Chapter 17
The Third Day of the month of Palefrost
The Royal Palace
"Xyla, are you sure?"
Blythe watched her friend nod with a smile, "Blythe, of course! I'll be the one who sneaks into his office anyway. You can wait right outside! I just don't want to leave you alone in your room."
Blythe bit her lip as she let her new friend lead her up the stairs.
The two had stepped out of the suite of rooms, Blythe now more confident in her gorgeous blue gown and high shoes.
She walked up the stairs carefully and walked into a long, empty corridor.
"Where is this?"
Xyla looked over with a smile, "I've been to Elliot's office before. It was a year ago or so. He likes to work in silence so he requested a separate room near one of the attics of the Palace."
Blythe felt nervous as she followed Xyla.
She still hadn't met Prince Elliot and Augustus had not appeared from the moment she'd entered the Palace. If she hadn't met warm Xyla, Blythe would have been convinced she was going to be imprisoned.
"Ellio tells me he does the last of his paperwork in the night so I don't think he'll be here now, It's still early in the Evening."
Blythe nodded gratefully, thankful for her friend's assurance.
Elliot seemed lovely by Xyla's accounts but Blythe was not completely sure about what he would really be like.
Her heart flipped when she thought of the quiet man she was to marry.
She did not remember his face and wished her imagination would stop painting pictures in her head.
About all she could remember was that he had been tall and looked like he could fight in an army.
"Here!"
Blythe looked up to see a small stone doorway leading into steps made of stone.
"This leads into his office. He wouldn't mind a bit, I'll just go check when Cecil's marriage is scheduled. Your marriage should be before then, judging by Prince Augustus' words."
Blythe nodded quietly.
Leaving her room had thrilled her.
What if she saw Prince Elliot? She could not stop fantasizing.
"I know the marriage is next week but I don't remember the exact day."
Blythe's heart did a flip, "A week? My own will be in lesser than a week then?"
Her voice had come out frightened and Xyla hurried to assure her, "Of course but Blythe, I can say certainly that Ellio will be a great husband. He would never pressure you into anything you are uncomfortable with."
Blythe smiled even as her heart raced in her chest, "Xyla, of course! I was just- surprised!"
Xyla nodded before ascending the stairs that led up.
Blythe waited for her friend, her eyes wandering around the empty corridor.
The space was hardly furnished and looked forgotten. No windows except a small balcony that ten stone steps led to afforded the corridor very little light.
Squinting to see, Blythe realized that a man stood at the balcony, his feet visible to her eyes.
Blythe wondered who the male was and why he was stood at the balcony in the evening.
Was he admiring the view?
They were certainly several floors up and Blythe realized that the view from the balcony was probably breathtaking.
Inching to the steps that led up to the balcony, Blythe let her mind stumble between whether or not she should take the steps before slowly beginning to.
She decided she would peak at the sky from the top of the steps and then, quietly hurry away.
Gingerly stepping on each step, Blythe let her feet quietly stay on the top step before looking up.
Beyond the man who stood there, the sky was breathtaking.
Clouds decorated the beautiful colours of the expanse that stretched as far as the eyes could see.
Blythe let her eyes adjust to the light before glancing at the silhouette of the man against the view.
He was tall, his hair dark against the light and had a noticeable firm frame.
It took her several seconds to see the strong royal seal on the sword held by his side.
Her mind grasped things quickly after that.
Standing before her was someone with the weapon issued only to those of royal blood. The man was tall and looked built and was right outside what was probably his own office.
Blythe turned around quickly and made to make her way down the steps when her feet tripped.
Her body tipped over to the front before a strong arm grabbed her at the waist, pulling her up.
Blythe gasped when her back made contact with a firm chest.
"Careful."
The deep voice of the man was very close to her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
His body smelled like the trees outside her house in her hometown. Overpowering and with a hint of forest air.
The grip around her waist loosened and he stepped away.
Blythe let herself take a breath before she turned to face him.
He stood a feet away from her and she swallowed.
The man was attractive.
Dark hair swept away from his forehead, skin slightly tanned in the sun and intense eyes were what first caught her attention.
He had a strong jaw line and his neck led down to let an open collar show her the top of his muscular chest. His coat allowed for little more of his body to be shown but his clothes pulled over his broad shoulders, snug around his arms.
"Who are you? A visitor to the Palace?"
He had frowned and Blythe nodded, unable to not get swayed by his low, deep voice.
The tall man had leaned back against the stone wall of the balcony, the wind tousling his hair, "I'm afraid this corridor is off-limits. Visitors to the palace are not allowed all the way up here. Should I escort you down? Who has invited you here today?"
Blythe blinked.
His general air was powerful, strong. He seemed silent but very much aware of the power he commanded and his own role in the situations.
"I-," Blythe wondered why her voice sounded so small, "I've been invited here by Prince Augustus."
The attractive man raised an eyebrow, "By brother?"
Blythe's heart did a flip of excitement.
She was so glad this seemed to be Prince Elliot after all.
Blythe nodded, keeping her face serious. "Yes. I have yet to see him though."
Prince Elliot frowned, "Yet to see him? How can that be-,"
"Blythe!"
Blythe turned around to see Xyla at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wide.
"Xyla!"
"Xyla?" Elliot looked confused, "What are you doing here?"
Xyla rushed up the steps with a happy smile, "What about you? Aren't you usually with the Economy Analysts?"
Elliot nodded slowly, eyes moving from Xyla to Blythe.
Blythe felt her cheeks heat up at his glance.
She hadn't thought she would be marrying someone so attractive.
The prince was handsome and had an air of mystery to him.
"So, who is this? Augustus' guest? And why are y-,?"
"Xyla!"
The trio turned to see Augustus waiting at the bottom of the stairs, his expression wide-eyed.
"Brother?"
The eldest Prince stepped into the crowded balcony with a cheerful smile, "I've been looking all over for you two!"
Blythe watched Xyla's face change from a comfortable smile to a wide-eyed blush, "You have?"
The prince took each girl by the hand before leading them off the balcony, "Yes! I am so happy I found you."
Blythe let herself get dragged into the corridor.
As the trio made their way to the staircase that would lead them to the floor below, Blythe turned around to see Prince Elliot glaring at the back of his brother's head.