4 Princes

XXI

ROOK
It was a good different waking up with Ella in my arms. I kissed her temple and spent time laying there, just staring at her. She was so beautiful. She was decent looking when she was covered in soot, but something about her while she was clean and asleep just made me smile.

She looked more... vulnerable. She looked so small and fragile, as though if anything were to happen to her I'd burn down an entire Kingdom.

I almost understood my father for a moment. The way he needed somebody to blame for mom. He loved her so much, and she left. He needed someone to blame and his pride kept him from making it himself.

Erik never deserved what he got, and I in no way excused my father's actions, but for a moment I understood him.

Someone tapped heavily on my door.

I pulled the dagger from under my pillow quickly.

Ella jolted up and looked around, wide awake. God, she had bed through so much. I swore nothing would ever happen to her again.

"Come in," I yelled.

Hera walked in and I sat my dagger down and laid back. Ella laid down too, her hand covering her face. She turned into my chest.

I smiled down at her and then looked at Hera. "Yes?" I asked.

Hera's hair was getting longer, much longer than I was used to. From the looks of things, it was longer than she was used to too. Her blonde hair was pulled up into an awfully off-centered and small ponytail.

"You're getting married? Do I need to remind you?"

"Actually, that's being postponed," Jack slinked into the room and leaned against my wall.

Ella looked up at me, a curious look on her face.

I scrunched my eyebrows together and tilted my head. "What are you talking about?"

Adam appeared behind them. "We have... well we have a problem." I never really noticed how much bigger Adam was compared to Jack's beanstalk self and Hera's lean and short nature. I fit in between Jack and Hera. Much more muscled but also shorter than Jack.

Jack nodded his head to the hallway and then they each left, heading to our safe haven— the library.

I narrowed my eyes infinitesimally and then moved my blankets off of me. My shorts were a little too tight and I watched Ella blush into the pillow.

"I have business to take care of, sweetheart, but I will—"

"Sweetheart?"

I shrugged. "Better then Cinderella, is it not?"

She grinned back at me, her big doe eyes full of the glint I had come to love. "I suppose. Be safe. I'll see you when you return."

I leaned down and kissed her temple before standing tall and grabbing a pair of pans as well as a loose-fitting white shirt.

I tossed them on and began my walk to the library. I shut the door behind me and then thought better of it. I opened it and peeked my head back into my bedroom.

Nobody was ever allowed in here. My room was my church, my place to come and relax and open myself. Ella sitting in there, on my bed, meant everything and so much more.

"Would you like me to lock this?"

Ella shook her head. "I have to see my family today."

I nodded once. "Okay. If you need anything... I will be in the library. But try not to interrupt over anything small."