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Thick, black smoke curls out from the rafters of the large house.

It’s under attack, and shrieks fill the skies from beyond the four walls.

A large, strong hand is pulling me through the crumbling house.

“You must run on my signal,” the panicked voice says. “Promise me that you’ll run into the woods and not look back.”

“I-I promise,” I say in between coughing fits.

We emerge outside the house, and figures are coming from the other side of the hill.

The strong hand is connected to the body of a tall man.

His features are blurry as he leans down, grabbing my face in his hands and planting a kiss atop my head.

“Remember what I said,” he warns, pushing me away.

“RUN!” he yells.

But my limbs are frozen.

“RUN!”

This time, I don’t hesitate as I enter the darkened woods, leaving the burning house and the kind man far behind me.

Ducking and jumping over limbs and brambles, I find a tree with a hollow center to hide in.

I cover my eyes as I hear the footsteps of a pursuer coming through some brush behind the tree.

Terror seizes my chest, fearing that even my heartbeat is too loud.

“Please don’t find me,” I silently pray, holding my pendant tightly.

Suddenly, the footsteps stop, and I open my eyes to find a figure standing before me.

“There you are,” the voice croons.

I scream ? —

Large hands are around my wrists, but I buck and flail the rest of my body, attempting to break free. “No,” I cry. “You can’t hurt me.” I launch my knee into what feels like the gut of my assailant. There’s a loud “humph” and a groan, but they don’t release my wrists. “No, no, no,” I murmur.

My attacker pins my arms above my head. “Maeva… it’s… me,” a familiar voice gasps out.

Still, my legs flail like an angry sea creature.

“This is a trick,” I say.

“Rosey, open your eyes,” the voice commands. “It’s me. Please, stop fighting me.”

I shake my head, violently. “Yo-You’re going to kill me,” I reply.

“No, I’d never harm you,” he says quietly. “Look at me, Rosey.”

Reluctantly, I peel open my eyes, expecting to meet the one that chased me through the woods, but instead, I find Emyr hovering above me.

I exhale a sigh of relief. His amber eyes are softly glowing in stark contrast to his pained features, lit only by the dying fire.

His muscles flex underneath his tunic as he restrains me.

The view of him becomes blurry as tears slip from my eyes. “Emyr,” I sob.

“You’re safe,” he whispers, his voice breaking on the last word.

A small tear trails down his cheek as concern laces his features.

My body shudders from the terror that I just experienced in my nightmare.

It was more vivid this time. I feel as if I should know everyone within the dream, but then their voices are warped or their features blurred.

“All the answers you seek are within you,” Darach’s words echo once more.

The idea that the horrid nightmare is real causes my fear to rip through me with more fervor. As if understanding my restless spirit, Emyr gathers me in his arms, settling me in his lap. His arms wrap tightly around me, as he strokes my hair and tenderly whispers, “You’re safe.”

But for how long? I wonder.

I burrow my face into his chest, feeling every rise and fall in its own beautiful rhythm. He gently rocks us back and forth as if I were a child. I know that I should push him away, jogging his memory of the distance he put between us, but I don’t want to.

I desire him.

I loathe him.

Yet, it’s his embrace alone that brings me solace.

How my heart flutters when his gazes are full of affection, but aches when he’s impassive.

Everyone dulls in comparison to him. He’s the one man that causes my heart to soar, but also has the capacity to crumble it into dust with just one withering glance.

Yet, when I falter, his strength somehow becomes my own.

He’s both my antithesis and my equal.

How can such complexities be wrapped into one person?

Emyr places a gentle kiss atop my head, rubbing soothing circles along my spine.

Though I shouldn’t wish for such things, I desire to linger in his embrace for all the days of my life.

We could make a beautiful life for ourselves.

I imagine a house near the sea. Perhaps with a few horses that run freely with Danté through the pasture, and children…

It’s an alluring idea, but that’s just it… an idea.

I never expected to care so much for the High General and Prince of Zulgalros, but I do.

However, my life will always be met with devastation: cursed to care for a man I can never have, to lose the only family I’ve ever known, to be told of a prophecy that I have no inkling how to fulfill, and a voice in my head that only speaks in riddles.

If this is what it is to be favored, I’d rather be forgotten.

It’s nice to dream of a simpler life, but it will never happen— not for us. However, I want to enjoy this moment while I still have it, so I nuzzle against his chest. “Emyr,” I murmur.

“Hmmm?” he responds.

“I didn’t wake the others, did I?” I whisper.

“No,” he chuckles. “It’s my watch, and they’re currently sleeping like the dead.”

As if on cue, the sound of someone snoring loudly echoes off the walls.

I raise my head up, looking at Emyr, only for us to softly laugh.

He’s so handsome when he’s like this. So much sadness and pain disappears from him in these moments.

