Alive.

Cyrus guided Nila out of the palace, and both of them were in peaceful silence as they walked side by side. She would occasionally steal a glance at him, wondering how long she could keep her heart firm as this man seemed to waver all her determination.

Knowing that Sol was Cyrus shocked her, but she wondered why he was so different from the Cyrus she had known him to be. As far as she had seen, Cyrus had been the sweetest person and somewhere in her heart, she felt guilty for calling him a monster.

But Nila was going to keep this act up, at least for a month, all her resolve seemed to dissolve when he had brought her breakfast, in Navaria eating breakfast in bed was a bad habit but Nila had read an awful amount of books which led her to learn different cultures and practices around the world and she even found Sol's gesture very sweet.

Sol stopped in his tracks as they seemed to approach a wooden gate guarded by an old man his skin was loose, his hair grey, and he had lost a few teeth in the front but the old man seemed to have a cute smile on his face.

''My lord, is this your beloved from Navaria?'' he asked standing up.

Nila could feel Sol's gaze on her, ''Yes, this is my beloved, Nila,''

Nila felt her face heating up again, this man and his ability to use his words, 'Focus Nila, don't give in to his charms so easily' she said to herself.

But that's the thing about love.

When you are not used to being loved, and taken care of, your heart flutters at the slightest kindness and affection people show you. You become so used to people ignoring your existence that when people start noticing you, you feel special.

The slightest eye contact makes you delusional, a small act of service might make you think that they love you but what if the person was just a kind person?

Nila had very few people who she received love and affection from, the head maid, Laila, or her horse Athena but a parent's love cannot be replaced by anything else.

She grew up without a mother, and a neglectful, unaffectionate father. She had step-siblings but they felt more like acquaintances, they would all get together for a family dinner once a year and they would be on their own.

Most of Nila's older sisters had gotten married before she could have any good memory of them while her elder brothers didn't pay much attention to her focusing on the palace affairs, the younger ones were at least ten years younger than her.

The idea of marriage had always scared Nila, something scarier than that was how women were used to this. Used to their partners having multiple wives while they remained faithful forever thirsting for love and attention.

The world complains about how women are jealous of each other, thirsty for attention and whatnot but none of them would raise their voice against a manwhore who wants to be paraded by a flock of women.

Nila didn't blame her mother for leaving her. She was probably unhappy with her husband, and Nila's existence would have reminded her of Veer, her mother chose herself but Nila had to pay the consequences.

Once while sneaking through the palace's storage room Nila had found her mum's journal, her handwriting so beautiful that Nila wanted to never stop reading it.

Her mum's journal consisted, of descriptions of different parts of the world, the blue skies, the sunsets, the freedom of being in the air and a lot of other travel experiences, some of which made sense and some which did not.

She was a traveller. That was all Nila knew bout her mother's personality.

Her mother was a wild-spirited woman, no wonder she left Nila's father. Nila's mum, Tana, had met Veer during one of her travels to Navaria, Veer coaxed her with sweet nothings and impregnated her, it was only after she was carrying Veer's child that she knew of his identity.

But her mother blinded by Veer's love followed him to the palace only to find out, she wasn't his only wife.

Just like her mother Nila never wanted to be the second woman, ever.

Nila snapped back to reality as the old man opened the wooden gates, Sol came closer to her his chest hitting her back, he slowly whispered, ''Can you please close your eyes for a moment?''

Nila's whole existence heated up, her ears sensitive to his whispers she closed her eyes, her breath slightly turning heavy. Heaven knows why she trusted him so much.

Sol held her shoulders as he slowly guided her, Nila could feel the grass increasing in length as she continued walking.

Sol stepped away taking his hands off and Nila already missed his touch.

''You can open them now,''

Nila slowly opened her eyes she gasped, ''The bluebells field,''

In front of her eyes was a sight to behold, thousands of bluebells slowly swayed in the morning breeze as Nila looked at them in wonderment, the morning sun only made the view better.

Navaria too had gardens of flowers but it was mostly marigolds, sunflowers and roses. It was her first time seeing such a sight.

Cyrus cleared his throat grabbing her attention, ''I heard that you don't like plucking flowers so I thought it would be better to bring you to this garden,''

Nila shook her head, ''Where did you even hear that from? I-I...

Nila's brain was frozen, how much did this man know about me? But she couldn't care less now, not when such a sight was right in front of her eyes,

''Can I run?'' Nila asked abruptly.

Cyrus seemed confused for a moment, ''You don't have to ask Nila,'' he said with a small smile on his face.

For some unexplainable reason, Nila almost teared up but in the next second she ran, as fast as she could, she let the wind have its way with her short curls, as she ran the fastest she could, tears streamed down from her eyes but not due to sadness or misery but due to the amount of freedom she felt at that moment.

Running made her feel alive.

But the next moment Nila tripped on her gown and fell, Cyrus tensed as he ran over, his speed almost unbelievable as he reached next to her in a moment and knelt beside her.

But Cyrus found her laughing once again, just like the time when she almost drowned, as tears streamed down her face, her chest heaving.

He was confused Nila was the only human he knew, who laughed and cried at the same time, ''Are you ok, are you crying?'' his tone concerning.

''I am crying, but due to joy, the joy of being free'', Nila replied as she closed her eyes taking a deep breath.