The Kingdoms of Blue and Green.

Part 24

Azrael linked his arms in hers. Her dress pressing up against his sliver amour as they wondered down the hallway outside the library. They drifted through the hallways of the castle. Evelynn recognizing the route.

Calmly she spoke, "Thankyou," Evelynn's eyes remained on the door further down the empty corridor. Scratching the binding of the book she held she looked up at Azrael.

"For what?" His voice hitched. Azrael's eyes lingered on Evelynn's hands. The tightly wrapped fingers around the book he had given her. Her fingers tapping gently on the cover. 

"The night," Evelynn huffed glancing down at the book, then back at him. 

"Anytime," Azrael's slivery voice echoed. Evelynn pressed her lips together and nodded, looking at her feet for a brief moment. "So your not going to ask me?" his voice became taunt. Shaky even.

"Well it not in my best interest, your highness," Evelynn's voice thickened. 

"Could you stop with the formalities Evelynn," Azrael's voice sharply became orotund. 

Evelynn gulped and step back from him. Evelynn bit back the whimper in her throat. Her eyes flashed up to him then back down to the door in front of them.

Azrael regretted his tone. He pulled at his amour and clenched his fists. "I'm sorry, Evelynn I didn't mean to be rude-"

"Its fine," Evelynn responded cutting him off. "I understand,"

Evelynn's face looked like it was wiped. Her loss of emotion uncanny. Azrael pondered on why she suddenly acted like this. 

"No you don't." Azrael softly spoke, not wanting to scare her. "I think of you and I as equals. We know each other," He explained.

"You don't know me," Evelynn dictated. "Your the King of Eramada, and I am princess of Ath- Southern Wastes" She hissed eyes locked on the door she had now entered. She turned left and continued walking, swearing under her breath. The King closed in behind her. "I am nothing compared to you," She responded.

"Well make me equal to you Evelynn," Azrael foretold, walking to her side.

"You don't want to swoop to my level Azrael," His name drawled on her lips as she objected.

"Make me," Azrael smiled.

Evelynn scoffed shaking her head. "Your an idiot," She challenged.

"Not that informally," Azrael began tucking his arm through hers again. "Okay maybe." Evelynn looked at their arms linked. "Fine" He moaned.

Evelynn snickered at him. "You have no idea who I am," She smiled.

"Well show me then," Azrael continued. 

"Get to know the others first," Evelynn mentioned. "Then ask away," She added turning a right corner. "But I can always get to know you," Evelynn drawled on.

Azrael smiled at Evelynn. Her bright features shining in the moonlight that constantly reappears when they turn into a corridor.

Evelynn tried to contain her laughing as she recalled Azrael's voice annoyingly moaning at her in disgust. They neared her common room.

"Still I don't want to know what you where doing in Roselin's room," Evelynn abruptly said, jumping back to the conversation before. 

"What, how?" Azrael fumed. 

"I'm observant," Evelynn responded poking Azrael in his sliver plated chest.

"Right," Azrael hinted, nodding. His crown slipping down his forehead.

"Here," Evelynn placed her book on a nearby table, reached up on her toes and adjusted his crown. The emeralds and gold sat on top of his mocha brown hair. She pushed it back slightly until it was placed back of his head.

Azrael watched Evelynn push his crown back. Her arms reaching up for him. The look of slight concentration. Her tongue slightly poking out of her lips as she adjusted his crown. Evelynn returned to her flat feet and looked at the door.

"You were wished to be returned," Azrael bowed. It make Evelynn snicker. The soft sound made Azrael want to make her laugh. The sweet sound of her laugh was pure euphoria for him, unknowingly, to see her smile again, and again. It made him smile again.

The door in front of them to Evelynn's common room glistered. The large oak brown door a shadow next to them.

"And here you are," Azrael finished, straightening his back from the low bow.

"Here I am," Evelynn mumbled, clicking her shoes together. "Thanks Azrael," She whispered looking up to him as she clenched onto the sliver door handle. The soft click as it came ajar. Evelynn placed the book back in her left hand and gently pushed the door open further, displaying the large common room and stairway above.

"Goodnight Princesses," Azrael watched as Evelynn disappeared behind the open door.

"Goodnight your Highness," Her voice returned, muffled behind the door. 

The click of the shut door echoed in Azrael's ears.

He knew he shouldn't get attached. Like Evelynn said get to know the others first. The other girls were here for the same reason. Azrael remained positioned outside of the door. He didn't hear her footsteps up the stairway. Still he remained in front of the door, like he was going to grab onto the door handle and sprint up the stairs and grab her, wanting to hold her wrists up above him like he did before.

But he couldn't. Those simple words played multiple scenarios in Azrael's head. He couldn't. 

He couldn't have her. But it made him want her more.

                                                                                                   ~ 

Evelynn pressed her hands on the basin sink. She grabbed her hair and pulled at it. She stared into the mirror, The dagger thrown under the basin tap. The metal shining as the running water flowed down the sink. Evelynn bared her teeth and exhaled. She swore and slammed the tap off. The blade dripping the remaining water down the sink. Drop after drop.

Evelynn tugged her dress off her. She'd burn it tomorrow. She thought. The white dress a stain in her mind. Evelynn clenched her jaw and gripped onto the basin with her calloused hands. The hands that held a blade minutes before the man she'd needed to kill held them. She couldn't. Her Kingdom. Herself. She couldn't care for him. The simple hand holding and smiling a friendly action. She reassured herself.

Evelynn cussed. "What have I done?"