(CONTINUATION OF CHAPTER 3) “Oh, I wish!” Aurora threw her hands on the bed “I wish too…” Suddenly, a woman entered the room, who was stunned to see Ian. “The quee-“ She started “Please don’t tell anyone that we two like each other!” Aurora whispered, running towards her. “I-I- Will try to keep my mouth to myself…” she murmured “I’m sorry…” Aurora cried “It- it’s okay…” she lowered her head, the saucer she picked, fell and broke. “I- I’m sorry!” she cried out. Bowing to pick it up, but Aurora helped her. “You- You aren’t suppose….” The maid stammered “It’s fine.” Aurora smiled, wrapped it all in a cloth, and the maid ran. “What if she tells?” Ian stood up, brushing his torso. “I trust her, she won’t.” Aurora reassured him “I have to go…” he couldn’t look her in the eye. Aurora shut the door, and hugged him from the back, Ian didn’t hug back, he just left, climbing down. Just then, Celestia spotted Ian, walking outside, she went towards him, Ian walked faster. “Stop!” she called out Ian stopped; knew he was gone. “Y-Yes?” he looked back “Where are you coming from?” “Fr-from nowhere?” “You do realize this is the royal campus?” “Yes…” “And why are you here?” “You see, I was playing a game with my friends where I would be the king, and we needed to fight with the opponent, and I accidently threw my bracelet in the campus and I went to get it!” Ian took out a jade bracelet. “You better take care of your belongings, it’s luck that I saw you, the soldiers would’ve dragged you out. Creative game indeed.” Celestia walked away. Ian sighed in relief. Aurora watched it all from the balcony, she sat down, sighed. Chryst came in the garden, he saw Celestia, instead of calling her, he covered her eyes, Celestia shuddered. “What?!” she grumbled. “I just wanted to meet my favourite person…!” “Leave me alone.” “Alright” Chryst walked away “Wait, you’re really going?” Celestia looked back, in disbelief “Yes, you told me to.” Celestia was amused “Fine.” “Okay… I wanted to talk about our relationship with the neighbouring kingdom.” Chryst began The two sat down in the shade, the meadows whispered something like it hid secrets that shouldn’t have been told. CHAPTER FOUR THE WINSTONS As Chryst began, Celestia adjusted her hair. “So, I think we should make our alliance with the king.” He spoke. “And you should talk about it in your courtroom.” Celestia said, looking at her nails. “But I think we should talk about all of this, first.” “I know nothing about them!” Celestia told Chryst scoffed. “They are the Winstons, Lord Winston is the emperor. And we don’t have a good relation. I think we should end the enmity. I think, this is a good decision.” He explained “The queen?” Celestia asked “Lady Rosalina Winston is kind-hearted. They have a son, Ian Elias Winston, he came here last year, on Aurora’s birthday.” “So, we go to the Winstons?” “Yes. And we make the deal.” “What kind of deal?” “Peace. Trade. An end to enmity.” “And the price?” “Aurora.” “She is not a bargaining chip!” Celestia roared “She is the bridge, the risk, the key.” Chryst explained “And Ian Elias Winston?” Celestia worried “He is already more than a son. He is the heir. He is the bond.” “Or the fire that burns us all.” “Then let us see if Lady Rosalina’s kindness is truly strength.” “Or weakness.” “Or fate.” Chryst ended Aurora’s breath trembled as she leaned against the balcony rail, her golden hair catching the torchlight. She was no longer the child they remembered, yet not yet the queen they demanded. Her eyes found Ian’s, and in that instant the hall seemed to vanish — the torches, the council, the storm of voices. Only two young souls remained, bound by silence, by fear, by something they could not name aloud. Ian’s hand tightened around the jade bracelet, his knuckles pale. He wanted to speak, to call her name, but the weight of his father’s presence pressed against his chest. He was heir, bond, bridge — but still a boy, still learning how to stand against the tide. Celestia’s gaze swept the chamber, sharp as a blade. She saw the flicker in Aurora’s eyes, the tremor in Ian’s hand, and though she said nothing, her silence carried more than words. She knew. She always knew. Lord Winston’s voice thundered, breaking the fragile thread. “Peace demands sacrifice. If not Aurora, then what? If not bond, then war.” Aurora’s heart raced. She wanted to cry out, to tell them she was not a pawn, not a bridge, not a bargain. But her lips stayed closed, her silence louder than any scream. Ian’s eyes pleaded across the hall, a promise unspoken: Someday. Someday, we will not be shadows. Lady Rosalina’s voice softened the storm. “Perhaps strength lies not in sacrifice, but in trust. Let the children grow. Let them choose.” The council stirred, whispers rippling like wind through the torches. Celestia rose, her shawl trailing like smoke, her crown heavy but unbroken. “Then let us see,” she said, her voice cold yet trembling beneath.
