Tori gritted her teeth and let out a small hiss. She knew she had a part in this. She had prodded Fabian about choosing between Alessa and his duty, and then quietly criticized him the night she stopped Dimitri from punching Gideon. She had hoped it would force him to reassess what was important to him considering he had devoted his life thus far to being Gideon’s knight, and then reaffirm his duty.
She didn’t think he would do the opposite.
“What does he mean by requested dismissal?” She heard Axton’s low voice beside her. She looked up at him and saw his lips tightened into a thin line as his eyes narrowed. “Such a thing is unheard of.”
Oh, crap this is my fault.... Tori looked away.
“Gideon,” Piers said as his arms pulled back. He took a step back, but Gideon’s arms were still around him. “That’s enough.”
She heard a choked breath come from the second prince as he reluctantly lowered his arms. His head was down as Piers took another step back to distance himself from his brother.
“We should go inside,” Axton said, moving past them to get to the door. “It’s inappropriate to stand out here to talk about this.”
Gideon nodded his head slightly as he wiped at his eyes. Tori put Alexander on the floor.
“Then, I should get going-”
“No!” Gideon shouted and Tori jerked her head back. His red eyes were glaring at her. “This is your fault! Don’t act as if you had nothing to do with this!”
“Gideon.” Piers’ voice dropped as his lips tugged into a frown. His eyes narrowed and he took a step to the side to shield Tori from Gideon’s view.
“This is her fault, Piers! She can’t run away!”
Piers pursed his lips and hesitated. “Tori, stay.”
“Let’s take this inside,” Axton said as he held the door open.
“Let me tell the knights to tell Mr. Novak to wait for me,” Tori said. She heard Gideon snort with distaste as she turned around and headed down the stairs. After telling the knight guarding the door to inform her driver, she climbed back up the stairs and found Axton waiting for her by the door to their flat.
For a moment, Tori hesitated. She’d never actually been inside Piers and Axton’s flat before. She’d come to the door to drop off Alexander, but made a point not to enter. Soleil wasn’t strict about what men and women could do. If anything, it was quite lax and men and women interact freely, especially in a group or gathering.
She’d also been alone with Piers in a bedroom before, so being a lone, single woman entering his apartment shouldn’t have made her hesitant. However, she still couldn’t help but think about Kasen’s insistence that there was ‘no need’ for her to ever come, even after he told them to take care of her when she first arrived in Horizon.
In fact, she hadn’t told Kasen that she’d been to Piers’ building at all. All Kasen knew was that Piers was housing Alexander while she was on campus and would bring him to her.
“Nyaow!” Alexander beckoned her from within and Tori took a deep breath and stepped inside.
She didn’t know what to expect from the interior. Perhaps a relatively bare flat with just the necessities? Piers and Axton were essentially two single guys going to school, and the outside of the building was very plain. It was a large, multi-storied house, but there weren’t any extravagant decorations. The stairwell had plain wooden steps with black iron balusters and wood railings. The hallways weren’t adorned, aside from the exposed wooden beams and columns. It was also bare and rather dark.
Appearances were deceiving. Piers was the first prince of Soleil and Axton was Duke Alvere. She was naive to think their actual home wouldn’t reflect that.
She entered into a rotunda-like foyer, and it was almost as if light flooded out of the flat compared to the hallway. The foyer floor had a tile mosaic of a map of Soleil. The rest of the floor was a pale marble tile and led into a large sitting room. An expensive looking narrow rug was laid over the floor. The ceiling was surprisingly high and crystal fixtures illuminated the white walls with pale gray stone trim. The windows were framed with dark gray and gold brocade drapes and sheer curtains. An elegant hearth was across the room with busts of Piers and Axton on the mantle.
A brass figure of a fluffy cat was placed in the center. Tori cocked her head. When did they get a figurine of Alexander done? And why didn’t they give her one?
