When I woke up the next night, I was alone except for Prince in bed beside me. At some point, Kol must've woken up and left me then Prince probably came out of hiding to join me. I pet him lovingly for a bit once I woke up.

I was still sore from the night before. When I moved the covers aside, a small amount of blood stained the sheet, speaking of my maidenhood being taken. As I moved, I still felt as though I could feel him inside me and it made me blush to think of.

I walked into the bathroom to find Vienna and Shan waiting to begin bathing me and after this, take me to the changing room to dress for the day... or rather night. When I headed to breakfast with Prince beside me, Gio was waiting outside my room to follow me as well. No one acted any different towards me and I didn't feel any different, except that every time my mind thought to the time I spent with Kol, a deep blush would flood my skin all over. And this was often.

I kept slapping my cheeks lightly to get a hold of myself. After breakfast, I asked the maids to find me fabric and thread so that I could practice my needlework as I used to back home. I'd decided to make Gio something as a gift for helping me. It wouldn't be much, but I thought a handkerchief with a picture of Prince on it would be just right to both punish and thank him equally. I laughed while beginning the task, glancing at Gio's form before adjusting my seating arrangement so he couldn't see what I was doing.

Kol didn't appear at dinner that night like I'd expected and unlike Niko, he didn't send any notice of why. The next couple of days were like this, until I felt myself beginning to feel ill. The exhaustion was taking hold and at the end of one night, I went to bed to find nightburn on my arm just under my wrist. I stared at it for a moment with a frown, looking around at the empty room besides Prince.

I looked at Prince and moved my arm to show him. "It's nightburn," I told him quietly, "If I don't get sunlight today, I might end up in a bad spot." Prince growled, biting onto my gown and attempted to get me to stand up. I understood why. The sun would be up quite soon, so now would be a good time to go. But...

"I haven't seen the Prince in many days." I told Prince, making him pause. "Does he not care if I die from nightburn? I thought... I thought he liked me better than before, but sometimes it feels like he likes me less now." Prince abruptly turned and disappeared into the shadows. Oh, had I made him lose interest in me, too? I was too tired to be upset. I lied on the bed with a frown.

An abrupt knock rapped on the door. There was only one person brave enough to touch Kol's bedroom door. And I didn't feel like seeing him at the moment.

"Lady Rin," Gio's voice called out, "Your beast is out here bothering me. He appears to want me to go to you. Can I come in?" I sighed.

"I'm fine. Ignore Prince," I said quietly. If I let the nightburn begin to take me, would Kol come then? Or would he remain away even after I've been taken completely? Did he really not like me after all? I felt like I was going crazy.

"Lady Rin, please come out," Gio insisted, before pausing, "If you don't, I will be forced to break in. Do you want me to be executed?" I sat up swiftly at his words. Then I sighed and made my way across the room to open the door with my arm held behind my back.

"Why is your beast so concerned for you?" Gio asked me, his eyes raking my body for signs of injuries. Prince had disappeared and reappeared behind me. He leapt up, his paw brushing the burn on my arm. The flame of fire had the worse effect. I cried out at the pain, ripping my arm away from Prince as the flames of the cool fire licked at my arm angrily.

Before I could even try to hide it, Gio had my wrist trapped in his grip.

"What's this black mark?" He asked me dangerously, "And why does it hurt when it's touched?"

"I-it's...," I hesitated, but then balled my captured hand into a fist and looked away, "It's nightburn. If I don't get sunlight for too long, I start to burn; like how you burn from the sun. Prince Nikolas usually comes to see me, to take me to the special room where I can be in sunlight, but he hasn't come this time."

I looked to Gio now. "Why hasn't he come?" I asked, heartbroken.

Gio suddenly looked vastly uncomfortable. He lifted a hand over his chin, rubbing it as though to comfort himself, and then answered with hesitation, "Well, Prince Nikolas is quite busy. I'm sure he's just been caught up in work..." It didn't sound very convincing.

"Anyway," Gio added, "I can take you to the room, so don't just depend on the Prince any longer, understood? When you need to go, I'll be here always to help you." I looked at him in surprise. Sure, he wasn't Kol or Niko, but I felt Gio was the only friend I had here at the Daemon castle. I smiled at him happily.

