Blood Empire

Chapter 10

Elios leaves the room, he wanders aimlessly through the halls, trying to decompress and shake out the feelings that swell and gnaw at his stomach.

He loses himself in the twists and turns, he walks upstairs and down, the night is quiet and there is no one else around. Elios wakens from his daze walk and finds himself outside of the princess' door, he takes a moment to make sure no one can see him as he slips inside.

He was yearning, aching for her tender touch, for her gentle voice and her sparkling eyes.

"Karilya," he calls out to the dark room.

He doesn't see her right away and it sends a bolt of fear to his heart; he assumes the worst, assumes that she has escaped somehow and is now fleeing.

"Elios?" she steps out of the bathroom, wearing naught but a black, silk night dress.

The prince lets go of the breath he was holding as he watches the princess light the candles in her room.

"What are you doing here?" the princess asks, now turning back to him once more than moonlight fills the room.

"I..." he has no answer for her.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to keep anything from today," Elios says, changing the topic, "the fabrics would have made for some nice curtains for your new window."

"I did keep one thing," The princess says, with a soft smile as she touches the necklace she wears.

It is a simple, thin gold chain with a precious gem for it's pendant. The stone is tear shaped and looks like a drop of blood sitting perfectly in the hollow of Karilya's neck, Elios reaches out and picks up the stone, his heart racing as his fingertips brush against her skin.

"A ruby," Elios says, a smile playing in the corner of his mouth.

"It's the stone of the royal family, is it not?" Karilya asks, her wide eyes sparkle in the candle light as she looks up to him.

"It is," Elios says, he meets her gaze and his breath catches in his throat.

He lets go of the gem and his fingers now reach for her, he tucks her hair behind her ear and leans in.

Karilya's heart races, she was startled by the prince's appearance in her room, he is still dressed in the clothes he's been wearing since this morning, the makeup on his neck is now slightly smudged and he smells like horse.

He is close to her, Karilya thinks for a moment that he might kiss her.

"Can I sleep here?" he says, shattering the tension as he sighs and leans his head on her shoulder.

Karilya is confused, but she realises that the prince in this state will give her no answers, he is exhausted and can barely hold himself up, there is a daze in his eyes that has the princess concerned for his wellbeing.

The princess reaches up and runs her hand through the prince's soft hair, slightly disappointed in the shift of topic but also worried for the man who leans his forehead onto her.

"You are not getting into my bed without a shower first," Karilya says, she speaks softly and with a lightness to her voice that puts Elios' mind at ease, "use my shower, I'll have them bring you some clothes."

Karilya steps back and the prince holds himself as she takes the door before it can close, she pulls the service chord that travels off and rings a bell someplace distant. Elios doesn't linger, doesn't think to keep watch over the princess as she stands in the door way while he moves towards the bathroom.