Chapter 8 The Silence Of A Broken Heart And The Lies We Tell Ourselves

In the Village Inn of the town of Seles, two figures stood out. The patrons of the inn stared in stunned silence as two, covered head to toe in soot, dirt, and tangled hair, stumbled in the reception area. "Tsk. This is all your fault," Aelries grumbled, brushing ash off her sleeve. "Now we look like a mess." Mixarnt, still patting out the last heat on his pants, he grins, but the corner of his mouth was twitching. "Why is it my fault anyway?" Aelries shot him a death glare, and he wisely shut up. She turned to the innkeeper, slapping a few coins onto the counter. "One room, please." Mixarnt, assuming this meant he was included, started to follow— "DON'T FOLLOW ME, YOU PERVERT!" Aelries snapped, spinning around with a furious huff. "Go sleep outside and repent for your actions! HMPH!" With that, she stormed into her room and slammed the door shut. Mixarnt stood there, blinking. "W-what!? … Ugh, don't tell me I'll have to sleep outside?" The innkeeper, a middle-aged woman with a knowing smirk, giggled into her hand. Around them, the other patrons burst into laughter. "Hah! Looks like you're in a lover's quarrel, boy!" one of the men teased. Mixarnt's face flushed crimson. "WE AREN'T LOVERS!" he said embarrassed. "Sure, sure," the men chorused, winking at each other. Mixarnt groaned, rubbing his face. "Oh man…" Defeated, he turned back to the innkeeper. "Hey, lady… do you have any jobs I can do? Anything will do, I guess." The innkeeper chuckled. "Well, the stables could use some cleaning…" Mixarnt sighed. "… Figures." Meanwhile, upstairs, Aelries peeked out from her room, watching Mixarnt trudge off to his impromptu punishment. A tiny, unwilling smirk tugged at her lips. "Serves him right." she said closing the door and immediately she removes all of her clothes. She went to the bathroom and rinse herself then decided to soak in the warm waters of the bathtub. The water lapped gently against Aelries' skin as she sank deeper into the bath, the steam curling around her like a comforting embrace. After days of travel, dust, being chased by monsters, and explosions (courtesy of someone's idiocy), this moment of solitude was a rare luxury. She exhaled slowly, her muscles unwinding as the heat seeped into her bones. "Haah… This feels good," she murmured, closing her eyes. For a fleeting moment, the weight of her crown and responsibilities lifted. But as the silence stretched, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Aranthiel, the kingdom she had left behind. 'My siblings. Are they managing well in my absence? Father... is his health holding steady beneath the pressures of ruling?' A soft smile touched her lips at the thought of her family, King Elyrion, the man who had defied tradition by letting his daughter prove herself as heir, rather than forcing her into a political marriage. But the smile faded as quickly as it came. Because for every voice that supported her, there were a dozen more whispering behind the curtains. "A princess should secure alliances, not swing swords!" "Why does the king indulge the crown princess's whims?" Her fingers tightened around the rim of the bathtub. And then there was her mother. Queen Lirael of Sylpharada. The name alone was enough to make her chest constrict. Three centuries ago, her mother had been torn away from them, bound by duty to rule the eastern elven kingdom that bore the sacred sword's name. Aelries had been five years old back then. "Why did you leave us?" she spoke softly. The question had festered inside her for 300 years, unanswered. She dunked her head under the water, as if she could wash away the bitterness. When she resurfaced, her silver hair clung to her face like shattered moonlight. "Sigh…" And then him... Aelries's first and true love. "If only Rainel were here…" she whispered as tears form in her eyes. The name slipped out before she could stop it. Rainel Cross. A human. A hero. A man who had once looked at her, really looked at her not as a princess, but as Aelries. Ten years ago, they had been a couple, until his duty had stolen him away. "I have to defeat the Demon King," he'd said. "Wait for me... I don't want to afford losing you Aelries, so please, just wait for me..." He said gently as he caressed her cheeks. She did what he asked, and when the war ended, he became king of his kingdom and never returned to her. A year after that, she heard news of his marriage, something she couldn't believe and was hard for her to accept. A hollow ache pulsed in her heart. She had buried it under duty, under training, under the relentless pursuit of strength, but here, in this quiet moment, it throbbed. Outside, the muffled sounds of the village carried on, laughter, clinking mugs, the occasional chatter of passing people. Aelries exhaled, watching the ripples distort her reflection. "Enough..." She stood, water cascading from her body as she reached for a towel. "Princesses doesn't wallow." she whispered, but for a single, unguarded moment, her hand lingered over her heart.