She needed quiet. She needed peace. And there was no better place than the place she always found solace. The garden.
Aileen wandered through the garden, the vibrant colors of the flowers a stark contrast to the usual icy surroundings of the kingdom.
The sunlight, though faint, was warm against her skin. She often came here to escape, to think, and to find some peace away from the weight of her duties and the brewing storm of her family's conflict.
She knelt by a patch of roses, running her fingers over the soft petals, breathing in their fragrance. The garden, one of the few warm places in the kingdom, had always been her refuge. Here, she could let her mind wander and let go of the things that burdened her heart.
But today, her thoughts were anything but peaceful. Her father's betrayal, the secrets she had uncovered, and the alliance she had to protect… It all seemed like too much to bear.
Not to mention her feelings for… him. They seemed to grow by the day.
She sighed, leaning back against a stone bench, her eyes lifting to the sky above. She didn't hear the soft footsteps behind her until they were almost upon her.
"You know," a voice teased, breaking the silence, "you look a little too serious for someone who's supposed to be relaxing."
Aileen's heart skipped. She turned to see Daniel standing a few feet away, his hair not the usual stark and tidy style it usually was. His usual icy demeanor was absent today, replaced by something warmer. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Is that so?" she replied, though she couldn't hide the lingering tension in her gaze. "I guess the garden isn't quite the escape it once was."
Daniel stepped closer, lowering himself onto the stone bench beside her. He glanced around, taking in the garden's quiet beauty. "Maybe not, but you do seem to enjoy it here."
Aileen hesitated, her fingers twisting the hem of her sleeve. "I do. It's… one of the few places that feels warm."
Daniel nodded. There was an unspoken understanding between them. "Warmth is a rare thing in this place. You seem to find it in the most unlikely places."
She looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. "It's not just the warmth of the sun," she said softly. "It's… being away from everything. From the expectations, the choices… the people who want things from me."
Daniel's expression softened, and for a moment, there was no tension between them, only a shared understanding of the burdens they both carried.
"You don't have to carry everything alone, you know," he said quietly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
Aileen's heart tightened. His words resonated with her, more than she cared to admit. She turned away, pretending to focus on the flowers in front of her, though she couldn't hide the flush creeping up her neck.
"I suppose," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know how to trust anyone enough to share it all."
Daniel chuckled lightly, breaking the heaviness of the moment. "I suppose I'll have to earn that trust then."
Aileen gave him a sidelong glance, a small smile on her face at the teasing in his tone. "You think you can?"
His smile was small but genuine. "I think I can try."
The words hung between them, charged with a quiet promise. And though the awkwardness remained—subtle but undeniable—there was something else there too. A connection. A warmth that neither of them had anticipated, but both seemed to recognize.
"Daniel?" She said quietly.
He turned to look at her. "Yes princess?"
"Do you think we'll actually be able to do it. To stop my father. I'm terrified of what is to come…"
Daniel was quiet for a moment as he stared off into the distance. "Well one can never know what the future holds. They can only do their best to take it as it comes. I have faith that we will stop this. We will be okay."
They sat quietly. The comfort of the other being just enough.
A few minutes passed.
Aileen stood, brushing off her skirt as she glanced at him. "Thank you… for this."
Daniel stood as well, following her gaze out into the garden. "For what?"
"For understanding. For being here."
He nodded once, his gaze lingering on her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. "Anytime, Princess. Anytime."
As he turned to leave, Aileen remained in the garden, the weight of their conversation settling over her like a blanket. She didn't know where things would go from here, or how long the peace they'd found would last, but for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope. And maybe, just maybe, it was enough.