Breakfast with Adrien was awkward.
Not that Adrien wasn't nice. He was a perfectly gentlemanly prince, and it was obvious he was very concerned with her comfort. He asked about her, and her home, and the land of Earth where she hailed.
It was just...
Was it okay? Having such a lovely, comfortable breakfast with Adrien, after what she and Kieran did?
He wouldn't be angry, would he?
The longer the meal stretched on the more anxious she got.
Once they were finished, she immediately excused herself, citing that she needed rest.
Prince Adrien had accepted the excuse graciously, but he seemed a little crestfallen, and it only made her feel worse.
He walked her to her room himself, and bade her a polite goodbye before going off on his business.
As soon as the door shut, she leaned against it with a heavy sigh.
"Should I tell Kieran? About breakfast...? Maybe...it'd be better if I didn't..." She buried her face in her hands with a groan. "But that just feels worse...oh...this would be so much easier if Kieran hadn't gone off to work...!"
He'd said he'd be there for her in the ceremony...
'Well...it's probably not his fault. It's not like he's in control of when the prince decides to do it.'
She huffed and settled into a chair, looking out the window.
Ahh, I'm a woman with a crush, aren't I?
She laughed at herself and buried her face in her hands.
"But it's not like it's one sided so....!"
Her smile fell as she glanced out the window again.
If only it wasn't for the whole...secret part of their relationship...
She sighed heavily and laid back in her chair. "Ah...now I can't stop thinking about last night..."
She closed her eyes, and her imagination quickly conjured the image of Kieran pinning her down onto the bed as she relived last night's activities. She quickly shook her head, hands on her face, and struggled to dispel those images.
"Nooo. Don't think about that right now!!"
She scrambled to her feet, looking around for something to do to occupy her thoughts. Her eyes fell on a book.
"...This seems good." She nodded, picking up the heavy tome, and bringing it to the bed to sit down. "Something to learn about and focus on! Good job Emily!"
It was a book about the seven keys.
It looked fascinating.
This is exactly what I need!
It only took about 30 seconds of reading to realize she had zero idea what was being said.
She tossed the book away from her with a dramatic scream. "This is the worst!!"
What kind of idiot prince decided that the most important information for her was going to be in books?!
She scowled, getting up and kicking the book off the bed with her foot. "I need answers!! To the questions I don't know how to ask!!"
She paced the floor.
"Argh!! Fine!!" She snarled at the offending book lying on the ground, and stormed out of the room, stomping in the direction of the main hall.
People jumped out of the way of her warpath, but she paid them no mind, continuing on toward her target.
"Prince Adrien!! Your highness!!"
He looked surprised to hear her call, and turned toward her voice immediately. "Lady Emily. Are you feeling ill?"
"No-" She bit back her reply as soon as she was close enough to see concern written across the handsome prince's face.
"...Just a little restless."
"I'm sure it must be very jarring. To appear here and suddenly be expected to learn and undertake such a heavy burden." The man's purple eyes seemed to study her. "I assure you, I will help you. You can tell me anything that is troubling you. If I cannot offer solutions, perhaps I can simply provide an ear to listen."
She fidgeted in place, glancing over her shoulder and back at the prince.
Well...he does seem genuine...
She stepped closer. "I need you to...tell me more about the Keys."
"Oh?" Adrien nodded. "Certainly. I will help as best I can. What exactly about them?"
She gestured vaguely.
"What...do they even look like? How will I find them? How do I unlock a key?? Shouldn't I use a key to unlock something, not unlock a key?"
"Well..." Adrien inclined his head, lips pursed. "Some of those questions are questions we've wondered for ages. As you said, what does a key unlock if it must be unlocked? Perhaps they are all sealed away and just as your touch to the Keystone creates a reaction, if you can find where a key is hidden your touch will unlock it?"
He shook his head and offered a sympathetic smile. "All that we know is you will be able to discover the keys. However, you needn't wander blindly. The prophesies provide clues to the keys' locations."
She shuffled closer. "Really?"
"Indeed." There was a fondness in his faint smile as he spoke. "However...it is...a book of obscure poetry. The hints are present but...difficult to decipher."
"Oh..."
She had a feeling she knew what he was talking about.
"It's unclear if the order they appear in matters. But the first mentioned in the story is the 'wall key', It is...a fiercely independent key which will cut its own holder when held."
"A key that cuts when you hold it....?"
The prince nodded. "Indeed. The second is the 'heart key'. It is a singular key, powerful and yet left alone."
She blinked several times. "...huh?"
He shook his head. "It was our hope the Keybearer could decipher the hints naturally when she appeared."
A slim hand touched her shoulder, and he smiled. "Don't be frightened. You are, without doubt, the prophesied Keybearer. That mans...no matter what, you will figure it out. Simply allow yourself to be you."
Her lips curled up into a faint smile. "...You have a lot of faith in someone you just met."
"Perhaps." He gave a light laugh, smiled fondly back at her. "But I do not believe it is misplaced."
She felt a slight blush rise to her cheeks, and she couldn't help smiling back.
He was kind. And very handsome. If circumstances were different...
"...I'm going to the library." She turned and quickly walked away before he could see her cheeks darken in a full blush.
She walked away so fast she was sure she left a lingering cloud of dust in her shape.
She patted at her cheeks as she walked.
No, bad. No smiling at anyone but Kieran! I'm a loyal girl!
She huffed as she walked, looking up, out one of the windows. "...A loyal girl who misses him..."
Kieran didn't come back from his duties for the rest of the day.