"Okay," I agreed. Gio led me through the hall towards the room Kol had first taken me. I had thought it was a secret, but if even Gio knew of the place, something told me a lot of people probably knew about the place. It was more likely that because there were no more seraphim, they just stopped using the room, so no one ever showed up there.

Once in the dome room alone, Gio closed the door and opened the latch to the sunlight. When the light fell on me, I fell into a peaceful dream under it.

I dreamed of the day Sylvia Adara had given birth to my three best friends. I had been thirteen years old and lived a quiet life of studies with my father's attention. I'd heard many of the maids discussing their concerns that I would be unhappy to have the attention stolen from a new baby. But I was ecstatic since the beginning. There would be a child soon and I knew that child would be the greatest of friends, or rather my only friend.

However, Sylvia had three children. Their voices carried in the halls as a song of triplets crying out. Rory had been the first one I was allowed to carry in my arms. His wispy baby hair and large baby blue eyes were amazing to me. I was hypnotized and he was quiet in my arms. I carried Liza then Lupa next. And since then, I spent most of my time with at least one of them in my arms at any point. I snuck into their nursery at night and slept on the floor besides their cribs. I was truly and wholly in love.

I woke to the brush of fingers on my arm where the night burn had been. My mind immediately thought it was Kol who woke me, and I reached out silently to wrap my arms around his neck to have him help me to my feet. He stiffened, but then stood to help me only to stiffen further when my body was aligned snuggly against his.

He felt different from Kol, though, so I came to realize it must be Gio. I released him easily.

"Thank you, Sir Gio," I said with a yawn, wiping at my eyes sleepily, "I was dreaming about my sisters and brother. I miss them." I sighed unhappily and then looked up at Gio, who was still standing rather close to me.

"If I could reunite them with you, I would, My Lady," Gio said somberly. I smiled at his words brightly and he looked stunned for a moment.

"Thank you, Gio," I said sweetly, "But I definitely wouldn't want them to be here. Come, let's go spend a day doing boring stuff like usual!" I began to dance my way towards the bedroom. Only, when I arrived, Vienna and Shan looked overly excited.

"My Lady, we've received your gift for the Prince," Vienna said to me and I quickly pushed them both into the changing room without regards to the bath, leaving Gio alone in the hall. Vienna quickly moved towards the vanity table and pulled a small royal blue box from it. She held it out to me delicately.

I opened the box and lifted one of the cufflinks from it to inspect. It was made of gold, squared with a sapphire in the center surrounded by diamonds. I wanted Niko and Kol to think of me every time they looked at it; the sapphire like my human eyes and the gold like my seraphim eyes. The diamonds just finished in making it look suitable for a Prince. I was extremely happy.

I finished bathing, preparing for the day, and wondered when and how I would be able to give the gift to Kol. I specifically wanted to give it to Kol because he had been the one who gave me his blood after the assassination attempt. I knew I might have to wait until Niko was finished being in control, being that it had been quite some time.

As for Gio, I finished the handkerchief not long after receiving Prince Nikolas' gift. I wasn't the best at needlework, but it was still recognizable as Prince on the handkerchief so I felt quite proud of myself. It was close to lunch, so I thought I might just go to lunch before giving Gio his gift.

I was in the hall headed towards lunch when I just couldn't wait anymore. I turned abruptly before Gio and he paused just as quickly, tilting his head.

"I have something for you. As thanks for saving me from the assassination attempt," I said to Gio, feeling suddenly shy. I reached for the handkerchief from my dress, folding it so Prince could be seen in all his glory. Then I held it out for Gio. "I was making this with you in mind."

Gio was frozen and didn't make to grab it.

"Ah, was I not supposed to do this," I asked uncertainly, lifting a hand to my lips nervously.

"It's fine," Gio suddenly said quickly, "No one has... made me a gift before. It's not daemon-like." I kept forgetting this was a world of monsters where small displays as gift giving were taken as a meaning for wanting something.

"I don't want anything for it," I said to him softly, before holding it out again. "I just wanted to give you something to remember me by, should there come a day when I'm not here any longer." Gio paused again, but this time he took the handkerchief in his hand to look at it.

"Ugh, it's Prince," Gio said with a sigh. I laughed, delighted by his reaction.

