All I Need ✔️

Chapter 40

Third Person POV

Where could that woman have run off to? The prince wondered. His conversation with the general ended up taking more time than he had thought, and when he looked up, she was gone.

Safania should have been part of that conversation, he thought. Her advice was the reason the general needed to talk to him in the first place. They had taken over another border town near the fort, this one slightly bigger, and again, over 500 men had volunteered to sign up to fight in the Perian military. Unlike the first village, a few loyalists refused to swear the oath and were swiftly executed, and a couple nobles were dispatched as well, but the number of deaths was still extraordinarily low. The general was so excited to give Cassius the update and select the next village to flip. Cassius was pleased that not only were the new soldiers excited to fight for Peria, but that the already enlisted soldiers had a newfound loyalty from being part of missions they agreed with.

But now he needed to find Safania to tell her the good news.

"Have you seen my date?" he asked one of women who came with Orphasius.

She rolled her eyes. "She ran out of here. And you better keep your eye on that whore. She's trouble."

Prince Cassius curled his hands into fists and stared at the woman dangerously. Immediately she realized she had overstepped.

"Sorry your highness," she said, bowing her head.

The prince decided it wasn't worth dealing with her. He needed to find Safania.

The prince left the ballroom. After asking the people mingling in the hallway, he walked down the hallway in the direction they had pointed him. Cassius walked past room after room, not seeing anyone. He heard noises coming from one of the maids' rooms . . . evidently one of the guests had decided to engage in some recreational activities with the castle staff.

Eventually, he stumbled upon an open room - the music room. That was when he saw Safania, sitting alone, in the dark, the moonlight shining on her beautiful, forlorn face.

"Safania?" he called.

"Cassius," she said, standing in response. "I'm sorry, I just . . . it was overwhelming. I just needed some air. I'm sorry," she stammered.

"Hey, look at me. It's okay. I understand, believe me," he said, grabbing her hand. "I've never been that fond of all the elaborate balls with hundreds of people."

She looked up at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers. She was so strong. He knew she was not going to cry in front of him, but he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"Whatever they said, pay them no mind," he told her. "They are small-minded people whose only pleasure in life is making others feel small. It's the only power they'll ever have. And they only have it if you let them."

Safania didn't respond and instead looked at the piano. "Do you play?" she asked him, changing the subject. Cassius took a seat at the piano bench. He thought for a moment, then began playing an old melody that he thought was from Eir. He knew he had guessed correctly when she smiled faintly. She stood behind him, just watching him play. But then she started singing.

The last chord and Safania's voice seemed to reverberate in the dark room. They both sat there in silence, letting the haunting melody wash over them.

"I didn't know you sang," the prince said finally.

"I didn't know you played," Safania responded.

"Is that song in Eirlin? I didn't recognize the words," Cassius said.

"It's old Eirlin. It's a bit difficult to translate, but it basically says with light comes darkness, with good comes evil...you can't have one without the other," Safania said while walking towards a large window. Even though she was responding, her gaze appeared to be miles away. Cassius walked to stand next to her.

"It's snowing," Cassius told her. "Barely, but it is."

Safania looked out at the small flakes slowly and gently falling to the ground. "It's incredible," she said while smiling a sad, wistful smile. The two stood, watching in silence as the snow fell.

"Safania, are you happy here?" the prince asked.

Safania turned to look at him. "I don't know. I just feel so out of place."

"Do you feel out of place when you're with me?"

"No," Safania replied quietly.

"Well that's all that matters," Cassius said taking a step towards her.

"No, it's not," she responded.

"What?" Cassius asked.

"It's not all that matters. You know that. We both do," she replied, lowering her head.

Cassius stepped even closer. "Safania, look at me. I figured out how we can be together. I will go to my father and tell him that I plan on marrying you. I'll do everything he wants - attend meetings, lead the military in the upcoming war, have children - but only on the condition that I get to marry you."

"He won't agree," Safania said shaking her head.

"He will," Cassius said firmly. "He knows that Orphasius is incompetent and Alterius is cruel. He knows that I'm the best option. And once I tell him the strategy for flipping border towns was yours, he'll know like I know, that you would be an amazing queen. Marrying some noble woman might get me a few thousand extra men as a result of the marriage. You've been here for only two months and you have already persuaded over a thousand to join us through pure strategy. Imagine what you could do in a year."

"And what if he says no?" Safania asked.

"He won't."

"But if he does..."

"He won't," Cassius repeated firmly.

Safania sighed and looked out the window again.

"Will you tell me now?" Cassius asked.

"Tell you what?"

"Since I figured out a way to make it work, will you admit you have feelings for me?"

Safania looked at him, her emerald eyes searching his ice blue ones. "I don't," she finally answered quietly.

"You really are a terrible liar," he replied.

Before she could say anything else, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him, molding his body to hers. At the same time, he pressed his mouth firmly against her delicate lips. He felt Safania's body tense, then relax as she gave into his kiss. He had waited so long to do this, but feeling her lips pressed against his, finally being able to taste what he had been craving for months, made it all worth it. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.

Cassius deepened the kiss, moving his hands to her upper back, crashing his lips against hers. His tongue pushed inside of her mouth, tasting her hungrily. He moved his mouth to her neck, grazing his teeth gently against her smooth skin. When he reached the most sensitive spot, he sucked the skin hard, eliciting a sharp gasp and then a moan from her. Her hands gripped tightly at his jacket, pulling him even closer to her. Cassius could feel his arousal straining against the fabric of his pants. God, he wanted her so badly right now. He was so tempted to take her right here, right now, not caring which stray guests may wander in and see them.

But he had to stop. For Safania's sake. She was a virgin, so he needed to stay in control and move slowly. He reluctantly broke the kiss, pulled back, and looked at her, still bathed in the glow of the moon.

"Safania, everything else could fall into place so easily," he told her, still holding her close to him, unwilling to let go. "You're smart, you're resilient, you're someone people would follow. You would be an incredible queen. And more importantly I want you. More than anything I've ever wanted. Safania, I'm in love with you."