Following Hearts

Into Battle

Rose paced around her room, unable to keep her hands from fidgeting. She took several shaky breaths in a feeble attempt to calm herself. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she awkwardly adjusted the top portion of her dress.

Ginger had gone all out for Rose's wedding gown. The floor-length, A-line dress was exquisitely crafted. Gold accents painted the sheer overlay at the neckline and white lace danced at the scalloped hemline. It was absolutely breathtaking, but the bodice wasn't laying right. She smoothed her hands over her sides, trying to fix the fit.

"Need some help?" Rose almost jumped at the deep baritone that filled the room.

"Don't do that!" She stood and walked towards Ambrose, who was leaning against the doorframe. "I'm already nervous enough as it is."

"I make you nervous?" Ambrose teased, brushing past Rose as he made his way further into the room.

"When you come out of nowhere ominously offering to help? Yeah, you do." Rose followed him, her train trailing behind her. "Anyway, what do you think?" She twirled, but her feet caught in the trail of white fabric and she tripped. Luckily, Ambrose caught her in his muscular arms.

"It's beautiful," he breathed, simply holding Rose for a moment. He finally ushered her back up into a standing position. "But the back is all messed up." He gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so her back was facing him.

"Oh, yeah. I was having some trouble with all the buttons." Ambrose began to unbutton the bodice, realigning the buttons so the dress would lay flat. "I couldn't get my hands to stop shaking."

"You have nothing to worry about." He weakly smiled and began to rebutton the dress, his hands occasionally skimming her back. His eyes drifted up to her neck, where he noticed a small silver chain. "You're still wearing the necklace I gave you?"

"Of course I am." Rose instinctively reached towards the pendant and her hands closed around it. "I haven't taken it off since you gave it to me."

"I don't think it's entirely appropriate for a bride-to-be to wear a necklace that her fiance didn't give to her on her wedding day, do you?" He smirked and closed the last few buttons.

"Maybe not, but it feels right," she whispered, her voice going hoarse once she felt Ambrose's hot breath against her neck. She turned so the pair were now face to face. She expected the handsome guard to pull away, to put distance between them, like he always did, but he stayed exactly where he was. His eyes flickered to her lips for an instant, and the movement was so fast that Rose almost thought she imagined it. Almost. Without thinking, she moved even closer. Now, their lips were merely a hair apart.

"We shouldn't," Ambrose said, his voice barely even a whisper.

"You're right, we shouldn't," Rose breathed back, not moving an inch.

Ambrose and Rose crashed their lips together, their desperation for each other overcoming their minds. Rose wrapped one hand behind Ambrose's neck and cupped the side of his stubbled cheek with her other. His hands travelled downwards, snaking around her waist. He hugged her body against his, dipping her backwards and forcing the kiss even deeper. It was as if the world stood still, frozen in time. Like there was nothing besides the two of them.

Ambrose reached his hand up to Rose's face and found that her cheek was wet. He pulled back, shocked to find Rose's eyes filled with tears.

"What's wrong?" He wiped away a stray tear with his thumb and leaned down slightly to look Rose in the eye.

"I wish I was better." She smiled weakly and placed her hand atop his.

"What do you mean?" Ambrose concernedly asked as Rose pulled his hand down off her face and let her eyes wander to her feet.

"I wish I was better. I wish I was a better person than I am." She paused and looked back up at Ambrose. "I'm a lot of things: I'm strong, I'm resilient, I'm fierce. But wish... I wish I was honorable. I wish I was responsible. I wish I was the leader my sister is. But I'm not. I'm flippant and emotional and selfish and I have a tendency to over-romanticize. And I just... I wish I was better." She started to turn away, but Ambrose gently placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back.

"You don't need to be better. To me, you're perfect. You-"

"I've spent my entire life trying to avoid the responsibilities of my position. Trying to escape the role of Princess. But I can't do that anymore." Rose brushed Ambrose's hand off of her. "I can't keep indulging my own desires over the needs of my people. I have a duty to my kingdom. I made a commitment to Balthazar. So despite everything that I feel, there will still be a marriage between Adaia and Nevani today.

"But that's not what's wrong." Rose took Ambrose's hand in hers. "What's wrong is the fact that this is the first and last time I will ever be able to kiss you. What's wrong is that this is the first and last time I will ever know what it's like to truly be in love."

"I understand."

"I'm sorry it has to be this way. I understand if you hate me or-" Rose stopped her rambling once she fully realized what Ambrose had said. "What?"

"I understand." Ambrose caressed Rose's cheek with his thumb. "You have a duty to your kingdom. You're a leader. You are a Princess. For me to ask you to be anything less is unfair." He pulled his hand away and took a step backwards.

"I'll never forget you." Rose gazed at Ambrose, her eyes shining in the light of the chandelier.

"Goodbye, Your Highness." Ambrose began to walk out of the room, head held high. Just before he opened the door, he whipped around. "Rose?"

"Yes?" Rose faced him, half-hoping and half-dreading what his next words would be. She knew if he said what she wanted him to, she'd never be able to go through with this wedding. Ambrose stood silently in the doorway for a moment, staring intently at the mousy haired Princess.

"Good luck." With that, he walked out of the room, making sure not to look back.

Rose stayed frozen, gazing out the door for a few minutes, desperately wishing he'd come back. But he didn't.

Eventually, she unfroze, making her way over to her mirror. She wiped away the few remaining tears battling the corners of her eyes and straightened her necklace.

"Let's hope I'm doing the right thing."