All I Need ✔️

Chapter 55

Third person POV

The next few days somehow passed both extraordinarily fast and painfully slow. While Safania trained, Cassius pretended to study military strategy. In reality, he thought about what he would do when she left. Should he send a guard to trail her? If he did, would she realize it? If she realized it, would she be angry with him?

If it did make her angry, did he care?

He knew he had to let her go, but he refused to accept that meant he had to stop looking out for her. A few days before the tournament, he met with Eli and assigned him to follow Safania after she left. It helped relieve his anxiety, but still did nothing to help with the pain of her leaving.

The morning of the tournament, Cassius woke to Safania's face deep in thought. "Good morning," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. They had slept together every night, not because of Safania's nightmares, but simply because they wanted to.

Safania looked to the light beaming through the window. "It's time for me to go."

Cassius groaned. "If we just stay in this bed forever, does that mean you won't have to leave?"

Safania smiled sadly. "Come on. You have to get dressed for the tournament."

Cassius studied Safania's face. How he would miss waking up to those brilliant emerald eyes. And how he wished he could do anything to erase the pain he saw in them that morning.

"Just say the word and I'll leave with you," he whispered, pulling her close to him.

"That's not your destiny Cassius. You were meant to rule."

Cassius groaned again. "I never thought I would hate being a prince as much as I do in this moment."

"Think of it this way. What you are doing now will hopefully prevent your children and children's children from having to ever make this kind of sacrifice again. You can change things Cassius. And you will. Of that, I am certain."

Cassius kissed her once again, then rose. "I'll come see you off once we're both changed, my love."

"You need to stop calling me that," Safania told him.

Cassius looked at her with such intensity that she felt she would melt into a puddle on the floor. "You'll always be my love," he told her.

With that, Cassius left her room to get ready. Safania let out a sigh, then put on the traveling outfit she had already picked out last night. When Emalina arrived with breakfast, Safania was already dressed and Emalina was already in tears.

"Em!" Safania said sadly. "Please don't cry. As soon as I'm somewhere safe, I'll write you. I might even be able to visit you someday."

Emalina nodded her head, and wiped her eyes, but the tears kept falling. "I'm going to miss you so much," she finally choked out. Safania grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you too," she said, her eyes starting to tear up as well. Emalina had been the first person she had trusted since she left her Aunt Azeri. Emalina had showed her loyalty, kindness, and friendship. Safania would never forget that.

"Sorry to interrupt," Cassius interjected, walking back into Safania's bedroom. She turned to see him decked out once again in his princely attire. He looked so unbelievably handsome in his decorated suit jacket and well-tailored pants.

"We really should get you out of here before it becomes too hectic. You have everything you need?" he asked her.

Safania looked at him, unsure of how to answer. Over the last few days, she had packed food, supplies, clothes, everything she would need for traveling. But now she had a nagging feeling that there was something else she needed.