Iftia: Krystal Palace, Entrance Hallway

• Elianna •

For the first time in eighteen years, she saw her twin. It took her by surprise when she realised how much alike they were except that Elizabeth was fairer and had the grace of a princess. Looking towards her twin sister, she also understood why everyone was confused when they met her — for their eyes never shared the same colour. Elizabeth had brown eyes, in the exact shade of the person she hated with the whole of her. 

Her hands gripped tightly when a riot of thoughts crash into her like tidal waves. A disgruntled groan sounded under her which brought her back to her senses immediately. The scalpel on her hand was pushed in deeper into Quinn's neck. She reached for her bag and jabbed a dose of tranquillizer into him. "Shut up," she hissed.

Everyone in the hallway drew their swords and pointed it towards her. Behind her, Tristan also armed himself with his sword and positioned himself back against her.

"Please pardon my rudeness, Princess Elizabeth. We are here to tend to His Highness." Elianna stood up, dusting a hand over her skirt. She bowed respectfully, "Please show the way."

"Reveal your face," Elizabeth demanded.

"I won't," Elianna said curtly, couldn't be bothered to maintain her feigned respectful composure any longer.

"How dare you speak rudely to the Royal Highness of Thethia!" The knight who stood beside Elizabeth shouted at her. He aimed the tip of his sword at her and Tristan moved and pulled her behind him.

"Doctor Everson, it is either you show me what hides beneath that veil or I'll do it myself," Elizabeth gave a cautionary warning.

"Your Highness, may I remind you that I only take orders from the First Prince," Elianna replied curtly.

"You left me with no choice then, doctor," Elizabeth pushed her knights away from her and sent a blinding white light towards Elianna.

Gift of Light? Elianna almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Stolid darkness surrounded her, wrapping her with the kind shadows that she was most familiar with. Her feet pushed her forward, allowing her to spring through her darkness in remorseless speed and her hand caught Elizabeth by the arm. Yanking Elizabeth towards her, she held the tip of the scalpel above the area where the pulse could be felt.

The light immediately faded and everyone turned to see that Elianna was already holding on Elizabeth. The knights moved forward in unison, but Elianna only threatened to pierce the knife into her neck. Tristan gasped and she only nodded slightly at him to reassure him. Elizabeth was still stunned by her adeptness and agility when she didn't move in her hold. Hissing into the haughty princess' ear, Elianna commanded, "Well, princess, you will take me and Sir Tristan to His Highness, now." 

Seemingly to suppress her own anger, Elizabeth spat, "My knights will guide the way. Keep your hands off me." 

"Do you take me as a fool?" Elianna mocked, keeping her grip on Elizabeth as they advanced towards the room where Rowan was and she kept her scalpel close on the Thethian princess' neck. 

Elianna had no intention to kill Elizabeth. After all, a doctor shall never harm someone with something as scared as a scalpel. She was simply trying to hold the upper hand in this situation, hoping that she could get everyone out of Krystal Palace safely. 

Entering into a room, she quickly spotted Rowan as he lay in a large bed, unmoved. Her heart pumped a lot faster and much urgently than when Quinn took a blow at her and Tristan moments ago. She pushed on Elizabeth forcefully, causing her to stumble forward as they went closer to Rowan. Elianna asked, her words spoken through gritted teeth, "What did you do to him?" 

"You're a mere doctor, is it appropriate to have such a reaction?" Elizabeth taunted. 

"To drug the prince of another Kingdom, do you think you could get away with this?" Elianna seethed. "Say, what did you do?" 

"Elianna, Rowan's only asleep," Tristan mentioned, having checked his pulse and breathing before he swung Rowan's arm across his shoulders as he held firmly onto his side and carried him off the bed. 

Elianna only released Elizabeth once they reached the carriage that was stopped outside Krystal Palace. Shoving Elizabeth vehemently, she expressed her disappointment, "You're no different." 

"What do you mean by that?" Elizabeth snarled. 

There was a heavy pressure tugging against the bottom of her heart when she had always imagined her sister to be different. Perhaps it was all her wishful thinking to assume that Elizabeth would never fall prey to the thirst for power and possession. Closing her eyes, Elianna turned away and the carriage drove them away from Krystal Palace. 

