[[ I do NOT own the art or music. Please enjoy this chapter - L RANDY ]]

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Ivo had sat (Y/N) on his bed and was going through his drawers to find a bandage. It painfully quiet, neither has said a word since they left the child. (Y/N) was preoccupied with her thoughts of the child she protected; Ivo however was trying not to lash out.

When Ivo finally found a doable bandage, it was slightly bigger than needed, he wet his handkerchief in his washbowl, and came to kneel in front of the silent girl. His slender finger brushed her hair from the wound as he patted the blood from her temple. His pale green eyes focused on the task, she focused on the wall behind him. When he applied the bandage he pressed firmly, a little harder than needed. I have made them all angry. (Y/N) thought to herself when she felt his pressure.

"Why did you do it?" Ivo finally asked, not being able to hold his tongue even for her.

Her eyes shifted to his, she felt like crying, breaking down, and screaming.

But she did not, (Y/N) just slightly smiled.

"Why wouldn't I?" She quietly asked.

She had never been presented with a choice like before, she had never been in a situation where she had to directly ignore a person in suffering. She felt spoiled, and in many ways she was. She lived her whole surrounded by gold, and all the luxuries life could have, all except freedom, and what she believed to be her selfish desires drove her to abandon her position as princess.

She did not know whether to be grateful or upset she encountered such a situation. Both, she concluded. If she never saw it, she maybe would never fully grasp the depravity her parents' reign has caused, as upsetting as it was.

"You can't be that naïve." He scoffed, peeling the back off the bandage.

"Is that truly a common occurrence?" She ignored his statement.

Ivo stood, towering over the sitting girl, he looked over her sitting figure, thinking of the things he wanted to do to her if he was not so angry at her acting so recklessly.

"I thought you were from Taycia." He turned and went to dispose of the bandage's wrapper.

"I am," She said watching his movements.

Ivo went to lean against his desk, he crossed his arms and legs.

"Then you just asked a stupid question." He insulted, for the first time Ivo was not hiding behind any mask at all, he was not smiling, or teasing, and to be frank, it was scaring (Y/N).

She did not respond; she was ashamed of her ignorance.

"That disaster of a royal family has created an environment where people are not afraid to beat children in the street, and even more people are apt to ignore it." Ivo continued anyway.

His words bit (Y/N)'s heart and tears were brimming in her eyes.

The royal family... me... I am responsible... maybe if I stayed... maybe if I tried harder, I could have made a difference... that boy was beaten because of me.

Though, she knew deep down her presence at the palace would not stop the boy from being battered, her delusions raged on.

"Their greed has made it so that any common person would be starving in the streets of their kingdom. They cover it up with extravagant merchants and architecture, but in reality, most of Taycia's people are just like that little boy," He stood straight, taking quick strides to come to (Y/N) and grab her chin.

"Are you going to risk your life for all of them too?" He snapped, though he immediately regretted his action when he saw her eyes wet with tears. Before she could respond he dropped to his knees and pulled her into a hug

"I-" Ivo thought if he was really about to admit this, he has never said it and really meant it before, but with her, his heart almost stopped when he saw her tears.

"I'm sorry." He held her as she cried, one of his hands buried in her short hair, the other arm wrapped around her waist.

"I was so worried..." He softly spoke. "I was so worried when I saw you get hit... I couldn't get to you fast enough, little dove." He confessed softly in her ear.

"N-no," (Y/N) hugged him back, making his heart ricochet in his chest. "Ivo, I am sorry, I made everyone upset. You all put yourselves in a dangerous situation because I was reckless." She cried.

"What if that man hurt you? Or Leven? It would've been my fault." She hugged him tighter, a warm feeling began to grow in him.

"You think a man like that could hurt me?" He scoffed slightly, not as insulted as he sounded, but still wounded his little dove had little faith in his abilities.

"It doesn't matter if he could or not, it is a matter of if he did." She finally pulled away from the hug to look at Ivo.

"What he did was hurt you, not us, so stop crying for 'what ifs'," Ivo advised her.

He thought to himself.

(Y/N) calmed down and wiped her tears from her eyes feeling silly for crying in front of a man she has only known for a week and one day. But even it had only been a month, (Y/N) felt comfortable, Ivo and the others allowed her in and took care of her, even though under the title of the prisoner, she felt like she belonged.

"I am sorry for getting myself into that situation, but one little hit is nothing compared to what I saw happening to that boy... and I don't know what happened, I was running towards him before I even decided I was going to help. Please, don't be mad at me." (Y/N) felt the need to explain her side of the event, so maybe Ivo would not be as mad at her.

Ivo took (Y/N)'s hand and placed a gentle kiss on it, making the girl's face and neck heat up.

"No, I think I will be upset with you for a little bit longer." Ivo returned to his smiling appearance.

(Y/N) softly smiled back, her smile being honest. "That's fair."