The rest of the furniture waslacquered wood and gilded, in a French Louis style that seemed out of place from the exterior of the building, but fit in perfectly inside. They were no doubt taken from the imperial palace to furnish the first prince’s flat. The paintings were scenic oil landscapes in thick frames and well-placed mirrors seemed to enlarge the room further.
Amongst the elegant brocade sofas and chairs was a large, purple velvet cushion covered with gray fur, various cat toys on the floor, including a crocheted fish stuffed with dried catnip, and not one, but three different cat trees. Two were connected across the room by a narrow, carpeted bridge.
Near the dining area, she could make out a gilded tray that was raised off the ground with two ceramic bowls, one of which had an aquamarine crystal cycling water. The sign above the bowls said ‘Alexander’.
Tori crinkled her eyes and slowly turned her head towards Piers. “And you said I spoil him?”
“These were brought over from the palace. They’re used,” Piers said, offhandedly.
“His name over his food bowl is gold-plated, Piers.”
“Mother had it made. It was part of his reward for the hunt.”
Tori looked down at her cat who had walked to his food bowls and patted the gilded tray proudly, as if to show off. “You’re living the life in your little bachelor pad, aren’t you? Better than when you’re with me....”
“Nyaow!?” He shot forward and started rubbing his head against her leg, as if to reassure her that she was number one.
Axton let out a small cough as he walked out of the foyer. He motioned his head towards the sitting area, where Gideon had sat on the largest sofa and was hunched over despondently. Tori took a deep breath. She picked up Alexander and carried him to the smaller sofa, where the fur-covered pillow was, and placed him on it before she sat next to him.
Axton sat on a chair to one side and Piers sat across from Gideon, next to Tori. She looked at Piers. He seemed hesitant to start.
“What happened?”
Gideon lifted his head. Instead of answering his brother immediately, he gave Tori a hateful glare. “Why don’t you ask her?”
“Tori?” Axton asked as he knit his brows. “What does Fabian requesting dismissal from his post have anything to do with her?”
“She’s the one who told him to!”
Both Piers and Axton seemed taken aback by Gideon’s exclamation, but Tori didn’t shrink back.
“I didn’t tell him to quit, I told him to figure out what was more important: his duty to you or Hart.”
Gideon scoffed, a vicious sneer still on his lips. “You questioned his loyalty to me?”
“I did,” Tori said, sitting up straight. “Because there were two things he knew that night you left Horizon for Viclya. The first was that you were supposed to report travel outside the city to the palace, and that not doing so would break protocol and cause problems. The second was that Hart needed you to go with her to Viclya. He could either report your travel plans, which are for your own safety, but would likely prohibit you from leaving the city, or do nothing in order to sneak out at Hart’s request, thus knowingly putting you in danger because the imperial family would not know where you are. He had a choice: your safety or Hart’s request.”
Gideon’s face reddened and he looked flustered. “You’re oversimplifying it-”
“He picked Hart’s request,” Piers said with a frown. “He knew it would get you in trouble and put you in danger, but he still decided to help Baroness Hart.”
Axton was leaning back against the chair and let out a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes. “Does he not understand that your safety is paramount?”
Gideon scooted to the edge of the sofa. “But Alessa is his friend, too!”
“What does that matter?” Axton asked sharply as his head snapped to Gideon. “He is your personal knight. Your safety is paramount.”
“He is not simply your friend, Gideon,” Piers said. “He is your personal knight. He has been so for many years. He should know what he should and should not do at this point.”
Tori nodded in agreement.
Axton uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, looking at Gideon critically. “Tell me, what did he say? Did he tell your father?”
Gideon swallowed hard and his head dropped once more. He nodded, telling them exactly what happened. “He told father first.”
Axton took a deep breath and tilted his head back, as if restraining himself.
“Has Father agreed to his dismissal?” Piers asked.
Gideon shook his head. “He wants to give Fabian more time to reconsider it, but Fabian told me he isn’t fit to be my knight. He believes he’s failed me and is undeserving of the position.”
Tori bit her lips to keep from agreeing out loud. She lowered her eyes and petted Alexander beside her.
