Strange Occurrence in Celestial Kingdom

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Those words stick with Tarin the whole night, he falls asleep with her words whispering in his ear. Her words. Her smile shining on his lids. Waking up plenty of times during the night, he can't help but scold himself for thinking of her. She is the princess and, after all, she just thinks of him as a friend, right? Worried, he goes for a night stroll around the castle. Stopping by the medical wing, he can't help but take a peek inside. Seeing plenty of injured knights in their beds, he recognizes them all... except for Leo. Squinting, he is trying to think if he is just mistaken about never seeing this man before.

Hellen quickly comes over, asking him to leave but Tarin stays over Leo's bed. "Who is this man?" his shaking fingers pointing at the dirty blonde haired man. Hellen, bringing him away from the sleeping Leo tells him everything he wishes to know. Staying by her desk, they talk quietly to one another and she is revealed the true story of Lily's capture. Bidding her a good night, they part ways, leaving his head buzzing with questions. He hears what this sleeping man has done for Lily and he is sure to thank him in the morning for all he has done. At least for now he hasn't seen the color or anger in Leo's eyes for he looked right into The Shadoweaver's eyes not once but twice.

The morning comes and Leo slowly awakens, getting slowly ready for what the day might bring. The aura of the castle surrounds him again and he can't help but growl for he feels trapped. He is like a dog in a cage... only being let free once his body heals. Looking around the room, he sees Hellen walking his way, informing him that she left the letter right where he asked. Putting it back in his hand, she informs him that the man didn't come back to receive the letter. Immediately sitting up, Leo only causes himself more souring pain. "Gggah!" he screams out but keeps himself folded up. Hellen keeps her arm around him and helps him breathe.

After some convincing, Hellen takes him to town with an arm keeping him above the ground, wrapped tightly around his back. Together, they go right to his spice shop and he, feeling free, informs his boss and hands him the letter, saying his friend Nellaro will pick it up. The drunken boss just places it in the usual spot and goes back to downing the bottle. Leo and Hellen then set off back to the castle but Leo, out of fear of going back there. Sidetracking, he and Hellen spend the whole morning looking at shops and just having fun before she forces him back to those chilly chamber walls.
 
After breakfast that morning, Lily made her way down to the medical wing to see if Leo was awake. Upon arriving, she notices that both Leo and Hellen were not there. Staying there for what seemed like hours to see when they would arrive back, Lily leaves a note saying that she would visit him at a later time before going off to find Tarin. It seemed at if he was fine from what the men were telling her, but she wanted to check on him herself to ask him about what had happened to him and how he escaped. Finding him near the East gate, she tugs at his bottom of his shirt to get his attention. "You seem to be alright, but your appearance looks.. frightening in a way." She said as looks him over, thinking that it was still relieving he was not dead.

Looking out the window of his bedroom, Rondell saw his sister speaking with Tarin. To Rondell, Tarin was a perfect candidate for Lily's future husband even though he made one mistake, but this Leo person did some brave things to help Lily escape from two dangerous situations. Turning back to his father, who had came in to discuss Lily's future, he quickly suggests soon Lily should marry since their father would have to give his throne away because it was only a matter of time. "Then we will tell Lily about our suggestion, but don't expect her to agree with it so easily." His father said as he exited out of his sons' bedroom.
 
Tarin, chuckling a little, jumps at Lily's sudden appearance. "You have come out of thin air... good morning to you too." smiling, he knows that his hair has grown in length, Leo cutting his often with his blade to make sure it stayed short along with his beard. Tarin, on the other hand, went a bit crazy trying to figure where Lily is. "Well, thank you for your compliments." winking at her, he still puts on that grade A smile of his. Nodding his head, Tarin turns around and hugs Lily completely. "I'm so very happy that you're safe. Now... this savior of yours..." chuckling, he keeps an arm around her, bringing her to the bench. "Tell me what happened? I spent days or weeks in a dar cellar trying to find my freedom. Sooner or later, this Shadoweaver's security isn't as tight as he may wish you see, one of his OWN men," a chuckle comes from his lips, "his own damn men saved me from a fate at the bottom of the sea tied to a rock."

Leo, on the other hand, is safely asleep in his own bed, not hearing the way Tarin trashes him. Yes, he has heard his name buzzing around the city and his own castle but as long as Lily isn't the one spreading their story wrongly, he could care less. Even Hellen started to speak about The Shadoweaver and Leo has to be very careful with what he says and how he reacts. She, for one, thinks that he is troubled and that's why he kills. It's something completely in his mind making him absolutely crazy. All he can do is laugh.
 
