I snuggled deeper into the expensive covers, my head on top of a scented pillow. The pillow smelt so, so delicious, I wanted to drool.

"Mhm." I grunted out, wrapping my arm around it. It laughed, shaking as I laid on it.

Wait.

It laughed.

It laughed...

I open my eyes wide and look up to see an all but smug familiar face.

"That took you long to realize, didn't it sweetheart." He smiled down at me. I got off him, stood up off the bed and screamed so loud it probably went through the whole castle.

Then I gasped and grabbed the bed for support, my head ringing at my own foul sound. It hurt more than anything I've ever felt before. Like a blacksmiths hammer was ramming into my head continuously.

"Annalise, you need to sit down." I easily obliged and laid back down on the extravagant bed, grabbing my head in pain. "Let me get you something to help with that."

"Why am I here?" I ask him quietly. He grumbled something and left the room to get whatever he needed. I had dozed off after the first ten minutes he was gone staring at the intricate bedpost.

"Annalise, wake up." He shook me calmly, placing a hand on my arm.

"I just wa-need sleep." I mumbled and swatted his hand away. He grabbed my shoulders and moved me so that I was sitting in an upright position. My eyes slowly peeled open to find his handsome face sitting right next to me.

"Drink," He held out a green, swampy looking glass.

"I'm not drinking that." I cross my arms like a child. "What if you are drugging me or something! Maybe that's what you did in the first place! That's why I got so drunk, you made him give me a strong drink-"

"No Annalise, I never even knew you were there until you got up on the table and started acting like a damn stripper."

"What are you talking about?"

He ran a hand over his face,"You were such a handful last night." His eyes tore away, glazing in the distance. A small smile formed as he played with his bottom lip with his teeth. I glanced down at them for a second and thought of what it would feel like to press my lips against his.

He had a light scruff covering his jaw, and I wanted to place my hands on his face, just to continue looking at him. Or possibly do more- though I knew I could never be confident enough to actually go through with it.

Wait...

"We didn't-" my eyes were wide in realization, looking at the bed and on the floor.

"Didn't what?" His lip tilted to one side.

"We didn't do you know what, right?"

"Whatever are you talking about? I don't understand what you are saying, I need you to state it more clearly." He leaned forward, cupping his ear with a smug gleam in his eyes.

I crossed my arms over my chest again and narrowed my eyes at him. I quietly whispered,"Have sex."

"What? I couldn't-"

"Did we have sex- you big oaf!" I tried to push him off the bed with no avail.

"No, we did not. You were super drunk, obviously a lightweight-not surprised." He smirked at me. I rolled my eyes and let him continue. "Then you screamed for everybody to look over at you and you started feeling yourself up and danced in your own little world."

His eyes were scrunched up as he pinched the bridge of his nose,"Then I pulled you down and you went ballistic, so I took you to the castle."

"Oh my gods." I held my head in my hands. Last night turned into an absolute mess and it's all my fault.

"Don't fret about it. You will always have bad nights and you're going to have more- don't take it too seriously. You are your own worst critic."

I smelt it, just to make sure there wasn't anything fishy, then took a small sip. It tasted like vegetables and eggs. It actually was not that bad, I quite enjoyed it.

"That will make the headache hurt less and the light less blinding."

He then smiled at me and stated,"So, your a crazy drunk."

I rolled my eyes," Don't even get me started. I don't exactly know yet, that was my first time."

"First time drinking?"

"Yes."

"Holy-" I eyed him with a look of 'you better not start this right now' and took another sip of my drink. "That's why you were so crazy Annalise, it was your first time. You really are just too innocent for your own good." He cursed out.

"I'm not that innocent."

"Come on Annalise, you wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Well when did you start drinking?"

"I was fourteen, right after my mom died. " his tone changed raspy and he looked at me with no emotion. Only his voice showing quite anything, his face blank. I looked over at him slowly, my eyes narrowing in sadness.

Maybe that's why he never shows emotion. It's too hard for other people to see how he feels, ever since his mother passed away. His eyes were a bright blue-gray, and I bored in them immensely, my body melting at the sight of the swirling color.

"I know nothing I say can change how you feel, but I'm sorry Damien. She was an amazing woman."

"You didn't know her, Annalise. Don't apologize for something you don't know anything about." He snapped at me.

I was taken back,"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just a touchy subject for me." He sighed.

I decided to grab his hands and hold them in mine. I was taking a bold move, one that rocketed our relationship forward. His hands were rough as usual, the way they have felt many times before while dancing.

But this was different. More intimate.

We aren't just dancing this time.

He looked up at me with the saddest eyes, full of sorrow. You could tell he's been through a lot, a lot that might take him a while to tell me.

I gave him a warm smile,"I understand. I've had a really... rough past too. My dad died when I was just born, killed by a very awful man. I never did get to have the experience of having a dad. At least you had the pleasure of knowing your mom." I smiled again, my shyness returning. I noticed how open and bold I had gotten with him; he made me feel so comfortable in my own skin.

Damien brought out a confident side of me at times. It scared me, for I never knew this side of me existed until he came along.

"That's really hard, Annalise."

"It's fine."

"Who did it? Is he still alive?"

"I can't say Damien." I hadn't even noticed his hands were on both sides of my face.

"Please Annalise, I can help you. I have the pleasure to be able to do those things, lock him away forever so he can't hurt you again. He-"

"Damien-I said I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's difficult."

"Well can you explain why it's difficult? Let me-"

"No Damien! I can't tell you!" I rasp out, tears at the brink of my eyes.

"Annalise please!" He grunted,"I couldn't help my mom, the least I can do is help you!" He threw his hands in the air.

"I thought your mother went missing, she can still be found. You have a chance."

"Don't ever listen to what people tell you Annalise. Ever. Only trust yourself, never be gullible, always be on watch. She was found dead, and that's all I can tell you."

"I'm sorry Damien, all this time I thought she was still gone and that you had a chance."

He spoke again,"It's alright, that's what they want you to believe. My dad doesn't want people knowing there is a threat out there."

"Just promise to tell me this." I gave him the most intense look I ever could. His eyes softened and he nodded, giving me permission to talk.

"Promise me it wasn't somebody from Descuvi." If another person from my homeland had killed his people, I wouldn't be able to talk to him ever again.

He frowned,"Why? Descuvi is almost four lands away, small ones even, Descuvi is forbidden here in Deltora. Especially here, knowing our backstory."

"I just had to know."

"Why does Descuvi worry you?" He asked curiously. I didn't care anymore. I just let the tears fall down one by one, becoming multiple at a time. He grabbed me and hugged me close, my arms around his waist and his around my shoulders, holding me as I cried into his shirt. I didn't sob, it was just silent, sad tears.

"I won't ask you anymore about it, Annalise."

"Thank you, Damien." I breathed out. We just sat there for a while. Me in his arms, crying as he held me tight. All I could think about was my past. How much it just had to affect my future.

When I finally pulled away, my face was heated. What was I thinking? Sitting here, crying in the prince's arms. I bet he didn't even want to take me to his castle, let alone sleep in his bed.

"Can you take me home now?" I ask softly, turning my head away. I shouldn't be here. I'm in the castle, a Descuvi at the least, what a disgrace.

I felt ashamed.

"Anything you need." He replied, a soft smile. Not like his causal smirk that anybody couldn't just get enough of. This smile was gentle, genuine, a different side that I hadn't seen before.

I smiled sadly, knowing this relationship could probably never work or last.

But being in his arms made me feel so safe.

Yet I knew I had to keep in mind that the arms holding me were the ones that could destroy my life, inside and out.