Calina
༛༛ ༛ ༛༺♔༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

My mood turned dark the moment the irresistible Elysanos king left the dojo without even sparing me a glance. The brief flutter of excitement I felt vanished, leaving behind a bitter realization in its wake. It was incredibly foolish to think I could impress him.

I needed to be realistic. He was probably only interested in demure, proper princesses. Not someone that felt like a poser in their own life.

Maybe, or I just wished, but maybe there had been an underlying attraction involved? I really did not even know what I knew when Knox was around. My brain got all scrambled.

His presence was unnerving, to say the least. I wasn't even sure how to describe it. It was as if a magnetic, pulsating energy emanated from him, commanding the very room he occupied. It made him seem larger than life.Letting out a sigh, I finished up my stretching routine on the dojo floor. The guards and trainees, purposefully avoiding eye contact with me, began pairing off for sparring practice.

An hour of sparring had passed, and my thoughts kept circling back to Knox. You'd think blocking punches and taking kicks to the body would require a lot of focus, but it didn't. I blamed the guards in training. If they had actually exerted themselves, perhaps I wouldn't have been daydreaming about the alluring distraction that was Knox.

I imagined he'd be the unraveling kind of fun that involved passion and heat, teasing and tongues. Touching my bottom lip with my fingertips, my smirk widened at the vivid fantasies that played out in my head. Only when I refocused did I realize that I had unintentionally fixated on someone standing a few feet away.

Ugh. Henry.

He beamed at me, dimples and all. My smile dropped like a weight, replaced by a sudden urge to escape. Without a second thought, I spun around, snatching my boots off the ground before making my exit.

Couldn't believe that idiot thought I was smiling at him. I paused just at the base of the stairs to slip my shoes on.

"Princess?"

Shit.

I sighed inwardly. Turning to face Henry, I kept my tone light while I focused on lacing my shoes.

"Do you need something, Henry?"

He shifted his weight between his feet, appearing somewhat hesitant. I crossed my arms, fixing him with a hard stare.
"I wanted to apologize," he began, his voice wavering slightly. "For how we first met. It didn't go as planned. I panicked, and... well... I wanted to apologize."

My eyebrows pinched together, urging him to continue. I already knew why, but I wanted him to say it.
I blinked a few times, turned to leave, but decided to speak my mind.

"Say what you did that was wrong, exactly. Own up to it."

"I'm sorry for kidnapping you and drugging you. Please, will you forgive me?" His words hung in the air, lingering between us. As I looked at him, I saw genuine sorrow etched on his face.

But well, I am me.
"No."

His shoulders slumped, weariness weighing him down. A small spark of satisfaction flickered within me. It was that moment, the sight of his dispirited figure, that compelled me to extend an olive branch, if only reluctantly.

A twinge of sympathy flickered through my chest for him. Taking a deep breath, I replied, my voice softer than before, "Fine. Apology accepted, Henry."

His copper eyes lit up, hope shining through his remorse. "And you'll hate me a little less?"

I let out a sigh, knowing that holding on to my resentment would only make our forced companionship more unbearable. "Sure, why not? We're going to be spending a lot of time together, so I might as well give friendship a try."

Henry's eyes roamed over my face like he was memorizing me. Finally, he locked his copper gaze on mine. He stepped closer, and the tips of our shoes touched.

"What are you doing, Henry?"

He briefly flickered his gaze down to my lips, a subtle movement that didn't escape my notice, as he leaned closer.

I jerked my head back.

What the actual fuck?

"We're not having some heartfelt connection. Drop the lovey-dovey eyes and don't ever try to kiss me again." I clenched my teeth together so tightly I wondered if he could hear them grinding. With my back rigid, I stepped back, putting my hand on his chest to hopefully ease the raw pain that flashed in his eyes at my rejection.

Annoyance prickled at my rib cage when I felt his heartbeat pick up into a frenzied pace.

"Henry, I can only offer you a friendship. I'm simply not interested in you on a romantic level. At all." With a tight smile, I patted his chest.

He covered my hand with his long fingers curling around mine. "Noted, Princess. Can I at least walk you to your room?"

I clenched my teeth together, the word 'no' like a heavy weight on my tongue.

"Sure," I muttered instead, pulling my hand out from under his.

"So what was your childhood like? Did you move around a lot?" His mood was chipper. My nails dug into my palms, agitated at how easily he had changed the subject.

Couldn't he fester in the rejection a little longer? How was he not picking up on my annoyed mood?
We went up the marble steps of the basement side by side and walked through the halls of the main castle before I answered.

"I have a better question. Why are you hell-bent on marrying me?"

Henry exhaled a weighted sigh and wrapped his fingers around my wrist, pulling me to a stop in the hallway. "Callie."

Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I twisted out of his grip. I knew deep down that I needed to try harder to be his friend.

Henry's lips parted in hesitation, and it was evident that he was struggling to find the right words. "You might find this strange, but I made a promise to my mom that I would find you."

"I wasn't lost," I interjected, my tone sharp with defiance.

"Right, well, you weren't exactly where you were supposed to be either," he continued, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "My mom had a gift. She could see the future in her dreams, had premonitions. She predicted the death of your brother. My father warned your parents about the impending tragedy, urging them to schedule an early delivery, but they didn't heed the warning."

I frowned so hard my forehead began to hurt. "That's insane," I huffed, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes at him.

"Don't give me that look," he chuckled. "You are the reincarnation of the very first Queen of Greecia, and you don't believe in premonitions?"

I protested, my voice firm. "I am not a reincarnation of anyone. I simply bear a resemblance."

