Fates Intertwined

63. | Origin

Aurora grunted as she swung the sword to meet Zyran's, the two engaged in battle. Two days had gone by since Aurora revealed who her father was, and by now, the entire castle knew.

The man searching so hard to find her was her father. And he was a monster.

Aurora stumbled back after Zyran pushed her sword away. "You're doing it again." He commented.

"Doing what?" She grunted as they swung at each other once more.

"Getting lost in your head." Their swords clang and he dragged them in a half circle to knock Aurora off of him.

"Hard not to." She spun around and slammed her sword against his, above them.

"What's it like?" He found himself asking, ducking backward to avoid the swipe of her blade.

"What?" She grunted. "Knowing my father is the man who spent a good chunk of my life torturing me?" She cried out as she swung, fast and hard, at his sword.

He pushed her back, causing her to stumble. "What have I always told you?" He scolded.

"I was in a coma for a week and I watched my best friend die in my arms. Cut me a break." She glared. She moved to attack again, but he did his signature move, nicking her to make her drop the sword. "Curse you." She hissed.

But then he was pulling her against him, his sword forgotten on the floor beside hers as he rested his hand against the back of her head. Despite the sweat dripping down the two of them, their arms wrapped around each other. Aurora was thankful for the touch, relaxing into him.

He adjusted his head to whisper in her ear, "I'm sorry."

She inhaled, the smell of sweat mixed with the familiar musk and mint, and exhaled before pulling away. "I'm going to go take a shower." She announced.

He nodded. "I'll see you at dinner."

Hesitantly, she nodded. She wasn't planning on going to dinner. Then she grabbed her water bottle and walked out of the training room to head back to her bedroom.

Her five minute shower ended up being over an hour long, but she had to drag herself out. She was surprised the heat lasted as long as it had, considering how long she stood there, staring blankly at the wall as she thought over Nara's death and the truth of her parents.

She walked to her wardrobe and pulled it open, a towel around her body as she decided what to wear. Her gaze snatched on the silver dress that hung inside and she pulled it, running her thumb over the fabric. It was the dress she had worn to the Summer Ball.

Instinctively, her brain ran over the words Nara had said to her that night.

"It's pretty. I could've done better, but you know."

Nara had always been exceptionally talented with a needle, despite spending most of her time underwater. Sewing used to be Nara's absolute favorite thing to do, and she'd force Aurora into every piece of clothing she made. Sometimes she managed to get Lina into a few, but it was rare.

She felt a hot tear run down her cheek and inhaled before pushing the dress into the deepest part of the wardrobe, getting out an outfit and throwing it on.

Her outfit consisted of black skinny jeans, a black crop top, her leather jacket, and a pair of black boots. She left her hair to air dry and made her way to the library, where she was going to spend the majority of her time.

She walked up and down the aisles in the library until she found the books she needed, then collected them and brought the three to the table in front of the fireplace. She sat down on the couch and opened the first book, beginning her reading. It was a book of family trees, since she was planning to figure out just who all was in her family.