CHAPTER SEVEN

"What are you babbling about, I'm right here, how else would anyone have known about the ambush?" I ran and gave him a big hug.

"I'm just so happy that your safe." He pats me on the shoulder.

"Do you know who did it?" Senya asked with his arms across his chest.

Barinor shook his head. "By the time I got there they were all dead, however I was able to bring your stuff back, however it needs some cleaning up." He says looking down at me now.

"Cleaning, why?" I asked without understanding.

"Prince Senya, have you ever been to a fight?" Barinor asked, ignoring my question.

I let him go and looked at my fiance. "Yes, it's a horrible sight." 

"Then I'll let the explanation be up to you, I must go find a place for Glydor before too many people ask questions." He says getting ready to leave.

"There is a nice cave nearby, it's pretty far into Bazalous Forrest, but there are beautiful gems and stones. I don't know the best habitat for a dragon but I figured I'd suggest it." Senya responds as Barinors hand is on the door frame.

"Ah yes, I forgot about that place thank you." He left closing the door behind him, 

Barinor seemed off put, maybe he wants to play the parental figure he never got to be, or maybe it's because he came in contact with a bunch of dead bodies.

"Who do you think would do such a thing?" I asked myself outloud.

"No idea, but we will find out, but for now just worry about the wedding. I'll handle finding out who attacked our men." His tone was serious and the look in his eyes looked more dangerous than before.

"Are you sure we should even be considering a wedding, with everything going on, don't we have a lot going on already?" I am genuinely worried about our people, not to mention the families of the knights who had already died.

"Celeste, are you trying to get out of our betrothal?" He says shifting his weight and sighing.

"What, no of course not, these people serve us to keep our protection, Senya. Living breathing human beings, they have feelings and families!" I yell defensively before continuing. "Our marital affairs have nothing to do with this-" he cut me off there. "Celeste…"

I haven't realized how worked up his comment made me til now. "What?" I snapped at him, my face red with anger.

"I was only teasing you, although the fact that you called them our people makes me happy that you see them more than just mine." He looked away for a moment, as if he didn't want to admit it.

My face went from being red because of anger to red because of embarrassment, I didn't realize that I had called them ours until he pointed it out. 

I began to stutter something out. "Well we are to be married after all." It was an excuse, a poor one at that, and he saw right through it and chuckled before becoming serious again.

"I'm going to go investigate what happened, and I will find out who did this, but for the time being why don't you explore the castle a bit, and finish our conversation later tonight?" He suggests, as he fixes the buttons on his sleeves, looking back at me with his kind deep brown eyes once more.

"As you wish." I nodded at his suggestion.

He made his way over to me slowly, his steps cautious. 

He then places a gentle hand on my cheek bringing his lips closer and closer to mine, when they were nearly touching I turned my head away from him.

"Stay safe," I say, rejecting the kiss goodbye.

"Ahem, right. I'll see you when I get back." That's when he turns on his heel and leaves me in the room alone.

My heart was beating quickly in my chest, if he came any closer he would have taken my first kiss as a casual encounter, I didn't want that. I wanted it to be special, and I promised myself I wouldn't fall in love with him.

That's when guards came in with boxes and the rest of my things, one after another they marched in, but a girl who looked to be 5'5 with raven black hair and familiar black eyes with skin an offset color of peaches.

She stood in front of me with a smile on her face and hands clasped gently together in front of her. 

"Good afternoon, Princess Celeste. My name is Asiya, I will be one of the maids that will be caring for you here on out." She curtsies lightly with a kind smile on her face.

I couldn't help but smile back, her warm and gentle demeanor felt comforting.

"It's very nice to meet you, Asiya, you may call me what you'd like." I wasn't one for formalities, unless of course they angered me.

"Milady, in forty-eight hours you will be named queen, so you deserve to be spoken to, and spoken about with nothing but respect."

Realization was beginning to hit me as I realized she was right, soon I'll be Queen of Alastia, instead of Princess of Erena.

The change made me a bit nervous as the words made their way out of her mouth.

Alastia will be my kingdom to rule to a certain extent.

"It's alright Asiya, I stand by what I say, however I do appreciate the concern." I smiled at her reassuringly.

"Okay… Celeste." She smirked awkwardly as she tested my name on her lips. "I'll be putting away your things now, miss."

She began to open the boxes that sat at her feet. "Would you like me to stay?" 

"You are the princess, staying or leaving is up to you." She replied without looking up.

The guards came back bringing more and more boxes. "I think I'm going to stay for a while."

