The night came and so did the worries, the feeling of dread that passed through every fibre of my being. They wouldn't be leaving until nightfall tomorrow, but I couldn't keep myself from pacing tonight.

Edward had told me he'd come to see me in the day time. But I didn't want to wait for so long, I needed to see him before that before he left for God knows how long. So I left the comforts of my own home and walked in the streets of the kingdom, on the grounds I had walked just the night before with my love.

As always the roads were dark, dirt and dead grass was the main focal point in the walkway, it was mostly used to horses and footwork. The only lights came from the houses that were lit by candlelight, dim enough to only glow through the windows and cast a shadow onto the ground.

Edward had briefly shown me his home the night he and I went to the tavern, I had never seen the inside. It was just a quick passing on our way to the pub. Looking for it was easy, his house was the only one with red brick apposed to yellow on his block. The window was a tad higher, and the smoke from a lit fire on the inside was billowing out from the roof. He had furs over his windows to keep in the heat, or so that was what he had told me, but I'm sure it would turn away people from peeking in as well.

I walked the cobbled steps to his door, though he wasn't far off from the road, there were two steps to take before reaching the doorway. I kept the cloak tight around my shoulder, hoping nobody had seen me on my way, though not many people were in the streets at this time, I still didn't want to be bombarded with people bowing at my feet while I tried to spend a night with my lover in secret.

I knocked once and waited a moment before the door was pulled ajar, just enough for Edward to peek his eye out.

And he did before he opened it fully with a large smile on his face, "My lord. What brought you here at this hour?" He stepped aside, letting me walk in as he shut the door behind me.

His home was small and almost cozy. A bed sat to the right, while a potbelly stove sat to the left with the fire going on the inside. The home was warm, warm enough to let me rid the shivers of the night. "I know you had asked me to wait, but the thought of you leaving is keeping me awake. I could not close my eyes before seeing that you're ok." I sounded pathetic, like a child begging for their mother's breast. But judging by the look on his face, Edward had felt some of the same way.

He took a step closer to me, before taking me into his arms and holding me into his chest. I sighed deeply, before taking a deep breath of his scent. A smell I never wanted to be far from. "My love," He mumbled, taking his thumb under my chin and bringing it up so I could look up at him. I met my eyes with him as he sighed. "I understand you're scared, I am as well. But we will not let fear take our reigns, You will be strong. I will not be gone for longer than a fortnight."

"Aya, I know. And I want to. But the unknown, there is no telling what may happen."

"Nothing," Edward said before pressing his forehead to my own. "Nothing will happen." And with that, he brought his lips to mine, a kiss that I didn't know I needed. It was short and sweet. I ached for more, but I knew that if we got carried away, rumours would fly if anyone saw me leaving his home.

"Have you started your packing?" I asked when our lips were parted, I scanned the room and saw an open rucksack sitting on his bed, I walked over, looking into it. "What is this?" I asked pulling a scroll from the front pocket.

"It's nothing," Edward said, taking it from my hands and putting it behind his back. I frowned, stepping around him to take it back arching a brow to him.

"A secret love letter from your other lover?" I said with a smirk and watching as Edwards faced tinted in colour.

"That's ridiculous." He scoffed, watching me closely as I unrolled the scrolls.

There were two pieces of paper in the scroll, one a letter in women's writing. The other was familiar, and I felt a smile come to my face. "Edward, is this the missing piece that I wrote last summer?" I asked, feeling my heartbeat sped up as he looked flustered in front of me.

"It was the first piece you played for me, I thought you looked so beautiful that day. I wanted to capture that moment forever." He said, running his fingers to my temple and taking a lock of my hair between his fingers. "It was the day I realized that I was in love with you." He whispered, his eyes never leaving mine. I took a deep breath, my mouth left agape as I watched him. I wanted to cry, but as well I wanted to more, to hear more stories of when he found love. I wanted to share with him the moment I found love within him, the same day as I sat behind the piano with his eyes watching me.

There was so much to tell, and so little time.

"And the note?" I asked, my voice still low as I watched the reaction on his face going from sombre to sad as he pulled away.

"It was a letter that my mother had written to me before my birth." He sighed, and I looked down at the words written on the darkened paper.

'To my dear child,' It started, but before I could read more I found myself rolling it back up and handing it to Edward.

"It is not mine to read," I said, looking at him. He smiled at me, nodding as he tucked it back in his bag.

"Thank you,"

I walked behind him, leaning my head on his back as I sighed, he reached back taking my hand in his as he pulled it in front of him, placing it on his chest. A moment later he kissed my fingers before playing it back taking a deep breath.

"I will be home, and we will run away together. Just as we spoke about before."

I gulped, nodding my head as I pressed closer to him.

Running away wasn't something we had spoken about in months. But it was something that we had talked of at one time. The thrill of he and I leaving the kingdom and living somewhere far away together. Take a boat and start over. It was risky. I was the prince, and I wanted to be King.

But, I did not want to be a king without Edward.