"It's both a punishment and a gift, see?" I pointed at Prince once more. Prince was probably the bane of Gio's existence in protecting me. The amount of times Gio prepared for Prince to attack me was too many for me to count. It probably was his number one stress.

"I see," Gio murmured before holding his hand out for mine. I laughed again, but then placed my hand in his gently. He lifted the back of my hand to his lips just briefly and said, "Thank you for the gift and punishment, My Lady."

"You're welcome, Sir Gio," I blushed at the contact despite the fact that I should be used to it by now. He released my hand and before I could say something further, Mr. Virgil suddenly appeared before us. Prince immediately growled at him and I said in a hushed voice, "Quiet, Prince."

Mr. Virgil cleared his throat. "Prince Nikolas would like to see Lady Corrine Adara and Sir Giovanni Aleron in the throne room. He's demanded the shadow daemon remain in the bedroom," Mr. Virgil stated briefly before taking his leave. I was immediately confused, mostly about why he asked for both Gio and I, and also demanded Prince stay in the bedroom. Then I was excited because I suddenly had a perfect opportunity to give him his present.

"Gio, let's go back to the room first so I can get Prince Nikolas' present," I said before beginning to head towards the room. When Gio didn't move for a moment, I paused. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. I was just thinking the summon was peculiar," Gio responded before looking at me. "But if Lady Rin is there, it should be fine." I laughed at his words, and then began to race back to the room. I made Prince stay and grabbed the gift.

I had no idea where the throne room was, so I had to follow Gio wherever he led me. As we entered the throne room, I recognized it as being the room I'd gone to meet King Cyril the first time. Kol was sitting on the throne, his foot propped over the arm of the chair as he watched us enter. It felt... intimidating. On instinct, I held the box containing his gift behind my back as though afraid of showing it to him.

Gio bowed when we arrived, but I kept my eyes on Kol determinedly. My heart raced just from seeing him, but he seemed unbothered. Was something wrong... I couldn't tell.

"Are you not going to bow to a Prince, Lady Corrine?" Kol asked cruelly. Gio hadn't been allowed to look up yet, but I saw him tense beside me in surprise. I was looking at Kol further, trying to discern why he was upset, but decided he must just be in a mood. I bowed forward respectfully and held there.

"Giovanni, rise up," Kol said, ignoring me entirely. I gritted my teeth together, trying not to let myself get ahead of anything. I didn't know anything yet. "I have some questions to ask of you, Giovanni. Such as: Do you want to fuck my intended?"

A blush of embarrassment flooded over me at his question, but I still hadn't been allowed to rise.

"I do not, Prince Nikolas," Gio responded calmly.

"You seemed to like kissing her hand. Are you sure?" Kol asked, anger seething into his words. I finally knew why he was angry. He must've been nearby in the hallway and heard or saw me giving Gio his gift. I just had to convince him it wasn't what he thought. I tightened my grip on his gift.

"I'm sure, Prince Nikolas," Gio responded simply.

"Lady Corrine, you can rise," Kol said coolly.

I did as he said and immediately said, "Ko-Nikolas, you're just misund-"

"You can call me Prince Nikolas or Your Highness, Lady Corrine, take your pick," Kol said dangerously. His words hurt almost immediately. I looked away from him, not willing to show the pain in my face.

"I'd rather call you nothing at all," I said quietly.

"Is it true you gave your guard a handkerchief?" Kol asked me angrily, already knowing the answer. I didn't look at him, not willing to see the look on his face as he asked me such accusatory questions. I took a deep breath.

"I did," I answered shortly.

"Why?" Kol seethed dangerously.

"It was a thank you gift. Sir Gio... he's my friend," I tried to explain softly, but suddenly Kol was there with my face in his grip to force me to look at him.

"A friend? Gio? You have gotten close, have you?" Kol asked one after another before turning my face to look at Gio who stood expressionless and unresponsive. "That man right there, you think he's your friend?" Tears were beginning to build in my eyes. I'd never been treated so cruelly back home. I nodded in his grip. Gio was my friend.

"Okay," Kol decidedly released me before stepping back towards the throne. He sat down and looked at the both of us quietly for a moment. I lifted my hand to my lips, my nervousness showing itself once again. Why did he only stare at us?

After a bit of time, Kol finally sat up.

