Iftia: Lyx Palace, Medical Office

• Elianna •

Kaylon came in to get his sutures removed. Elianna was careful as she tweezed on each knot and snipped on the stitch. Most of her patients would avoid looking at her when she did that but Kaylon was staring intensely, as though trying to learn how it was done. A small laugh escaped her lips and she dabbed the antiseptic over the wound area.

"Thank you," he smiled widely.

"You're most welcome," she returned the smile before continuing to remind him, "Meanwhile, please take it easy until you're fully recovered."

Kaylon gave her a salute and a playful chuckle. He pushed himself off the bed and helped her to tidy up various documents and they left the medical office together. Kaylon left to report to his work station while Elianna made her way to the Royal Medical Department to deliver some documents.

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Iftia: Royal Medical Department

• Elianna •

As she was filing in Kaylon's report into his medical file, a group of soldiers surrounded her. Startled, she looked around and saw a man who was clad in a familiar knight's garb.

I don't recognise him.

That knight was neither Rowan's nor Matthias'.

"Take her," he commanded and the soldiers moved forward in unison and grabbed her by the arms. She chose not to resist, deciding that she should wait and follow because any reckless action may bring more trouble to her.

Her eyes darted across the library and heard muted murmurings amongst the librarians and other medical officials when she was led out. The King or the Queen? She wondered.

She was taken all the way to the Royal Palace. Passing through the pillared hallways donned with expensive obsidian-marbled statues and exquisite gold decorations. Eventually, they entered through a large door and moved along the onyx rug that spanned the entire length of the passageway. Her eyes widened at the sight of the King of Iftia, Gadiel Alvraz.

"Elianna Everson," Gadiel spoke her name with great distaste and his piercing hazel eyes stared at her intensely, as though trying to study her.

Then, she felt a hard shove on her shoulder but she jerked it back in annoyance. The soldier on the other side jabbed on the back of her knee, forcing her to kneel on the ground. Under the penetrating glare of Gadiel, she felt confused but without fear.

"I've heard a lot about you." There was a hollowness in his tone, making his emotions indiscernible.

She remained silent and kept her gaze on him. Gadiel sat in his throne seat while staring down at her. There was anger and condescendence that she knew of so well. It was the exact same way that her father, Wynston looked at her when they first (and last) met when she was eight years old.

"I do not see why the First Prince would be invested in you," Gadiel spat.

She flinched slightly at the mention of Rowan and felt a hand reach over in an attempt to remove the black satin veil from her face. Before he could reach her, she spun her head to the side and avoided his attempt. That pissed soldier raised his arm and swung his fist at her but her reflexes were fast enough to dip herself low and steer clear of the outstretched arm.

She faced him and said politely, "I'll fight you one on one anytime but not in front of His Majesty."

The soldier immediately halted and bowed apologetically towards the King. Gadiel clicked his tongue and swung his hand impatiently to dismiss him.

"You may have keen intelligence but don't bother trying," Gadiel hissed. He rose from his throne and ambled towards her. His hand reached out to grab her face and his fingers dug painfully into her skin. Forcing her to face him, his hazel eyes stared right into her as they brimmed with animosity. He threatened, "Take this as my warning to you. If you stand in the way of the Royal Marriage between the First Prince and the Princess of Thethia, I will not let you off."

With that, Gadiel ordered for everyone to leave and with soldiers flanking on both sides, they shoved her out of Royal Palace and shut the main entrance right in front of her. It almost didn't strike her that the cold wintry atmosphere of Iftia had bothered her because her heart was colder than the snow formed beneath her.

Royal marriage.

She had nearly forgotten all about it. Now that Gadiel had reminded her of it, a complicated pressure had once again weighed in her chest. Her mind told her that she was concerned about everything because of her feud with the King of Thethia.

Yet, she knew that the frostbite deep in her heart meant a lot more than just her never wanting him to be part of her whole mess.

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Iftia: Lyx Palace, Study

• Rowan •

"Ro! There was a message that came in from the Royal Medical Department saying that Elianna had been taken by Gadiel's knights." Alec barged into the study, panting as he delivered the message.

Rowan shot up from his seat and rushed out of the study with Alec. Ilias caught them halfway in the hallway and joined them. Bloody hell, that damned old rat! He cursed mentally as his mind raced with images of almost all the theoretically possible situations that could've happened when Elianna meets Gadiel. In a hasty sprint, he flew down flights of stairs and rushed through hallways.

When he finally reached the large foyer leading to the main entrance, the door was pushed opened and Elianna stood at the door, the expression etched in her face was hard and unsmiling.

"Eli?" He was careful when he stepped towards her. Softening his demeanour, he attempted to study her. He needed to know if she was alright but everything about her was barely perceptible.

Those amber-coloured eyes seemed to have dulled slightly. They found his and he immediately noticed that they were glistening with tears. When the corners of her eyes were no longer able to hold the pooling tears, they glided down the rounds of her cheeks and those precious droplets fell onto the marbled ground in heavy splats that only he could hear.

He always knew how important she was to him but seeing her overwhelmed by sadness was a feeling that bothered him. To witness such a strong-willed lady like herself in this vulnerable state had shattered his heart.

The moment he stood right in front of her, he pulled her into his embrace. Then, he bent at his waist and tucked an arm underneath her knees while the other around her waist before carrying her up.

"Please don't cry, love," he pleaded with a choking heaviness in his throat. Resting his forehead against hers, the tips of their noses brushed against one another. He wished that he could take all her sadness away because he never wanted to see her cry.

He carried her to his bedchamber and gently placed her on his bed. Elianna had stopped crying but her breathing remained ragged. Rowan turned away wanting to grab a warm cloth for her, but she caught his arm right away.

"Rowan, please don't leave me," she murmured, her voice hoarse from crying.

"Eli, I am always here." He went back to sit on the bed, placing his hand on top of hers. He realised that her fingers were freezing cold against his warm palm. He immediately clasped her hands in between his as he gently rubbed in some heat for her.

There was a small pause of silence before her soft voice penetrated through the millions of thoughts that ran through his mind.

"Do you love me?" That was all that hung between them.

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happy twenty-twenty to all my lovely readers out there!