Unspoken

Running into Each Other

Chapter 3

(Amber POV)

A few weeks had passed since they first arrived. I was settled into my castle routine and was happy seeing James everyday. However, I rarely saw Desmond besides at dinner. I never saw him walking through the hallways and he was never in his workshop or the library when I stopped by. On this particular morning, I fell asleep up in the observatory again. I quickly went downstairs and got ready for the day. The maids helped me get ready and I went to Dad's office. We began doing what we had done everyday. We divided the tasks between the two of us and Baileywick would supervise me as I handled my tasks. My mind began to drift as the day went on and we were going over some social engagements and whether or not our family would attend. I let my mind wander as Baileywick listed off item after item. I would usually love to discuss these further but, my mind was not focused on this today. He rattled off event after event before looking up, "Princess Amber?" "Hmmm" He sighed and placed down the list. "Were you listening?" I sighed, "Sorry Baileywick. Would it be alright if we just took a brief break, I promise when I come back we will handle all of this." He placed the list down, "We have been at this for a while." He admitted. He put the list down, "Very well Princess Amber but, please be focused when you return. This is the last item on our agenda." I nodded.

I walked around the castle hallways trying to clear the thoughts that were circling in my head. Last night brought me to the darkest corners of my mind and it would take me a little bit to snap back. I knew that the people in the kingdom respected me as their future ruler, but none of them adored me like they did Sofia or even like me. I knew this for a fact when I stumbled across all the hate mail that comes to the castle. Most being about how wasteful I am with the kingdom's treasury and that I should care more about the people rather than my appearance. It also said how they wished my siblings would rule instead of me. My thoughts grew darker as I bumped into someone and fell to the ground.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "I wasn't looking where I was going." I looked over and saw Desmond on the ground as well as a bunch of small vials rolled on the ground. He looked over at me and quickly stumbled to his feet and helped me stand up, "N-n-no it was my fault" he stuttered out. I smiled. He still stuttered and it reminded me of when we were kids. I knelt down and helped him pick up the vials. We picked all of them up and both reached for the last one. We both reached out for it and picked it up. My hand was on top of Desmond's and we turned to face one another when it slipped and cracked on the ground. Smoke filled the hallway and I began coughing as Desmond ran and opened all the windows.

Desmond came over and helped me up again, "Are you alright?" He asked. I gave him a half smile and nodded. His hands were still holding onto mine. He looked down and realized this and let them go before turning to walk away. "Desmond," I started and he stopped in his path but he didn't turn to face me, "Yes Princess Amber." I didn't like that, he kept calling me Princess Amber like we had to be so formal around one another. "Can we please talk?"

(Desmond POV)

The King and Queen gave me my own workshop that was connected to the library and had a door that led to the garden. It was perfect for me to preform my alchemy, research and gather my ingredients. It was also perfect for avoiding Amber. Whenever she came down to talk to me I ducked away into the garden and if I ever heard her in the halls I hid away in the closest opened door until she passed. I couldn't risk falling again, things were going well and I wasn't going to risk it. I had unpacked the tools and vials I had already made and began making more. It was simple formulas I created myself that would be useful when James was fighting up against monsters. I let my mind focus on this and continue to work for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon.

James needed to practice actually using the vials so I took some out and put them in my brown shoulder bag. He usually trained in the front garden and I decided to walk to the entrance way through the castle rather than the garden. I was about to turn a corner when I bumped into someone. "Sorry," I heard as I saw the vials begin to roll out of my bag. I groaned at the thought of picking them up but turned towards the woman's voice and saw Amber. My eyes widened as I realized what I had done and I just tried to get back on my feet to help her, "N-n-no it was my fault." I inwardly groaned at my stutter. I thought I had gotten rid of it years ago. I helped Amber to her feet and turned back to the vials and began collecting them. In the corner of my eye I saw Amber doing the same.

We quickly picked up all the vials and I was relieved that none of them had cracked. I reached out for the last one and lifted up not realizing that Amber's hand was on top of mine. I looked over at her briefly as she looked at our hands and the vial slipped out of my hand and cracked open. Of course it had to be a smoke screen. Smoke filled the entire hallway and Amber fell back coughing. Idiot, I kept repeating to myself. I ran toward the windows and opened them letting the smoke vent out.

As it cleared I turned back towards Amber and saw her still coughing. I felt a twinge in my heart and I felt bad that I had caused any type of harm. I went back over to her and helped her up, "Are you alright?" I asked looking for some kind of reassurance that I didn't cause any harm. She smile and nodded and I could feel my shoulders relax as the tension started to dissipate. I looked down and realized I was still holding onto her hands. I had to let them go. I could not do this to myself. I was only setting myself up for heartbreak and I knew this had to stop. I needed to walk away so I turned around and started on my path again.

"Desmond," her voice was soft and timid, not at all like the confident princess I had to grown to care about. It still commanded me to stop but, I couldn't face her. If I faced her I wouldn't be able to control what happened next. "Yes Princess Amber" I said reminding myself that she is in fact Princess Amber. A beautiful, kind, confident princess who deserved the world and could have anyone she set her sights on. "Can we please talk?" She asked. The tension that had been alleviated came back tenfold with a singular question.

"Desmond," James came running down the hallway. "Problems on the boarder of the kingdom we need to go now." I turned back to Amber and regretted doing so immediately as she stared at me looking defeated. I cursed myself again, "We will talk later." I said giving in. I thought back to all the times Amber had fought alongside us all as kids. I couldn't let her do that now. I grabbed both her shoulders bracing her looking deep into her eyes. I was already falling back into the pitfalls I might as well dive in, "Please stay safe until we get back" She nodded. I turned back to James, "Let's go." We ran down the hallway and the horses were waiting for us as we rode off toward the edge of Enchancia.

(Amber POV)

I could still feel his arms gripping on my shoulders. I watched him run off and couldn't help but worry about what might happen to him. I hoped that everything would go well and that he would come back soon so we could talk. I put my hands on top of where his hands were and walked back to Baileywick. "Are you ready Princess Amber?" He asked. I nodded and he looked at the next invitation, "Alright this one is from Queen Lola of Coumure. She is having a ball next week and would like for the royal family to attend." I thought about the invitation and realized that it was Desmond's home. "I need to speak with my family about that one but place it in the maybe pile." I said as we continued to go through the pile.