"Albert, what are we doing here? Where is His Highness?" Ignis followed Albert to the foot of the huge clock tower located at the north of the Palace. Albert opened the heavy wooden door of the tower and made way for Ignis to enter. She looked up to the spiral stone staircase ending into a single room.
"His Highness is up there. He had to inspect the security tonight, hence he asked to arrange a meeting here. Let me guide you to the room" with that he climbed two stairs and turned back offering his hand to her for support. "Pardon My Lady, there is no support for you to hold onto. Please hold my hand and do not look below".
Ignis took his hand and thanked the darkness, for she was not able to see anything other than the next step.
"I wanted to meet him, but not here. This is torture." she remarked harshly.
"His Highness left to meet you, right after the Council meeting. But, he came back soon, saying that you were busy. I am sure, the wedding preparation is as taxing for him as it is for you." Albert said.
"He visited the guest quarters? When? I didn't see him." Ignis was puzzled.
"Yes, I heard it from Sir Aldo".
By the time they reached the door of the clock room, Ignis was sweating profusely. She asked Albert to wait for a few minutes for her to catch her breath. She looked down at the dark abyss and quickly shut her eyes. She was sure, the sweat was not just because of her unexpected exercise but also due to the fear of height that kept crawling at her back the whole time.
She took a deep breath and asked Albert to open the door.
The room was dark and contained a huge frame of gears, levers, weights, and the other mechanisms. The face of the clock was on the south wall, a big round clear glass wall. Ignis could see the whole palace from here. She turned around to see a balcony on the opposite side of the clock face. She had to duck below a few levers to reach the balcony.
"Princess?" she heard Adrian call out to her from the balcony. She went out and saw him sitting on a sofa with piles of books and parchments spread on the floor.
"What are you doing here?" she asked looking at the mess on the floor.
"Working" he shrugged. He placed the book in his hand beside him and looked at her. "You wanted to see me?"
Since her little rebellion with Domi in the afternoon, she felt a strong need to meet Adrian. But, she had no idea what she wanted to talk with him. Maybe she thought he might sympathize with the pain she is going through everyday for wedding preparation. After all, he must be facing similar issues. When no one was listening to her, she hoped, he might listen to her.
Ignis averted her eyes and looked around the balcony. Now that she was in front of him, she found it difficult to express her uneasiness, rather she felt childish to run to him for something that was unworthy of his time and attention. She aimlessly looked at the huge mountain towering in front. She walks up to the balustrade and slightly leans forward, inhaling the cold air.
"It was nothing. Please continue with your work, I will take my leave after staying here for some time." she let out a sigh.
Adrian stood up and walked towards her.
"I wanted to see you" Ignis turned, mouth agape with incredulity. Adrian was standing close to her, he leaned forward placing both his hands around her on the balustrade, making it difficult for her to run away. "I had a rather frustrating day today. So, I wanted to see you".
He is dangerously close.
She instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder, to maintain some distance between them. But, the moment, she looked into his eyes, her restraints felt slowly fading. His eyes were hardened like a frozen lake shining on a moonless night. One step and she will drown in the icy water.
With all her might she looked away. "Your Majesty, we shouldn't be this close before marriage".
"You mean to say, it's alright to be this close after marriage?" his asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
Ignis could feel her cheeks warm up to his words. "I would like it if you could ask for my consent".
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear "Even for this?" He gave a light peck on her ear. She flinched when his cold soft lips touched her skin. She felt something erupted inside her core.
Adrian laughed bitterly and pulled her robe, completely covering her. "I am still cold for you, aren't I?"
"I am sorry, I just missed - " he stopped and spun sharply looking at the clock face, narrowing his eyes.
"Adrian?" He was silent for some time. It looked like he was concentrating on something.
"Who is in your bed chamber?" he asked urgently, still looking at the glass wall.
"No one, I was alone when Albert came to escort me..." she stopped, the anxiety crawled back on her skin. She looked at him, eyes wide "Domi was coming to sleep in my chamber".
"We have an intruder"
The moment his words were out, Adrian dashed towards the door. Ignis followed him to the door but soon took a step back when she saw the dark spiral staircase. Albert came in front of her and offered his help to take her down.
Ignis knew Domi was able to protect herself. But that was possible only if she was awake. She is known for letting her guard down at familiar places. Ignis started praying fervently for her friend's safety.
Ignis and Albert quickly made their way to the guest quarters, only to find a huge crowd of servants and soldiers trying to peek inside. Albert ordered everyone to make their way and they both slid through the sea of people to the hallway.
Ignis hoped that nothing serious had occurred but still prepared herself for the worst.
"Domi" Ignis called her name once she reached her room.
Domi was sitting on the sofa with her head in her hand. She looked up, her eyes wide and voice trembling "Ignis, are you alright?"
"I am fine. What about you? What happened here?" both the friends hugged each other, relieved to see the other one safe. The room was in a mess, papers were littered, her small desk and chair were toppled, a few glasses of the large window were broken. She saw Aldo crouched near something that looked like a human body, Adrian was standing near the window looking out.
Ignis was about to go near Aldo, when Domi stopped her. "Don't look" she pleaded.
Ignis unclasped her hand from Domi's grasp and walked towards the body. Her blood drained from her face. The man was not older than 20 years, laid in the pool of blood. Eyes open and mouth spilling froth and blood. She controlled the bile that was threatening to come out and crouched besides Aldo.
"My Lady, you shouldn't be here" Aldo looked at her lifeless face.
"Let her be Aldo" Adrian said, then walked towards them. "Do you know him?" he asked her.
Ignis shook her head. "But I know who he is working for" she removed the leather pouch on the man's belt and emptied it on the floor. The silver coins that fell had a red dragon mark on it.
"My father sent him" a wry smile spread on her face. "And I thought he forgot about me".
"Albert" Adrian called his butler and asked him to take both the ladies in the main palace. Albert bowed and asked them to follow him.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Ignis asked Domi when they were out, away from the crowd.
"I was about to go to bed, when I saw someone entering the room through the window. He attacked me, saying that the highest bounty will be taken by him. I think he misunderstood me to be the Princess. When I was busy defending myself, two arrows pierced both his shoulders, avoiding the critical points. Later, His Highness entered the room through the same window. That man drank poison before he was caught" Domi let out a sigh.
"Are you sure, you are not hurt anywhere?" Ignis inquired again. She exhaled loudly when Domi replied with a nod and short smile.
Just then a carriage entered the main gate. Albert stiffened and ran towards it.
A middle aged man got down the carriage followed by a woman.
"Are they not..." Domi trailed off. Ignis nodded.
"The former King and Queen of the Aqua Land, Stella Loram and Sermon Mari"