𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 (𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝)

12. Tonight, sleep with me

The evening sky had already deepened into hues of purple and navy by the time Aiore and Arielle returned to the palace. A quiet contentment settled in Arielle's heart, a rare sense of freedom lingering from their time in the village. That day, for the first time since entering this world, she had felt lighter, more herself. No strict rules or heavy expectations hanging over her like the suffocating walls of the palace. After a quick bath, she dried her hair and dressed for dinner, already missing the simplicity of the day.

As she entered the royal dining hall, a familiar tension returned. The entire royal family was seated, including Queen Ezra and Aldith. Even the king, who was rarely present for these nightly meals, sat at the head of the table. The atmosphere was stiff, with silent, sharp glances exchanged, and servants scurrying quietly to avoid attention. Arielle swallowed and forced a small smile, seating herself beside Aiore.

Dinner was as formal as ever. Every bite felt monitored, every movement calculated. Arielle kept her eyes down, cutting her food delicately to avoid any mistakes under Queen Ezra's scrutinizing gaze. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Aiore doing the same, his face set in that usual unreadable expression.

But then, she heard it-barely a whisper, as soft as the wind. "You're right."

She glanced at him, confusion clear in her eyes. "About what?" she whispered back.

He didn't answer. He didn't even look at her. His gaze remained on his plate, calm and indifferent, as though he hadn't spoken at all.

Arielle blinked, unsure if she'd imagined it. What had she been right about? He seemed completely focused on the meal, the moment gone as quickly as it had come. She decided not to press him further, especially not in front of the others. Still, her curiosity was piqued, and her mind raced with possibilities.

The dinner continued in silence, each bite feeling more suffocating than the last. Aiore hardly touched his food, but no one said anything about it, least of all Queen Ezra, who seemed more focused on judging Arielle's every move. It felt like every mistake, every slip, would be cataloged and used against her later.

Finally, Aiore broke the silence again, though this time it wasn't directed at Arielle.

"Father, goodnight," he said quietly, standing up.

He didn't wait for a response, didn't acknowledge the rest of his family. Before he left the dining hall, though, he whispered to Arielle, his voice barely audible over the clinking of silverware.

"Follow me."

Her heart skipped a beat. Was this another one of his tests? Was he angry again? She wasn't sure, but she nodded and rose from her seat, excusing herself politely. Queen Ezra's eyes lingered on her for a moment before turning away, uninterested. Aldith gave her a brief smile, but she didn't linger long enough to decipher it.

Arielle followed Aiore through the long, winding corridors of the palace, her steps light but her thoughts racing. He didn't speak as they walked, his tall figure gliding ahead of her with ease. She quickened her pace to catch up, but still, he didn't offer any explanation or destination.

Finally, they arrived at a secluded garden. Aiore slowed down, glancing back at her for a moment before walking deeper into the garden. Arielle followed him, taking in the peaceful atmosphere. The night was cool, the scent of flowers hanging in the air, and above them, the stars sparkled in the clear sky.

"It's my mother's," Aiore said quietly, taking a seat on a stone bench.

Arielle paused, surprised by the rare insight into his life. She looked around, noticing how beautifully maintained the garden was-vibrant flowers, neatly trimmed hedges, and a sense of calm that seemed worlds away from the palace's usual tension.

"Wow, you're maintaining her garden?" she asked, genuinely curious.

He didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the stars, his face expressionless. Arielle bit her lip, feeling the familiar discomfort of his silence. Aiore was a puzzle-constantly guarded, unreadable. She never knew how to get through to him.

In an effort to fill the silence, she began telling him about her previous life. Her voice bubbled with energy as she recounted tales of her friends and their wild adventures-like the time they jumped into a river and almost drowned, laughing all the way through it.

Aiore's brow furrowed slightly, and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she serious? What kind of noble lady had lived such a carefree, reckless life? Even village girls wouldn't behave that way, yet here she was, speaking about it so casually.

Arielle continued talking, sharing more stories-of climbing trees, sneaking out, and causing chaos. It wasn't the life of a typical noblewoman, and Aiore found himself more intrigued than he cared to admit. There was something about her that didn't quite fit into the mold of the aristocracy.

"You know what...." Aiore began after she finished talking, his voice unusually soft.

"What?" Arielle looked at his handsome side profile as she gave him her whole attention.

"The stars... It says our loved ones can feel us through stars." He pointed at the big star that stayed alone, conquering the sky. "Look at that star. That's my mother watching me..." His voice trailed off as he hung his head down.

Arielle became silent. She didn't know what to say. She began to miss her family too. Was her mother worried about her? Her heart felt heavy at that thought. What were they doing now? Were they sad? She couldn't even say goodbye before coming here.

As the night wore on, they lapsed into a deep silence, drowning in a pool of thoughts. Finally, Aiore spoke again.

"Sorry."

Arielle blinked, caught off guard. "For what?"

His gaze remained on the ground. "When you said you were afraid of sleeping alone..."

Before he could finish, she cut him off, smiling cheekily. "Then make it up to me. Tonight, sleep with me."

Aiore froze, turning his head slowly to look at her like she had just spoken in a foreign language. His eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

"You don't know that's inappropriate?" His voice was low, disbelieving.

Arielle sighed dramatically, waving a hand. "Okay, forget it."

Aiore frowned, his thoughts darkening. Did she say this to all men? Did she invite any man to sleep with her? His thoughts raced, jealousy suddenly flaring at the idea of anyone else being in this situation with her-especially his brother Aldith, who had been far too friendly lately.

"Goodnight," he muttered coldly, standing abruptly and leaving her alone in the garden.

Arielle watched him go, confusion tightening in her chest. He was always like this-hot and cold, unreadable, confusing. One moment it seemed like he was opening up, the next he was storming off, leaving her with nothing but questions.

She sighed, sinking back onto the bench. Aiore was a hard mission, indeed.

She looked up at the glowing star he showed earlier.

Maybe he misses his mother so much...

She felt sad for him.