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"Can I just stand up and get fresh air?" Irisa whined but Nancy rolled her eyes, she walked toward the curtains draped down the windows and started pushing them apart.
She turned back to Irisa who was staring at her, "the physician has instructed bed rest so you are not going to change my mind."
"But I am fine! It has been eleven days, do you not think I am well enough?" she questioned exasperated.
"M'lady the prince has constructed that you stay in bed. I am just obeying his wishes, you will stay in bed and not complain."
"I am ordering you to allow me to leave the bed! I am your master am I not? Why do you listen to Aaron but not me?"
"Because you are being unreasonable, m'lady this is the second time you almost died and the fact that the second time was my fault will not allow me to do what you have instructed. Besides, it is for your good." she took a sit at her side and took a novel, she opened it not paying attention to the princess who glared at her.
"You are impossible!" Irisa groaned and huffed looking away.
"I am not letting you out of my sight!" she said firmly making Irisa groan. She took in a deep breath, the doors opened and Aaron entered the room, looking at Irisa who was groaning on the bed.
He walked toward her, smiling, "m'lady." he bowed making Nancy stand to her feet, "your highness." she bowed slightly and greeted walking out of the room and closing it.
He watched her for a while as they stared at her each other, "you have come here to visit me, Aaron, take your seat." he walked toward her side of the bed and took a sit by her side, a hint of a smile still on his face, happy that she was alive.
"I want to leave the room, why am I being locked up?" she questioned almost groaning. He shook his head, "I cannot let you leave this room Irisa, you just started recovering, you will go out and wreak havoc."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh please!" she dismissed, "I am not going to do that... You are my husband and you are also locking up here, are you supposed to do that?" she questioned.
"You are being unreasonable, Irisa. You can guilt trip me into letting you out of the room." Irisa sighed almost yelling, she fell back unto the pillow and closed her eyes feeling trapped.
"I have brought you something," he said after a while of staring at her, she opened one eye and stared at his hand, "what is it?" she inquired curiously.
He grinned opening his hands and making her gasp, "why do you have that?!" she exclaimed and sat up, grabbing the pendant from him.
"You know it?" he questioned, proud of his achievement.
"The locket of commitment! Where did you find it? Everyone looks for it for their lover!" she explains admiring it, she had heard tales and read books about it but she had never seen it.
The locket of commitment was a hundred years old and told the tale of two lovers, a duke of old Kisten a small village not far from Young city, had a favored servant. He gave her everything she wanted and could ever dream of, a tragedy that happened in Kisten separating her former master.
When they reunited he was so happy that they cut off their hands spewing their blood into a container which later was formed into a hard rock that was said to be indestructible, and would be passed down from lovers to lovers. It was another rumored that if anyone wore it without truly having a deep love for the gifter, tragic things would occur.
"I stumbled upon it." he shrugged not willing to get into further details about what he had done to get the locket.
"Stumbled?" she questioned suspiciously, "yes stumbled, do not think too much about it, put it on."
She frowned confused, "you are giving it to me?" he nodded and took the delicate locket from her finger, "turn around."
She stared at him then turned around sluggishly, her mind racing, "you are so beautiful," he places it on her neck, "and these past few months with me as taught me a lot. Irisa," she turned to him, glancing at the locket, "you have done a lot for me and with you, in my life, although it has been more chaotic than I would like, I have realized that for the first time in my life you are the most important thing to me. I initially never treated you like a wife," he pulled her hands to his, "you have been there for me and I can not simply let us go on like this. I..." his heart raced and he paused trying to understand what was behind those eyes of hers.
She tilted her head, "you?" she mumbled asking him, "I am..."
"Your highness..." they heard a quiet knock and they looked up at him, the doors opened and Viron entered the room bowing to them, his eyes flew to Viron who smirked, Irisa pulled her hands away.
"What do you want Viron?" he questioned annoyed by his interruption. Viron almost scoffed as his eyes flew to her neck, he walked forward into the room all the while Aaron was staring tightly at him.
"The disciples, they are here and they have news from the orphanage." Aaron stood to his feet immediately, he turned to Irisa who gave them a curious stare, wondering what he meant by the news, "I will be back and we will continue from where we stop." he smiled before turning and pushing Viron out of the room.
