Heir of Kyree {under editing}

8 | to his demise

After a nerve-wracking lunch with the Prince, Adora found peace in the palace gardens. With the Prince's silk robe still wrapped around her frail body, Adora gently walked through the jungle of snow, dead leaves, and dry wood. The main gardens were situated in a secluded area, just beyond the Prince's quarters. If it hadn't been for the Prince, Adora doubted that she would ever discover them.

Hidden behind a wall of vines, dormant for the winter, laid a vast outstretch of land. Neatly cut hedges lined the trail that led to a fountain that quietly bubbled underneath a thin sheet of ice. Tilting her head to the side, Adora placed a hand on the gate closing off the gardens. It gave out a soft hiss as she opened it and she kicked away the snow in her path. Her shoes crunched loudly in the snow as she slowly sauntered down the path, aiming for the fountain.

As she trudged through the snow, her mind wandered to the lunch she'd had with the Prince. Like the rest of her encounters with him, he'd offered her his utmost kindness. For food, he'd supplied a large variety of meat and starches, even offering a piping hot soup whose smell had made Adora's mouth water. Yet, when she looked into his eyes, she couldn't help but be reminded of the deal he'd forced her into. Like a dark rain cloud, the approaching wedding loomed over her.

In just two days, her fate would be sealed.

Adora would be bound to the Prince, till the end of time.

Letting out a harsh sigh, Adora scanned the land before her. Although most of the garden was covered in snow, small bursts of color could be seen. A small purple splatter caught Adora's attention leading her to venture off the trail and into the snow. Hunkering down to get a better view, Adora was delighted to discover a small purple and white flower. Just barely peeking above the mountain of snow, it tilted towards the winter sun.

Finger brushing against its frigid petals, Adora felt something sink into her chest. Just like her, the flower was struggling to breathe. Trapped beneath a heavyweight, it fought dearly to see the sunlight. The way the stem curled into itself, almost as if it was trying to keep itself warm, made Adora's heart pound in her chest. Images of the night of her imprisonment flashed in her mind. The cold touch of the chains on her wrists, the General's iron grip around her neck, and the Prince's golden eyes flashing in the darkness all came rushing back. Shaking her head, Adora rid herself of those thoughts.

Instead, she tried to look on the bright side. Despite the burdening obstacles the snow created, the flower persisted. It still pushed forward, determined to reach its goal.

Suddenly, Adora felt a smile tug at her face. Moments later, a small laugh escaped from her lips. By surprising herself, the Princess nearly fell over and into the snow. It was silly to compare herself to a flower. Yet, somehow it brought her some relief.

The Zylan Court and its detached view of Adora was just another obstacle for her to conquer.

Standing up, Adora brushed the snowflakes that had started to cake the Prince's robe. Her knees and elbows were slighting pink from the cold air. Suppressing a shiver, Adora continued her journey across the gardens. Left and right, Adora started to notice the variety of plants burst through the thick cover of snow. While many of the flowers were white, a few stood out due to their vibrant color. Without even thinking, Adora started to collect them. Snapping them at the base of their stems, she slowly slipped them into her arms.

To protect herself from their thorns, Adora wrapped them in the sleeve of her robe. And by the time she'd reached the end of the path, Adora could barely hold them all. Pink, purple, yellow, and white all blended in perfect harmony.

But just as she was about to turn back and head back to the Prince's quarters, something caught her eye. In the distance, carefully hidden by the edge of the gate was a small red flower. Curious, Adora approached it and took in its dark leaves and prickly thorns. It resembled a tiger lily only the edges of the flower were dark purple. Frowning, Adora felt something twist in her stomach. She'd come across this flower in the past but its identity was revealed when she reached for it.