The sun was already dipping when I woke up, my body still heavy from lack of sleep. They told me it was fine, that it made sense since I had been up all night.
They still believed I had amnesia.
Not that I completely minded. I really did not know much about how the palace worked yet. I was still learning, still observing. So whenever they thought I had forgotten something, they willingly filled in the gaps for me.
After washing up, I stepped outside and tilted my head toward the sky.
Evening already.
Time really slipped away faster than I expected.
I made my way toward the kitchen, my footsteps quiet against the stone floor, when I overheard a conversation.
"Good thing the prince has been found. Turns out he was just in his room, sleeping. But why didn't the guards see him there? They searched the entire palace."
"I cannot make sense of it either. But you know the prince. He avoids people, even the guards assigned to him."
They both chuckled softly, their voices laced with amusement.
I was about to slip past unnoticed, but one of them caught sight of me.
"Rahina, there you are." One of the maids straightened up, wiping her hands on her apron. "I will prepare the prince's meal. There are a few things I want to ask you."
I gave a small nod and stepped closer. "Sure, go ahead."
She glanced at the trays, then back at me. "Do you usually dine with the prince? We always prepare two plates, two sets of utensils."
I hesitated for a second, scratching the back of my head awkwardly. "Yes… though I would rather not. I am just worried something might happen if I refuse."
The other maid waved her hand dismissively. "It is fine. The prince does not bite." She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "He is a bit… rough around the edges. Keeps to himself, does not speak much to anyone. But they say he has a kind heart."
I forced a polite smile.
I do not think so.
"Here," she said, carefully placing the last dish onto the tray and handing it to me. "Please bring this to his room."
"Alright. Thank you."
Balancing the tray carefully in my hands, I made my way down the corridor. The faint clinking of utensils echoed with each step.
Halfway there, a thought suddenly hit me.
Almi.
"Oh no… I wonder what happened to her. Did she make it home safely?" I murmured under my breath, my pace slowing slightly. "I will just ask her when I see him."
I stopped in front of the prince's door.
Knock.Once.Twice.Three times.
No answer.
I carefully pushed the door open.
Dark again.
Why was it always dark in here?
The silence felt heavier tonight, almost suffocating. Every small sound echoed too loudly. The soft clink of plates as I set the table. The faint rustle of fabric when I moved. Even my breathing sounded out of place.
I finished arranging the food and glanced toward the bed.
He still had not moved.
"Okay… I will give him two minutes," I whispered to myself, placing my hands on my hips. "If he still does not come, I will wake him up."
I sat down, tapping my fingers lightly against the table.
Two minutes passed.
Nothing.
I let out a quiet sigh and stood up.
"Alright… here we go."
Slowly, carefully, I walked toward the bed. The darkness made it harder to see, so I moved step by step, feeling my way forward.
"There he is…"
He was lying near the edge of the king-sized bed. I circled around slightly to get closer, leaning forward just enough to see him.
His face was partially covered.
I could not even see what he looked like properly.
Then a soft sound.
I froze.
"Is he snoring?"
I leaned in a little more, listening closely. It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but it was there.
A small, quiet snore.
"That is… kind of cute," I muttered under my breath, blinking in disbelief.
He looked completely defenseless like this. Fast asleep. Unaware.
"What am I supposed to do now…" I whispered, pressing my lips together.
Wake him up?What if he gets angry?What if he lashes out?
I groaned softly and rubbed my temples. "This is stressful…"
After a moment of internal struggle, I stepped back.
"Maybe I should just wait…"
I returned to the table and sat down again, resting my elbow against it. I propped my chin on my hand, keeping my eyes on him.
The silence stretched.
Too quiet.
Too still.
My eyelids began to feel heavy.
"Just for a moment…" I murmured, lowering my head onto my folded arms.
"I will wake up when he does…"
Kaysan's POV
I woke up to a dull ache in my arm.
My brows furrowed slightly as I shifted, the lingering heaviness in my body refusing to leave.
Ah.
That night.
The alcohol Rahina brought to her meeting with Tavik.
I do not know what came over me, but I snatched a bottle from her and drank it entirely.
A reckless act.
Unnecessary.
And yet…
When the intoxication took hold, everything I had kept buried surfaced all at once. Emotions I did not recognize. Thoughts I could not control.
I did not stop myself.
I asked her something.
She answered.
And before I could stop myself, I pulled her into an embrace.
I let it happen.
Even if I would be questioned later. Even if I would regret it.
At that moment, all that mattered was that I released what felt like it would explode inside me if left contained.
I did not expect an answer.
And yet… I wanted one.
One that favored me.
How strange.
For the first time in my life, I could not use my position for my own desires.
How complicated.
I exhaled slowly as I sat up, pressing a hand against my temple.
I remembered walking back to the palace, my thoughts in disarray. I had taken the hidden passage only I knew, slipping through the small window into my room to avoid the guards entirely.
A habit.
A necessity.