"Why did you do that Viron?" Aaron questioned as they journeyed through the hallway.
"I do not know what you speak of my prince," he said mockingly knowing it would infuriate Aaron more.
"Oh please! You know what I was going to do and you interrupted me! You messed up my plans!" Viron stopped and stared at him before shaking his head.
"Aaron based on how you have explained, she has faced death twice, and rushing to tell her about your feelings will do neither of you any good. My advice to you is to take it slow, you cannot rush love. That locket was extreme and out of the blue. You are overwhelming her."
"She is my wife! I do not need advice from you on how to run its affairs!" he argued frustrated.
"Aaron you are so smart intellectually but romantically you are not. You made her uncomfortable, it was clear that I saved you, my advice shows not to tell her, take her horse riding, and do things she loves with her. I do not think she can take you restricting her moment well, she will snap someday."
"When did you become an expert at figuring out what women like? the last time I checked you do not go anywhere near anyone, you barely allow a woman to lie with you."
Aaron crossed his arms, Viron smiled and shook his head, "oh innocent, innocent brother. I do not know what deluded you but I will say it again you need to take things slow with her. You have to show her you are serious."
"I am showing her!" he snapped.
"Are you?" Viron questioned flatly, Eli walked toward them smiling, "hey brothers! There is news from the orphanage!" he informed them, Aaron nodded showing that they already found out the news earlier.
"Eli, tell our darling prince that getting the locket of commitment is too extreme."
"You got the locket of commitment? Where did you find such glorious treasures, your highness?" Eli questioned intrigued, Aaron rolled his eyes as the guards opened the door to a large area.
"We shall finish this discussion later," Viron mumbled.
"We have nothing to discuss!" Aaron gritted out annoyed.
"Oh, but we do your highness." Eli grinned, and Aaron walked toward the master's younger disciples.
"Good evening everyone, I am glad to welcome you back into the master's manor," they fell to their knees, stretching their hands forward before bowing, "Good evening, your highness."
"After the journey, you are required to rest for six hours then training will begin as soon as the time elapses." he let out, relaying the information his master had passed to him.
"Please take rest and eat well," they nodded while he dismissed them. They rush into the house leaving their instructor, Raymond, Viron, Eli, and Aaron.
"Welcome back," he muttered while they bowed showing respect and courtesy.
"Your highness," the instructor Isabelle approached him smiling. He smiled back before pulling her into a deep hug, they stood there for a good minute, savoring the moment. He pulled back when Raymond cleared his throat, "how have you being these days your highness?"
Aaron nodded, "very well thank you, Isabelle."
"It has been so many months since you visited? I thought something had gone wrong, the master would not tell me anything and I prayed day and night to the ancestors for your safe return."
Aaron shook his head, "not to worry Isabelle, I was just very busy with Kaley's political matter and my marriage that I could not visit, not to worry now, I am here." she grinned as they ascended a flight of stairs.
"We are all glad you are back and we hope you would stay a few months." Aaron nodded as the doors to her room opened, she bowed and closed her door.
Viron scoffed bringing Aaron out of his daze, "I do not think that you are ready to win the princess over!" Eli almost laughed.
"Wait the prince is trying to win the princess over? I thought you already professed your love for her in Omoral?" Raymond questioned surprised.
"Oh, so you have confessed it before!!!" Eli cooed teasing him.
"Can you guys just stop this now? We have other matters to attend to but you have chosen to stay idle and discuss love matters."
"Aaron you gave her the locket of commitment! That is the greatest symbol of the love you can show to her but do not forget that you lied to her about being in the custody of pirates,"
Raymond rolled his eyes, "I told you that was a bad idea! Princess Irisa is impulsive, she thinks with her heart and would not want any harm to come to you."
"Samuel the guard said the council members did not agree to bring men to save you." Eli pointed out.
"So your darling wife stole your royal seal and came out the way to save you." Byron cooed.
"Aww it is true love, I never thought there would be a day where Aaron would find love!" Eli grinned and slapped him on his shoulder.
"You are all going to be the death of me!" Aaron groaned as they busted out laughing as they approached the master's office.
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