Unraveling Desires

The border air carried a cool bite that seeped into Arianne's skin as she stood near the training grounds, her breath forming soft clouds in the moonlight. The day's exhaustion should have lulled her to sleep, but her mind remained restless, trapped in a spiral of thoughts she had no control over.

It was him. Rian.

His words, his touch, the way his gaze lingered just a moment too long—everything about him unsettled her in a way that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the way he made her heart race.

Footsteps approached from behind, steady and confident. She didn't need to turn to know it was him.

"You should be resting." His voice was soft, yet firm, carrying a quiet concern that made her chest tighten.

Arianne hesitated before glancing at him. "Couldn't sleep."

Rian stood beside her, his tall frame illuminated by the silver glow of the moon. His features were unreadable, but she could sense something beneath his usual composure—a weight, a question he was holding back.

They stood in silence, the night stretching between them like an unspoken truth.

"You fight like you're running from something," he said at last.

Arianne's breath hitched, her fingers clenching at her sides. "Maybe I am."

Rian exhaled, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I understand that feeling more than you know."

She turned to him then, searching his face. "Do you?"

His jaw tightened before he nodded. "I was raised to be a warrior. To be the general. To serve and protect. But sometimes… I wonder if there was ever a choice."

Arianne's heart clenched. She understood that feeling all too well—the weight of expectations, the suffocating sense of duty. And yet, here they were, two people bound by fate but longing for something neither could define.

The silence between them deepened, thick with tension.

Then, before she could stop herself, she whispered, "And if you had a choice? What would you want?"

Rian turned to her, his dark eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, she saw something raw flicker across his face—something dangerous, something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But lately… I find myself wanting things I never considered before."

Her pulse quickened. "Like what?"

His gaze dropped to her lips for the briefest second before he caught himself, exhaling sharply. "Things I shouldn't want."

Arianne's breath came fast, her heart slamming against her ribs. Was he talking about her? Did he feel this unbearable pull the way she did?

She should have stepped away, should have put distance between them before this went too far. But she didn't.

Instead, she murmured, "Maybe some things are worth wanting."

Rian stiffened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He was fighting this—fighting whatever was brewing between them. But so was she, and she was beginning to lose.

The air between them felt charged, as if one wrong move would shatter the fragile restraint they held.

Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, Rian lifted his hand. Slowly, hesitantly, his fingers brushed against her cheek.

Arianne sucked in a breath, her skin burning beneath his touch. It was barely there, but it was enough to set her world spinning.

"You—" His voice was hoarse, his eyes dark with something she couldn't name. "You make me forget who I'm supposed to be."

Arianne swallowed hard, her resolve crumbling. "And who are you supposed to be?"

His fingers traced down, resting just below her jaw. "A man who honors his duty. Who remains loyal to the princess he's never met."

Pain twisted inside her. He was loyal to her, and he didn't even know it. But here, now, he was looking at her as if she were the only thing in his world.

Arianne's lips parted, words forming on the tip of her tongue—but before she could speak, Rian took a step back, dropping his hand.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice rough. "This can't happen."

Arianne bit her lip, forcing herself to nod. "I know."

But as Rian turned and walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that, despite everything, it already had.