Between You and Me

Pondering around her mansion wondering unaccompanied Brianna reflected on Michael's words. Adelaide and her had been friends since the beginning, they understood each other in ways others could not. She was the older sister is had always wished for. Yet here she paced back and forth gathering stare looks from some guest. Some who attempted to make conversation but Brianna made short to cut them short because her mind could not clear the fearful look of Adelaide's face. The tears forming almost free flowing.

Guilt

Guilt

Haunted her veins, she would like to go to the top and go scream her lungs out just like she would do with Adelaide anytime she felt overwhelmed. That was their thing.

" Wait." She talked to herself. " Maybe that's not such a bad idea." If she would go just maybe she could sense or be pointed in the right directions. To find the right words.

Strolling around the manor, feet wondering when he could have another moment to swipe his beloved off her feet. Ambrose thoughts spun at the possibility. The way she smiled all night long while they dance, while they talked. How cute it was when she concerted so hard her nose would crinkled. Aw the images the filled his heart. Heat rose to his cheeks." Lovely, Just Lovely." He sighed with great content. He could propose now if he could but it was too soon. Not for him, but for her. They had just remet, Ambrose wanted more time. He wanted to impress her. He wanted to imprint himself in her heart, mind, and soul. Not by force. He wanted to learn a little more about her. What did she like?What did she dislike? What was her favorite color? Her favorite book. Did she think about the cosmos and how it worked? All the questions he wanted to ask. All he wanted the answers to. In the depths of his heart he wished so.

Luckily, right at this moment it was like the fate had place him there. His feet had brought him to roof of the estate looking up there she was. Her hair flowing through the starry sky as shooting stars, her gazed fixated somewhere above yonder. Sitting down with her feet dangling in the air Paled face, eyes squinted almost shut showing the tiniest almost invisible crows feet appeared.

" She must be troubled, I should back away." He thought but even so his body pay no mind. " But what if she needs someone,anyone to talk to." Ambrose knew from the moment he heard the news of the heir of the throne being born all he could remember was the uproar of negative nonsense. All the degrading words. Harmful. Mean. It made him want to cry even though they were not addressed to him.

" An Abomination."

" Worthless."

" How could the king do this! Create such a thing. Our Princess, I will never bow to her."

" It should not have the right to live."

" A hybrid! A thing more powerful than us, than those filthy wolves. An extinct breed of witches."

The insults. The stares. The humiliation. Never cracking in front of the eyes of the enemy, but he knew somewhere it hurt. Belong to a group that will never accept you. Even if he would never be her lover. He could always be there. Someone that was there. To listen. To support. To protect. To defend. Forever,and now.

" Your Highness!" A familiar sweet voice called out as she wiped her head seeing a familiar blonde running to her.

She tilted her head as his name left her mouth, " Ambrose?"What was he doing here? She knew guest of all kinds were wondering the castle mystified by its charm, but how did he end up here? The roof was closed off to mostly anyone who didn't live in the manor. How long had he been here, watching her?

The smile on his face grew wider by the moment as he soon meet face to face. Her tiny face looked up at him. Ambrose knew well she was mature, fearless but in his eyes the woman who stood in front of him somewhere deep inside, hiding with her legs curled up to her chest was still a little girl.

Originally, planning to be left alone without interference, she had arrived minutes prior. En captured by dewy night as the fairies scattered their fairy dust in rapture of their dance and glee. Things so magnificent that could be enjoyed with others. Unlucky, for her case if it wasn't with her best friends, she was alone. All the chatter chat she falsely enjoyed was nothing was empty deception that left nothing to fulfill the soul. Just cheap flattery. However, Ambrose was different. Or appeared to be. She didn't want to turn him away. Actually she wanted him. She wanted him to stay, even for a short moment of time. " You know you could have just flashed over here." She teasingly expressed as she saw his cheeks darkened thanks to the moonlight.

He scratched his cheek, totally forgetting his capabilities, " Right. I totally forgot." He sheepishly admitted.

Brianna let out a hearty laugh. " It's alright." She looked back out to the marvelous night as his eyes wander were she looked at. She then patted the empty space next to her.

Without a moment to waste he knelled down and sat next to her. So close that their shoulders would rub against one another. That they breathed the same air. He could smell the scent that radiated off her like undetected enslaving taste of liquor. Just wanting to drown oneself within it completely and utterly senseless. " Thank you, my lady." Ambrose gave his sincere gratitude.

" No need to thank me. I really wanted to enjoy the scenery with some company." She informed calmly.

Her words tugged his core. Moving part of his heart. No soul. No, both heart and soul. The words she had just spoken weren't mere words, but an underlying statement of how she felt comfortable around him.Even if it was just as friends. His presence was welcomed. "Well, thank you for considering me worthy to accompany you, my princess." Ambrose carried an embroidered smile.

" Can I ask you something?" Brianna broke the silence.

" Y- yes, anything, my lady. " Ambrose accepted.

Brianna paused, she didn't want to offend him. He didn't seem strange to her, although he was basically a newfound stranger. He just always seemed to be there. In the most unexpected moments. Was it planned or was he just innocently passing by, "I was just wandering how you got here? I mean the roof is closed off to anyone but the royal family or special occasions." She questioned perking her brow.

His eyes widened as he slapped his face, " I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't mean to ..." He trailed off. Damn it, he didn't want to come off a creep. He was just absent minded, never to attentive or intently focused. Free spirited or air headed his mother called him." I promise I am not following you. I would like to be in your company. But I am not doing it on purpose. My feet just wander and I don't really know were I end up until I end up there. Please don't hate me." He finished shuffling his feet realizes he made a confession.