When the laughter ceases, we’re still admiring one another, but something in the atmosphere shifts.

My eyes travel to his perfect mouth. How I’ve desired to kiss him and to allow him the honor of being the only man that ever kisses me.

I swallow thickly, my gaze moving back to Emyr.

He’s watching me with rapt attention. His gaze darkens, and the desire that he usually hides is written plainly along his face.

He brings one of his hands up to delicately touch my cheek, and I do the same.

He relaxes into my touch, as my thumb traces the small scar along his chin. My heart aches just looking at him.

Emyr slowly dips his head toward mine, and I lean into his touch. He stops a hair’s breadth from me, rubbing his thumb along my bottom lip. “You’ll be my ruination, Rosey,” he says, his voice low and gravelly.

“And you’ll be my destruction,” I laugh.

Emyr frowns, apparently not enjoying my joke. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he finally says.

I pull his face closer to mine. “Then don’t,” I reply .

He stops me, and something akin to fear flashes in his gaze.

“Destruction and chaos follow me, Rosey,” he sighs.

“You deserve a better life than the one I can give to you. If I were a better Galrosan, I’d let you go.

I’d have the strength to not desire you, but the longer I’m with you, I fear my resolve is weakening. ”

“Your demons don’t scare me,” I whisper.

“They’ll frighten you one day,” he replies. “I-I don’t want you to regret?—”

I silence him with a finger. “Emyreus Alistair, you’re the most stubborn Galrosan I’ve ever met.

You can be cruel and ruthless, but I’ve also seen your capacity for compassion and virtue.

You brought me back to life when I felt like my world was gone.

I have many regrets, but you aren’t one of them. ”

A single tear falls down his cheek. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmurs.

“Yet, you have me,” I whisper. Something akin to hope lights his features. “I’m yours, Emyr.”

Any hesitation he had moments ago is gone, and his mouth collides with mine.

I’m frozen at the connection of his soft lips, unsure of what to do.

Slowly, I find myself relaxing into the moment.

The kiss is tender and soft, not possessive or lustful—just sweet.

He pulls back, searching my face. A warmth floods through my body all the way down to my toes as I pull him back to me.

His mouth devours my own in a gentle caress that slowly deepens.

Every good thought and feeling floods through me with such intensity that my brain becomes muddled.

Any part of me that wished to keep him at arm’s length dissipates with every kiss.

He may not say it, but I feel his affection radiating from him as he envelopes me.

His hands weave through my hair so softly.

He treats me like I’m the most precious thing in his life, and I also want to handle him with such care.

His hands don’t roam or try to push beyond what I’m comfortable with.

Instead, this is for us to enjoy one another in the most beautiful moment I’ve ever experienced.

I melt into his touch, wrapping my arms around him.

A hum rumbles in his chest as he deepens the kiss .

I’ve never kissed someone before, but I know with all the certainty of my heart that I’ll never want to experience this with another. I’m completely consumed by him—by his devotion to me.

Though I’m content to stay this way, kissing him from now until Eternity, I break the connection.

Our rapid heartbeats in their own dance.

His face is lit with such joy and hope. I don’t remember what it’s like to see the sun or feel its warmth, but I imagine it to be dim in comparison to his merriment.

“Just as I suspected,” he whispers, cradling my face in his hands. “You’ve ruined me.”

I love you, I think to myself, but I fear what might happen if I say it out loud.

I clear my throat and turn around to face the fire. I lean back against his hard chest, allowing his arms to circle around me. I weave my fingers through his, wishing that we could stay like this forever. This moment is perfect, and I never wish for it to end.

“Emyr?” I whisper.

“Yes, my Rosey?” he asks.

“Would you sing for me?” I inquire.

He plants a kiss on my cheek. “Anything you desire you’ll have, my Rosey,” he replies. “Any requests?”

“The one you sang in my chambers after the masquerade,” I say.

Immediately, he sings the haunting ballad that I enjoy only from his lips.

I’ve listened to my fair share of musicians and singers in Aurelius, but none compare to his talent.

His deep vibrato carries not only the tune but emotion of the song, as if it were alive.

I close my eyes, listening to the acoustics bounce around our small haven.

As he continues, sleep soon overwhelms me, and I drift away to the sound of his voice.

I’m unsure how much time has passed, but I drift awake as Emyr shuffles my body back underneath my blanket. He gently rakes his hand down my head and through my hair. The motion soothes me back into the nightmare-less sleep I was in moments ago, comforted by my Galrosan prince.

It could be my imagination, but I swear that I hear him mumble a phrase under his breath.

Of course, that would be absurd.

After all, Emyr cares deeply for me, but he could never love me.

Yet, as I drift off once more, his words replay in that dreamless sleep:

“I love you always, my Rosey.”