"Good morning, beautiful." A deep voice gently woke me from my sleep, massaging my head.

"Good morning, handsome." I replied, placing my hands on his bare chest to look up at him,"Are you excited for your dinner tonight?"

"You mean you?" He winked at me, trying to play it off. I rolled my eyes- he knew that I wasn't enthralled he was dining with a princess- but his voice was so deep in the morning, it made up for it.

Little does he know he's always with one all along!

"Well, I think I'm going to go home today." I rolled out of bed, stretching my arms.

"What? You aren't moving back in, are you?" He let his panic show, not caring that I knew he wanted me to stay in the castle.

"I just need to grab something important." I reassured him with a smile,"I'm not leaving your side, Damien. I need you."

"That's what I like to hear, sweetheart." He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and placed a kiss on my cheek,"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I need to do this alone. Henry and Hazalen will be coming with me if that makes you feel any better."

"Alright, just be careful, okay?" He let me go, and I opened the hatch to the secret tunnel. I could tell he hesitated, wanting to say three particular words before I left, but didn't want me to feel uncomfortable with having to say it back.

Gods dammit... I want to say it.

I want to say it back so bad.

But instead, I walked down the dark set of stairs,"As long as Henry's there, I'll be fine."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Breakfast was held in Henry's room this morning. Usually, it was held in the grand hall, but because of the damn feast tonight, the cooks were busy making the menu for dinner.

This royal feast is just fucking up everything, isn't it!

"What's wrong, Annalise?" Hazalen asked me, sipping her peach tea empty.

"Damien is dining with the Princess of Tarzla tonight." I remarked with not ounce of enthusiasm.

Henry gasped, peeping his head out of his closet,"Not dark haired-big boobs!"

"Dark haired-big boobs?" Hazalen arched a brow at Henry.

"That's all I remember about her. Well that, and she was flirting with the prince," Henry's voice died off, returning to his closet. I felt heat rush to my cheeks, the thought of Damien and some "dark haired-big boobs" eating together.

She most definitely was trying to ask the King for his hand in marriage.

At least, her father would discuss their relationship with King Eggar. I couldn't help but feel hatred toward the Princess, she was coming after what was mine. I wanted to stake my claim, but I felt helpless without a proper title.

After all, to the outside world- I was an orphan.

I am a helpless girl living in the castle with her classmates whom took pity on me. I have no title, no occupation, no power.

Could I truly ever be with Damien the way I yearned for? The constant conflict in my heart mentally exhausted me sometimes, holding the weight of my past and of the future. I wanted to be by his side without boundaries, not just publicly but in a boundless love. I could never have power without staking the claim of my heritage, but this idea was simply impossible.

In reality, if the Princess of Tarzla wanted to marry Damien, she would be able to. It would be a great unity for the kingdoms, Tarzla being one of the strongest kingdoms in the lands. Their silk and spices marked great trade with kingdoms; the lands were filled with sand and oasis's, with the night being cold and the day sunny and hot.

I couldn't help but think back to the strange man at the BlackBerry ball. He explained to me a band of Descuvi were living in Tarzla, and how they didn't even know it.

I never saw him in the caves, so he couldn't have been apart of the Bendlar clan. There was no way he wouldn't have visited me while kidnapped, and he knew information about Descuvi that the Bendlar clan did not.

Who was he?

"I'm ready to go." Determined, I grabbed one of Henry's bags and waited outside the door.

"I'm not letting you take that bag outside this room! That's Jouis Daton!" Henry shouted through the door.

"The Princess of Tarzla has invited you to tea." Landon bowed before me, a smirk evident on his face.

I clenched my fists in irritation, this Princess wasn't like the others. She was more determined to gain my affection, making moves on a chessboard- yet instead, on my side of the playing field. I understood my father was thinking about accepting this proposal, and the Princess was rushing this process.

My father was too weak to defeat Demotis, so he was leaving the job to me.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" I rolled my eyes at him, crossing my arms and propping my legs onto a workout bench. Landon and I were working out in the training room until we heard a knock.

"You know, at least the Princess has the courage to ask me out on a date. My friend, you haven't even made eye contact with Hazalen since she realized you still loved her. Give me a break," I wiped a towel over my face, sweat dripping down my back. My wife-beater shirt was wet, and I couldn't wait to bathe.

"Tell her I am busy with princely duties."

Landon scoffed,"She's right outside the door."

I placed my head in my hands in frustration. The Princess literally had me cornered, and I couldn't be disrespectful to another Kingdom's royal. I didn't want to entertain her pursuits, so I had to turn her down in person- hoping this would cause embarrassment for her.

I opened the workout room door, fresh air hitting my face. The Princess was turned around, as if she wasn't expecting my arrival. Her long, black hair reached to her waist, and I could tell her skin was very tanned from the harsh Tarzla sun.

She turned around, acting surprised by my arrival. Perhaps she actually was, because when she viewed my attire she looked as if she wanted to gasp. Her bright blue eyes contrasted her skin, and the cleavage from her dress was meant to draw attention. If I hadn't met Annalise, I would've wanted to take this Princess to bed.

But I simply didn't find her attractive.

She was pretty, but I wasn't attracted to getting to know her in the way she wanted to. I wasn't attracted to understanding her because I was in love with somebody else, and I felt bad she would never understand the reason for my obvious rejections.

She bowed in my presence,"How are you doing today, Daruis?"

I bowed back,"Just doing my daily princely duties. How are you?"

"I was wondering if you would like to have tea with me," she glanced back down at my shirt,"After you've washed up."

I hesitated, trying to come up with a "duty" I had after tea,"I have a dance class after I wash up, but perhaps we will see each other at dinner tonight? I want to thank you for your kind invitation."

"Dance class?" Her ears picked up, completely ignoring my rejection. I could almost see the clockwork in her brain, batting her eyes with a smirk forming on her face.

"I absolutely adore dancing. I would love to teach you a few Tarzlian dances," she gave no room for an answer, walking off with her hips swaying,"I will meet you in the dance room at three."

Making sure she was gone, I placed my head against the door, pounding it in a rhythm. I didn't want to dance with the Princess, I wanted to be with Annalise. After this, we were going to try to open the box we found in the cabin.

I wanted to see what had to be kept so hidden. My parents and the Descuvi royals locked it up, isolated in the woods, so obviously it was important. If there was anybody to unlock it, it would be Annalise and I.

My mind replayed to this morning, where I woke up with her in my arms. Our legs were tangled up in the sheets, and she held me closely in her deep sleep. I loved waking up first so I could view her face; her long eyelashes tilted up to the sky, her lips pout and slightly parted. After she left, I always found a few strands of her hair in my bed, but I didn't mind. It was a reminder of her place in my arms.

There was no way out of this one.