The General and the Princess

Chapter 38 || Alleyni

 The downfall had drenched Kyald and he panted from exertion, his eyes pleading with her, burning blue. Time stopped. Alleyni stood with a hand on the door and a hand holding the sword. She wanted to yell at him, to shove him off the balcony, to hug him close.

But she could do none of it.

"What could you possibly want?" Her whispery growl caught him by surprise.

He frowned remorsefully and stumbled past Alleyni inside. From the side of the balcony, however, he was followed by the girl from the castle. Alleyni recognized her instantly; her face had been emblazoned in her memory. In shock, Alleyni dropped the sword and stared at them both, unable to castigate them to the balcony or to the guards, but unable to respond just the same.

With a burst of anger, she threw the door shut and it slammed close with a resounding bang, quieting the rain and leaving them in violent silence. The girl from the castle, wrapped in a well-used frock, huddled next to Kyald grasping his hand. Kyald looked from Alleyni to the girl, guilt written in his soft frown.

"Why are you here? You can't. You can't be here. You can't come near me. I swear, I'll call the guards. I can't do this."

The girl watched the electrifying glare shared by the two with confusion. Kyald said nothing, offered no explanation, but the girl dropped his hand and stepped away.

"Ky? What's going on?" Her voice was soft and sweet, like a finch.

Alleyni tried to hate her, but her golden locks and soft smile and sweet voice were nearly irresistible. Kyald glanced between the two, knotting his hands behind his back.

"Azi, this is Alleyni, the Princess of Savyl. Alleyni, this is Azi. We...grew up together."

Alleyni looked to the girl, Azi, and whispered, "We were engaged."

Azi, stricken, stared between the two of them. Her gaze caught on Kyald, and the hurt in her furrowed eyebrows and wide eyes reminded Alleyni so closely of her own deep hurt.

"Ky?"

Kyald moved towards Azi, taking his hands in hers and standing only inches from her, "I...I thought you were gone, I swear, Zi. I never would have, but Alleyni, she's good. And she didn't deserve this. Alleyni, I'm sorry, I try to be better but...I've mulled it all up."

Alleyni felt little mercy for the reticent, immature prince, "I don't deserve this. I loved you."

The hoarse whisper silenced all three, but Kyald and Azi's hands remained intertwined and Alleyni stood alone, balling her hands into fists and squeezing her fingernails into her palms until she could feel nothing.

"Why are you here?"

"Azi and I, we grew up together. My father sent me away when I was young to live here, in Brenlyn, away from danger. Azi and I, we've known each other forever. Why, I loved her from the moment I saw her run through the fields with flowers in her hair. When I was summoned back from court, I was told she had been murdered. When you...when you found us, I had just found out she was alive and I could think of nothing else. She...I love her."

Alleyni closed her eyes harshly as she heard words once meant for her spoken to another. I can imagine no greater pain.

"Why are you here?" Her whisper had become nearly inaudible.

Holding Azi's hand in his, the couple faced them and Kyald answered, "My father has received word that Azi is here, in the castle, and he'll have her killed and me married off when he gets ahold of us. I didn't know where else to go. I don't know anyone here, not anyone who I can trust. We need to escape; we're going to run to Avlyn, where we grew up. We'll hide in the woods, torments, we'll live in a cave if it means we're together-"