Elianna pulled Rowan closer to her, allowing him to lean against her as she placed her fingers against her wrist to check on his pulse to ensure that he was only asleep. He seemed peaceful and she felt that all the tension that had been causing her to feel strung up finally eased. Since the carriage moved, Tristan kept his gaze on her and he stared at her so intensely that she couldn't help but shift uncomfortably under his scrutiny. She frowned, "Tristan, is anything wrong?" 

"You can fight?" he blurted out. 

"Yes," she admitted without hesitation. 

"And you fight really well?" His grey eyes sparkled in anticipation and adulation.

"Well, you saw what I did back there," she shrugged embarrassingly, unsure why Tristan was looking at her in such a manner. 

 Tristan jumped forward and held onto both of her hands. 

"Can you teach me?" he pleaded. 

"What?" she gulped. "You're a knight, Tristan. I'm sure you would fight better than me." 

"You already heard from the Thethian princess, Elianna," Tristan sighed, his head dropped as uneasiness was apparent in his expression. 

"That's just because you're still young. You know, if you train a few more years, you'll be exceptional!"

"No, that's not it. I was appointed to be a knight, but I fulfil the roles of a royal administrator," he fidgeted. "I don't train with the rest because most of the time, I'm running administration duties."

It was no wonder that Elizabeth would choose him to escort her out of all the knights. She had already planned to take her down. Yet, knowing that Tristan still bravely followed her to Krystal Palace warmed her heart. He promised to protect her even when he could not fight. 

"Everyone has their strengths, Tristan," she assured. "You play an important role to help Rowan in his duties. Do not ever discount yourself on that. If you really want to learn how to fight well, I could teach you some moves as self-defence." 

He nodded energetically and accepted it instantly.

※

Once they reached back at Lyx, Rowan was still asleep and she helped Tristan to bring him into. Entering the large foyer, Ilias, Alec and Kaylon were pacing back and forth, seemingly anxious and worried. At the first sight of them, they sprinted forward and threw her a ton of questions. 

Elianna only shook her head and expressed that she was alright. Then, they moved on to touch Tristan all over as he complained and struggled against their wandering hands. He was pleading, "I'm okay! I— Stop touching me!" 

"Are both of you really alright?" Ilias asked, pulling his hands off Tristan. 

"Yes," Elianna smiled. 

Tristan got excited and he said, "You guys should've seen how cool Elianna was, she took down Quinn with just a swing and she—" 

Elianna laughed awkwardly while covering a hand over Tristan's mouth. "We peacefully settled the matter and exited Krystal Palace peacefully. Right, Tristan?" 

Tristan obediently nodded his head but Ilias remained doubtful as he tried to pry, "But Tristan said—" 

"Are we just going to leave Rowan in Alec's arms?" Elianna cut in and everyone turned to look towards Alec who was supporting Rowan's entire weight with his large frame. 

Finally, everyone moved to bring Rowan back to his bedchamber and everyone followed behind. Elianna did a thorough check on him and concluded that he was indeed only dosed with sleeping drugs. However, they had given him a heavier dose and she was unsure when the effect would wear off but she felt thankful that he wasn't harmed in any other ways. The knights left eventually, leaving Elianna to tend to him.

She watched as he slept, staring closely at his features and realising that she never actually had the chance to look at him as carefully as now. She climbed up to his bed and scooted close to him. Her fingers playfully traced his features, the pad of her fingers brushed tenderly against his thick lashes and the high bridge of his nose. They traced the curve of his soft lips and along with the shape of his jaw. She chuckled silently, wondering if he would be mad at her for playing with his face while he was sleeping. 

Elianna leaned forward and her lips grazed lightly against the round of his cheek as she mumbled quietly, "Payback for all the times you played unfairly." 

In the silence of his room, she whispered his name as her heart throbbed with a pinch of pain, "Rowan." 

It was having him this close to her that she became fully aware of her own feelings towards him and she placed a hand on his chest, feeling the strong heartbeat that pulsed under her palm, "You never played fair, you know? How can you marry Elizabeth after charming me?" 

I love you. 

Can't you be mine? 

※