“If silence can protect them. Or if it will destroy us all.” Aurora’s fingers slipped from the balcony rail. Ian’s bracelet glinted once more. And in the silence that followed, two youngsters carried the weight of kingdoms on their shoulders, their secret bond hidden beneath the roar of empire. Aurora ran to the lawn, where Ian was rubbing his eyebrows, looking tense. “What shall we do?” Aurora sighed “Run away? That’s the only option to stop this from happening! I don’t want this to become a matrimonial alliance!” Ian growled. Aurora threw herself to the swing. Lying down, hair flown down the cloth. “Everything’s terrible…!” she cried “Let’s just run away, I know a place where we can live till these people stop making us the hammer to break the wall of enmity!” Ian spoke “Where?” Aurora groaned “To the hills, there is a small village, maybe we can take shelter there, eventually, I’ll sell the gold coins that I’ll take to build us a cottage, and then we can live our lives peacefully!” “Name?” “The Aknes, they are very kind, I remember going there during spy day!” “Where are we getting the coins?” “The royal treasury!” “That’s thievery!” “But not unless your father owns it.” “Fine, we’ll meet here at night, I’ll come here with my essentials and some money, you’ll be by…. That tree!” Aurora pointed to a banyan tree. “Good.” Ian said, before running back. At night, when the moon was visible, Aurora came on a horse. “You came alone?” Ian whispered “It is my first time doing so!” Aurora smiled They sat on the horse, with all the bags with them, and off they went. It was a very steep ride, at one time, they almost fell after the horse started running too fast. “What’s its name?” Ian asked, brushing the horse’s hair. “His name is Anthony; he is very loyal.” The village was alive; everyone was setting up the table for the community dinner. Aurora looked at it all in awe. “Why are they doing so?” Aurora kept looking at all the dishes there. “It’s an occasion- Margaretto, it’s a traditional festival. The villagers all sit and eat together that night. It’s a full week programme.” Ian explained. One lady came to them and spoke. “Why are you two here?” “To seek shelter till the war ends.” Ian spoke, confidently. “War?” she gasped “Yes, war. Our parents have a grudge against each other, my father declared war. And we two are friends, so don’t worry.” Ian smiled. “Want to have dinner?” the woman smiled “Yes, of course!” Ian got down, and helped Aurora get down, too. The dinner was delicious, there were many traditional dishes, many were spicy. Aurora never had a dinner so lively before! After the dinner, the woman let them stay there due to the “war”. Unfortunately, there was not a lot of space for them to spend the night. “You can sleep on the bed; I’ll sleep on the table.” Ian said “Why?” Aurora asked “There isn’t much space…” “But it is very cold, you wouldn’t like to catch cold, would you?” She spoke. Ian took the pillow, and lay down. Aurora made the bed, and tucked herself. At midnight, Aurora woke up, and gave Ian the blanket, he was all red; it had started snowing. She locked the door and slept. At morning, Ian felt something warm on him, the blanket that Aurora was supposed to take, he stood, to see Aurora, embracing the pillow while sleeping. He felt bad. But now, as soon as he forwarded the blanket, she woke up. Here hair was untidy, and her dress was all crushed up. “What is this mess?” She sat, rubbing her eyes. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. It was a boy. “Breakfast!” He called out. The two freshened up, and came out, everyone was gone to work, except a boy, who looked of their age. “I am Robert, you?” the boy said “I am Ian, and this is Aurora, my friend.” Ian introduced. “Welcome to Aknes, Ian and Aurora. Mum told me to help you two out, so, what would you like to eat? Mum said you two are from the royal families. So, I’ll call Ian, Mate and Aurora, princess.” Robert said, while serving porridge. The three ate the food, and went, out. “Is there, by any chance, that you know a construction shop?” Ian asked “What do you have to do with bricks, mate?” Robert laughed “I am here with some cash, so I would like to build a cottage for us.” Ian spoke “Do you even have the money?” Robert asked Ian showed a bag full of gold and silver coins, many jewels and diamonds, Robert gasped. “You have to be kidding!” Robert exclaimed There was a tea shop with many types of tea, Aurora wanted to go and drink some. “Can we go the tea shop?” She pleaded “As the princess says!” Robert held her hand, and took her. Ian felt a bit weird. But it was okay since now the three were drinking tea and eating sandwiches. Back at home, Aurora and Robert kept on talking, laughing, while Ian sat alone. He wasn’t angry unless Aurora was sad. “Ahh!!” a screech came. Ian ran. “What happened?” Ian ran towards Aurora “You really fell for that?” She laughed “Nothing would happen to princess till I am there!”