It was a bit sudden when Tarin hugged her and then kept his arm around her as he took her over to the bench, but she heard everything he talked about before saying anything about what happened to her. "Ummm.. Well, I wasn't treated harshly like what you had to go through, but Leo saw me and thought that I was in trouble. So he helped him during the night as the Shadoweaver was sleeping.." She said then explained how they were captured by some bandits in the town that they had decided to rest in. Tarin had obviously went through much worse than herself, but he survived and was now back with them at the castle. "But you shouldn't bother Leo while he is healing, he's been through a lot." She said to him placing her hand on top of his own, moving it down and off her side as she got up from the bench. Lily didn't know how to describe it, but whenever someone else touched her excluding Leo, it didn't effect her like it did when he would even just brush past her. "If you need me for anything, I will be at the garden.."

Walking away from Tarin, Lily didn't want to talk about what happened to her anymore because Tarin seemed like the person to try and investigate everything that went on. Running her fingers through her hair as she went to the garden, it was starting to become more apparent that Lily was seriously starting to feel something for a man who is constantly trying to kill her father and in some way is toying with her heartstrings.
 
Tarin smiles and lets her go off to the gardens, finding it strange that she would tell him -not- to go visit Leo. The least he could do is thank the man for doing his job. "Of course," he assures her, leading her to the gate to the gardens. "Would you like to be left alone?" Her tone signals to him that she would like to be left alone, needing to think of something. He wants to complain but they are heavily guarded and inside the castle so he just nods. "Alright, take this as your one free pass." winking, he closes the gate behind Lily before watching her walk around and turn the corner, foliage covering everything so that she could think alone. Even though they've been separated for a while, Tarin could take a hint that she needed this.

Chewing on his lip, he finally leaves the gate and goes right to the medical ward. Smacking his hand against the side of the table, Leo snaps awake. "Good afternoon, buddy." smiling, he plays it off as accidentally bumping into the table. Bowing, he tells Leo who he is and asks question after question of who Leo is. Swallowing, he assures him that he is Leo from the next city over who deals in the spice trade. From there, everything is true, why he works there because of the pay to where he sleeps at night. Well, perhaps that was a small fib for he lies about him not living in Celestial Kingdom. Feeling massively grilled and tired, soon he can barely keep his eyes open. His eyes. Yes. That is what Tarin can't get out of his head for they look familiar but ... Hellen has yellow eyes. So he can't be the only one with amber eyes but there is an evil in there, Tarin feels it. Having to be polite, he wishes Leo a good night but keeps his guard completely up, not letting this little shit take him down. He'll be untrusting completely and even cold if he has to be.
 
After spending some time in the garden by herself, Lily thought it would be best to visit Leo for a bit before having to go to dinner. Going over to where he was, she watched at Tarin came out of the ward even after she asked him not to bother Leo since he was still injured. Grabbing him by the arm before he walked off any farther. "Tarin, I thought I asked you not to bother him." She said figuring that though she did say that to him, he would go against some things. Sighing and letting go of his arm, she shook her head and let him start heading back to wherever he was going. "It doesn't matter now that you have done so.." Looking through the window of the door that led into the ward, Lily decided she shouldn't go since he had left that morning even though she said she would visit, figuring that he didn't want to see her.

"Have a good dinner and night, Tarin." She said, walking past him to go into the dining room, where she saw her brother waiting for her. Escorting her in, he pulls out her chair for her before taking his own. "Father and I have something to talk to you about, Lily." Lily was a bit worried about what it was, but thought of it as something simple. Not knowing that it had a lot to do with her future. "Oh well I can't wait to hear what you two have to say."
 
Tarin, swallowing and feeling guilty bows his head to her. "I had to say thank you to the man who saved you from that fucking Shadoweaver. Mark my words Lily, if I ever find out who he is then I'm going to absolutely rip him apart. You're -sure- that he didn't hurt you?" He can't help but see a change in her. It's the way her eyes pan towards the window and even the way she sighs. Normally she is ... less closed. She literally had them strip and jump into a lake together so something has to be up. If that man is The Shadoweaver ... why is she backing -him- up? Is there some sort of hostage situation? Does he have some secret from hers and is blackmailing her with it?

