Sundown

keep a secret

Will they be fine? Pauline asked, trying her hardest not to cry as she sat in the arms of Ansel in her chamber.

"Of course, the King and your brother are valiant men, my sweet princess. If theres anyone out there with a cause to worry, it is the enemy, not us," he reassured.

Pauline smiled a small smile, her face buried in his chest as he ran his fingers down the length of her hair.

"You are joining ranks with us if it comes to battle, arent you?"

"Why wont I? I have a princess to keep safe." He said and kissing the top of her head, he let her go.

"I know a thing or two about keeping myself safe, I dont need you or anyone to save me." She said with a teasing smirk.

"I do not doubt that one bit, but then what is it you need me for?" The prince asked, shifting closer to her and tucking a stray strand of chestnut hair behind her ear.

"Its a good political alliance. The people of both the kingdoms would benefit from this." Pauline replied, the smirk still in place and the prince leaned away from her with a mock frown on his face.

"Is that all?" He asked, with a pang of almost genuine sadness in his eyes.

"I think. Maybe also the fact that I have never laid eyes on a better man and that I have never felt such affection for anyone else."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw his eyes widen, and they almost glimmered in the room's candlelight. He took her hand in his larger one and rubbed circles on the back with his thumb.

"What do you need me for, Ansel?" she whispered, realizing they were only a few inches from each other now.

"A good political alliance." He whispered back, and they giggled before he grew serious and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles.

"Do you remember all those balls in the past years at Brookwood and Elmcaster? I wanted to dance with you at every single one, for the entire night. I have never wanted to stab anyone more than all those other princes who you gave the honor to dance with you at them. At first, it was just how lovely you looked that drew me in, I wont lie. But then my fortunes rose, and I got the pleasure of knowing you, taking royal tours with you and your family, and before I knew it, every single thing you did, fascinated me to no extent." He spoke.

"Thats... sweet, mlord." She reckoned, blushing a furious shade of crimson.

They were so close, he could feel Paulines dark locks that fell over her shoulders, against his arms.

"I must tell you I have never cared more for a woman and I dont think I ever will. We might war any moment and I do not want to regret having not told you that,"he said and she placed a finger over his lips to shut him up.

"You wont die if it comes to that. You are too skilled to lose your life to war. I know you will live a ripe age and be an honored king and... maybe... have a wife you care for." She breathed and looked into his waiting eyes.

He leaned in and she closed her eyes before hearing him ask a soft, "May I?"

To answer him, she cupped the right of his face with her hand and pressed their lips together. They sat like that for a while, not moving, just comprehending the moment and what it stood for. Somehow the mention of war, its uncertainties, and the sorrow more than fulfillment it brought had made their hearts heavier, as though coated with lead.

When they finally pulled apart, Pauline was teary-eyed again.

"How can I not come back for you?" He asked rhetorically and gathering up his sword, which seemed to be an inseparable part of him, he left.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saoirse hurried down the hallway to her room to collect her dagger for the fencing lesson. She must have been running so blindly that when she crashed into another figure, she fell back with a start.

"Are you alright Mother?" She asked, helping her mother up whom she had collided with.

"Y-Yes. Move aside." The woman replied, clearly in more of a hurry than Saoirse. Sometimes, Saoirse could not help but realize where she got her nerves from.

"What happened to your hands?" She asked when she saw her mothers palms heavily bandaged.

"The moron cook dropped broth on me. A perk of working in the kitchens, my girl. Before I forget, I will leave with some castle staff this evening to receive some other guests by the harbor. I wont be back for the next two days." She explained and patting Saoirse on the arm, took her leave.

She watched the woman leave, her stance swift for a lady in the fourth decade of her life.

*

"You need to keep your arms steady if you want to block attacks, Saoirse," Timothee remarked after having knocked Saoirse down for the eighth time in a row.

He was more aggressive today than he had last been and less careful with his attacks on her, almost forgetting that she was still a warrior in training and not good enough to tackle someone like him if he fought as he does on battlefields.

She took his hand before he lifted her up and in a breath, moved away, ready for another parry.

"I need to... take a moment." She said panting. They hadnt stopped once since they started practicing half an hour ago.

"The field wont let you take a moment. "He said and swinging his wooden sword, aimed a blow at her head, but Saoirse was quick and blocked it well enough.

What Timothee hadnt expected was Saoirse attacking right back after a hefty defense move, and she took him off guard when she dropped a series of successive, lightning-swift attacks on him.

It took him some effort to block her off, but within seconds, he gained his control back and catching a slow attack, turned the table around by dropping his array of swings and blows on her.

They were more than Saoirse could keep up with, but all she wanted to do was to disarm the prince just this once.

She kicked his shin out of the blue and taking advantage of him staggering back; she aimed a blow at his wrist; the sword falling out of his grip as she tackled him to the ground.

"Will the field allow me a moment now?" She asked and smiling, lifted Timothee up.

They walked to the spectator area and sat down, side by side.

"Why are you doing this? I am grateful to you for all the efforts youre putting into this for me, but why?" She asked the one question that had been plaguing her ever since this whole affair began, as he wiped the dirt off his hands from a cloth.

He tossed the cloth aside and rubbed his hands together.

"So you dont get yourself killed."

"But any master couldve done it, why take the pains yourself?"

"I.. dont know. Can we not speak about this?"

"Okay," Saoirse mumbled, and they stared into the empty arena for a long while, the silence between them not exactly uncomfortable but still there didnt seem like a need to fill it.

"Youve always been keeping things for me, even though I didnt give you much for a while to keep. Can you keep a secret?" He asked, still not looking at her.

"Of course," Saoirse replied and finally, his green orbs landed on hers, with an almost pleading look and he put his head on her shoulder.