The Sword Of A Princess

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

Another month had passed since I gave Lionel the mechanical fingers, I had only visited him in the mornings before his sessions with Dr Laveen. I spent the rest of my time training until dusk then visit again before he went to bed. The box sat on the table in his room, untouched and unopened.

Getting them were a mistake.

I knew Lionel could be helped, and he was already helping himself by agreeing to learn to walk again but I wasn't sure how much further he was willing to go- if he even saw the point knowing he wanted to kill himself in Summer.

Doubt kept creeping inside my head. Could I save him from himself?

"Athena." Coles voice snapped my wondering mind. I felt the warmth from the fireplace heat up the space around us on the sofas.

"Mm yes apologies." I forced a small smile and looked back at him and Sarina, the future queen of Verona lowered her tea cup to her lap.

"I'm sorry your Highness, I know you have a lot on your mind these days, we can reschedule if you'd like?" Sarina asked, her large doe eyes staring back at me overflowing with sympathy.

"No it's alright, besides I've really wanted to meet you, properly this time." I let out a breath and relaxed my shoulders. Cole and Sarina looked like the perfect couple- perfect rulers.

Sarina's raven hair was long and pin straight, most of it pinned back in a more southern style and she wore a silver gown that covered most of her body besides her head and hands. It was easy to tell she was a knight by her muscular shoulders and healing callouses on her palms. I had put myself in my favourite simple blue gown for this occasion to attempt an effort for our first proper meeting.

Sarina would become my Queen once she marries my twin after all.

"Sarina has just returned from a trip South, her family live in Manila, a farming country a few hours from the sea." Cole said staring the conversation with ease.

"Oh I see, so you were a Southern knight?" I asked remembering I saw her at one of the base camps sitting with Cole and others around a fire.

Sarina nodded, "I was yes, then your brother had me transferred to Verona. The North has definitely been a change."

"When were you transferred?" I asked gaining a side look from my twin.

"A few weeks after the war ended." Sarina answered. She had been here all this time and I didn't notice, I was so caught up with Lionel and everything else.

"Never thought I'd see you so in love brother." I smiled at him. Cole let out a breath and placed his hand on his betroths one.

"Neither did I." He smiled down at her. They had already spent all this time courting and falling more in love, because of me I was holding back their wedding and making them keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the kingdoms.

"When is the wedding?" I asked letting them know I wanted them to go ahead with it.

Sarina's shoulders straightened as she looked to Cole for the answer, "We haven't decided yet- we were waiting."

"I'm sure Lionel would love to be at your wedding, maybe in the spring?" I suggested, listing my teacup to my lips.

"He was your close mentor growing up." Sarina smiled at her beloved.

Cole gave me a knowing look, sadness hidden behind his eyes, "Alright, it looks like we finally have a date." He smiled through everything.

"How is his rehabilitation going along?" Sarina asked. It felt strange that she almost certainly knew everything about him through Cole, they've already had a long time to talk about everything together.