The next morning, Alina stayed in her room instead of going to see Austin. She sat by the window, staring at nothing in particular.
She had promised Austin that she would co back soon. She knew he must have been waiting for her but she couldn’t force herself to look into his eyes anymore.
Intentionally or not, she was the reason behind the attack on him, and that guilt was eating her alive.
An hour later, the door to her wing opened, and her three assigned maids entered carrying gowns, jewellery boxes, embroidered ribbons, and notebook filled with schedules and etiquette instructions. Their job was to turn Alina Ashworth into Princess Alina every single morning. And make her familiar with royal protocols and etiquettes.
One of them imdiately began arranging gowns on the bed while another opened the notebook.
"These are the preferred colours in the eastern kingdom," the maid explained politely. "Especially among the Arcasedian royal court."
"We’ve been ordered by Princess Audrey to begin practicing proper forms of address before official recognition."
Audrey?? What ga was she playing now???
But she didn’t pay much attention to it. She remained seated near the window while they worked around her. Dorian’s words were still echoing in her ears.
Hurting him is the easiest way to pressure you.
A younger maid held up a silver gown, smiling nervously.
"We should prepare sothing formal as well, in case the future Queen of Arcasedia..."
"Don’t call that," Alina snapped imdiately.
The maid imdiately lowered the gown, startled.
"I’m sorry, Your Highness. I only ant..."
"I know what you ant," Alina replied, pressing her fingers to her temple. "Just... don’t call that."
She already hated those titles, but now they felt like a curse. The maids nodded in fear and resud their work. They told her about royal customs, diplomatic appearances, and future expectations from her as a princess. But Alina barely listened to them.
"Princess...may we dress you now?" another maid asked nervously.
Alina finally looked at them and shook her head.
"No," she replied. "I’m really tired right now. I need rest."
The maids exchanged awkward glances but nodded in understanding and quietly left the room.
nawhile, in his room, Austin was getting impatient. At first, he assud she was sleeping. He knew the last few days had been emotionally exhausting for her. But it was already afternoon and there was still no word from her.
Austin sat near the fireplace, reading the reports Harrington had brought him. But he was hardly focusing on them. He looked irritated. Every few minutes, his eyes darted towards the door, waiting for her to step inside. But the door remained closed.
By mid-afternoon, irritation had turned into uneasiness.
"Harrington," he called.
"Yes, Your Grace?" He replied instantly as he opened the door.
"Is Alina alright?"
Harrington narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, Your Garce," he answered.
Austin nodded and Harrington closed the door.
Sothing is wrong.
He put the reports aside and stood up imdiately.
"Your Grace," Harrington protested as Austin stepped outside. "You need..."
"She is avoiding ," his voice was dangerously calm.
Before Harrington could say another word, he was already striding towards the west wing.
Austin entered her suite without knocking.
The suite was in disarray. Books lay scattered across the sofa and floor, as though soone had been frantically searching for sothing. A breakfast tray sat untouched on the table.
And Alina was still sitting beside the window in the sa dress she had worn the night before. It looked like she hadn’t moved from that spot for hours.
She heard him enter but didn’t turn around.
"What happened?" Austin asked.
"Nothing. I’m just tired."
"Liar."
"Austin..." she mumbled, closing her eyes.
"You’re avoiding ," he said, walking towards her. "What happened? You’ve never avoided before."
"I said I’m tired."
"And I said you’re lying."
The mont he saw her reflection in the window glass, his chest tightened. She looked devastated. He could tell she had been crying for hours until there were no tears left.
And she wasn’t looking outside either. She was staring at his reflection, specifically at his injured arm. She couldn’t even bear to look at the wound directly anymore.
"Alina," he said softly. "Look at ."
She shook her head.
"Please."
Slowly, she turned. Her eyes landed on his face first, then dropped to his injured arm.
"What if staying with gets you killed?"
The words tumbled out before she could stop them. Austin froze unable to process.
"What did you just say?"
"Dorian told his sources believe the attack may have been planned by soone from Arcasedia. Soone who doesn’t want recognized as a princess, and they targeted you because you’re standing beside ."
"Dorian!!!" he almost shouted.
But then imdiately he cald himself, focusing on Alina. He took another step towards her, but she shook her head again.
"Maybe we should... stop... before it gets worse," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Before there is another attack and you..."
"Stop?" He stared at her in disbelief. "So this is your solution? Pushing away?"
"I’m just trying to protect you."
"I never asked you to," he snapped.
"Austin!! You could have died!" she shot back.
"It doesn’t matter. I would still choose you."
Those words hit her hard. Because that was exactly the problem. She knew he would choose her no matter what, and she didn’t want that, especially when it ant risking his life.
She finally broke down.
"I am so tired of everyone deciding what I should do with my life," he muttered, wiping her tears gently.
"First the king, then the advisors, and then the protocols...and now even you are deciding what I’m allowed to risk."
"I didn’t an it like that..."
"Nothing about us has ever been easy, Alina, and it might never be," he said, cupping her cheeks. "But I fought everything because you were worth fighting for."
Instead of stopping, she cried even more now.
"And now, you’re asking to let go of the one thing I chose for myself?"
Her breath hitched.
"If danger is the price of loving you, then please let decide whether I’m willing to pay it."
Alina stared at him helplessly. Fear had turned her into the very kind of person she hated. She was trying to prove her love by making Austin miserable.
"If sothing happens to you because of ..." she whispered.
Austin’s expression softened instantly. He imdiately pulled her into a tight embrace. Alina clutched his coat and buried her face in his chest.
"I’m scared," she admitted. "I think I understand you now. Because even I don’t know how to love soone without being terrified of losing them."
"Then stop trying to survive it alone," he said, kissing her head.
And with those words, whatever little restraint she had left also broke. And she cried again.
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