How to Guard a Castle

5. Castle Truths

The fact that Gabi was very much alone in the world became abundantly clear over the next few days. Kun's words to her lay heavily on her mind. He believed that she wasn't alone, but really, who was there that got what she was going through that she could truly rely on? Neymar was a good friend, and they had much in common, but Neymar did whatever he liked, whenever he liked, answered to nobody but the king, who never disciplined him anyway, and went through his life completely heedless of the consequences of his actions. As much as she didn't like it, Gabi knew she had a conscience, a much bigger one than her delinquent cousin, and she had responsibilities for the future hanging over her head.

Added to that, perhaps she was feeling the effects of coals of fire on her head. If she'd begun to realise how dumb she'd been, that was nobody's business but her own. However, Kun continued to treat her with complete respect, as he had always done, and it forced Gabi into the realisation of a few things:

The first was that, perhaps Kun being the only one of her bodyguards that took his duties seriously was a good thing. She'd hated him for so long for that exact reason, but he was right - she'd be dead several times over if it wasn't for him, and she'd have no one to blame for it but herself.

Secondly, and this was a grudging acknowledgement to herself, she was not as rational or logical as she'd believed herself to be. Maybe captivity, albeit in a gilded cage, was driving her crazy, but it had been pretty stupid to try and climb the castle wall. The pain in her ankle was a constant reminder of this.

"You know, your highness," said Kun, about a week later, "you're not the only one feeling lonely around here."

The two of them were in their usual places in the library. Gabi's injured ankle was resting on a footstool, and the floor around her chair was piled high with books, but at the current moment she was reading none of them. Kun had been watching her stare out the window at nothing for a few minutes before he finally spoke. He wasn't sure how she'd react to his statement, but the fact that she didn't immediately throw it back in his face was a good thing. She merely turned to look at him, and ran the fingers of her left hand through her silver strands of hair.

"What do you want to do?" She sighed. "I'd give my kingdom for a gaming console right now. I can't go anywhere, or do anything!"

"We don't have to go anywhere," said Kun. "But we can talk. I know you're close with Bernardo, and with the other servants who live in the palace. But you never let me have even a chance of conversation. Why is that?"

Gabi had not expected him to come right out with it, and she was startled, particularly as this exact question was what had been plaguing her thoughts for the past week.

"I don't know," she said at last, and looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

"Yes you do," he persisted.

They were both silent for a minute, until Gabi, who'd been at war with herself internally, finally spoke again.

"It's because you're always the one who stops me from doing what I want," she stated. "I know it's dumb."

"I'm glad you at least know that," said Kun, raising an eyebrow at her.

Gabi's cheeks went pink, and she laughed a little.

"Fine," she said. "Talk to me. Why are you so uptight? What makes you tick?"

Kun laughed as well, but he shook his head.

"Immediately you want to know all the deep questions about me? Let's just say I understand, perhaps better than you do, why it's imperative that nothing happens to you."