Chapter-8

Auden adjusted her composure as she greeted the prince, "I am delighted to meet you, Price Elias. Is it perhaps our first meeting?" Auden raised her suspicion.

Elias, ever the enigmatic figure, responded with a sly smile. "I fear that disclosing the answer may not be in the best interests of our respective monarchs, Princess," he remarked, his words laced with a hint of mystery.

"I shall see myself out for I presumed you needed privacy." Eve interrupted and left.

As Elias turned his attention back to Auden, he extended a formal invitation to dance, his tone both confident and courteous.

"Might I have the pleasure of a dance with you, Your Highness?" he asked, his gaze fixed intently on her.

Auden considered her options carefully before accepting, curious to see what secrets Prince Elias might hold. And so, with a graceful twirl, the pair took to the dance floor, the tantalizing tension between them palpable to all who observed.

As the crown princess of the Isles of Crystals, Auden was expected to carry herself with regal poise and grace. And yet, as she moved across the ballroom floor in a dance with Prince Elias of Aeresia, there was an undeniable tension in the air.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, it seemed as though the entire room fell away. Auden felt a rush of conflicting emotions - passion, yes, but also burning anger that she couldn't quite explain. She was curious and unsure about why would she feel such agony for someone who she didn't know well.

With every turn in the dance, Auden's curiosity rose. Who was this man who could make her feel tranquillity and chaos at the same time? The more familiar he felt, the more Auden's suspicions rose.

"You seem quite curious about me, Princess," Elias remarked his voice low and smooth. Auden could feel the weight of his gaze on her, and she forced herself to maintain her composure.

"How perspective of you, Prince. I shall acknowledge you for the title." Auden said as Elias pulled away from her.

He bowed down as they ended their dance. "Then I will take that as you not refusing. You're curious about me." He spoke low, almost not audible.

"I could say the same for you, Prince," she replied, her tone measured and polite.

"Where will the sunflower not go if not the Sun?" Elias left her speechless.

Despite the heat between them, Auden was determined not to let her guard down. She was a princess, after all, and she would not allow anyone to see her weaknesses. She stared at him with fury, yet care.

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"And that's what you called attention grabber," Eve said proudly while looking at Auden.

"What were you looking at, princess?" Said a familiar voice.

Aquilo approached Eve and stood beside her as he offered her a glass of wine.

"Thank you, Sir Aquilo," Eve accepted the glass.

"May I have the pleasure to know what intrigued you so much that you didn't notice me?" Aquilo asked Eve.

Eve looked around the ball as she inhaled a deep breath.

"This," she stopped after saying a word.

Aquilo raised his eyebrows as Eve continued, "I feel like finally, things are actually how they're supposed to be, Sir Aquilo."

"The sun is shining, but it doesn't dim down the charm the moon has," Aquilo interrupted.

Eve wore a forced smile, and thus the ball proceeded with people dancing together while basking in the light shining upon them. While some individuals exhibited happiness with radiant countenances, others showed signs of suspicion. Meanwhile, amid the gathering, Auden and Elias maintained a distance from the crowd as they stood together on a balcony.

"Why did you seek me, Prince Elias?" Auden asked Elias while staring outside the balcony.

Regardless of the night, the city expressed glamorously. No corner was left darkened as the crystals lit up everywhere. Auden thought they resembled the stars.

"Well, My Highness. I feel like there's a lot you might be curious to know of," said Elias as he glanced at Auden.

"I am afraid I can't say otherwise. Why won't we start from the basics, Prince Elias?"

"What does Your Highness wish to know?"

"Abyss. What was that place?" Auden finally looked at Elias.

"I am afraid that's something you have to find by yourself," Elias spoke low.

Auden released an exasperated breath, displaying her frustration. "Your kindness in offering me information regarding this world was not particularly beneficial," she remarked, imbuing her voice with a cold edge. "Very well then, perhaps you could elucidate on your own circumstances, Mr. Elias. Why did you rescue me from a place that you were unwilling to disclose?" Despite Auden's pointed inquiry, Elias remained silent.

After a period of time, Elias let out a deep breath and searched through his pocket, finding a letter. "Your Highness, we shared a bond, and I had to protect you until you remembered your true identity," he stated firmly as he took Auden's hand and placed the letter in it.

"I understand that your frustration is warranted, but as your well-wisher, I could only do so much." With that, Elias departed, leaving Auden to contemplate in solitude.

Despite feeling hollow, she remained silent and did not attempt to halt Elias' departure. As she gazed upon the radiant cityscape, her countenance revealed no trace of rejection or loneliness; rather, all she sensed was void of anger and nothingness. How was she supposed to express what she felt? for she herself wasn't aware of what she felt. For who should she speak, for her burden to be less? who should she seek that what lay ahead of her, wouldn't be scary anymore?