Blinking, all he does is smile, "Of course, Lily. You're completely right, it wasn't my place to go see your newfound friend Leo. I believe that we have seen him before - spice shop... correct?" Smiling, he has always had a good mind for faces. "Let me walk you to dinner," he offers but she waves her hand and says that she can get there herself. What have I done? He asks himself, looking through the window at Leo and Hellen talking. Who are you...? He asks before walking away completely and moving to his own dinner. For once, he doesn't eat in the main hall with the others, the King's orders for having a private conversation with his son and daughter.
 
Not long after they had taken a seat at the table, their father came in as if something was on his mind, taking his seat as well. Before any words were spoken, the maids came out and placed their food in front of them, going back into the kitchen to give the family their privacy. "Lily, Rondell and I have been talking about when you will take the throne after me and so we have suggested that you pick two men to be candidates to become your husband." When those words left her father lips, Lily couldn't believe what she was just told. "You are of age to find a husband and I would like to see you married before I pass." He finished and all Lily could do was stay silent. Lily was upset, but she couldn't find the words, because she knew that that's all her father is asking of her. "I will think about it." She said softly.

Without their knowledge, some of the maids were listening through the door that connected the dining room to the kitchen. They couldn't believe what they heard either. Ava, a maid who was one of Lily's personal maids, went down to the medical ward with news to tell Hellen. Seeing Hellen with the young male, who came back with Miss Lily, she didn't think it would be a problem to say it in front of him. "Hellen! You would not believe what the King has asked Miss Lily to do!" She said as she made her way over to the woman, placing her hand on her shoulder. "Miss Lily has to choose two potential husbands to be wedded too."
 
Leo, letting Hellen take his blood, watches as she and this new maid start to converse. He can't help but listen in for it's his nature. Hearing the news about Lily being asked by her father to pick a husband, he can't help but feels some sort of anger. It bubbles right up through his gut and he quickly starts to get up from the bed. He could be sleeping right now but this is urgent. His own emotions take better of him. Wanting to speak up and speak out against this monstrosity, he knows that Lily would never be his. Blinking, he wonders ... why he is thinking that. No, that was just one kiss. Hellen holds him back but he just pushes her out of the way, not knowing what she is talking about. Something about stitches ripping. He could care less.

Making his way through the halls, Ava runs after him along with Hellen. Leo, turning quickly from their grasp, he turns around. "Where is Lily?" He asks, almost pleading with them to leave him alone. "Just let me be! Please... I, ow," pressing his hand to his bandages, he quickly outsmarts them and starts to run through the halls. Huffing and puffing, he finally comes to one of the floors with a window. Heaving, he cracks the window, and looks above, trying to find her tower. He'll have to climb if anything else. Propping up on the window's ledge, the burning quickly waves right through his chest, causing him to cry out and fall backwards onto the floor. "Gah! Fuck..." Staying on the floor for a moment, he hears someone coming and tries to get through the window again.
 
As they are having dinner after the conversation about marriage, Hellen and Ava come running into the dining room telling Lily about what happened with Leo. Excusing herself, she quickly exits the room to look for him. What are you do, Leo.. She thought as she ran ahead of the two women and down the hall to look for him. As she was going through the halls, she heard a familiar yelp of pain coming from one direction, heading straight to it. That is when she sees Leo trying to get through the window, heading somewhere. Running over to him, she grabs the back of his shirt and tries to pull him down as gently as she can to keep from hurting him. "Leo! Stop it!" She said as she finally gets him out of the window.

Not wanting to make a scene in the hall, she takes him up to her bedroom to explaining that she will see what is wrong with him. After entering into the room, she sits him on the bed and locks the door behind her, to keep anyone from disturbing them. "What do you think you were doing in your condition!?" She walked over to the bed, taking a seat right next to him, thinking that something must have upset him in some way.
 
Leo feels the tug on the back of his shirt and try as he might to have the shirt rip and free him from these confines, her voice hums in his head. His white knuckles on the edges of the window slowly let go. Giving up, he knows that he is safe now, letting her take him up to her room. "What are you doing?" He asks, holding his arm over her shoulders, letting her absolutely take him wherever she would like. Seeing her door, his eyes widen, "Wait, wait, ok, ok, ow." his hand moves back to his chest and he lets her sit him down on the bed. "What do you think I'm doing?" He asks, huffing it out, "I'm ... I'm trying to get out of here, Lily." There is no way that he can -ever- let her know that he was thinking about her... running to find her.

