The line he crossed
2392 Words
The evening had settled over the palace with an uneasy kind of quiet but the ceremony was still going on in the grand hall.
Azalea sat beneath the shade of the palace garden, one leg crossed over the other as she listened to Soren speak. The garden stretched endlessly around them, filled with perfectly trimmed hedges, fountains carved from white stone, and flowers that seemed too carefully arranged to belong to nature.
Soren had been talking about Valthera.
Or perhaps he had been talking about the council.
Azalea wasn't entirely sure anymore.
Her mind kept wandering.
There was something strange about sitting beside him.
He was still a stranger.
A stranger she was expected to marry.
A stranger everyone around her seemed to have already accepted as though the decision had been made long before either of them had been given a choice.
Soren leaned back against the stone bench.
“You're not listening.”
Azalea blinked.
“I am.”
“You're staring at the fountain.”
“That doesn't mean I'm not listening.”
“It usually does.”
She glanced at him.
For the first time that afternoon, a faint smile threatened the corner of her mouth.
“You're very observant, Your Royal Highness.”
“And you're very terrible at pretending.”
Before she could respond, footsteps sounded behind them.
A servant approached quickly, stopping several feet away and bowing.
“Your Royal Highness.”
Azalea turned.
The servant looked directly at her.
“Princess Azalea, Lady Laura is looking for you.”
Azalea's expression changed immediately.
“Laura?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What does she want?”
The servant hesitated.
“She said it was concerning Lord Deon"
“Deon?”
“He is here, Your Highness.”
The words landed harder than they should have.
She had sent an invite to him but she was not expecting he would be here.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Soren's expression shifted.
He knew from her expression and reaction that this was definitely something.
“Where is he?”
“She said he was waiting near the east corridor.”
Azalea didn't wait for anything else.
She turned toward Soren.
“Excuse me.”
Soren's eyes followed her.
“Azalea.”
She stopped.
“What?”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No I'm good .”
The answer came too quickly.
Soren's jaw tightened slightly.
Azalea noticed.
But she didn't have time to explain.
“It's something I need to handle myself.”
Then she walked away.
Behind her, Soren remained seated.
His gaze stayed on her until she disappeared through the palace doors.
******
The moment Azalea reached the east corridor, she saw Laura.
Her cousin stood beside one of the tall windows, her arms folded across her chest.
Deon stood beside Her.
Azalea stopped.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Deon looked exactly as she remembered.
Familiar.
She had missed him but she cannot be with him so what's the use of having to feel this way she asked herself
there was something different in his expression.
Something colder.
“Hey ” Azalea said.
Deon gave a short laugh.
“That's what you have to say?”
Azalea frowned.
“What am I supposed to say?”
“I don't know, Azalea. Maybe start with an explanation.”
Laura glanced between them.
“I'll leave you two alone.”
Azalea barely noticed when Laura walked away.
Her attention remained on Deon.
“Why are you here?”
“You really want me to answer that?”
“Yes I thought you would decline the invitation.”
Deon stepped closer.
“I came to see you.”
Azalea's expression softened for the briefest moment.
Then he continued.
“But apparently seeing you isn't as simple as it used to be.”
Her expression hardened again.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I had to come all the way here just to see you.”
“You didn't have to come.”
Deon's eyebrows lifted.
“Right.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No, say it.”
He shook his head.
“You've changed.”
Azalea stared at him.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
“Maybe because it's true.”
She folded her arms.
“And what exactly has changed?”
“You.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“You're different now.”
“I'm still me.”
“No, you're not you are a Princess.”
The words hung between them.
Azalea felt something twist inside her chest.
“Then why did you come?”
Deon looked away.
“You disappear for months, come back to a palace, suddenly you're surrounded by royals, and now I'm supposed to believe nothing has changed?”
“This isn't about the palace.”
“Isn't it?”
“No.”
“Then what is it about?”
“You.”
Deon's voice rose.
“You're acting like I'm some stranger who showed up at your door.”
“Because you're treating me like I've done something wrong.”
“Have you not?”
Azalea stared at him.
“What exactly have I done?”
“You tell me.”
"Should we talk about the fact that you kept a secret away from me in our almost 3 years relationship"
Azalea's face fell.
“I had my reasons.”
“which was ?”
"Things would have changed.”
“I wouldn't say that.”
"Why"
Deon stepped closer.
“you were not being honest”
Azalea said nothing.
"I just left out some details I did not completely lie"
"You practically did Princess"
"Well I wanted to tell you but I had no chance to"
Deon's face changed.
"There was a lot of time .”
Azalea looked away.
“it was not easy for me .”
“But you could have still told me than allowing me find out through the invitation you sent."
“I just did not want things to change between us.”
“So that's it?”
"Yes”
“I would not have thought too much about it to be honest.”
Azalea looked at him.
"But things would have still changed
You know it and I did not want that "
Deon stared at her.
For a moment, his anger disappeared, replaced by something that looked almost like hurt.
“I would have understood and still loved you for you ?”
“No you wouldn't.”
“After everything?”
“You think this is easy for me?”
Her voice cracked.
“You honestly want me to believe that if I had told you I was a princess your attitude towards me wouldn't change?”
Deon didn't answer.
She swallowed.
“And I know I should have still told you but I was scared”
Deon's expression softened.
“Azalea…”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You came here angry. Fine. Be angry. But don't stand there and make me feel guilty for something I never asked for I'm not ashamed of being Royalty but I honestly wanted to not remember my responsibility and if I had told you I would be constantly reminded my position.”