"Well, my mother really had a gift. Your father didn't believe either." Henry's gaze dropped, focusing on the stone floors. "My mother knew you were going to be the Cardinal heir to the throne. In a vision, she saw King Leo's daughter possessed the rare and captivating feature-eyes as vibrant as the petals of a blooming violet. Which is why my parents wanted to raise you in Romarvia. They wanted more control over how the kingdoms would unite."

Manipulative. That was the only word that could describe their actions. Anger swelled within me, but I bit the inside of my cheek so hard that I tasted blood, choosing to withhold my concerns for now.

"When I turned 16, I promised my parents I would return you to your rightful place," Henry continued, his voice filled with determination and yearning. "I wanted to make my father proud, for once. I've dedicated so much time searching for you, consumed by thoughts of you for years. Callie, you're the one I want. I'm not asking for you to fall in love with me. I'm just asking for a chance."

The weight of his words suppressed the very air around us.

I took a moment to process everything he said. This anger I felt toward him would probably always linger within me. He had kidnapped me from my life, disrupting everything I had known. Slowly, I started walking down the hall, with Henry by my side.

"Henry," I began, my voice carefully controlled, "I understand you had your reasons, and I can see that you believe in them. But you need to understand that this isn't something I can just accept overnight. You took me from my home, from everything I knew. That's not something I can forgive easily."

He nodded, looking remorseful. "I know, Callie. I know it will take time. I just hope that, in time, you'll see that I only ever wanted what was best for you."

"Can you honestly say those same pretty words without this marital contract?" I asked, my voice full of skepticism.

Henry seemed taken aback by my question. His head tilted quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Annul the contract," I declared, my tone firm and a little hopeful. "If you're willing to do that, then I'll give you the chance you want. I would be open to the idea of dating."

A flicker of hesitation danced across Henry's face as he contemplated my proposition. "I can't, Princess," he replied, his brows furrowing with frustration and maybe a little regret. "My country needs more than just an alliance with Greecia. It requires financial stability. There have been active threats of uprisings and revolutions, all because my father can't provide the necessary funds to stabilize the nation. Our marriage will be the unity Romarvia needs. According to Romarvian law, I cannot ascend to the throne until I am married."

Liar. There had to be another way to help him without a marriage. Turning away from him, I increased my pace. A shower was desperately needed, but first, I craved some food and the solace of solitude away from Henry's presence.

"I want to see this contract," I announced firmly when Henry caught up with my brisk stride through the castle corridors, heading toward the kitchen.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a fairly straightforward sentence, Henry," I retorted, my patience wearing thin. "I want to see the marriage contract. Email it to me."

"I can't. You don't have an encrypted email set up yet. At least, not until your return is announced. I think I can get you a hard copy of the contract if you'd like? Maybe we can have lunch together while you review it?"

"If you'll excuse me, I've exceeded my daily tolerance of you for day. I need food. And space from you." I glared over at him. As I reached the double doors to the kitchen, my shadow, Ira, darted inside to secure the area, I assumed, before I entered.

Henry's arm shot out quickly, blocking my entry into the kitchen.

"I need a favor." Henry flashed me an impish grin.

My eyebrows cinched together as I looked over at him. "Umm... we're not there yet in our newly blooming acquaintanceship."

"Come on, Princess, I'm begging you and it won't even take much effort on your part." The mischief crinkling the corners of his eyes sparked an unwanted curiosity in my chest.

"I'm listening," I groaned, feeling whiplash from this sudden playful side of him.

"Can you grab me some dessert from the kitchen while you're in there?"

My eyebrows raised at his question. "Why can't you do it yourself?"

"Hattie refuses to serve me dessert." Nervous expectation flickered in his copper eyes.

I giggled, shaking my head. "The loving sweet head chef won't serve you dessert? What did you do, Henry?"

"Nothing. Well, not nothing. But nothing to her."

"You're rambling. Spit it out," I declared, ready to retreat to the safety of my room.

"She hates me because I drugged you. So she has refused me all dessert requests."

My eyes widened. "But you're a prince."

"Queen Ekko and Chef Hattie are best friends. Hattie has total control of the kitchen and can refuse certain services to anyone she wants. The queen allows it." He pouted, and it was kinda cute in a-I don't want to punch his face for once-kind of way.

An unwarranted giggle slipped past my lips, and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop. "Don't pout. Maybe she's on to something. No desserts hardly seem like a punishment."

"She used to let me taste-test her new dessert creations. Now, I'm not allowed in her kitchen until she's no longer mad at me. She's making pistachio kataifi. My heart might shatter if I don't get a hit of dessert."

My mouth watered at the mention of the buttery, crispy dough drizzled in sweet syrup.

"Okay, your pouting might be justified. I love sweets. Love them." I giggled again, pointing at his face and squinting one eye. "You owe me big time!"

I pushed into the kitchen, and the delicious aroma of freshly baked koulouri mixed with the savory scent of sfakianopita blended perfectly in the air as I scanned the room for Hattie. I kissed her cheek then snagged two plates of kataifi from the round warmer on the countertop on my way out.

"Great idea. Sugar after a workout is always a win," I mumbled around a mouthful of dessert.

Henry's eyes lingered on my lips as I licked the sticky honey dripping from the corner of my mouth.

"Stop." I shoved the plate into his hand and stormed off.

"Sorry," Henry called out, following me through the hall. "Sorry. I just... I have a crush on you, and I have for a while. It's going to take some time for me to... I don't know, get over these feelings."

I stopped at the stairs that would lead me to the amethyst wing. The safety of my room was all I craved right now. "I've got it from here, okay? I'll see you around."

I glanced over my shoulder at him as I walked up the stairs. His eyes were glued to mine. Those copper eyes were always on mine. Searching. And the only thing he would ever find was unrequited love.