Amelie (ON HOLD)

XX

  I couldn't sleep after that. No way in hell did my eyes want to close again. Instead, I stayed up by the window, racking through my thoughts to see what made sense but nothing did.

   "You look like hell." Enrica suddenly proclaimed as we promenaded through the courtyard. I was sure I did look like hell. Even now I was peering over my shoulder in fear I'd feel that same presence again.

   "I'm just tired." I brushed it off. "That's all." Which was partially true.

   "Tell me about it, Camden stalked me all over the castle last night. I could barley sleep knowing he was outside my door the whole time." She huffed, rolling her eyes.

  I turned to look at her, "Did they increase his security on you?"

   "My father did. For whatever reason that is." She huffed again as we turned a corner into the main gardens.

   "Does your father do that often? Make decisions for you without you knowing or without an explanation?" she stayed silent and that was all the answer I needed.

  The gardens scaled vast and was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. I could only imagine its beauty in the spring and summer, yet in these near coming winter months, a mystic sheath was put over that made it like something out of a dark fairy tale. I didn't mind it though.

   "Enzo is the favourite." Enrica then went on to say. "Heir to the throne. Perfect in every way." A frown took over her face as she said it. "My father confides in him all the time, talking about 'important business', having private lunches, meeting all his friends. My mother on the other hand refuses to see any flaw in him. My father still views me as this delicate, little thing that needs everything to be done for her, my mother on the other hand sees everything wrong with me. Even Benvolio is shipped off to a private boarding school in the mountains."

  It sounded horrible but I could relate in every way. My parents were hostile, sometimes I wondered why they even had a child to begin with.

  Noises of footsteps and grunting caught my attention with the slick sheens of metal colliding. As we turned another corner, I noticed a large square of stone, trees partially blocking it from blatant view, and a shelter residing behind it. I was just able to make out the two figures on the stone and to my surprise, there was Vincenzo and Aziel.

  Both wore nothing but trousers, swords in hand, defined bodies gleaming in sweat. It was strange because from afar it seemed like they were two young boys carelessly fighting as entertainment. As if they had no responsibilities in the world. In reality it was a prince and his most trusted advisor, but in my heart, I knew it was two best friends.

  I watched as the shimmers of their swords caught in the light before crashing down to attack. My eyes scanned on every movement they made and it came to my attention that they both had their own strengths to play to. Aziel was quick, so fast I was barely able to see him but Vincenzo was aware, with every fast movement Aziel made, his eyes seemed to follow and not miss a beat to defend himself each time Aziel struck.

  Then, before I knew it, Vincenzo struck back with a silent swipe of his sword and caught Aziel in a one-on-one hold with their weapons crossed in the air. I watched them struggling for seconds before Vincenzo did a smart, sly move, suddenly knocking Aziel and his sword to the ground in a matter of moments.

   "I heard servants gossiping in the kitchen's this morning." Enrica whispered in my ear as we watched Vincenzo chuckle and reach down to give Aziel a hand up.

   "About what?" I furrowed my brows in confusion and briefly turned to look at her before glancing back at Vincenzo and Aziel.

  It suddenly dawned on me that I had never seen Vincenzo this... naked. With only a pair of trousers on, my eyes were exposed to his bare upper torso and – Jesus – it was like something out of a Calvin Klein magazine.