Brianna blinked attempting to absorb all his unraveling explanation. Again she sensed no danger, no lie, not even an ounce of malicious. If anything she sensed his excitement, his nervousness around her. His pure affections to be reciprocated. Ambrose flush complexion proved her right as he could barely look at her in the eyes. Something about him just felt safe. It felt trustworthy, even if he was a stranger. She felt like she had known him forever, unlike the strangers in her home, her people. She could trust him. She wore a faint smile as she said in a voice soft with affection, "Don't worry. I can hate you, Ambrose. " Putting her hand on his shoulder.

The electric heat called his attention.He whipped his head as his diamond eyes met her hazelnut ones. His heart pounded faster and faster. At any rate he would die from much emotion. Somehow he found the will to speak, " I - I don't want you to distrust me. I would just like if you would allow me, to get to know you better?"

Her heart raced, although she already knew his sentiments. Nothing was confirmed. She could take the chance. It wasn't promising anything, just allowing each other to be close. Close friends, someone else to share her thoughts, and laugh with. " Yes, I would like that very much." She said with thought.

His diamond eyes sparkled more than the stars. A memory forever in his heart.

" May I also ask you something?" Ambrose carefully asked not hoping to overstep his boundaries.

Brianna nodded as he breath a sigh of relief.

" Well, I have noticed. You seemed troubled. I don't know if its my imagination but something seems weighs heavy on your mind."

" Its true." Brianna accepted pondering back to the reason she was here. " I overreacted at a silly joke my lady-in-waiting who is also my best friend told. And now I don't know if she will forgive me?"

" Um, well." He rubbed his chin as he continued, " I believed that in time she will forgive you. This fight was just a misunderstanding. And as soon as both of you see that. The quicker the bond will help. If not it was not a friendship in the first place."

Brianna slightly chuckled to herself thinking, " Exactly what the Prince said. Maybe he does know something." Prince Michael although her enemy, still was her beloved, connected by any invisible thread of destiny. They felt the pull and push connection. Even without accepting one another mates could always sense any other distress.

" Did I say something wrong,my lady?"

Brianna shook her hands repetitively as she clarified, " No, No Ambrose. You just um... you reminded me of something. Actually someone." She stopped their not wanting to allude to the person she was thinking of.

" Someone special, my lady?" Ambrose asked wondering if he had any competition.

Brianna swayed her head side to side. Was he special? Yes. Indeed the person she was talking about was her mate, but he was also special because he was a wolf. Something never heard of. Of course she was not going to tell Ambrose this. She trusted him, however the news of her mate being the nemesis, should lay with her. " Yes, and no. Just confusing right now."

Ambrose frowned. The possibility of there being another in her heart. Someone there he could possibly not defeat.

Seeing his face change, he looked saddened. Not wanting to do this on purpose but he did ask. " I told you to call me by my name. You don't have to be so formal." She changed the subject wanting to see his former self return.

Snapping out of his entrapment.

Ambrose slightly lifted the corners of his lips, looking down at her small hand as he gently lay hold of one of her hand as nearing his lips, " Forgive me, my lady. I just cannot bring myself too." He said softly as he placed a gentle kiss against her smooth skin.

A little wave of unexpected bliss and warmth tingled through her body. A tingle. A small one, but a one at that. " Something.Definitely something." Brianna reflected looking at the future she could hold.

Meanwhile Eliza who just arrived there watched the couple, or almost couple in moment of a small intimacy that others would be in awe of. She couldn't believe it. This was the Ambrose, Adelaide had mention. She felt nothing more than the unwavering love he held wanting to embrace her in a moments thought. Her friend with happiness. But why could she bring herself to smile? To celebrate this joyous event? Her veins squeezed, her stomach clenched. Something felt off. It wasn't wrong. But why could she sense they weren't meant to be together. They was someone else for her friend.

" Brianna!" She called out as Brianna eyes peered pass Ambrose and onto Eliza walked slowly closer. Ambrose turned his head, unbeknownst to the new stranger.

Her forehead puckered as she replied, " Eliza?" Her lady in waiting nearing her as Ambrose rose holding out his hand as she placed her hands in his as she got off the ground.

" I'm sorry your highness, I didn't know you where in company." Eliza apologized putting her display in front of the royal. " Forgive me your grace."

Ambrose looked at the girl like a creature that just arrived a land. For certain he knew she was a mermaid.Not only that was she the friend they were just talking about as she maintained her distance. Eliza stared at the man who was her best friends' mate but could shake the feeling of him not being the one.

Brianna wanted to slap herself as she forgot her manners as the princess to introduce one another, " No worries, Eliza. Um, Ambrose this is my other lady in waiting Eliza. Eliza this is his grace Duke Ambrose." She informed.

Ambrose leaned in and whispered into Brianna's ear, " Is this the lady in waiting?" She shook her head.

" No the other one." Brianna tiptoed as Eliza watched trying to solve the missing place piece.

Ambrose immediately felt a wave of calmness watch over him as he didn't want to be in the mid of two friends fighting. " Oh. Well, you must need her highness for something important."

Eliza taken out of her thoughts, gave a faint smile, " Yes your grace, there is something urgent she must attend to."

Brianna knew Eliza language, it was not royalty related matters but one of friendship. That something urgent meant that they need to talk. To find a way to correct what was all Brianna's fault. " I'm sorry Ambrose, but its seems I must go." She turned to the male who carried the energy of a small child, with a grin.

"I understand, my lady."

" Well then good night Ambrose." Brianna concluded waiting for his departure note.

" Good night, my lady." He smiled as she walked forward turning her back to him as her lady-in- waiting replicated following close behind. He stared at the two figures walking into building, leaving him in the crisp air of the midnight.