{Third Person}
The next morning, Amara woke earlier than usual.
For a few quiet monts, she remained curled beneath the blankets while staring at the pale winter light filtering through the curtains.
The room was much warr than before. Yet sohow, she still found herself rembering the warmth of Alexander’s hand from yesterday.
The mory surfaced so suddenly that she imdiately pulled the blanket higher toward her face in embarrassnt.
"What am I even thinking..." she muttered softly to herself.
Nearby, Ginger lazily stretched inside her small padded bed before hopping down and walking toward her.
Amara picked the cat up automatically and briefly buried her face in her soft fur.
Still, no matter how much she distracted herself, one thought lingered quietly in the back of her mind.
Breakfast with Alexander.
For so reason, the realization alone made her strangely restless.
---
By the ti Amara entered the dining room later that morning, Alexander and Barron were already there.
Barron greeted her first with his usual easy smile. "Good morning."
Amara smiled politely. "Good morning, Lord Barron." Then her eyes shifted toward Alexander. "Your Highness."
Alexander only gave a small nod in acknowledgent before continuing with the docunts beside his plate.
Amara paused very slightly. Sothing felt... different about him.
Still, she quietly took her seat, and breakfast soon began.
At first, the atmosphere appeared normal enough.
Barron carried most of the conversation naturally, speaking about winter hunting again while casually criticizing the palace cooks for never seasoning at aggressively enough for his liking.
Amara laughed softly once or twice at his complaints.
Normally, Alexander would at least make a dry remark in response. But this morning, he barely spoke. When he did, his answers were short, controlled and detached.
The difference was subtle, but impossible not to notice. Even Barron gradually picked up on it.
anwhile, Amara slowly found herself growing quieter.
At so point, she unconsciously glanced toward Alexander again, only to realize he was not paying attention to her at all. Not even once.
A strange disappointnt settled quietly inside her chest. And sohow, the room suddenly felt colder than before.
Beside her, Ginger suddenly jumped onto the empty chair nearest Alexander. The cat stared at him expectantly for several seconds.
Alexander noticed but simply continued drinking his tea calmly.
Ginger’s ears twitched once, then she slowly turned and returned to Amara instead, curling quietly into her lap afterwards.
Barron watched the entire interaction carefully. And inwardly, his suspicion deepened.
Sothing had changed overnight.
After breakfast finally ended, Amara excused herself politely and left with Ginger in her arms.
The mont she disappeared from the dining room, Barron leaned back in his chair and stared openly at Alexander.
"You’re acting colder on purpose," he said directly.
Alexander calmly placed his teacup down. "You’re overthinking," he replied casually.
Barron scoffed imdiately. "No. I know you too well."
Alexander said nothing.
Barron studied him for a mont before speaking again, this ti more seriously.
"You do realize that people usually start acting like this when they’re trying very hard not to care."
Alexander’s gaze finally lifted toward him. "And since when did you beco an expert in emotions?"
Barron smirked faintly. "Since I started watching you."
Alexander looked away from him afterwards, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.
But Barron was not fooled, not even slightly, because for Alexander, deliberate distance was already an answer on its own.
---
Elsewhere within the palace, another conversation was taking place quietly behind closed doors.
Inside his residence, Zarek sat, listening to one of his trusted n report the latest palace movents.
"The Alpha Prince summoned a physician personally for the political bride yesterday," the man inford him.
Zarek’s eyes narrowed faintly. "And?"
"The Princess has also been visiting her frequently. Even Lord Barron spends ti around her now."
Silence settled briefly. Then slowly, Zarek leaned back into his chair, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.
’Interesting,’ he thought to himself. ’Very interesting.’
At first, he believed Alexander rely found the human bride useful. But now the situation was beginning to look far more personal than he had expected.
And if emotions had truly beco involved, then Amara had officially beco Alexander’s weakness.
Zarek’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest before he finally spoke. "Continue preparing for the banquet carefully," he instructed calmly.
The servant lowered his head imdiately. "Yes, Your Highness."
Zarek’s smile deepened faintly afterwards.
Because now, destroying the relationship between Alexander and his human bride would beco even more satisfying.
***
After leaving the dining room that morning, Amara returned to her bedroom feeling strangely unsettled.
She could not explain it properly.
Alexander had not been rude to her during breakfast, nor had he said anything hurtful yet; compared to yesterday, he suddenly felt distant again.
Cold in a way that quietly discouraged closeness.
Amara sat near the fireplace with Ginger curled beside her while replaying the breakfast in her mind for the third ti already.
Finally, she shook her head lightly. "No," she muttered to herself. "I’m overthinking."
Whatever mood the Alpha Prince was in had nothing to do with her. And besides, she still had sothing important to focus on.
His birthday gift.
The thought imdiately redirected her attention.
Truthfully, Amara still wanted to prepare sothing personally for Alexander, no matter how distant he acted.
Not because of romance.
At least that was what she kept telling herself.
But because she genuinely appreciated everything he had done for her since arriving at the palace.
After thinking quietly for a while, she suddenly called for Mrs. Woods. The older woman arrived not long afterwards.
"My Lady?"
Amara hesitated briefly before speaking. "I need your help with sothing."
Mrs. Woods imdiately looked attentive. "What is it?"
Amara looked slightly embarrassed. But she admitted softly, "I want to prepare a birthday gift for His Highness myself, but there is a problem."
Mrs. Woods’s eyes brightened almost imdiately. "What problem?"
"I don’t know how to knit," Amara confessed honestly. "Or embroider."
Mrs. Woods nearly smiled. For so reason, hearing the political bride quietly trying to prepare sothing handmade for the Alpha Prince made her heart warm instantly.
Still, she remained composed.
"What does My Lady wish to make?"
Amara thought for a mont before answering, "A shawl."
Mrs. Woods blinked softly. "A winter shawl?"
Amara nodded. "Yes. Sothing simple but elegant enough for him."
As she spoke, her expression slowly beca more focused.
"Though I can’t make it myself completely, I still want to design it personally. I want to choose the materials, colours, patterns... everything."
Mrs. Woods listened carefully.
Amara continued more seriously now, "I’m good with fashion and design. So if skilled artisans handle the actual embroidery and knitting while following my design, I think it will still feel sincere."
Mrs. Woods could not help smiling faintly this ti. "My Lady has thought this through carefully."
Amara looked slightly shy afterwards. "I just... don’t want it to look ordinary."
Mrs. Woods nodded imdiately. "Then I will arrange it."
Relief instantly appeared on Amara’s face.
"All I need is for you to gather artisans skilled enough for this kind of work and bring different materials for to choose from," she explained.
Mrs. Woods bowed lightly. "I understand."
Then after a brief pause, she added warmly, "His Highness will surely appreciate sothing prepared with this much sincerity."
Amara’s fingers paused lightly against Ginger’s fur.
For so reason, the thought alone made her heart beat slightly faster, so she quickly looked away and pretended to focus on the fireplace instead.
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