The Crumbling Tower

This is Different than before

After stepping out of the cold bath and dressing into something more laid back and comfortable, like jeans and a simple T-shirt that only shows a little midriff, Princess Amber sat at her vanity and combs down her updo style from the earlier event of the ceremony. Trying to think of other things; anything to distract her from the new guard.
His eyes. His lips. His scent. The complexion of his skin. The way that he walks, all of this keeps flashing in her mind. She is drawn to him like a moth to a flame, but why? How? And why now? Isn't this how things have started with Stephon? The pull from him that called to her? No, it can't be. Amber shakes her head. It sort of feels the same, but also different somehow.
Her reaction to Stephon with they both locked eyes felt somewhat like this. How his scent and his smile and his mischievous eyes had pulled her in. But how she and Stephon ended, there was no way in Hades that their connection was spiritual and soul bound if he was able to have sex with her so-called best friend without remorse. A true soul bond prohibits that, and to further prove Amber's point, their connection was definitely one sided. Also, it could have been society's influence of the union that contributed to the farce of a deep connection between her and Stephon. Anytime that Amber and Stephon were seen together, they have been told that they were the perfect couple and the proper example of what other vampires should aspire to be. Amber now knows that it was only infatuation and superficial nonsense, and she scoffs at the thought.
However with Kyran Domenico, her new royal guard, there are no influences. The two were not introduced with the hopes of a betrothal. Society is not praising them to the heavens. He is assigned as her personal guard. And yet, she feels this pull to him. He's definitely better looking than her ex-fiancé, but no, that's definitely not it. What the hell is it? And if it's what she think it is, she needs to break it immediately.
Princess Amber sighs as she pulls her long, raven black hair in a low hanging ponytail and place her royal headdress upon her head. "I need some clarity," she mumbles to herself. She thinks hard about who she can talk to about this. Someone who is legitimately soul bound to their true mate. She thinks of her mother. The Queen and King are definitely true soul bound mates, but she does not want to put any ideas into her mother's head. So, that's definitely out. Princess Amber leans back in her vanity chair and stares at her reflection with a grimace.
Out of her remaining four friends, two of them have found their soul bound mates, but she doesn't want to ask them either. She wants the mature experience and knowledge of the one who has been with their mate for the longest. Then it clicks. Princess Amber knows exactly who to talk to about this. This woman has been around since before her parents were born and who has also helped to take care of her when her parents had to go off and leave the kingdom for matters of importance royal business. Her name is Romania, and Princess Amber knows exactly where to find her.

