Amaya ran back into the ballroom. Sadness played on her face.
"Amaya, it's time to go. We want to set sail at dawn," King Damon told her.
"Yes, Your Majesty." She gave him a slight bow.
Amaya followed in her king's footsteps but was pulled back by Ciaran. He pressed her against his back. It took Amaya's breath away.
"Your majesty, King Damon, I think you should call her by her rightful title, Princess of Deira," said Prince Ciaran.
"What do you mean she's a princess?" King Damon didn't understand.
"Amaya is my wife. That makes her a princess." Prince Ciaran explained to him with a mischievous smile.
"Be quiet, Ciaran!" King Mael scolded him.
Amaya was shocked by his words. It's hard to surprise her, but he did so. She stood there petrified, speechless.
She shook off the shock and turned to Ciaran.
"You said that if I wanted to leave, you would let me go freely," she told him.
"But you don't want to leave. And if you say that, you're lying," Ciaran told her.
"The union between you can be declared void," said King Damon.
"And so it will be," said King Mael.
"Our union is blessed by the gods," said Amaya and showed the mark on her wrist that bound her to the unwanted prince. "Even if you don't acknowledge it, we belong to each other before the eyes of the gods."
Ciaran grinned. He hugged her from the back and rested his head on her shoulder.
When they looked at King Mael, his eyes flashed with anger. King Damon was also furious.
"Deira will pay for this," said King Damon.
"It is not our fault that your gods have deemed my son a more suitable groom for your witch than you, King Damon," said King Mael.
Those words surprised both Amaya and Ciaran. Everyone in the room. They did not believe that they came out of the king's mouth.
"Peace between our kingdoms is over," King Damon said as he stormed out of the hall.
Prince Tristan approached Amaya. He kissed her on the cheek.
"Good luck," he told her. "And try not to kill him."
"I'll try," Amaya said.
Representatives of the Amorite kingdom left the ball. There was an eerie silence. The guests held their breath. King Mael looked at his son and the witch. He was furious.
King Edric, king of the kingdom of Silla, approached the prince and princess of Deira.
"This was a very bad move," he told them.
"I haven't been thinking logically at all lately," Amaya replied.
"I hope it's worth what you just unleashed," King Edric said and left.
"You have completely everything we were trying to build up these last days," King Mael said in a menacing voice. "Both of you will suffer the consequences for what you just did. You should have stuck to your roles and kept quiet."
"I said I was bad at meeting expectations," Amaya said with a mischievous smile.
"Get out of my sight!" King Mael ordered and Amaya and Ciaran obeyed. They hurried away from his wrath.
"Everyone get out!" shouted the king, and the guests hastily dispersed to avoid feeling his fury.
The cheerful mood and fun turned into a tragedy at the same time.
⸸
Ciaran decided that they must return to Hiraeth immediately. But Amaya refused to leave without saying goodbye.
"Are you still sure you don't love him?" the commander asked her, suppressing a smile.
"Maybe I'm not so sure about that anymore," Amaya replied.
"So you're finally admitting you love him?" Mathias gave her a questioning look.
"I'm not admitting anything," Amaya denied. "I'm just saying my emotions are confused."
"That's admitting everything," said Mathias.
"I'm not used to feeling something like this," Amaya said.
"Love is like that," said the commander. "But once you feel it, you can't live without it."
"It's a terrible feeling. I don't like it," Amaya said.
"But you don't choose love," said the commander.
"Someone had to win your heart eventually," Mathias said with sadness in his voice.
Amaya hugged him. "I wish it was you," she said. "At least I'd know you won't break it."
"I wish that too." He hugged her back.
"We have to go now," said the commander. "You should leave too. King Mael didn't look happy when you destroyed the truce."
"Ciaran and I are going back to Hiraeth," said Amaya. "I just wanted to say goodbye."
"The door is always open if you decide to come back," said her commander for the last time.
"I'll remember that," Amaya replied.
They were sitting in a carriage and heading home to Hiraeth. They were silent. Amaya watched the landscape flash past the carriage window. Miramor was lost somewhere in the distance. White sand beaches rose into cliffs.
"You and Enzo were close during the ball." Ciaran broke the heavy silence between them. "What were you talking about?"
"We planned your death," Amaya replied.
"I thought you'd try not to kill me," Ciaran remarked.
"Maybe I lied," Amaya said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a lord's daughter?"
"Tristan had no right to tell you that," she replied. "I am of the opinion that if someone is to know my past, he would be a part of it."
Ciaran gave her a tender look. He saw the pain in her that he knew intimately.
"Amaya."
"He was a drunkard and a violent man. He deserved the end that befell him."
There was silence between them again. The only sound was the stomping of horses' hooves rushing to their destination.
"Aren't you going to ask me about the secret I'm keeping from you?" Ciaran asked her a question when he couldn't take the silence anymore.
"No," Amaya replied. "I'm not sure I even want to hear that. Then I'd have to tell you mine too, and I won't do that.''
"Please, don't be quiet, Amaya," Ciaran said. "I know you're upset. Scream, just please don't be silent."
Amaya tore her eyes from the changing landscape. She looked at him.
"What do you want me to say, Ciaran?" she said. "What you want to hear?"
She sat on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I fell in love with you, so please don't break my heart."
Ciaran was surprised to hear those words from her lips. He didn't even hope that he would ever hear them.
"I love you, Amaya," Ciaran said and kissed her.