Unraveling Eris

Falling Into Place

Eris had given up fighting the inevitable. After three whole months.

Where Georgiana went, the trio followed. And where Georgiana went, Eris went.

It had started with little things—William insisting she join them for lunch because "Georgiana would want you there." Cassian roping her into discussions, as if her presence was already a given. Theo—damn him—challenging her to continue their debate long after the official event had ended, seeking her out in lectures, in libraries, in hallways, never quite letting her dismiss him.

At first, she had resisted.

She told herself she had no interest in being drawn into their privileged circle, no desire to become some sort of intellectual amusement for nobility. But the problem was, they didn't treat her as an outsider.

Theo debated her, not to mock her, but because he enjoyed the challenge. Cassian, for all his refinement, valued her mind just as much as he did Theo's. William, in his usual easygoing way, made it impossible for her to feel unwelcome.

The debate that had started it all—where she had stood before an audience and torn through outdated ideas—had inadvertently cemented her place among them.

She had challenged their world, and instead of being rejected, they had drawn her in.

She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that.

Then, before she knew it, their presence had become routine.

Classes? She sat near them. Lunch? Always at their table. Study breaks? She had resigned herself to their company, though she would never admit that sometimes she actually enjoyed it.

Even errands—quick trips to the shopping district that should have been a moment of peace—turned into outings with the entire group. What should have been a simple afternoon of book browsing or tea shopping suddenly involved Cassian critiquing fabric choices, William carrying Georgiana's bags like a lovestruck fool, and Theodore... just there, being either annoying or annoyingly observant.

Eris wasn't sure which was worse.

She had tried, truly, to maintain her distance.

But they were relentless. Everywhere.

And in the end, Eris realized something startling.

Growing up, Eris had always been alone.

Not in the tragic, sorrowful way of storybook heroines, but in the practical sense. As the daughter of a revered scholar, she had spent more time among books and academic discussions than with children her age. While others played in gardens or attended tea parties, she sat in lecture halls, absorbing knowledge.

She didn't mind. Or at least, she had convinced herself she didn't.

But now, things were different.

Somehow, through the whirlwind of introductions and shared moments, she had ended up with a circle of friends. Not just Georgiana, her ever-persistent best friend, but William, Cassian, and—unexpectedly—Theo.

It was strange, this unfamiliar warmth of belonging.

Cassian, with his easy charm and sharp wit, could match her in verbal sparring, always pushing, always provoking, until they were both grinning like conspirators.

William, for all his teasing, had an effortless way of making people comfortable. He was the kind of friend who could talk his way out of trouble and then drag you into another mess the very next moment.

And Theo... Theo was something else entirely.

She wasn't sure what to make of him yet. The Crown Prince, who was supposed to be distant, untouchable, was neither of those things when it came to her. He challenged her, studied her, and—most annoyingly—seemed to enjoy catching her off guard.

She had spent years preparing herself for the world of nobility, yet somehow, she had not prepared for this. For friendships. For laughter. For the unsettling feeling that she might not be as alone as she once believed.

"Here," Cassian said, passing her a steaming cup of pecan praline latte—breaking her thoughts.

Eris blinked in surprise, taking the cup hesitantly. "How did you—"

Cassian smirked. "You're painfully predictable, Eris. Seeing you order the same thing every time we come here? I'd have to be an i***t not to remember."

She huffed, but a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "Well, thanks, I guess."

The four of them—minus Theo, who had been abruptly called back to the palace—had settled into their usual café after an exhausting study session. Georgiana and William were lost in their own little world, leaning close over a book, their laughter soft and familiar.

That left Eris and Cassian, an unexpected but not entirely unwelcome pairing.

She took a cautious sip of her drink, the rich, nutty sweetness instantly soothing. "So, what's the urgent royal business this time?"

Cassian shrugged, stretching lazily in his seat. "Who knows? Probably another diplomatic headache. Though, knowing Theo, he's either brooding about it or charming his way through like it's nothing."

Eris snorted. "That sounds about right."

She wasn't sure when it had happened—when she had stopped feeling like an outsider in their presence. When their company had stopped being an obligation and started feeling... easy.

But as she sat there, her latte warming her hands, listening to Cassian complain about politics while William and Georgiana whispered conspiratorially beside them, she realized something.

She didn't mind it.

Not at all.

Theo suddenly appeared, slipping into the empty seat beside Eris with a deep frown.

The mood at the table shifted instantly. William and Georgiana's quiet laughter faded, Cassian raised a brow, and Eris—mid-sip of her latte—felt his presence settle beside her.

Without a word, his gaze flickered to the cup in her hands.

Eris lowered it slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Your Highness? Or are you just deeply offended by my choice of drink?"

Theo exhaled, leaning back in his chair. "No. Just wondering how you can drink something so sweet this late in the evening."

Cassian snorted. "This, coming from the man who takes his coffee with enough sugar to make a baker weep."

Theo shot him a flat look but didn't argue. Instead, his attention returned to Eris. "What did I miss?"

"Not much," she said. "You're just in time to hear Cassian's riveting lecture on why the current diplomatic negotiations are a lost cause."

Theo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Gods, not this again."

Cassian grinned. "Oh, but now that you're here, we can discuss your royal troubles instead."

Eris wasn't sure why, but she felt Theo's gaze flicker back to her for the briefest moment before he reached for Cassian's untouched cup of coffee, taking a slow sip as if bracing himself.

"I'd rather drink this bitter nonsense than go through that again."

Eris smirked, stirring her latte lazily. "If you wanted something sweet, you could've just asked."

For a split second, something unreadable crossed Theo's expression. Then, with a small, almost imperceptible tilt of his lips, he murmured, "I'll keep that in mind."

Cassian let out a low whistle. "Did Theo just admit to needing something sweet in his life? Someone mark the date. This is historic."

William, still half-distracted with Georgiana, smirked. "Next thing you know, he'll be ordering pecan praline lattes himself."

Theo shot them both a deadpan look. "Unlikely." Then, turning back to Eris, he added, "Not everyone has a taste for drinking dessert."

Eris raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you steal Cassian's coffee instead of ordering your own. Suspicious behavior, Your Highness."

Cassian grinned, clearly enjoying this. "She's got a point, Theo. You do have a habit of taking what you want instead of asking for it."

Theo sighed, setting the coffee cup down. "I wasn't in the mood to order."

"Oh, of course," Eris said with mock understanding. "Being Crown Prince must be so exhausting. Imagine the tragedy of asking for something instead of having it magically appear before you."

Georgiana giggled, and even William chuckled under his breath.

Theo hummed, tilting his head as he considered her words. Then, ever so smoothly, he reached over and plucked the latte right from Eris's hands, bringing it to his lips for a sip.