Mortal Fantasy

✴｜chapter twelve

"Please?"

"I already told you everything!" I sigh, taking in Adlyn's widened eyes and full quivering lower lip. "He took me to see his dragon, and it was... a rather surpassing view."

"Yes," Adlyn whines, "but what about him? The prince?"

My fingers pause in their work of braiding Adlyn's hair, and I frown. "Turn back, I can't do your hair properly."

Adlyn humphs a bit, but settles back into position. It is already morning—Adlyn had been sleeping when I'd arrived at the chambers, late at night, and I had decided not to wake her. Stephen had left without another word, and I had been left wondering after his strange behavior—or was I reading too much into it? Why did it pique my curiosity in such a way?

After a few moments of twiddling her fingers in her lap, she asks, "But he didn't touch you? At all?"

"I will never understand your—your interest in this!" I sputter in embarrassment. "What does it matter? The prince has made it clear that he doesn't have those sorts of... intentions, Adlyn."

"So he did touch you," Adlyn gushes, and I let out a groan in response.

"Just... once," I murmur, my fingers idling over finishing touches, tucking strands of the girl's vibrant red hair into the plait. "To prevent me from getting crushed by Dalaé."

"Oh." Adlyn twists around, a cheeky smile on her face. "Well, you should know... he's not all that bad."

"You must stop doing this," I insist, slipping off the bed and pacing at its foot. "You really should know that there is someone, beyond this palace, who is... who..."

I stop, realizing what I have let escape from my mouth, and Adlyn stares in wide-eyed wonder at me. "You mean... You love someone, Ithena?"

I fight the rising flush on my face and turn towards the balcony. "Well... yes. I suppose you could say that."

She ponders this for a long time. When I sneak a glance back at her, she is dangling an idle leg over the bed, wringing her fingers with her gaze dropped to her lap. Finally, after a punitive silence, she says softly, "Do you want to go back?"

My heart descends in my chest. "I don't want to leave you here, Adlyn. I would never dream of abandoning you, but... my family is there. My friends, the people I know, my home... I've left them all behind. I want to see them again, Adlyn..."

She looks up, her expression wistful. "No, no... I understand. And I want to help you, Ithena."

"What?"

"It's nearly impossible for you to stay back with them—the royals would know—but maybe, we could arrange for a meeting?"

I am frozen in shock for a few moments. "That'd—that'd be wonderful," I stammer, moved by her kindness. "But how could you do that without getting in trouble?"

Finally, a splendent smile lights upon Adlyn's features, and she slides off the bed to reach up on tiptoe and whisper into my ear. "I think I know a way."

A/N

Is that the best idea, Ithena?... 

Remember to vote, comment, and share!

Until next chapter,

Icelynn :3