Color of Roses

Realization

Chapter 10

"Your what?"

"Please don't make me say it again," Alyn says quietly. It started to make sense to me. They both had the same rose colored eyes but their personalities were totally opposite. I wanted to ask more questions but Alyn didn't seem like he wanted to answer anymore.

A few more nobles ask for a dance and I decide a few more won't hurt. I feel Alyn's eyes watching me protectively as I dance around the floor. Something about him telling me something so personal feels as though I'm breaking down some sort of wall he has.

Giles thanks everyone for attending the ball and allows me to give a closing speech. I thank everyone for their time and excuse myself to my chambers. Alyn bids me goodnight before retreating down the hall. I snuggle up into bed and close my eyes reliving the night's events.

The next morning, I wake up to clear skies and bright sunshine. I greet Giles during breakfast and he seems very pleased with me. "A few of the noblemen would like to personally spend time with you. I'm glad to see you left a great impression on them."

"Is it necessary that I'm alone with them?"

"Well if you're going to find a suitor, then yes."

I needed to find a suitor and soon. I wasn't exactly comfortable being alone with men I hardly knew. "You won't be entirely alone. Sir Alyn will be there in case any of them decide to become adventurous."

Unsure of what Giles means by 'adventurous' I nod anyways. After seeing Alyn deal with those two goons last night, I know I'm in good hands.

Giles hands me a list of men I'll be visiting throughout the week and my jaw nearly drops at how long the list is. A few names I recognize as men I danced with while others I didn't know at all. "I have a carriage prepared for you outside when you're ready to leave."

***

Alyn rides beside the carriage as I travel down a stone road where I'll be meeting the first name on the list: James Harvard. He's tall and slender with narrow eyes and blonde hair. His eyes are the color of the ocean and I find myself strangely attracted to him. He kisses my hand before showing me around his estate. His voice is emotionless and all he does is brag about what his father's done and how he's going to be in charge of his father's company once he retires.

The few men I met today all seem to have the same type of attitude. Once we've returned to the castle, I step out happy to be home. Today was a waste of time. None of those men were at all appealing and I couldn't find myself marrying any of those stuck up brats.

I make my way into the castle and down a long corridor when I suddenly collide with someone. I back away, apologizing. "Just the person I wanted to see," Leo's smooth voice causes me to look up. It was still hard to believe he was Alyn's brother.

"May we speak in private, princess?" Leo holds my hand gently and I nod. He leads me to a room I've never seen and opens the door to reveal a luscious bedroom. Bookshelves line a wall adjacent to a large bed. A desk resides across from the bed and a chair under the window.

"Is this your room?" I ask amazed.

"I know it's not proper to have a lady here and a princess at that, but here we are." Leo smiles before sitting on the edge of his bed. "I wanted to talk to you."

He pats the bed and I hesitate before sitting next to him. His hand rests on my leg and his eyes are glued to mine. "I want to be your king, Aria."

His statement shocks me. "W-what?"

"I think you heard me," Leo gives off a kind smile.

He wants me to choose him as my suitor? Was I really ready for that? I won't lie and say I'm not attracted to Leo but I hardly know him enough to make that choice.

"You don't need to give me an answer right now. I just wanted to put the idea in your head," he smiles once again. My body temperature rises and I feel myself getting dizzy. "I need to go rest," I say as an excuse to leave. Leo asks to escort me but I feel I need to distance myself from him.

I reach my bedroom and close the door and lean against it. Leo wanted to marry me? I still couldn't believe it. I fling myself to the bed and burrow my face into the pillow. My cat, who I decided to name Snowflake, sleeps beside me. I pull her closer and pet her as she dreams and in time find myself doing the same.

***

I awoke the next morning to gloomy clouds covering the sun. Something about the weather gives me an eerie feeling about today. I dress myself and attend breakfast and lessons as usual. Due to the weather, Giles had given notice to the noblemen I would have met today that I was to stay inside until the weather cleared. Thankful for his consideration, I put all effort into his lesson.

I hadn't come across Leo at all today and I was somehow glad. I couldn't look at him straight after everything he had said. I decided to go check up on the horses but voices from a nearby room catch my attention. I recognize the door to be Leo's and it is slightly opened and I peek inside to see one of the maids resting on the bed beneath Leo. His lips are exploring her neck and chest. Shocked by what I'm seeing, I gasp and both Leo and the maid snap their heads toward the door. I panic and my only choice is to run down the hall only to hear Leo calling out after me. How could I have been so stupid as to let myself get tangled in that man's web?

I push out into the sprinkling rain and continue running until I end up where I was initially intending to go. Someone else stands in the stables, wide eyed and concerned at my entrance. Tears begin to fall down my cheeks and I quickly wipe them away. "I didn't know someone else was already here," I say through sobs. "I'll find somewhere else to go," I turn to leave but a hand stops me.

Alyn's voice is calm when he speaks. "What happened?"

I rub my eyes as the tears continue to steam across my cheeks. "I saw him with someone else," I mumble.

"Saw who?" Alyn gently turns me and his hands rest on my shoulder. "Why are you crying?"

"Leo was kissing another girl and I saw it," I blubber. The image flashes across my mind and my lips part as I let out a small wail.

Alyn, unsure of what to say, pulls me closer to him. His arms are tight around my small frame and I realize he's not wearing his armor today. His heart beats loudly inside his chest and I listen, my tears beginning to calm. His chest vibrates as he speaks and the hum of his deep voice is relaxing, "I can't explain my brother's actions."

I continue to rest my head against Alyn's chest. We're both quiet for a few moments until I stop sniveling. "Thank you, Alyn." I gaze up at his eyes and I'm returned with something I've never seen before: compassion.

Our eyes are locked on each other for what feels like minutes and before I know it, our lips are touching. Realizing what we're doing, we part from each other. "I'm sorry," we say in unison. Alyn's face is red and I know by his reaction so is mine.

Speechless, I stand open mouthed at Alyn who refuses to look at me. I take a step closer but Alyn turns farther away. I reach for his hand and he immediately looks at me in surprise. We look into each other's eyes once more and something inside of me finally clicks. It wasn't Leo I wanted. Alyn was always there when I needed him and even with his stubborn attitude, he was deep down caring and kind. It was at that moment when I realized that I wanted to choose Alyn.