Chapter Two

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked.

"This is my home." He said.

"I-in Britania?" I was confused on what he could be doing here and how I fit into it all. "I don't understand." I looked at the floor and closed my eyes, it was all overwhelming.

I hear him coming towards me and my attention snapped back to him. As he came towards me I stepped back but my legs hit the edge of the bed.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said.

"I don't know that."

"I've never hurt you."

"I-I don't know Aidan it hurt pretty damn bad when you left." I spit out without even thinking about it.

"Left?" He raised his voice. "I didn't leave Ari." He said with disdain.

"Don't-you don't get to call me that."

He let out an annoyed sigh. "This is not how I wanted this to go."

"How do you usually plan your kidnappings?" I jested.

"That's not fair. By the time I found you, you were already at the castle."

"I don't understand. Why am I here?"

"You're here because I love you." He said and stepped towards me again.

"You're t-the owner of this place?" I said and sat down. "Are you a noble or-or did you take this place?"

"This must be overwhelming."

"You think?" I say sarcastically.

"I had no choice Ari."

"Which part? The abandonment, the kidnapping, or bringing me to this place?"

"This place is my home Ari, I was born here. I'm sorry it had to be this way but you were staying at the castle, I couldn't get to you. I-I can't cross into Cordona at the moment."

"Why not? What did you do?" I

"I'm Britanian royalty Ari." He said.

"W-what?" I asked.

"And I didn't leave you. I was captured, well re-captured, by the palace guard."

"Re-captured?" I asked and tilted my head in confusion.

"I was a prisoner of war, ever since I was a kid. I was kept in the palace as some kind of pet for the young Prince. I escaped and we found each other. I was originally going to keep running until I got to the border but it was impossible to leave you after I saw your smile." He reached out and his fingers grazed my cheek.

A singular hot tear ran down my cheek, he wiped it away with his index finger and his hand lingered.

"It was two years before I broke free again. The thought of seeing you again was all that kept me going in that hellish palace dungeon." He said.

"Aidan…"

"Just to hear you say my name again." He says, the edge of his mouth creeping up.

"So you're a part of the resistance?"

"I'm the only living Prince of Britannia Ari, I'm the leader of it."

"All the bloodshed, the lives ruined…"

"I didn't start this war, I don't want it but I'm in the middle of it now."

"The resistance has been ruthless and spread so much misery."

"No more than I've endured." He snarled.

"What do you want from me?" I pleaded.

He scoffed. "You of course."

"You're too late."

"No." He says sternly. "I'm not."

"I-I'm engaged already. Today was to be my wedding day." I say and motioned towards my dress.

"But you haven't gone through with it yet."

"W-we're in love." I lied.

"No!" He practically shouted. "We're in love. It will come back to you."

"Aidan." I say and stand.

"Don't – you can't tell me that night was a lie."

"I-it wasn't but-"

"We held each other all night after."

"I remember."