The moonlight shimmered across the lake, casting a soft glow on Leah's reflection in the still water. Her tear-streaked face stared back at her, a haunting image of despair. The wind whispered through the trees, but it could not drown out the sobs wracking her body. She bit her lip, the taste of salt from her tears mingling with the cold night air as her hands tugged at her hair in frustration.
I don't want to be Priscilla... Why does no one want Leah? Why do I even exist? If I die, would anyone even care?
The thoughts spiraled in her mind, dark and suffocating, and her hands trembled as she tried to pull herself from the pit of despair. But the weight of it all felt unbearable.
"Leah!"
The deep, steady voice cut through her chaotic thoughts like a lifeline. Rowan.
Her heart skipped a beat, her body frozen in shock as her eyes widened. Tears streamed down her face, but she couldn't bring herself to look up.
Before she could retreat into the familiar embrace of her sorrow, Rowan was kneeling before her, his presence overwhelming. He gently took her hands, stopping her from pulling at her hair any further. His touch was firm yet tender, an anchor in the storm of her emotions. It was a contrast she had never known—her self-inflicted pain, now met with his warmth.
"Don't hurt yourself... don't say things like that," he murmured, his voice low and comforting. "There are people who care for you, who want Leah in their lives. Please, don't hurt yourself over what he said."
Leah's chest tightened with the weight of his words. She wanted to push him away, to tell him not to care, but her body refused to obey. She was exhausted—exhausted from the pretending, from the lies, from being someone she wasn't. She just wanted to be heard.
"Did you overhear?" Leah's voice was small and shaky.
Rowan didn't hesitate. "I was passing by and couldn't help hearing..."
Leah wiped at her tears, a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude swelling in her chest. She thought of Lyra, of Aurelia—of the few who had begun to understand her. The memories filled her with a warmth she had forgotten.
"You know what's funny?" Leah said, forcing a smile despite herself. "I don't care about him at all. Honestly, I don't even like him." She shook her head, as though trying to dismiss the weight of her own words. "I needed him as a fiancé because that's what Priscilla would have wanted. He was supposed to be Priscilla's fiancé, but the engagement never happened..."
A strange sense of relief washed over Rowan. He had always feared that Leah harbored feelings for Charles, but hearing her speak of him so casually filled him with unexpected comfort. He let his hand fall to her hair, brushing it gently as he spoke. "Then isn't it time you start doing what you want? What Leah wants?"
Leah lowered her gaze, her voice soft and uncertain. "I want to… but I don't know what that is. Do you know how to figure out what you want?"
You. I want you.
Rowan's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly pushed the thought away, his mind returning to her question. "Well, I can't say for sure. Who knows?"
Leah gave a small, incredulous laugh. "What is that? Aren't you a king?"
"My status has nothing to do with this," he replied, smiling faintly. "I just do it. I don't waste time thinking. Thinking is for matters that require it."
Leah raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Then I should do it."
"Do what?"
"Go talk to Charles," she said, rising to her feet and brushing herself off.
Rowan blinked, caught off guard. "Why? Didn't you just talk to him?"
"No. I think we got off on the wrong foot. We need to talk properly, instead of letting emotions run the conversation."
Rowan furrowed his brow, concern flashing in his eyes. "But—"
Leah cut him off. "I need to set things right. You're right. This is my life, so I should do what I want."
She reached for his hand, her fingers warm and steady in his. "Thank you, Rowan."
Rowan's heart fluttered at the sound of his name falling from her lips. His ears burned with embarrassment, and he quickly turned away, trying to hide his reaction.
"Oh my!" Leah exclaimed suddenly, pulling him back to face her. "Blood! How?"
Rowan looked down at his hand, noticing the small cuts from the broken glass earlier. "It's nothing," he muttered, attempting to downplay it.
Leah's eyes softened with concern. "Even if you're a king, you don't always have to pretend to be strong," she said gently. She cupped his hand in both of hers and dipped it into the cool water of the lake, washing away the blood. "It seems deep. Better to get some antiseptic on it. Come on, get up."
She helped him to his feet, and together they stood, side by side. The weight of the night's conversation lingered in the air.
"Aren't you going to talk to Charles?" Rowan asked.
Leah shook her head, her expression softening. "I can do that later. This comes first."
Rowan smiled, a warmth spreading through his chest as he followed her lead. The simple act of her caring for him, of ensuring he was okay, made him feel more alive than he had in a long time.
Mentally, he slapped himself, berating himself for feeling so happy over such a small thing. But the warmth refused to dissipate. Leah had a way of making him feel… more than he had before. And for the first time, he didn't mind it one bit.
The days leading up to Leah's departure were filled with an unsettling sense of anticipation that gnawed at Rowan's heart. He tried to focus on the tasks at hand—the endless stack of paperwork, the meetings with his council—but his mind kept wandering back to her.
Leah.
The words she had spoken that night echoed in his mind: "I need to set things right. This is my life, so I should do what I want." What did she mean by "set things right"? What was this "new start" she spoke of? Was she planning to reconcile with Charles? Was that why she had gone to speak with him?
Rowan's stomach twisted at the thought, and it was as if an invisible weight had settled in his chest. The anxiety made him restless, tossing and turning in his bed at night, unable to sleep. His aides, ever attentive, noticed his lack of rest and his odd behavior. They commented on how he seemed like a ghost wandering the halls, forever preoccupied.