Quickly sliding on some tennis shoes, Princess Amber makes haste and leaves her bed chamber. She travels through the palace corridors and down a few floors till she made it to the main hall floor. The staff is busy cleaning, polishing and rearranging furniture as she walks by. Each staff member notices her and bows respectfully. Princess Amber acknowledges them with a kind smile and continues on her way, turning down a back hall corridor that happens to lead outside and into the palace garden.
The palace garden is a beautiful sight to behold with its many arrangement of all types of flowers, neatly trimmed hedges and bushes, and other plant life. It's like a maze of beautifully blended colors and scents, and at the center of that beauty, is a crystal clear pond filled with Koi fish. In the center of this pond is a marble stone fountain. Romania will be somewhere near the pond feeding the Koi more than likely, after all, this is her favorite place, and it's also Princess Amber's favorite place as well.
After walking through the garden path, Princess Amber finds Romania exactly where she believed she'd be; tending to a bed of Night Roses that is seated close to the pond. Romania hears the princess's footsteps and look up, smiling with her kind, ruby red eyes. "Well hello, my princess. What brings you out to the garden tonight?".
Princess Amber approaches her. "Well for one, I needed to step out of the palace for a minute. I miss the garden and haven't been out here in a while," this is true, but not the main reason, so, Amber gets straight to the point, "and two, I wanted to talk to you; to seek your counsel if you will". Romania smiles, "Anything for you, my dear. Come. Let's have a seat closer to the pond".
The two ladies take a seat on a stone bench that sits about three away from the mouth of the pond. The reflection of the half moon glistens beautifully against the water as the Koi swim around each other. "Now, what troubles you, my princess?" Romania inquires. Amber sighs, "A new royal guard captain was assigned to me earlier tonight. He was officially sworn in and knighted as my personal protector". Romania nods her head. "Is there a problem with the gentleman? Do you not approve?". Princess Amber shakes her head. "No, that's not it". Romania tilts her head slightly to the right. "Oh?".
Princess Amber looks up to the night starry sky. "There was moment after he was sworn in and our eyes meet. Something happened and I don't know what to make of it". Romania listens attentively as she gestures for Amber to continue. "When our eyes met, I immediately felt warm all over, like my body was on fire. His scent engulfed my senses. Not in a bad way, but more like a familiar pull, and his energy is strong and powerful like he is air and earth in one. I am drawn to him," Princess Amber lowers head and looks down at her hands. "And you don't want to be drawn to him," Romania concludes. Amber nods her head to confirm.
"I want to ask, and I apologize if this question offends you, but how did you know that you and your mate were truly spiritually soulmates?" Princess Amber inquires. She feels bad for asking because Romania's mate has long been gone. He was killed in battle many many years ago, and Amber did not want to cause her dearest Romania any pain. Romania smiles fondly as she raises her head to look to the nights sky.
"When I first met Allestar, it was love at first sight. I too, experienced the same thing. My body feeling warm all over, how powerful his scent was, how he invaded my every thought. We were drawn like magnets to one another," Romania looks over at Amber, "but how I really knew that he and I were meant for each other and our souls were truly bound, was on the night of our first kiss".
Princess Amber grimaces. "What happened?". Romania chuckles, "The second his lips touched mine, our bodies had begun to glow. And in that moment, I had a vision of us together. Us getting married, laughing with one another and spending a long, loving life together. When we pulled apart from the shared kiss, I could see in his eyes that he saw the same thing. He and I were married not even a whole month later and sealed our soul bond on our wedding day".
Princess Amber gnaws on her bottom lip. She remembers her first kiss with Stephon, but none of that happened. "That didn't happen with Stephon and I, so that basically confirms what I should've known. That he and I were never truly soulmates". Romania nods her head. "I told you he wasn't your true mate, and tried to convince your parents that as well. All of us experience those feelings when there is a strong, high connection to someone, but the true sign of your chosen mate will reflect off of your soul, your essence, your energy; hence the glow at the first kiss". Princess Amber slowly nods her head. Deep down she knew this, and that for the most part her betrothal was political more than anything.
"Do you think the new guard could be your true mate?" Romania asks. Princess Amber shrugs, "I don't know. He could be, but I don't want him to be. I can't let go of what happened six years ago. It was painful, so utterly painful, and I damn near lost myself after calling off the wedding and having those two traitors escorted and banished from ever stepping on the royal grounds. I don't believe it's worth the risk, Romania".
Romania understands and nods her head. She takes the princess's hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Believe me, I understand. I've been where you were, not wanting to take the risk, but let me tell you something, dear. There's another true sign that one is truly your mate. The more you fight it, the stronger the pull gets. If it is not truly meant to be then the pull will fade and it will feel like it was never there. But, if you fight it and the pull gets stronger to the point where your spirit aches, then there's no avoiding it and it is truly meant to be. I tried to fight it with Allestar. He was already certain that he and I were meant to be, I was the one in denial until the night of our first kiss".
Princess Amber let's out a sigh and gnaws on her bottom lip once more. "Don't dwell on it too much, princess. In due time you will know. So, until that time comes, don't stress yourself. Okay?" Romania smiles. A tiny chortle escapes Princess Amber as she gives a half smile, nodding her head. "Good. Now, we should head inside. It's almost feeding time, and you know how the king and queen are when it comes to punctuality," Romania stands. Amber rolls her eyes at that fact and stands as well.
The two ladies walk through the garden path and leads back to the palace. Once inside, Princess Amber thanks Romano's for her advice and wisdom and the two depart ways. Romania heads to the servant's quarters to make sure that all palace assignments have been completed while the princess is making way to her bed chamber to change for dinner. Princess Amber quickly turns the corner and bumps into a hard, muscular body. The person quickly grabs her by the shoulders to help steady her. "Forgive me, are you alright, you're highness?" A deep, timbre voice speaks out. "No need to apologize, I wasn't paying attention to where—" Princess Amber looks up to see who she had bumped into. Their eyes meet once again, and she is immediately sucked in by his presence.
His intimidating mustard gold eyes. His scent. His power. Princess Amber suddenly feels warm all over again and her head starts to spin. It's her new royal guard, Kyran Domenico, and with his large hands holding her steady, Princess Amber goes from feeling warm to like her body is on fire. "Princess, are you alright?"Kyran inquires. "Uh..." is all the princess can manage to say. Her body starts to sway and she feels herself falling to the right and her eyes rolling to the back of her head. "Princess!!" Kyran exclaims as gravity pulls her down. Oh, this is definitely different from before, she says to herself before completely succumbing to darkness and collapsing into her new royal guard's arms.