Eventually an distraction came along. An arranged marriage between cyrus and a princess from another kingdom. The news of the arranged marriage hit Cyrus like a ton of bricks.
It felt like a cruel joke, a twist of fate that was rubbing salt in his wounds. He had just started to get over his feelings for Tobias, and now he was being forced into a marriage with a woman he had never met. He felt like he was being suffocated by the weight of his responsibilities.
He was the heir to the throne, and as such he was expected to marry and produce an heir of his own. But the thought of marrying a stranger, of being forced to spend the rest of his life with someone he had no feelings for, made him feel sick to his stomach. It felt like he was being punished for loving the wrong person. He had done nothing wrong, yet he was being forced into a loveless marriage. It wasn't fair, and it made him feel like he had no control over his own life.
Despite his inner turmoil, he knew that he had no choice in the matter. His duty as a prince outweighed his personal feelings, and he would have to go through with the marriage whether he liked it or not. The thought of being married to someone he didn't love, of having to pretend to be happy when he was miserable, made him feel physically ill.
He didn't want this life, he wanted to be with Tobias, but that was impossible. So he did what he thought was the best option. He was standing on a high balcony. The wind breeze in his face. He was scared. He had always been afraid of heights, but for some reason it felt appropriate right now. Maybe it was the way it made him feel so small and powerless, the way it made everything else seem insignificant.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. The air was cold and crisp. And the silence was deafening. He could hear his own heartbeat, pounding in his ears. He could feel the wind on his face, tugging at his clothes and his hair. But it was the perfect place to escape. Up high enough to forget the world below. Up high enough to forget his problems. Up high enough to forget Tobias, even for a moment.
He opened his eyes and looked out at the view. The garden below was a beautiful sight, but he couldn't fully appreciate it. He was too lost in his own thoughts, too consumed by his own pain. The silence was broken by a voice behind him "What are you doing up here?" He turned around, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw that it was Tobias who was standing there. He looked worried and concerned.
Cyrus couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions wash over him. He was happy to see him, but also anxious and conflicted. He didn't want him to see him like this, vulnerable and broken.He tried to school his features into a neutral expression, to hide his feelings from him.
"Just getting some air," he said, hoping his voice wouldn't betray him. Tobias raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by his answer. "You look like you're about to jump," he said, his tone soft but firm.
Cyrus tried to laugh it off, but the sound that came out was forced and fake. "Me? Jump? Don't be ridiculous," he said, doing his best to sound confident and nonchalant. Tobias took a step closer to him, his eyes never leaving his face.
"You don't have to pretend with me," he said, his voice quiet but earnest. "I can tell that something is bothering you." "Stop pretending! I know you agreed on killing me. I overheard everything. And here i was falling inlove with you." Tobias looked taken aback by his words, his eyes widening in surprise.
"You overheard Kace and me talking?" he asked, his voice suddenly shaky with guilt. Cyrus nodded, his gaze hardening as he looked at him. "I heard everything," he said, his voice cold and distant. "I heard you agree to my brother's plan. To take my life." Tobias looked like he had been punched in the gut, the guilt etched across his face. "Cyrus, I..." he started, but he couldn't find the words to say.