Gazing At The Moon

Chapter 8

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This is nice.

The princess is reading to Val, in the gardens. This isn't something you'd normally do with your guard, though...

Not that she minds. She's happy to listen to her beautiful voice all day. The way the words roll off her tongue gives Val little shivers.

I shouldn't think of the princess in this way. I really shouldn't. I just have to serve her.

Her smile falters a little as her mind starts to wander. She's worried. Very much so. The night shift went well, but the truth is that she won't be with her tonight. Will another guard do as well as a job as her? Will they notice if she's in danger? Val's hearing is top notch, she could hear Amaryllis's breathing change every time she woke up, from outside the door. She could hear guards talking quietly at the very end of the hall.

The best she can do is ask the best guard to take her shift for a night. No one else will do, but she still doesn't like it. Partially because she wants to be the one looking after Amaryllis, but that's besides the point.

She stops thinking when Amaryllis flips a page. Embarrassed, she realises she didn't catch any of it. Hopefully she won't notice.

"You enjoy reading, right?"

"Yes. I do."

"What kind of books do you like?"

"Mystery, thriller. And... romance." She hesitates to mention the last part, as though it's something to be shy over.

Val smiles. "I like romance too. Though, I don't read that often."

"You don't have to read romance to enjoy it. It exists in many forms."

Val's cheeks burn. "Right." She bites her lip, but then leans up and looks at her. "Do you ever think about romance, Lady?"

Briefly, the princess looks up from the pages, eyes widened a little in surprise.

"I suppose I do." But she doesn't look happy while saying it. "But I've never experienced it."

"You still can."

"That's true." Despite the positive words, she looks... sad. It quickly fades when she sees her looking, though, and she goes back to reading the book.

I wish you'd talk to me, Princess.

Regardless, she leans her head on her hand and keeps listening to her read the story.

At some point, Val hears someone approaching, and quickly snags her helmet.

"Abel?" The princess asks.

"Someone's coming." She says.

The Queen turns the corner. Val sighs in relief.

"Amaryllis dear, come with me. We've got important things to discuss."

The princess frowns at her mother. Val watches her curiously. She's been quite avoidant of her parents as of late, come to think of it.

"Don't give me that look. Your betrothal is soon, and we need you prepared."

What?

A cold feeling of dread suddenly seeps into Val's skin, down to her very bones. Betrothal? She sucks in a sharp breath, hands itching to dig into the wooden table that they're sitting at. She feels too many things at once. Cold sweat runs down her back, a burning hot rage forms in the middle of her chest, she's gritting her teeth so hard that she swears she can hear one crack.