"Sir Giovanni, stand up here front and center," Kol commanded firmly. Gio didn't even hesitate. He stepped forward until he was before Kol and then stood waiting for whatever punishment he would be given. I didn't want to see any punishment, but I could only remain quiet. "Pull out your shadow blade."

Gio hesitated, but only for a moment. In a breath of a second, Gio lifted his hand and a massive blade shrouded in shadows appeared in his grip. I'd only seen it once before when he was saving me from the assassination attempt. It was amazing to see under better lighting. It looked too heavy to hold, but Gio kept a grip on it easily.

"Kill Lady Corrine," Kol commanded of Gio. I went cold at his command.

"Your Majesty?" Gio asked as though he hadn't heard correctly.

"Use your blade and strike down Lady Corrine. Now," Kol demanded furiously. My heart had stopped and I felt as though my spirit had left me. I was frozen where I stood, not based on the faith that Gio wouldn't kill me, no. I just knew I couldn't get away if I tried and I was suddenly terrified.

"Your Majesty, she's your intended. You asked me to protect her-" Gio began, but Kol interrupted.

"Either kill my intended as I've commanded or die of treason," Kol snarled seethingly.

My voice was lost. I couldn't even plead for my life. Gio clenched his hand tighter on his blade and made a noise of frustration.

"As you wish, Prince Nikolas," Gio growled angrily, turning to face me. He looked into my face and then looked away when seeing my expression of pure terror. My grip was tight on Kol's gift as Gio shifted how he held his blade. And then I dropped it when Gio abruptly began to run towards me.

I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I did see the faces of my family smiling at me. I wanted to close my eyes, but I only watched as Gio advanced forward. He lifted his blade upwards, and then swung it down to strike me on the center of my head.

"STOP," A voice cried out from behind Gio. In just a millisecond, Gio stopped his blade just an inch from my face, the force behind it whipping my hair and clothes wildly around me. My tear filled eyes were glowing golden from terror. Gio dissipated the blade from before me and I lost use of my legs, falling to my knees while struggling to breathe.

Niko was suddenly there, pulling me to him in a protective hug. Once I realized it had been Niko to stop Gio, not Kol and not Gio himself, I began to sob. I sobbed so loudly that it tore painfully throughout me. And when I thought I couldn't sob louder, I did.

"H-he was... y-you were g-going to," I sobbed more in Niko's arms.

"I knew I'd change my mind," Niko said to me, trying to hide his meaning despite his panic, "It's not an excuse, but I knew I'd stop it. Even if I didn't change my mind, I would've stopped it. I swear it, Rin. I swear." I continued to sob. Even if Niko was right, I knew the real reason Kol had done that. He wanted to show Gio wasn't my friend; that he was a command away from killing me. I had no one. No one.

Niko lifted me from the ground and carried me to the throne before sitting down and holding me close in his arms. My sobs quieted into morose and pitiful cries as I clung to Niko's form for comfort like I were just a child. And then my cries silenced into small sniffles occasionally.

I heard movement and peeked over Niko's arm to see Sir Gio reaching for the blue box I'd dropped on the ground. He approached Niko carefully and I looked up to see a look of fury on Niko's face. It was a look I'd never witnessed myself on Niko. Kol, perhaps, but not Niko.

"The Lady dropped this," Sir Gio stated before holding it up close enough for Niko to take from him. For a moment, Niko only glared at him, but then he reached for the box sharply before looking at it with a hint of curiosity. Then he lowered it without further interest before glaring at Sir Gio further.

"Sir Giovanni, I want you to make a new vow to me," Niko demanded sharply.

"As you wish," Sir Gio stated stiffly.

"Vow to me that you will never raise blade or hand or anything else in ill intent to harm my intended, even should I order it in the future," Niko commanded, his anger still loud in his words, but I understood why he couldn't do anything to Sir Gio. He had ordered him to kill me. Even if it was Kol, both Kol and Niko was the same person to Gio.

"I vow to never harm Lady Corrine, even if you order me to," Gio pledged on his knee sincerely. It didn't make me any less afraid of him. He'd already shown that he followed Prince Nikolas' orders. We were never friends. That was clear the moment he'd turned to strike me down with his shadow blade.

"Leave," Niko ordered firmly. Gio hesitated.