Chapter 101

Hydrangea snuggled into the warmth that enveloped her. It was so calming. As she remained in that state between waking and sleeping she thought back to the previous day.

Ariston had died. Her heart began to feel heavy at how they'd left him behind. Her thoughts settled on how devastated and apologetic the Sovereign's eyes had looked. He'd held her shoulders and looked directly at her. His brown eyes staring deeply into her as if breaking into her very mind.

The image of those brown eyes had been seared into her mind; the solid black pupil with the golden brown ring that surrounded it and that grew into a deep, dark brown colour.

The cold began to sneak up on her and she chased after the warmth. That warmth that drove away the troubles of the previous day.

But awareness joined in with the cold and soon she began to realize her vague surroundings. Her hands were wrapped around something warm and solid. She nuzzled into it and found heat but she also found something else.

She frowned when recognition of a certain scent came to her. It was the Sovereign's; the scent that she'd become so accustomed to. She lifted her lids open, still heavy from sleep, and looked up.

While blinking heavily she made out something dark and blurry, focusing her eyes she found it was the Sovereign's face. She started and raised herself on her left hand. Her other hand flew to her mouth and to her horror it had been wrapped comfortably around his waist.

"I-I…" Her voice stumbled as she tried to create an excuse. Her last memory before sleep had been of the bitter cold and wind. At some point she'd just closed her eyes and hoped that sleep would come and whisk her away from the dreadful frigidity.

"I…" She began again with a crease in her brows but she was stopped by the Sovereign standing and stretching.

"It's alright, Hydrangea." He said and he walked to the entrance of the alley they were resting in. She glanced that way and saw rain pouring down. She groaned internally at their prospects. Rain was a bad omen.

She raised herself from the straw hewn ground and tidied her skirt. She saw the Sovereign's hand reach and grab her hand. She blinked and momentarily pondered drawing back, but her memories of the previous day made her allow him. If they didn't stick together… they could lose their lives like Ariston had.

They then moved out of the haven that the alley formed and into the small street. The rain had made the mud and straw a desolate, deadly wasteland where each step would cause them to nearly slip. Hydrangea held his right arm tightly for fear of falling.

"Our next goal is to get out of this city." She heard him say to her left and she looked up to see his hood dripping wet and his eyes set in rigid determination.

She nodded and they slowly made their way to the North Gate. They were both silent, both reflecting on the events that had so radically changed their path. It had all seemed so simple; get into the city, retrieve information, get out and escape over the border. But it had all changed in a matter of seconds.

Ariston's voice rang in her head, "Run! Go!"

"Hydrangea, Hydrangea." She shook her head to wake herself from her thoughts. She looked up and saw the Sovereign watching her with concerned eyes. She unintentionally pouted, he had no reason to be concerned.

"We're here." He said and he turned his gaze and nodded in the direction of the tall, imperious gates. They were closed, not yet opened because of the time. Four soldiers stood guard that she could see, each wearing the green and red colours of Cadaraman soldiers, a sword at their waist.

She scaled her eyes up along the intimidating wall and saw a few soldiers marching along it. She bit the inside of her lip. This could be difficult.

"How do we get through?" She asked in desperation.

"I'm thinking." The Sovereign answered, impatience clear in his voice.

She glared at him, "Well, I'm sorry that I can't think of anything."

He looked at her in confusion, "Do you have an idea?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

She crossed her arms, "No."

He then raised both his brows in question but simply shook his head and fixed his eyes on the gate.

They were hidden behind a cart weighed down with sacks of grain. The Sovereign's hand rested on one as he peeked over it with vigilant eyes. Hydrangea stood with her back pressed to the cart, her arms crossed to keep herself warm. Her vision also ever vigilant for any prying eyes.

After a few hours people began to mill about the streets. The mud squelched beneath their feet and stained their dress, the rain had not stop in its torrential downpour and had only increased in intensity. But the gates still hadn't opened.

"Okay, I have a plan." The Sovereign said quietly next to her, "You see that man over there with the cart?"

She looked and saw many men with carts, "Which one?"

"That one. The balding one." He said and she nodded, noticing the man with the beige coat, "Now, we go up to him and tell him who we are. There are multiple ways that could go, but the most likely is that he'll take us through the gate."

"And why would he do that?" She asked not understanding how telling the man their identities could possibly help.

The Sovereign chuckled, "It's rather simple, if we tell him and he is a loyal citizen of Cadarama, then he will gladly help us. If he is not and he wishes to alert the soldiers just behind him, then we blackmail him."

"How?"

"Well, we will tell him that if he doesn't let us through, we will alert the soldiers that he harboured us. And that is punishable by death."

She tilted her head downwards as she thought over his words, "How do you know that?"

"It is Cadaraman law that all those who harbour fugitives are to be killed for treason." He answered simply with his gaze still focused on the now busy street.

Her eyes widened at this revelation. They could kill her siblings, her family because they'd taken them in. Because they'd helped her.

Her heart became heavy as she thought of how hopeless it all was. Ariston had died, and so could her siblings. There was nothing she could do. She felt useless.

"Hydrangea, what's wrong?" The Sovereign suddenly asked in a calm but concerned voice. She looked up hesitantly and met his eyes. She then put up a shield of confidence.

"I'm fine, what makes you say something's wrong?" She asked with a scoff.

"Your eyes." He answered without hesitation and she looked at him, shocked.

"What do you mean, my eyes?" She suddenly felt strange at how well they knew each other. Just after the Union she'd hoped that they wouldn't spend any time together, that they would be strangers to each other. But… they did know each other now.

She knew that when he was stressed he wouldn't eat and he'd squeeze the hilt of his sword. And when he was happy or whenever he laughed the corners of his eyes would crinkle just a hair. And apparently he knew her just as well.

"We should go. They'll be opening the gates soon." The Sovereign interrupted her thoughts and he took her hand once more