Arianne woke before dawn, her mind restless with thoughts of the previous night. Rian's words echoed in her heart, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push them away. She had wanted to stay, to let herself fall into the warmth of his presence, but she knew better. Love, especially theirs, was not so simple.
She made her way to the training grounds, determined to shake off her emotions. If she let herself be consumed by them, she would never be the soldier she needed to be. The wind was cold against her skin, the sky a dark shade of indigo as the sun prepared to rise.
Kael was already there, practicing his sword swings with precision. He paused when he saw her and smirked. "Couldn't sleep again?"
Arianne sighed. "Something like that."
Kael studied her, his playful expression dimming. "You need to get your head straight, Arianne. This isn't the palace. No one will wait for you to figure yourself out."
She knew he was right. There was no time for hesitation here.
A Test of Strength
By mid-morning, Commander Alden gathered the recruits for another round of sparring. Today, they would be practicing endurance. Arianne knew it would be brutal, but she welcomed the distraction.
Pairs were chosen, and as fate would have it, she was paired with Rian again. The murmurs among the recruits did not go unnoticed. Many had already sensed the strange tension between them, but no one dared question it.
Rian stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. "We should go easy on each other this time," he said quietly.
Arianne tightened her grip on her sword. "I don't need you to go easy on me."
He sighed. "I know."
The match began, and Arianne forced herself to focus. Rian was strong, precise, and relentless, but so was she. She blocked his strikes, countered his attacks, and held her ground. Sweat dripped down her back, but she refused to give in.
Then, in a sudden shift, Rian pressed forward, catching her off guard. He disarmed her with a swift movement and, before she could react, had her pinned against a wooden post. His breath was warm against her face, his grip firm yet careful.
Silence fell between them.
"Arianne," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.
She swallowed hard. "Let me go."
Rian hesitated before slowly releasing her. "You've improved."
She nodded stiffly, picking up her sword. "I have to."
As she walked away, she felt Rian's gaze lingering on her. This wasn't over, and they both knew it.
An Unexpected Encounter
That evening, Arianne took a walk along the quiet edge of the camp, needing to clear her head. She hadn't expected anyone else to be there, but as she rounded a corner, she found herself face to face with Rian once more.
He was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, as if waiting for her.
"You always seem to find me," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Maybe you're the one finding me," he countered.
Arianne exhaled sharply. "What do you want, Rian?"
His expression softened. "To talk. To understand."
She looked away. "There's nothing to understand. We're soldiers now. We have duties to uphold."
Rian stepped closer. "And what about us?"
"There is no 'us' anymore," she whispered, though even as she said it, it felt like a lie.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against hers. "You don't believe that."
Arianne closed her eyes for a brief moment, allowing herself to feel the warmth of his touch. Then, with great effort, she pulled away.
"I can't do this," she said, her voice trembling.
Rian sighed, looking at her with a mixture of longing and understanding. "Then tell me to stop. Tell me you don't want this."
Arianne opened her mouth, but no words came out. Because deep down, she knew the truth.
Instead of answering, she turned and walked away, leaving Rian standing in the moonlight, watching her go.
But even as she disappeared into the darkness, her heart remained with him.