I know you all remember our redhead right?

>>Ahin

I watched her leave. After walking some distance she glanced at me, "Goodbye, Ahin," That was the last time she looked back at me as she kept walking away and as I watched her, it felt like I was watching her walk out of my life.

As I stood there, watching her receding figure, it felt like the world around me had slowed to a painful crawl. Each step she took away from me echoed like a heartbeat, a solemn rhythm marking the end of something I had held so dearly

I know I told her to consider me only, and she did and gave me an answer yet the ache in my chest was palpable, and honestly, it hurt a lot.

With each step she took, the distance between us widened, until it felt as though an unbridgeable chasm had opened up, separating us forever, but there was nothing I could do here.

I was helpless.

This was her decision and I had to respect that.

***

I slumped on the old wooden bench, staring blankly at the flowers.

I saw it was coming. I'd sensed the tension between her and the Tower Master for a while now. He was always the one there for her, the one who could actually help her with things I couldn't. Still, knowing didn't make it hurt any less.

I barely noticed the sound of footsteps approaching. The faint smell of jasmine hit me, and I saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of my eye. Someone was standing there, but I couldn't bring myself to look up.

"Are you alright? You look heartbroken?" I heard a woman say as she took her seat at the edge of the bench.

I let out a soft sarcastic chuckle, "I was rejected by the girl I fancied."

"Oh,"

I looked down and sighed

"I expected it though. " I looked ahead, far in the distance, "I had seen it a number of times that there was another man who seemed to catch her attention."

"Don't worry about it. You'll find someone even better!!"

"Hmm," I didn't pay her much attention. I was lost in my misery. She sat there for a while, quietly, without a word. Her presence didn't annoy me but I did feel her gaze on me a lot. She would steal glances, then look away.

Then she got up and left.

I sat there for a few hours and when I was getting up I turned my head to look in the direction she was sitting in. That's when I noticed a handkerchief right by my side

Did she leave this there?

I picked it up, then looked around, there was no sign of her. I looked down at the handkerchief again.

It had an initial 'A' embroidered into it.

***

>>Amber

I hurried through the grand corridors of the palace, my footsteps echoing against the marble floors.

At the moment, I had nothing else on my mind but to see it with my own eyes that Hael had woken up. What had happened in the throne room, the way he arrived, the way he couldn't even form a proper magic circle, the way he was mutilated, everything was very fresh in my mind, and I knew I had to see him for my mind to calm down.

As I reached my door, I hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Hael?" There, standing by the window, was Hael. He turned to face me, a small, relieved smile on his lips.

"My Lady," He said softly.

Without thinking, I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tightly. The sheer relief of seeing him alive and well overwhelmed me, and I buried my face in his chest, feeling his warmth and solidity.

"Hael," I whispered, my voice trembling. "You're alive. You're really alive."

There was a moment of pause where I felt his body go a little stiff, then he relaxed and chuckled softly, a sound that vibrated through his chest. "Of course I am. Thanks to you."

I held on tighter, savoring the moment, the reality of his presence a stark contrast to the terror I had felt earlier. I felt his hands come to my back, but he barely touched me with his fingers when suddenly, he spoke, his tone light and teasing, "My Lady, if you wanted to hug me, you could have just asked," He said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But if you hold on any tighter, I might actually need healing again."

!!!

Oh! What am I doing!?!?

I put my hands on his chest and pushed myself away, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I—I didn't mean to..." I glanced at him and noticed him looking down at his chest.

His right hand traveled to the place where I put my hands on him and pushed myself away. He stared at his chest with a confused expression and I realized that I had seen him do this before.

Why does he do this?

Does he not like when I put my hands on him?

He raised his head to look at me.

"I-" I was at a loss for words

He grinned as he brought his hand down, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. "It's okay, really. I don't mind," His words made me blush!

This sly fox!!

I took a step back, trying to regain my composure. "Sorry, I just... I was so scared. Seeing you like that..."

"You were scared? For me?"

"Of course I was!" I got a little angry, "You were as good as dead when you came back here!!"

His smile got wider, "That's... nice,"

"Hael," I folded my arms, "How did you get that brutally injured?"

"Hmm," He brought the index finger to his lips, folding it in the form of a question mark right under his lower lip, "Well, I have to say I discovered something," There was a delay in his sentence, "Quite 'unique' in Hollow Woods."

"What?" I stepped towards him, "What did you find there?"

"A lot more than I expected." He replied as he brought his hand down.

"What?" I got closer to him.

"Hollow eyes," His words made my eyes go wide and I paused for a second,

"What? Hollow eyes?" The image of what I saw in the forest came back to me and I closed the distance between us again, "What type of hollow eyes?" I grabbed his hands, "Like monstrous type? Like they made you freeze up, unable to comprehend what it was?" My grip on his hands increased as the anxiety in me grew, "It felt unreal, didn't it?"

"Yes," His expression turned a little serious as his gaze turned sharper, "You seem to know."

