Aileen felt as though Daniel had avoided her in the following weeks.
He was always busy during the day, and she didn't see him at all. He didn't eat dinner with them and took it in his office. Aileen wasn't even sure if he was still coming to sleep in the bedroom or if he was staying in his office because he worked until so late.
Aileen had since decided to focus on the symptoms of her abilities coming in. So far she had only had a flicker of fire come from her hands. As she tried again nothing happened, but she was comforted in the fact that they would come.
These days however Aileen was homesick. She did miss her parents, however it was her siblings and her home kingdom that she truly missed. For some odd reason she felt if she was home her powers would have worked immediately.
So she went to his parents, the king and queen, and asked if she could have a short vacation.
They said as the holidays came up it would make sense for Aileen to spend time with her family before coming back and celebrating with them.
Aileen had thanked them and had a burst of excitement that she was going home. Not long after maids had come with multiple suitcases, though Aileen sent them away, and only kept a few as she already had clothing and necessities at home.
All she needed was to dress tomorrow and leave in the morning and she had quite a long journey ahead of her.
Still she hadn't seen Daniel and she wondered if he even knew, so when she went back to the bedroom, she definitely did not expect to see him walk out of the bathroom basically naked with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
Aileen had gasped and immediately covered her eyes.
"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed. "I was just coming back, I didn't know you'd be in here."
She seemed confused when she heard Daniel chuckle. He was facing away from her and getting dressed.
She guessed her had already put on his undergarments in the bathroom as he slipped pants on under the towel. Once he did he hung the towel on the balcony.
He turned facing Aileen, still shirtless.
Aileen tried not to look. Then after a moment she awkwardly said. "Well I... I'm just going to go."
But before she could leave Daniel stopped her.
"I would like to have a conversation with you."
Aileen awkwardly cleared her throat.
"Um... Sure..."
He grabbed a shirt from his closet, and slipped it on. Walking towards her as he buttoned it up.
"So, I heard you have requested to go to your homeland."
Aileen nodded.
"Well I may be busy, so I wish you well on your trip."
Aileen muttered. "Yeah you've been busy."
"Hmm?" Daniel asked.
Aileen quickly replied, "Oh nothing!" In a panicked voice.
Daniel had a slight smirk on his face.
And he rose from his seat, to settle in front of her. Bending down so that they made eye-contact, he asked in a low voice...
"Why? Does that bother you."
Aileen turned her head and popped up from the couch before rushing out of the room, calling out to him.
"Gotta go, I'm busy."
Daniel chuckled. "Oh now she's the one who's busy" he said to himself.
...
The next morning Aileen was packed and ready to go. She was briefly said goodbye to by the queen, the king being in an important meeting could not send her off. Daniel she assumed was with the king.
But as the carriage was ready Daniel had walked outside.
"Your highness.." Aileen said quietly.
Daniel had a small smile on his face and then said. "Have an enjoyable trip princess." Then as he always did took her hand and kissed it before disappearing back into the castle.
Aileen hoped her face wasn't burning red like she felt it was. She got into the carriage and began her journey.
She was excited to finally go back home.... And she wondered what would await her there.
.....
Aileen awoke to that familiar warmth as the carriage came to a stop.
She excitedly sat up in her seat and looked out the window. She had arrived in front of the palace.
~Home~ she thought, tears nearly coming to her eyes.
She opened the carriage door and carefully stepped off.
As she helped lift her luggage, she felt an arm hook around her pulling her away. In the midst of her surprise she heard a familiar voice.
" Ahhh, finally back home little sis?"
A grin spread across Aileen's face.
"Ezra!" She turned and jumped into his arms hugging him tightly.
Then she felt someone else hug her. She looked to her side to see her younger brother Alexei as well.
Ezra was her older brother. He was older than her by four years, and because of the reason he was born a male he escaped from being betrothed to the Ice Prince. Had he been born a female, or Daniel born a female. He would have married him instead.
Aileen used to resent him for that reason. But as time went on she learned to deal with the idea, and to know that it wasn't her brother's fault.
Aileen had missed these two. Ezra had a fianceé, but he didn't plan to marry until after his coronation.
Alexei was quiet, but he was a good kid. He kept to himself and was naturally intelligent. Therefore he was educated at home with a private professor. He hadn't ever had many friends or interacted with others on a daily basis. He liked to be by himself.
Aileen felt as though she was a mix of them both. She could face the public and put in a brave face, but all the whole terrified on the inside. However she was always willing and excited to meet new people.
Aileen walked up the palace steps with her arms wrapped around both her brothers.
Her parents stood waiting at the door beaming at their three children.
Aileen hugged them both as she had recently seen them, but she more or so wanted to catch up with her brothers.
Aileen had often wanted them to come along to the events held in the palace, but the palace needed someone of royal blood to reside in the palace whenever the king and queen may be absent which fell onto Ezra's shoulders. Alexei couldn't come anyways because her parents thought he was too young to come along. He never really argued that though. He didn't like crowds.
Aileen had briefly left them to go see her room, and to change out of the clothes she was given. She was terribly hot with the thickness of the clothes they gave her in the Ice Kingdom.
Then she met back up with her brothers and they walked to the old pond out behind the palace in the vast land they occupied.
They spent the afternoon talking about the experiences of the past few months.
Aileen could tell Ezra was itching to ask her about her incident. After all, the only thing she told them both was that she was fully recovered.
She didn't like to think about it. Everytime she didn't she felt scared and conflicted, especially because of what that man had said. Said about the Fire Nation's soldiers.
In the evening when Aileen was finally alone, her thoughts began to drift off to Daniel.