"This place, Lily, this fucking place." growling, he looks right to her eyes. "Why did you bring me here, I have to get back to the ward and ... yeah." he starts to get up but feels something warm wrap around his arm. Looking back to Lily, she stopped him from getting to the door. "What do you want?" He asks, being his usual self. The cure is to just be mean to her... he figures, that way she will never know about his growing feelings. Closing his eyes, he has no idea... she ... what is wrong with him? She is part of his reign. That man who ruins lives and completely leaves his people... his people in the dirt or ashes. But... she said she was different, right? She wouldn't make his mistakes. Right? During his whole thoughts, he just stares at Lily. Is he confused? Angry? ... even he isn't sure of his own emotions.
 
Pulling him to sit back down, she grabbed him by the shoulders and looked back at him. "Stop making excuses. That's all you've been doing since that night." She said as she pulled her hands away, thinking why is she stopping him if it was obvious he hated to there and didn't want to see her either. He seemed to have made that very clear this morning. "If you would just stay until you're fully healed, that's all I ask. I know that you don't want anything to do with me, but that is all I'm asking of you." Her eyes looked down towards her hands that sat in her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. The sadness in her eyes were clear, but she didn't know what he would think if he saw that. He didn't know how she felt for him. "Tonight is already stressful enough and if you were to leave even in this condition, I would worry about you." She said softly.
 
Leo quickly growls and pushes her hands off of him, "Making excuses?" He nearly shouts, standing up from the bed and starting to walk around the room in a fume. How dare she! he spits to himself, not caring for the look on her face. "I am not making excuses! You think I'm making excuses? Why the hell do you think that?" He bends over and looks right into her face, his eyes like that of fire. "Do you really want me to stay here?" shaking his head, he places his hands on the bed by her sides. He is surely fuming. "Why do you want me to ... you..." quickly stopping his statement, he doesn't pull away. "That kiss effected you!" he nearly shouts accusingly at her. "Are you starting to -feel- for me? Are you? What is wrong with you?"

But seeing that look in her eyes, his own show pity. Not for her but for himself. He shouldn't be so ... cruel. Heaving in a breath he has a final statement for her. "It was you." is all he says, telling her that he was thinking of her when he was running through that hall. Any servant could have heard him... hell, she could have heard him by the way he was screaming. "You're..." he starts again, "the one who I was looking for when I was running... yeah, well, don't get used to it. I wanted to speak with you." those words are like fire in his throat, speaking them just make him shake. His eyes look down at her hands, the urge to hold them flutters by like a leaf in the breeze. "Hah, so you -do- care about me..." he starts, his eyes telling her that he is going to have a field day with this one. Princess of Celestial Kingdom falling for The Shadoweaver... hah!
 
Hearing him shout out made her keep her head down, thinking that he was either going to storm out of the room in a huff or shout some more about what was wrong with her. If he hadn't said anything else, Lily would have probably told that she did have feeling for him, but if she did what would he have done after hearing everything that she had to say. Looking back at him, she didn't move her hands even though she wanted to grab a hold of his that laid by her sides. "What did you want to speak with me about? It had to be something important for you to ignore your pain and try to climb out of window for.." Lily did not know that he had heard about her fathers' request to find a man to marry soon, expecting it was still only between her and her family.
 
Swallowing, he finally notices how close they actually are. "Um..." is all that comes out, he expected her to be shouting back at him. He was expecting and wanting a fight. "I wanted to speak to you about ..." You cannot bring it up. Don't bring it up... "Hellen." breathing in, he nods, almost confirming his new train of thought. All that anger diffuses through him, attempting to keep himself from leaning into her. "She, well not her, some other woman who came into the room. They're talking about you. You." shaking his head, "I was just..." slapping his hand on the bed next to her, he even growls again. The low sound uttering from his throat and all is well.

"I'm not myself." turning away from her, he can't stand to look into her blue eyes. They'll make him kind. And that is something that he cannot have anyone find out. He is The Shadoweaver... a fearless killer. That's what he needs. Blood being spilt. If only he had his blades. They're still stuck in that forest in the cold and the snow. To rust and ... decay. They're his children, those blades are all a part of him. Without them... no, it's not right. It's her. That just makes her angry. Letting out another scream, he, without notice, turns to her again, moving back to the same position as before, his whole body leaning in her direction this time. "What do you do to me?" He snaps, his eyes burrowing into her own. Repeating it a few times, he stops talking, letting her speak.
 
