A Princess Torn (Alys Book #2)

Chapter 21

The days following Dastrehan's departure seemed to drag on for Endolynn. It was hard to adjust to doing almost nothing when the palace had been in full swing for their guests only days before.

Endolynn spent her days either out in the gardens or with Rohesia in combat training. Her skills continued to improve, coming closer and closer to where she would have been had she never been separated from Balear and her family.

To his credit, Caldor gave his daughter space for longer than she had hoped for. He did not ask her to attend meals with him, and he did not seek her out for almost an entire week. She kept her space from her family, all the while feeling guilty for not spending time with her ailing father, but also still feeling betrayed by him.

When the king did choose to approach Endolynn, it was on a particularly hot afternoon. Nearly three weeks had passed since Dastrehan had left Cloud Palace. Endolynn sat in the shade of a gazebo, watching butterflies flitter among the bright flowers growing on whatever kind of vines that encased the wooden tresses.

She was aware of heavy footsteps approaching from the side, spooking some of the butterflies. She knew without looking up that it was her father.

"You are a hard girl to find," he puffed, lowering himself into the chair that was set up across the small table next to her.

"You would not have found me if I had indeed been hiding." She replied simply, still watching the butterflies.

"Endolynn."

At her father's serious tone, she turned her head slightly to meet his gaze.

"This needs to stop. We only just got reunited, and now you will not speak to me."

Endolynn felt her bitterness towards her father melt slightly at the mention of her resent return.

Yes, they had missed so much while she had been in Tarkam.

"I just need time." She said simply, returning her gaze to the butterflies.

Caldor cleared his throat and readjusted in his chair to get more comfortable.

"It is clear to me that you have much stronger feelings for Tarkam's young king than I had thought."

"Well," Endolynn's looked down at her lap as her hands smoothed out the red-pink fabric of her skirt, "That does not matter now, does it?"

Caldor reached over the small table and put his hand on her arm in an attempt to comfort her, "I know how hard this is for you, my dear. I lost the love of my life too."

Endolynn nodded slightly, though to her it was an entirely different kind of loss.

"Mother died. Dastrehan is still alive." She took a deep breath, "I think it would be easier for me to accept that we will never be together if he were dead, rather than in another kingdom with whomever will be his queen."

"Endolynn..." her father's voice was sympathetic as he watched his daughter fiddle with the beads embroidered into the skirt of her dress, "I would change things if I could. But I cannot leave Balear to Ancel. You know that would lead Balear down a dangerous path. My kingdom must always come first before my personal preferences."

Endolynn sighed. Yes, she knew that as well.

"I think... I think I knew as soon as I decided to come back to Balear that things would end between Destrehan and me. I do not think I was letting myself admit it, but I knew deep down. We both head our kingdoms, or at least one day I will. It could never have worked."