I turned around quickly, trying to erase the image from my mind. My steps were fast and uneven as I hurried away from the garden. My cheeks were burning, and my chest was tight with secondhand embarrassnt. I just needed to get away, anywhere that wasn’t here.
But I didn’t see what was in front of until it was too late.
I bumped into sothing hard, it was like a chiseled wall. A firm hand caught my elbow, steadying before I could fall.
I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat.
He was tall and elegant in the kind of way that made people turn to look without knowing why. His long blonde hair fell past his shoulders, and his white suit, detailed in soft gold, was spotless. A deep green jewel sat at the base of his neck. His presence was calm and peaceful.
His blue eyes and handso face were soft, making feel like I was safe with him.
"Are you alright, Princess?" His voice was gentle, it was not too deep, but enough to make my na sound soft.
"I’m... I’m fine," I said, brushing my hands down the front of my dress. "My apologies. I wasn’t looking."
He gave a small smile. "So it seems." Then, without waiting, he unfastened the outer part of his coat and draped it lightly over my shoulders. "The night’s gotten cold."
My lips parted in surprise. "Thank you."
"You don’t have to thank for basic kindness. Though I am curious... You don’t seem like soone who’d be out here alone."
"I needed air."
He nodded, stepping beside . "Would you like to return to the ballroom? I’ll escort you."
I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t stop him either. We walked together quietly under the lanterns strung between the garden paths. It should have felt awkward, but it didn’t. He didn’t fill the silence with unnecessary questions, and only walked beside like we had done this before.
"What’s your na?" I asked, glancing up at him.
He hesitated for a second, then said, "Rhydian."
I gave a small nod, repeating it in my mind.
As we approached the tall doors of the ballroom again, I slowed down. His coat still rested on my shoulders.
"I hope the fresh air helped," he said softly.
I nodded. "It did."
But just as we stepped back inside, I heard my na.
"Aeris!"
I turned toward the voice. Thistle and Lunaria stood a few steps from the grand staircase, both of them dressed like they were auditioning to be queens. Their silver hair was braided and curled perfectly, and their gowns sparkled more than necessary.
"You’ve been gone so long that we didn’t see you after returning," Thistle said sweetly, her voice just loud enough for nearby guests to hear. "We were starting to wonder if you’d wandered off again."
Lunaria crossed her arms. "A princess shouldn’t leave the ballroom in the middle of the celebration. It makes people talk."
I rolled my eyes inwardly... ’Here cos the drama queens.’
Rhydian didn’t say anything. He stood slightly behind with an unreadable expression.
"I wasn’t feeling well, and the King had given permission. And I don’t answer to you." I said simply.
Thistle tilted her head. "Oh is that so? Then maybe you shouldn’t be out dancing. You know how delicate your health is. We were just telling Aunt that perhaps you should sit the rest of the ball out."
I smiled tightly. "That is so kind of you, my lovely cousins... but I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about ."
Before either of them could respond, Rhydian stepped forward and gave a shallow bow toward the two girls. "Ladies," he said, his tone polite but distant.
They stiffened imdiately, their expressions faltering. Rhydian’s na clearly carried more weight than I realized.
"Princess," he said, turning to again. "Would you allow one more dance?"
I nodded. "Of course."
With that, he walked away, leaving a trail of curious stares behind him.
Thistle looked like she swallowed her own tongue. I smiled to myself and walked past them.
The music inside the ballroom had changed again to a softer tone, making people slow their steps. I didn’t expect Rhydian to still be beside , but he was, he offered his hand without saying a word, and I placed mine in his.
I smiled at him as we stepped onto the dance floor.
People were dancing already, but they made space for us the mont we joined.
Rhydian didn’t talk much, and I was glad for that because I wasn’t ready to talk. We moved quietly to the music, our steps in sync like we’d done this before. I wasn’t nervous anymore, just aware of the way his hand rested lightly at my waist, and the way his coat still draped over my shoulders.
I caught him looking at , but I looked away. A faint hue crept on my cheeks.
Sowhere across the room, I could still feel a blood-chilling piercing gaze on , which sent shivers down my spine. I tried to look for where it was coming from but I didn’t see the person.
’Strange.’
"You dance well," I said after a while, keeping my voice low.
He gave the smallest smile. "You make it easy for ."
I just let the music fill the silence between us, before continuing the conversation.
"You’re not like the others," I said, holding his gaze. "Most of them either talk too much or say nothing that matters."
Rhydian looked down slightly, but not in a way that seed shy. "That’s because most of them talk to be noticed. I don’t need to be noticed."
"And yet here you are," I said softly.
He tilted his head. "Because I wanted to be."
I looked up at him again. "Do you always say things like that? Things that sound simple, but make people think about them later?"
"Not always," he said. "But only when I want to be rembered."
I smiled without aning to. "That might work."
He looked like he wanted to say sothing else, but paused.
"Do you like it here?" he asked.
"Tonight or the palace?"
"Both."
I took a breath. "The palace can be... a lot. And tonight feels like everyone is trying too hard to be seen. It’s hard to enjoy sothing when you’re being watched the whole ti."
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