My head throbbed faintly, likely from the alcohol. I had changed my clothes before collapsing onto the bed.
And then, something else.
A presence.
My gaze shifted. There, by the table.
Rahina. Asleep.
Her head rested on her arms, her breathing slow and even.
The food on the table had already been arranged neatly.
She must have waited for me.
I stared at her in silence, something unfamiliar tightening in my chest.
"You stayed," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, I simply watched her.
Then I slowly swung my legs off the bed, careful not to make too much noise.
Each step toward her was deliberate.
I stopped just beside her, looking down.
Strands of her hair had fallen over her face.
Without thinking, I reached out, then paused.
My hand hovered midair.
What am I doing?
A faint frown crossed my face.
After a brief hesitation, I lowered my hand slightly, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
She did not wake.
"Reckless," I muttered softly, though I was not sure if I was referring to her… or myself.
My gaze drifted to the untouched food.
Then back to her.
A quiet sigh escaped my lips.
"You will fall ill if you sleep like this."
But still, I did not wake her.
Instead, I pulled a chair closer and sat across from her, resting my elbow against the table.
Watching. Waiting.
Lost in thoughts I still could not fully understand.
A faint shift.
A small movement of her fingers. Kaysan stilled.
Rahina's brows knitted slightly as she stirred, her breathing changing. No longer as deep as before.
She was waking up.
Kaysan straightened instinctively, pulling his hand back from where it had been resting too close to hers on the table. His posture stiffened, his expression quickly returning to its usual unreadable calm.
Rahina let out a soft groan, shifting her head slightly against her arms.
"…mm…" Her eyelashes fluttered.
Blurred at first.
Then, a figure. Right in front of her. Watching her. Her eyes widened.
She shot upright so suddenly that the chair screeched faintly against the floor.
"AH—!"
Her hand flew straight to her chest, her heart pounding violently.
"You...! Since when were you there?!" she blurted out, still half-disoriented, her voice a mix of shock and embarrassment.
Kaysan did not flinch. "I have been here," he replied calmly, his voice low, steady.
Rahina blinked at him, trying to process everything. Then her gaze flickered down to the table, to the untouched food… then back to him.
"Did you just… watch me sleep?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
There was a pause. A very brief one.
"Yes."
Her face immediately flushed. "What?!" She straightened even more, clearly flustered now. "Why would you do that?! That is so so..."
She waved her hand in the air, searching for the right word. "Weird!"
Kaysan tilted his head slightly, studying her reaction rather than responding right away.
"You were waiting for me to wake up instead of waking me up right away to eat," he said.
Rahina opened her mouth, then closed it again.
"That is not the point," she muttered, crossing her arms, trying to regain some composure. "You could have at least woken me up instead of… staring."
Kaysan's gaze softened, just slightly.
"You looked exhausted."
The words landed more gently than she expected.
Rahina blinked. For a moment, she did not respond.
"I was just waiting for you to eat," she said, quieter this time, avoiding his eyes. "I did not mean to fall asleep."
Silence. A different kind this time.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes never leaving her.
"And yet, you did," he said.
Rahina frowned faintly, glancing at him again.
"Do you always talk like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like everything has a deeper meaning," she replied, squinting at him. "It is a bit… intimidating."
A faint pause.
"Does it intimidate you?"
The way he asked it, calm, almost curious, made her freeze.
"No," she said quickly.
Too quickly, Kaysan noticed. Of course he did. A faint, almost imperceptible shift in his expression.
"Then why do you avoid looking at me?"
Rahina's eyes snapped back to his.
"I am not avoiding..."
"You have not held my gaze for more than three seconds," he interrupted smoothly.
"Are you counting?!" she exclaimed, completely caught off guard.
"I am observant."
She stared at him. Then groaned, dragging a hand down her face.
"This is exactly what I mean…"
Kaysan leaned forward slightly this time, resting his arm on the table. The distance between them felt… smaller.
"Then look at me."
Rahina froze.
"What?"
"Look at me," he repeated, quieter now.
Not a command. But not entirely a request either. Something in between.
Her throat felt suddenly dry. "You are making this weird again," she muttered.
"And yet, you are still not doing it."
A beat.
Rahina inhaled. She lifted her gaze.
Their eyes met, and stayed.
No interruptions. No distractions. Just eye contact.
It lasted a second.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Rahina's breath hitched slightly, and she looked away first.
"Okay, that is enough," she said quickly, her ears noticeably red.
Kaysan watched her quietly. "You lasted longer this time."
"Stop tracking it!"
A faint silence followed.
Kaysan reached for the utensils.
"Eat with me."
Rahina blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone.
"Again?"
"Eat with me again," he continued, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "So sit."
Rahina clicked her tongue, but after a moment, she pulled the chair properly and sat down across from him again.
"Fine."
Kaysan said nothing. But there was the faintest hint of something in his eyes. Something quieter. Warmer.
They began to eat in silence.
Rahina would look up just briefly.
Only to find he was already looking at her.