21 Chapter 21: Drake

The sun rose bringing her highness with it. Though she was careful not to jostle me over much I still woke when she left my arms. I had grown so accustomed to sleeping next to her that when I was on my own it was impossible.

She was pacing, still in her night gown, her hair a nest of raven curls and knots. Still though, she was beautiful. Shining in and out. I sat up, the blankets falling to my waist stretching my arms over my head.

She turned, her violet eyes falling from mine to my chest. She smirked making a show of running her eyes along my bare skin. "Good morning."

I felt myself reddened, I would never be used to her bluntness. "Good morning, Princess."

She made a face but kept pacing saying nothing as she tracked back and forth across the rug.

"I need to see my brother..." she whispered. "We need to... he needs to know what's coming. And that Isaak is alive."

I nodded standing up. "Of course. As soon as we're dressed."

She nearly sprinted down the halls and I couldn't help but chuckle as I grabbed the pommel of my sword to keep myself from tripping on it as I chased after her. I couldn't recall ever seeing her so full of life as she was right now, knowing that she was going to make her brother's burden just a little better with the news of his lover. She didn't even stop to glare at the guards before she rushed down the stairs towards the cells. They looked to me and I just shrugged following after her.

"Rin!" She called rounding the corner.

When we reached the young prince's cell he was sitting against the wall, reading in the flickering light from the candles in the walk way. "Bella." He smiled softly as he stood moving to the bars. I unlocked the door as always and they embraced. "I heard about the execution, are you alright?"

She stiffened momentarily but then smiled. "I am fine..."

"Bella, I know you lost control."

"Not exactly... but..."

"And you were made to kill a citizen..."

"That was horrible but he had the wasting anyway..."

"And then you lost consciousness for days..."

"Damn it, Rin, stopping interrupting me and listen."

He stepped back almost as if struck by a physical blow and then crossed his arms over his broad chest with a look of annoyance that I had seen from Arabella countless times and I couldn't stop the small chuckle that slipped past my lips. Of course as soon as I laughed they were both glaring at me that way. I just shrugged. "The two of you are remarkably similar..."

The prince smiled softly nodding and the princess rolled her eyes turning her attention back to her younger brother. "Rin. There is a rebellion working in the crown city."

"I am aware." He said matter-of-fact with a smirk that I had seen on his sister when she was reading from her books but already knew what was being taught.

"How do you know so much?"

He laughed, running a hand through his now almost shoulder length raven curls. "The guards gossip quite a bit."

I groaned but shook my head. My king would not be pleased if he heard that the men were carelessly discussing matter of such importance. But as he was keeping secrets, so was I.

She crossed her arms over her chest looking rather smug, reminding me once more, just how young she still was. "Well, Sir Knows-It-All.... were you aware that the rebels are being lead by one Sir Isaak Crawford?"

The prince's arms fell to his side, his face going far paler than I thought possible and Arabella got a look of triumph that I often seen on generals after winning major military victories. "I.... are you sure."

"Yes," She said with a small nod. "I was told by the rebel I... anyways someone is coming to meet me in my garden on the next full moon in a few days."

The prince dropped to his knees so hard that I knew he was probably bleeding from the rough cut stone floor but the sob at escaped him was not one of pain. It was... relief. A bone deep relief and overwhelming joy that I had never experience myself. He was entirely overcome with joy, tears falling from his eyes and catching on his smiling lips. I found myself just staring at him. I hadn't the words to express the bitter self loathing that was rolling around in the pit of my stomach.

Because... it was my fault, at least partly.

Because the only reason he was able to feel this beautiful joy was because he honestly thought the man he loved dead.

Under MY KING's orders...

By my sword or that of one of my men.

By my strategy.

By my command.

I killed him... even if Sir Isaak wasn't yet dead.

"I... Oh, Thank the Seven." the prince was saying, still crying and smiling. "Thank the Seven! I thought... we both know Isaak would have stood and fought even if he knew it was hopeless..." He took a deep breath. "Thank the Seven!"

Arabella laughed and crouched down and pulled him into her comforting embrace, one that I longed for but knew I didn't deserve. "Perhaps he wasn't in the palace that night."

Prince Byrin laughed giving his sister a devilish smirk, "Oh, he was absolutely in the palace."

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Arabella groaned at the suggestion in his voice and I felt a pang of jealousy because I longed to have that level of intimacy with...

"I hate you..." She groaned cutting off my rather inappropriate thought process. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You will be with him again... I swear it, by the Seven, by my magic. Even if I have to turn the country, the world, upside down and give it a strong shake." She then locked her eyes on me but kept speaking to her brother, "One of us needs a happy ending with the one they love."