Return to Glory

Bedtime Thoughts

Alex watched the bedroom ceiling pensively. After months of searching, her luck had managed to change in less than a day. She was now in a warm bed, comfortable and with a full meal in her stomach, and the best part of it all - she had found the prince. So much time of endless searching, so many bruises, falls, encounters with creatures of the forest, and she had finally been the one to make it, out of fifty mercenaries.

Her heart raced in hoy at the idea. Not only would her bounty by great, but the makeshift council of the rebellion had insisted that the prince's presence would finally bring peace to the kingdom. She wasn't sure exactly how, but her gut had told her that finding the ruler would be the way, and she trusted that more than what she trusted any human.

Her delicate features turned into a frown. But the prince wasn't going to make it easy now, either. Her search had brought her to him, but that didn't mean that he would go back with her. She wondered why the man could have such an aversion towards his home. He had always seemed distant and silent in their youth, but she hadn't imagined he was miserable enough to want to leave so badly.

After dinner, during their while sitting near the fire, she had told him a bit about her time in the woods, and they talked about a few of the creatures and plants she had run into. Aidan seemed to lighten up when they spoke about the flora, apparently very interested in all those matters. Much to what should have been terror for Alex, he admitted that he experimented a lot with herbs and created concentrates for different uses, most of them medicinal. He also mentioned in passing that he had more than once tended to the wounds of humans, animals, and anything in between.

Despite knowing she was on a mission and that this extremely down-to-earth and pleasant young man was, in the end, the future king, Alex couldn't help but feel fascinated by everything he told her. Now in bed and alone, she would have smacked herself for the unnecessary excessive interest if it weren't for the fact that she hadn't been so comfortable in months. She could do it tomorrow, when she was out of this super warm bed.

Looking around, she could partly understand wanting to live here. The place was simple, but comfortable, and Aidan seemed to be self-sufficient enough to care for himself with what he had at hand. That idea, however, was mind-boggling to Alex. All the nobles she had ever met were a hair away from making their servants clean their asses. And she knew first-hand that many, if not most, of the ladies made their handmaidens bathe them. She shuddered at the idea. How could someone want to be so useless?

Her mind trailed back to Aidan. He was so different. It was going to be hard to get him to want to go back, but she certainly had no choice.

Turning to lay on her side, she closed her eyes, trying to force the sleep to come. Her body was exhausted, but she had too many things running through her restless mind. She tried to shut them up; worrying or overthinking in the night wasn't going to resolve anything. She'd have the next day to try to convince the prince.