He knew today was her departure day. She would leave Gaia and return to Anemoi. The thought left him hollow, a dull ache spreading through him. He had never been so unsure of anything in his life, but he couldn't bring himself to confront her. What if she had already made up her mind? What if she didn't want him to intervene? What if she was ready to go back to the life she had been living before, before him, before her true self was revealed?
He found himself standing on the balcony that evening, gazing out at the sprawling kingdom below, lost in his thoughts. The cool breeze ruffled his hair, but it did nothing to ease the storm brewing in his chest. The sadness weighed heavily on him, and for the first time in ages, he felt the true loneliness of his position.
"What are you looking at?"
The cheerful voice from behind startled him, and he turned to find Leah standing there, her expression bright yet tinged with something he couldn't quite place.
He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, but the anxiety quickly crept back into his chest as he thought of the question he had been dreading to ask.
"I—" he stammered, then caught himself, taking a breath. "I was just thinking about you… and what you said before." He hesitated before continuing, his voice lowering. "Have you spoken to Charles?"
Leah's smile faltered slightly, and she met his gaze with a calm yet resolute look. "I have. I broke off the engagement with him," she said quietly. "I'm going to speak with my parents about it soon. It's… over."
"You did?" Rowan felt a wave of relief as he sighed unnoticeably.
Leah nodded, her expression softening just a little. "Yes. I couldn't continue pretending anymore. It wasn't right. I couldn't live in the shadow of Priscilla. I couldn't live a life I never wanted."
Rowan swallowed, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. "I… I'm glad you made that decision," he said, his voice steady but unsure. What now?
"But…" Leah's voice faltered, and she looked down at her hands. "Now I don't know what to do with myself. I've always been Priscilla, always been someone else. I don't know how to be me. I'm lost."
Rowan felt his heart ache for her, seeing the vulnerability in her eyes. She had always been strong, always held herself together, but now, standing before him, he saw the cracks in her carefully constructed facade.
"I don't think you're lost," he said softly, his voice full of conviction. He stepped closer to her, his hand lightly brushing against hers. "You are Leah. You've always been Leah."
Leah's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "But how can I be Leah when everyone has always wanted me to be someone else?" She took a shaky breath. "How can I be myself when I've never known who that is?"
Rowan's heart tightened. "You can start by doing what you want. By living for yourself. You don't have to live in anyone's shadow anymore."
Leah looked at him, the faintest glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes. "And if I don't know what that is yet?"
He smiled gently, his hand now resting on her shoulder. "Then we figure it out together."
Leah blinked, clearly surprised by his words. "Together?"
"Of course," he said, a warmth in his voice. "We'll figure it out together, Leah. I want to help you, however I can."
Leah looked up at him, her gaze softening, and for the first time in a long while, she seemed at peace.
Rowan's heart skipped a beat. The tension he hadn't realized he was holding in his chest slowly began to ease, though his mind raced with the implications of her words. She wasn't going back to Charles. She had made the choice for herself. He waited for her response.
"You know what, I'll stay with Lyra for the time being. I need some time to figure things out," Leah replied, her gaze softening. "I think it's the best way forward for me."
The words hit Rowan like a wave. He had hoped, in the quietest part of his heart, that she would stay. But to hear her say she was going to be with Crown Princess Lyra instead made him ache with a longing he couldn't put into words.
Leah noticed the change in his expression, her brow furrowing in concern. "What is it?"
Rowan's lips parted, and before he could think better of it, the words slipped from his mouth. "Why don't you live here?" he blurted out, his eyes wide in disbelief at his own forwardness.
Leah blinked, taken aback by the suddenness of his suggestion. "Huh?"
Rowan, flustered, cleared his throat, trying to recover. "I meant… move here to Gaia."
Her face softened with understanding, but a hint of uncertainty lingered. "You want me to work here?" she asked, hesitating. "It's a good offer, but… I couldn't. What would I even do here?"
His heart sank at her words. She was looking at it from a practical point of view, but what about him?
"You have a reason," he said, his voice stronger now, though still shaking with the intensity of his emotions. "Me. Be my wife."
Leah's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. The world seemed to still for a moment before her expression softened, and her gaze lowered.
Then, almost as if the weight of everything she had been carrying had finally broken, she spoke again, her voice trembling "….I always wanted to be loved for who I am, not who I'm pretending to be."
Rowan's heart swelled with emotion. "You are loved, Leah. You are loved by me. I love you."
Leah's breath caught in her throat, and before she could say anything more, Rowan stepped forward, closing the gap between them. His hand cupped her face gently, and he looked into her eyes—eyes that had held so much pain, but now, they held something else. Something softer.
"I care about you," he whispered, his voice low and steady. "You don't need to pretend anymore. Just be you. Please. I want to be with you, for you."
Her lips parted in surprise, and for a moment, Rowan wondered if she would pull away, but instead, she stood there, her heart open in a way it hadn't been before.
And then, as if the world had shifted in that one breathless moment, she whispered, "I don't know how to do this… but I want to try."
Rowan smiled, his heart soaring. "Then let's try together."
Without another word, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and their lips met in a kiss—soft, hesitant at first, but then full of the promise of everything they could be together.
When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Rowan rested his forehead against hers. "Leah," he whispered her name like a prayer, as if the very sound of it was everything he had been waiting for.