He wasn't making any sense now, going from talking about her to going on about not being himself. As he leaned into her, her eyes looking back into his. Grabbing his shoulders, she then said softly. "I can't make you do anything.. It's your choice to do and say whatever you are thinking." Pausing for a second, she stood up from her bed, bringing him to stand up in front of her. Hands moving from his shoulders to his hands, tightening her grip around them. "I have feelings for you that I have never had for any man or one. I'm sorry that I'm the daughter of the person you hate, but I can't change who I am related too." Taking a deep breath, it was hard saying any of this, but it was ultimately his choice on what he would like to do. "If you don't feel even the tiniest bit, I do for you, I understand."
 
"But you DO!" he shouts at her, not believing her words about it being his choice. "With everything I do. Ever since I let you kiss me. Oh I never should have let you kiss me," his hand moves to her mouth, his fingers running along her lips. Craving her once again, he shakes his head, the hand moving from her face, clutching it into a fist. "I am a killer, Lily. KILLER!" this time he shouts in a whisper, still informing her that he is upset about this whole thing. "I just don't understand how you could love me. It doesn't make any sense. I kidnapped you and forced you across the whole stupid world. To show you the horrors of it. I didn't bring you to the springs, waterfalls, craters, and other beautiful sights... instead I took you to the north." ashamed, he too needs to calm down.

"I thrive on fear, Lily. I breathe the air of someone's last. It -excites- me and keeps me whole." his hands tighten around hers, "Having feelings for me is dangerous for you. I'm a drug that you want but I will destroy you. So that is why I'm forcing myself to tell you that I don't feel what you feel. I can't. I won't. I shouldn't." seeing her expression change or look away, he lets go of her hands, shaking them to get her off of him. Instead of recoiling like his mind is shouting at him, he places them over her her jaw, fingers moving around the back of his neck. "But there is no way to force you to stop your feelings. They're feelings. ... They're feelings." He wants to tell her that he has those feelings too but he just keeps his mouth open before snapping it shut.
 
"Then if you don't feel anything for me, why would you ask me to kiss you?" She said as her arms crossed over her stomach, because if she touched him again it would be hard to let him go, now that he was telling her he won't love her. "Where you bring me has nothing to do with it.. I was given a month to choose between the two men I think would be suited to be my husband, but knowing that you won't love me nor will want to have much to do with me once you leave, Tarin is the only other person I could think of. Yet I only see him as a friend." She said.
 
"Oh I know! You have a single month to decide who you want to spend the rest of your life with," looking down, he whispers, "it angers me. That's why I was trying to find you. If you didn't find me, I would have climbed up that wall and found your room. I'm breaking apart... I'm losing..." still whispering, he makes sure to wrap his arms completely around hers, locking her arms against her own body. That's the only way he could leave. "Even if I ... did somehow have feelings for you, I would not be able to deal with your father. Your father." barring his teeth, he just presses his face against hers, his skin very warm to her touch.

"You can't marry Tarin. He came to my ward and tried to claw into me. Dig deep down into who I am. Lily... I can't." changing his mind right now, he shakes his head and steps back, trying to make his way towards the door, "You should marry Tarin. Even if it's just a friend. He can take care of you and provide for you. Not to mention your father will LOVE him... and call him like his own. He will be king one day, and I cannot live here in this castle. You'll be locking me in where I need to be free. You can have your life and I can have mine. No... I can't." breathing in, he shakes his head, "I can't!" completely disturbed by his own feelings, not knowing what turn to take and when to take it. He is not used to feeling so warm in his chest. She stops his thoughts and makes his tongue tied.
 
It had become so frustrating to hear him going back and forth on that Lily was having a hard time figuring out what he was trying to do. Stopping him at the door, she turned his head to look her in the eyes wanting him to see that she was serious about it all. "A person can't pretend to love someone they don't because they will only end up hurting them and I am not one of those people." One of her hands moves to the back of his neck, fingers messing with the hair on his nape. Lily leaned up into his ear and whispered a few words before pulling back. "I do have feelings for you and I don't think they will change, but I will not let you decide who I should be with because I already know who it is.." Her warm breath brushed past his ear as she pulled back a bit for them to be face to face. With Lily as stubborn as she was, not letting him say another word, her lips could be found upon his.
 
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