A Crown Divided By Loyalty

6

Carolina and Vincent entered the hotel just outside the city. To top off the evening, they decided to stay the night together. Carolina couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement mingled with nervousness as they approached the front desk. Staying in a hotel together was a rare luxury, one that gave them a chance to escape the pressures of palace life fully.

Vincent greeted the receptionist with a warm smile, and Carolina stood close beside him, trying to keep a low profile. After a quick check-in, they received the room key and were directed to the elevator. Unconsciously, they still kept a distance from each other. The elevator chimed as they reached their floor, and they walked down the quiet hallway toward their room. Once inside, Carolina glanced around the cozy suite; a simple yet elegant room with warm lighting and a large, inviting bed.

Vincent placed their bags on the dresser and let himself fall on the bed. What seemed like the perfect idea was, in reality, not that perfect. A soft groan left his lips, feeling an irritating pressure on his shoulder and ribs. Carolina shook her head and removed her cap from her head. She walked to the bed and let herself fall next to him.

As she settled beside him, she noticed he wince slightly, a shadow of discomfort crossing his face. Concern flickered in her eyes, but she kept her tone light. "Seems like someone forgot they're still recovering," she teased gently, propping herself on one elbow to look at him.

"I can't do this anymore. It's taking too long," he sighed and turned his head towards her.

She traced her fingers gently along his shoulder, down his arm, over the blue cast, to his fingers. He hooked his fingers in hers. "You sure you're okay?"

He nodded. "I am. Just needed a reminder that I'm not fully back to normal yet," he admitted, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.

They lay there in quiet contentment, surrounded by the room's stillness, feeling, if only for a moment, like any ordinary couple on a night away. And when he realised that, he looked away from her, staring at the white ceiling, a bittersweet ache settling in his chest. Everything about this day had felt so normal: laughing with friends, sharing a meal, strolling side-by-side. They had been together in a way that felt so natural, so ordinary. Yet the reality, lurking just beneath the surface, weighed on him. For a few blissful hours, he had allowed himself to pretend, to live in a world where they were free to be openly together.

But now, in the room's quiet, it was clear how fragile this illusion was. He closed his eyes, feeling the tension creep back into his shoulders. As much as he cherished the moments they managed to steal away, it wasn't enough. This life in the shadows suffocated him, slowly dimming the light of the one thing he held dearest.

"What's wrong?"

He had no idea how long they lay there, for how long he had his eyes closed. "I can't do this anymore," he whispered, almost too quiet to be heard. He let go of her hand.

"What can't you do anymore?"

"Don't deny it."

"Deny what?" Carolina sat up on the bed.

His eyes opened, but he refused to look at her. He could sense the concern on her side. He took a slow, steady breath, the words heavy on his tongue. "This. Us. The hiding, the secrecy. I can't do it anymore." He felt the ache in his chest tighten, pressing down harder now that he'd finally said it aloud.

The silence between them stretched, tense and fragile. He knew she was watching him, waiting for him to explain, to offer some hope or reassurance. But he had none to give. Instead, he closed his eyes again, hoping to ease his turmoil. "I don't want just to pretend we're normal when we sneak away for a few hours. But it's... it's killing me, the waiting."