
That was why this moment was so unsettling.
Lexi — in all her charm and wit — had all of those admirable traits. And yet, Maren knew that in the dead of night, Lexi herself would tear off that familiar, friendly mask, trading it for something darker, and more decadent. She occasionally wondered how far Lexi's teasing might have gone, had she not drawn that line all those years ago.
And now, as a woman able to meet Lexi's steady gaze head on, she couldn't help but wonder what hid behind those dark, unreadable eyes.
But another part of her didn't want to know.
That part of her wanted things to stay this way forever.
Maren let out a startled sound, her eyes widening at her friend's touch, grazing her cheek with her gloved finger. Maren closed her eyes shut, bracing herself, when all of a sudden, Lexi made a sound.
"Pfft…"
Maren cracked open an eye and saw how she'd devastatingly misunderstood the situation.
A beetle.
It was nothing more than a beetle.
Lexi burst out in hearty, uncontrollable laughter, but she was the only one. Maren's face burned Scarlette, a harsh contrast to the shining blue in her eyes. Ariel grimaced and moved beside Maren, the both of them shooting their friend disgraced looks.
As Maren lectured Lexi on how to treat women, Ariel turned his head, lifting his arm to rest it on Maren's shoulders, as to lead her away from their beast of burden. But as he ushered her further down the path, something interesting caught his eye.
No more than ten feet away, Coralynn Valentyne walked the garden with her entourage, eyeing their small group. Her eyes were wide, as if trying to take in everything that was happening, but when she noticed Ariel had caught her gaze, she turned away, refocusing herself back to the conversation with her group.
He thought it odd. To his knowledge, Cora had only ever been interested in Maren's suffering.
But that gaze, he silently noted. Those aren't the eyes of someone with hate in their heart.