I went over to the window that I noticed earlier it wasn't the courtyard but a beautiful garden instead, with flowers of colors I never knew existed, purple, black there were so many colors that it was overwhelming, there were even trees that bloomed purple and pink flowers, the view was magnificent.

I turned back to Asiya, and noticed she was clumsily folding some of the dresses instead of hanging them on a hanger.

"How long have you been a maid?" I was curious, her folding technique seemed to need a bit of work, however better than what I could do.

"I started today, but I think I'm doing okay." She says checking out her folding skill.

"That you are, how about you take a break and walk around the castle with me, I'm new here and would like some company." I asked as I walked toward her.

"I really must put your things away, Celeste, there's much to do before tomorrow." She sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Let someone else do it and if anyone gives you trouble send them to me." I started and took her hand helping her stand.

"Are you sure you want to spend your time with me, I'm just a maid." She spoke shyly.

"You aren't just a maid, you're my maid, and my new friend don't talk down to yourself like that." I let go of her hand and smiled.

"You really want to be my friend, well if you are stuck with me we should learn some trust shouldn't we?" She nodded and gestured that I should lead.

We walked back into the hallway. "What do you think these pillars are made of?"

I pointed to the one in front of us as we walked on the marble tile.

"Some kind of stone maybe, I was wondering the same thing since I arrived here but even the other maids don't seem to know." She trails off as she herself looks at the walls and pillars that were holding up the ceiling.

"Maybe we can ask the prince when he gets back," I said as we made our way back down the spiral stairs.

For a moment I forgot I rejected his kiss, and maybe he won't be as forgiving when he gets back, I'm not sure if I'm scared or if I'm amused at the thought.

I heard Barinors voice down the stairs and it made me stop in my tracks. 

"Your Highness, I must warn you what your going out there to see isn't no sunshine and rainbows, it wasn't just a battle, it was a massacre those men… had no chance against whatever they encountered." He spoke in a hushed tone as if he was worried about the prince.

"I appreciate your concern Barinor, I know to you I don't look like much but I've been in my fair share of battles," Senya tried to reassure him but Barinor wasn't buying it.

"Your Majesty, listen to my words of warning please," His voice was full of panic and pleading. "Their heads were ripped off from their necks like ragdolls, and I think they are after the princess," Barinor finishes with whispering the last part.

I looked up at Asiya and placed a finger against my lips to tell her to stay quiet. She nodded silently as we continued to listen.

"That is a dangerous assumption to make, Barinor. Do you have any proof?" The Prince's voice even from here put me on edge.

"They didn't steal anything, it's as if they were looking for someone or something specific and couldn't find it." There was silence for a couple moments.

"We keep this between us, do not tell Celeste anything, do you understand?" Senya says more quietly now.

"Yes sir." Barinor agrees, and that ends their conversation as they split ways.

We kept quiet listening to their footsteps trail off aways from each other and once they were gone I could feel Asiya lean towards my ear. "What was that about?"

"Let's find somewhere to talk, maybe the garden?" I suggested as we continued down the rest of the stairs.

"Okay, follow me. The Garden is my favourite spot in the castle." She took my hand and we gently ran down the hallways and we started to laugh at the people's surprised faces as we went by.

We pushed the large oak doors open revealing the garden all the flowers surrounded a fountain, the fountain statue was a fae on her tiptoes holding a watering can as the water sprinkled out of it a pleasurable look on her stone face.

Roses, bleeding hearts, tulips and more circling out around it. A path of stones snaked their way around the garden.

A man in the far off distance checking over every flower and every herb he came across.

He was far enough away that we could have a private conversation but close enough that I could watch him garden all day. "So, what happened on your journey?"

I turned my attention back to Asiya, her face was full of curiosity.

"I got here a bit later than expected but we had to leave our things in the carriage and have someone come get them, I guess they massacred our guards, the rest you know as much as I do, however they don't want me to know," I say the last part mostly to myself.

"I find it odd the prince is keeping this a secret, you could be in danger." I nodded to her statement, it didn't make much sense to me either, but I should keep it hidden that I know for now.

"What flowers did you want to be on the tables?" Asiya caught on and changed the subject, which I was thankful for.

I looked around and we walked around to each one finally making it to the flower trees. "Wow, these are even more beautiful close up."

"Those are called Cherry blossoms." The garden man, he was an older gentleman with white hair and sunken blue eyes, he looked kind, and excited to talk about the flowers in the garden.

"They are so beautiful." I say glancing at him and back at the Cherry blossoms.

"There won't be enough to make a bouquet, however we can make a crown of them for your wedding day if you'd like to miss," his voice crackled with the sound of hope.