"Many thanks for the pointers you gave, Mor. You still owe me an abundance of lessons, remember?" he teased and hugged me. I tensed, wondering how long it had been since someone had hugged me. As sad as it sounded, I missed the feeling gravely and suddenly hugged Red even tighter until he chuckled. "Be careful, or your prince might think that I am trying to get into your pants... not that he'd be wrong but—" I immediately swatted him on the head.
"There you go, ruining the moment," I groaned and pushed him back.
"Oh come on, Mor, it's been a while since I've tried shooting my shot."
"Yeah, perhaps that is because we have been too close to death's front door for you to have the chance to," I said it teasingly, and yet my words held an abundance of truth to it. Red smiled and then suddenly his smile was slowly departing from his face.
"What's wrong?" I whispered, guiding him to a swing where he took a seat, putting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands.
"This journey, Mor... I have never felt so alive in my life even when faced with such deadly events. It feels rhapsodic and just... amazing. I feel like a horrible person. I miss Kya so much, every day. Am I a horrible person for being this free... even when Kya is not?" My breath caught and my heart stung from hisconfession. I sat on the swing next to him and caressed his hair, soothing it and making him look at me.
"In no world are you a horrible person, Red. Your sister loves you, cares for you entirely with her whole heart and if she could see how much happiness you feel, how much you have experienced and the friends you have made..." I trailed off. "Then it would make her the happiest person on Terran. Also... she possibly could be free right now as we speak. I gave all of my coin to Ezra, remember?" Red now sniffled and snorted at the mention of Ezra.
“And are you so sure that he has bought her freedom from Madam de Trix?"
I answered immediately, "Without a doubt." Ezra kept his promises and always stuck true to his word.
I couldn't help but think of how so much had changed from the start of the summer solstice to now. Ezra had been making promises and trying to convince me to leave the arena to start a life with him... perhaps a romantic one. It had not crossed my mind for one second that he had such incredibly deep romantic feelings for me. He had not shown it all those years we had grown up together in the arena, and my last days there were beginning to slowly show the surfaces of his feelings.
He had nearly kissed me, and I suddenly wondered if I would have kissed him back. I wasn't so sure, and I was even more unsure if I had retained romantic feelings for him. Perhaps I had once when we were kids, but all those feelings were squashed when he showed his attention to other women, time and time again. The jealousy I felt toyed with me, making me competitive and dismissive to the idea of him possibly having feelings for me which seemed unreal. Despite that, Ezra was still my closest friend and he always had my back. He would take a sword to the heart for me. So it was beyond question when it came toEzra using my money to get Kya out of that damned brothel—he would in fact do it.
"Is it safe to assume you no longer hold feelings for that dim-witted arena warrior because of your feelings for the prince?" I nearly recoiled from Red's question.
"What in Nocturna's name do you mean?" I put my hand on his mouth.
"Come now, Mor, it is as clear as day." He took my hands off him and sidestepped me before I could swat his head once more.
"I. Do. Not. Have feelings for the prince." My words were convincing and yet my heart stuttered.
"If you do not,hecertainly does." Red nodded to something or rathersomeonebehind me.
"No, he does not— "
"Morana." His voice caressed my name in the most startling way. The prince was looking devastating as ever and yet so very different. More casual, with the crisp white shirt and rich cream coloured trousers.
"Your Highness." Red made a bow which the prince ignored. "We have plans today, join me in the foyer in an hour," he curtly stated before drawing away to Akiel who spoke with animated interest to the prince. I looked back to Red who simply made a suggestive look with his eyebrows and nodded toward the prince. I scowled and decided not to bid a goodbye to him.
***
I stood facing a golden mirror in the foyer where I strapped my blades in.
"You have no need for them today," the prince unexpectedly said. I looked up to the mirror that showed a golden blurred view of the prince behind me. The mirror made him look ethereal... like the potential fae he could have been if he had more of theblood in him. I set the blades down on the tabletop and turned to see the true version of the prince. I was grateful that he did not have more fae blood in him, otherwise he could very much look more like his fearsome father.
"Apologies, Prince, but how else am I to protect you, or even myself for that matter? My combat skills are good, but I prefer to get the job done quicker." I gave a slight smirk.
"You will not need them because you will not be protecting me, Mor. You will not be my warrior today; you will be my friend." The prince's reply caught me so off guard that I had opened my mouth to respond and yet nothing came out. "And if you're going to be my 'friend'then you will call me by my name. Not 'Prince' or 'Your Highness.' Just Adrion."
I was put in a daze by his words and followed him out the castle door. I only had one question. "Where are we going, Adrion?"
That devious charming smile of his appeared. "To the stables. I want a re-match on that race we had in the fielded hills of Litara."
Gods help me.
***
It was glorious. The subtle salty sea air wiping through the strays of hair that had come out of my twisted braid. The grey stallion was just as delighted, the vibration of his hooves beating against the ground. The field was golden, covered in mass wheat that made crackling sounds as the prince and I made pace. I loved it, loved the feeling of freedom, at how it took all the anxiety and worrisome thoughts away and replaced them with rhythmic sounds of what was pure, natural and simple.
"Does being friends mean you will let me win?" The prince bellowed from ahead with his grumpy white stallion that nearlynipped at mine when nearing him. I huffed at his tease which did little to surprise me. The shadows inside me whispered sweet persuasions and flitted from my breath to caress my ear.'We can help,'they whispered.
