King of Hearts

49.

Garan comes in to announce that he'll go and deliver some treatments. Dánica offers to go instead but he insists to go himself. Val suggests that she prepares dinner with Dánica in the meantime.

 "I feel bad for leaving you on your own. I wished I could stay here and help you with your mission", Dánica starts again, stirring the soup they're preparing. "You don't have to be. I have Garan and Ulio whom I can count on", Val responds while cutting a carrot. The carrot soup was the first meal they had together, so it will be also their last one. Dánica peeks devilishly at Val and raises an eyebrow. "Ulio?", she smirks. "So now you address him by his first name? Interesting", she says still smirking. Val doesn't like the way she says the word "interesting". There's nothing interesting about it. Although, she wonders when she started calling him by his first name. "We're allies, of course, we're past formalities", Val tries to find an excuse. "Of course. But he's still a prince. You must be very close", Dánica talks very slowly and doesn't even bother to hide her smirk. Val rolls her eyes. She doesn't want to know what her friend is thinking, although she can imagine it. "No", Val raises her hand. "We're not close. We just need to cooperate and scheme plans", she explains not sounding convincing at all. Dánica chuckles, "Which is why you need to address him by his first name. Of course." Val hears her sarcasm, but she just ignores it. She's out of excuses.

"Do you believe Garan now?", Dánica asks looking directly at her. "Believe what?", Val asks confused.
"That you belong together. That you're soulmates!", Dánica explodes with excitement. Oh no, not this again. Val has had enough of this nonsense. She and Ulio have been getting along pretty well recently, but that's it. There's nothing more to it. Just friends.

Val throws the carrots into the boiling pot and turns her back to Dánica. She opens a drawer, looking for cutlery. Val throws the carrots into the boiling pot and turns her back to Dánica. She opens a drawer, looking for cutlery. "Don't try to deny it. It's true! Everyone knows it. You and Prince Ulio are destined to be together, and if not in this life, then in your next one. Just like in your previous one, and your life before that. I don't know about you, but I think it's quite romantic to fall in love with the same person over and over again", Dánicacontinues dreamily. 

"No one's falling in love with anybody. It's about a matter of life and death. There's no room for love", Val insists. She grabs three spoons and walks to the table to lay them on it.  Dánica shakes her head smiling. "There's always room for love. Just because you don't see it yet, doesn't mean it isn't there."Val tries to keep herself busy, but she doesn't know how. She approaches the stove to look inside the pot, although unsure why. She can feel Dánica's eyes following her every move, but Val avoids any eye contact. "Will you at least admit that he's in love with you?", Dánica states out of nowhere. Val bursts out laughing. That's the most hilarious thing she's heard today. He probably doesn't hate her anymore, but love?  That's a big word. Too big for Ulio. He only loves himself.  "Do you feel alright? Have you bumped your head, perhaps?", Val jokes.

"Come one. It's obvious he's in love with you. Just by how much attention he gives you. He has never treated someone like he treats you. The way he never reacts when you insult him. He would never let anyone hurt you", Dánica insists. Val is not sure about that. She thinks about the knight back at the Royal Maze War. "He always wants to be around you and spend time with you", Dánica continues. "The way he looks at you. His eyes are always attached to you as if you are the reason he lives for." Val can't help but laugh at such a ridiculous statement. Dánica has definitely misinterpreted some things. 

"Believe me, it's all just an act. He's just flirting for fun as he does with every other girl", Val affirms.
"He used to flirt and play with many girls contemporarily. He was a player before he met you. Now he's different. People in town are already talking about you and the way he has changed." People are talking about her? Oh no, that's not good. Val wanted to be as unnoticeable as possible. Just thinking about it makes her nervous. "Tell me, has he ever tried to kiss you? Did he ever force you into anything? Has he ever taken advantage of you?", Dánica asks raising an eyebrow. 

Now that she thinks about it, he barely even touches her. He's extremely careful around her, almost as if he's scared, but what for? When Val doesn't respond, Dánica continues, "Exactly. He isn't interested in your face or your body. He loves your soul." Val snorts, "That's poetic. And dramatic. You're wrong. I'm nothing special to him. He just needs my Gemstone", Val insists. Dánica sighs, resigned, "If you say so."

In just a second, the whole city turns dark. Every light source in Senfira shuts down and the girls are left in utter darkness. "What?", Dánica whispers. "What is going on?" The only remaining light source is the moonlight. "Seems like the electricity went out", Val suggests. "The what?", Dánica asks and Val realizes that they must have another type of energy source. Or perhaps it's just called different. Val wants to ask Dánica about it, but she hears her stepping outside the room. A few seconds later she comes back, and a candle comes to light. Dánica is holding a few candles and matches. Together they light the candles and place them pretty much everywhere safe until they think it's enough. 

Suddenly, the front door rips open, and heavy footsteps accompanied by hectic panting alert the girls. A pale and exhausted Garan stumbles into the kitchen. Dánica immediately approaches him, supporting him. "Garan! What happened?", she asks concerned. His dark eyes are wide open, and Val can read the fear in them. Something terrible must have happened. Have Prince Sulo's demons attacked him? Or the city? 

Dánica carefully pulls him onto a bench, and he gladly takes a seat. "The king", he pants. "The king was attacked."