"I," I gulped, "I saw something like that." I looked out the window, "In the forest here," My eyes traveled far and I kept my eyes there for a few seconds. And then I looked back at him, only to find him looking at me, "A-and I saw it in my dream too..." Did he not take his eyes off of me?

"Your dream?"

"I told you I had a weird dream right? I keep dreaming about it, but only recently I saw a monster in that dream too."

"Hmm," He looked down, "I think we should make that tour to the Elf Kingdom."

"Elf Kingdom?"

"Aunt Helena said they have an idea about where the miasma is coming from. I need to know what they know."

There was a knock on the door that made us both look at the door

"Saint Amber, Master Hael, the King wants to meet you both."

"I guess I'll just explain it all to you when I explain things to him." He looked down at our hands.

!!!

"Oh!" I let them go immediately, "I don't know what's gotten into me today!" I stepped back, "I'll go take a bath and change." I chuckled nervously, "That dungeon was stinky." I kept stepping back but for some reason his eyes stayed where we held our hands.

Only when I was by the door, did he raise his head, "Sure," He smiled, "I'll meet you in the Throne Room then."

I nodded at him, then hurriedly left the room, mumbling curses at myself for not thinking before acting.

>>Hael

I stood by the window, gazing out at the palace grounds, my thoughts drifting back to the events that had taken place in the past few days.

What I was in Hollow Woods was far beyond my imagination. And I have no clue what happened to Eldias but the chances that he is alive are close to none.

Hearing hurried footsteps approaching, I turned just as she opened the door. Her eyes were wide with concern as she called my name.

"Hael?" She breathed, relief flooding her voice.

I offered her a small smile, "My Lady," I said softly.

She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around me tightly. Her head buried in my chest, and I felt the tremble in her voice as she whispered, "You're alive. You're really alive."

!!!

For a moment, the sudden contact made my body stiffen. I didn't expect her to do that but it wasn't like I didn't enjoy it. I chuckled softly. "Of course I am. Thanks to you."

She held on tighter, and I could feel the depth of her fear and relief. Which was interesting because for a while she had acted like she had no interest in me.

Gently, I brought my hands to her back, barely touching her with my fingers when I felt this strange feeling inside of me.

I wished to touch her more, and the feeling was somehow overwhelming me. And that's why I couldn't put my hands on her back

"My Lady, if you wanted to hug me, you could have just asked," I said, "But if you hold on any tighter, I might actually need healing again."

Her reaction was immediate and intense. She placed her hands on my chest and pushed herself away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I—I didn't mean to..."

My hand unconsciously traveled to the same spot she had used to push herself away.

There was a feeling of constriction there

"I—" she stammered

I grinned, enjoying her reaction. "It's okay, really. I don't mind," That's true. I didn't mind it at all.

She took a step back, trying to regain her composure. "Sorry, I just... I was so scared. Seeing you like that..."

"You were scared? For me?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course I was!" She exclaimed, "You were as good as dead when you came back here!"

Her concern warmed me, and I couldn't help but smile wider, "That's... nice." It never crossed my mind that someone would care if I lived or died.

"Hael," She said, folding her arms, "How did you get that brutally injured?"

"Hmm," I mused, bringing my index finger to my lips. "Well, I have to say I discovered something... Quite 'unique' in Hollow Woods."

"What?" She asked, stepping closer.

"A lot more than I expected." I replied, enjoying the intrigue in her eyes.

"What?" She pressed, coming even closer.

"Hollow eyes," I said, watching her reaction carefully.

Her eyes widened in recognition. "What? Hollow eyes?" She grabbed my hands, "Like monstrous type? Like they made you freeze up, unable to comprehend what it was?" Her grip tightened. "It felt unreal, didn't it?"

"Yes," I confirmed, my tone serious. "You seem to know."

"I," She gulped, "I saw something like that." She glanced out the window, lost in thought but I couldn't take my eyes off of her, "In the forest here," she murmured, then looked back at me. "A-and I saw it in my dream too..."

"Your dream?"

"I told you I had a weird dream, right? I keep dreaming about it, but only recently I saw a monster in that dream too."

"Hmm," I pondered. "I think we should make that tour to the Elf Kingdom."

"Elf Kingdom?"

"Aunt Helena said they have an idea about where the miasma is coming from. I need to know what they know."

A knock on the door interrupted us. "Saint Amber, Master Hael, the King wants to meet you both."

"I guess I'll just explain it all to you when I explain things to him." I glanced down at our hands, still clasped together.

This sort of touch...

"Oh!" She let go immediately, stepping back with a nervous chuckle. "I don't know what's gotten into me today!" She stepped back further. "I'll go take a bath and change. The Dungeon was stinky." She kept stepping back, but I couldn't take my eyes off the space where she held my hands.

What is wrong with me?

Only when she reached the door did I raise my head. "Sure," I smiled. "I'll meet you in the Throne Room then."

I watched her leave

...

I seem to crave her touch. I placed my hand back on my chest. And I hate it when she pushes me away. I absolutely despise it. I've been wanting her way more than I initially thought.

Why?

It's been like this for a while now. No, it's been like that since I met her again.

...

The things I feel with her are none like I've ever felt before.