“I want you .”
The words were quiet.
Azalea's eyes met his.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Deon said,
“But I don't think you want me or us anymore.”
Azalea's heart sank.
“That isn't fair.”
“Then tell me I'm wrong.”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Deon's face hardened again.
“That silence says enough.”
“Deon—”
“You know what hurts?”
He laughed without humor.
“I thought I knew you.”
“You do.”
“No. I knew the girl who used to look at me like I was the only person in the room.”
Azalea flinched.
“And now?”
“Now you look at me like I'm an interruption.”
“That isn't true.”
“Then why does it feel true?”
Azalea took a breath.
“Because everything is different.”
“My world is different.”
"And I'm not part of your world.”
Azalea stared at him.
"It is not easy for me"
The corridor went silent.
“But it was easy when You were lying to my face.”
“Don't speak to me like that.”
“Why? Because you're a princess now?”
“No. Because I'm still the person you supposedly came here for.”
Deon stepped closer.
“You've always wanted everyone to revolve around you.”
Azalea stared at him in disbelief.
“That isn't true.”
“You expect people to wait for you. Forgive you. Understand you.”
“And you expect me to accept you insulting me?”
Her voice echoed down the silent corridor.
“You came here demanding answers I don't even have. You want me to give you certainty while my entire life is falling apart.”
Deon shook his head.
“You always have an excuse.”
Azalea went still.
“Leave.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Azalea—”
“Leave.”
Her voice was quieter this time.
But somehow more final.
Deon muttered something under his breath.
Azalea heard it.
She turned.
“What did you say?”
Deon looked at her.
“I said you're unbelievable.”
Something inside her finally broke.
“Get out.”
“No .”
"You heard her"
Soren's voice came from the quiet corridor
"She said you should get out"
He added strolling towards them
Deon was staring daggers at him.
Azalea remained where she stood.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her hands trembled slightly.
She hated that Deon had managed to make her question everything in less than ten minutes.
She hated even more that some of his words had hurt because a small part of her wondered if they were true.
She closed her eyes.
“And who may you be.”
Deon questioned looking from Soren to Azalea
"Who I am is definitely none of your concerns get the hell out or I will call the guards to drag you out " Soren sounded angrily as he placed a hand on Azalea's lower back as of supporting her
She froze.
She wondered how long he had been there
How much he heard and knew
"Wow"
Deon laughed.
“You'll regret this.”
Azalea's eyes hardened.
“Maybe.”
She managed to say
“Azalea.”
“I'm done talking.”
She didn't look back as Deon started walking away.
Soren stood at her side
His expression was unreadable.
But his eyes were fixed in the direction Deon had disappeared.
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.”
Azalea's stomach dropped.
“Soren—”
He turned towards her.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Nothing?”
“It was a disagreement.”
“With the man who just walked out of here?”
Azalea sighed.
“It's complicated.”
“I gathered that.”
She looked away.
“He shouldn't have come here. I invited him because I knew he wouldn't come but he did.”
Soren's gaze remained on her.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
Soren's jaw tightened.
“Then why were you crying?”
Azalea immediately touched her face.
She hadn't realized tears had escaped.
“I wasn't—”
“You were.”
She wiped her cheek quickly.
“It's nothing.”
Soren stared at her for another moment.
Then he looked toward the corridor.
“Who is he?”
“Deon.”
“I know his name.”
Azalea looked at him.
“Then what are you asking?”
“What is he to you?”
She hesitated.
“He was important to me.”
Soren's expression darkened.
“Was?”
Azalea didn't answer.
Before either of them could say anything else, footsteps echoed from the far end of the corridor.
Deon had stopped.
He turned back.
His eyes met Soren's.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Deon looked at Azalea.
Then at Soren.
“You've got to be kidding me.”
Soren's voice was quiet.
“What?”
“You think you can just—”
“Deon.”
Azalea stepped forward.
“Don't.”
But Deon ignored her.
“She isn't yours.”
Soren's eyes hardened.
“No.”
He took one step toward him.
“She isn't.”
A pause.
Then Soren's voice dropped.
“But that doesn't give you the right to speak to her however you please.”
Deon scoffed.
“This has nothing to do with you.”
Soren's expression remained cold.
“It does now.”
Azalea's heart began pounding.
“Soren, stop.”
He didn't take his eyes off Deon.
“You came into this palace.”
Another step.
“You insulted her.”
Deon's face tightened.
“And now you're going to walk away as if nothing happened?”
Soren's voice was dangerously calm.
Deon stared at him.
“Who do you think you are?”
Soren's gaze never wavered.
“The man standing between you and another mistake.”
Deon laughed.
“are you Her body guard.”
Soren's expression changed.
“Perhaps.”
He glanced at Azalea.
Then back at Deon.
“But you should learn something before you come near her again.”
His voice was quiet enough to make the words more threatening.
“Being familiar with someone doesn't give you the right to disrespect them.”
Deon opened his mouth.
Soren cut him off.
“Now leave.”
Silence.
Then Deon looked at Azalea one last time before turning and disappearing down the corridor.
Azalea stood frozen.
She looked at Soren.
He looked back at her.
Neither spoke.
Then, finally, Soren broke the silence.
"He shouldn't be talking to my Woman that way"
Azalea's eyes widened.
For the first time since he had arrived in her life, Soren looked completely serious.
And somehow, that frightened her more than his anger ever could.
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