“Is this because of his master?” Axton asked with a frown. “He has already refused to go to La Garda and was making strides to strengthen his position by going with you to the naval academy. Why would he suddenly request dismissal? Is it because of what happened recently?”
Gideon shut his eyes. His hands clasped each other in front of him and they turned white with how hard he gripped them.
“Fabian says he doesn’t deserve his position if he cannot put his duty first.” He opened his eyes and shot a venomous look at Tori. “He said she told him that.”
“My intention was for him to reassess his priorities, not to quit.”
Gideon sneered. “And what makes you think that his duty is in question?”
“Are you really asking me that?” Tori’s brows shot up and she leaned forward. “After what happened in Viclya and that night in the courtyard?”
Axton sat up straight. Piers turned his head towards her. “What night in the courtyard?”
“Nothing,” Gideon said, drawing his head back. “Nothing happened.”
“Tori.” Piers gave her a firm look.
She gritted her teeth and inhaled deeply. “Guthry called him out one night and all but accused him not only of avoiding Hart, but insisted that her punishment for her part in instigating their trip to Viclya was revenge driven. The argument escalated and Guthry tried to punch him.”
“He what?” Axton was now sitting at the edge of his seat, his eyes wide. “The Prime Minister’s son hit the second prince-”
“He didn’t hit me!” Gideon shouted.
“Only because I stopped him!” Tori glared. She looked at Piers and Axton. “Ilyana and I saw them and heard the noise. I saw Guthry start to lift his arm with a clenched fist and move forward, so I ran out and shoved him before he could throw the punch.”
Piers’ eyes narrowed. His face darkened. “Where was von Dorn?”
“He was there,” Tori replied, cold. “A few steps away, closer to them than we were.”
“Then why didn’t he intercept and stop the punch?” Axton asked in a dangerous voice. “He was closer, and he didn’t do anything?”
Gideon seemed to sit up straighter, and a look of panic filled his face. “It was between me and Dimitri-”
“It doesn’t matter!” Axton cut him off immediately. “He is your knight!”
“Did you tell Father?”
“No, of course not!” Gideon looked horrified at the thought. “He just didn’t get to me fast enough. Guevera got there first.”
His back had been to Fabian and so he couldn’t see that Fabian hadn’t moved. He wouldn’t believe Tori if she told him.
She took a deep breath and let out a huff. “I seem to have crossed a line. I apologize for that. I was angry. I didn’t mean for him to want to quit. I only expected more from him as a personal knight and thought he would focus on his duty.”
“Is this all because of Baroness Hart?” Axton asked.
“No!” Gideon vehemently shook his head.
“Von Dorn just seems so unwilling to see her wronged that he’d neglect his duty.” Gideon shot her another glare, but Tori shrugged it off.
“Fabian is a loyal knight! It’s not your place to question his loyalty to me!”
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“It’s not, but we should be able to,” Axton said, referring to himself and Piers. Gideon shrank back against the chair.
His eyes shrank, wounded. “Do you believe what she’s saying?”
Axton clenched his jaw, but Piers kept a cold look on his face. “I believe what I have seen.” Gideon slumped back.
“He’s not...he’s not betraying me. He’s worried that he’s not good enough, but he is. He is and he deserves to be my knight.” He looked at his brother beseechingly. “Can’t you talk to Father?”
“I do not manage imperial knights that are not mine,” Piers replied.
Gideon turned to Axton in desperation. “Can’t you talk to him? You’re also a personal knight. Tell him that he’s questioning his ability needlessly. He never did before. It wasn’t until Guevera put it in his head!”
Axton shook his head. “There is no guarantee that my words would have any effect.”
Gideon looked as if he’d had the life swept out of him. He trembled in his seat as his eyes glistened over. “I don’t want him to leave...he’s...he’s my friend. You have to talk to him.”
“What if I do and assess that he is prioritizing someone else over you?” Axton asked.
Gideon’s face turned sour. “You mean, if Guevera is right?” He shook his head. “No...no, Fabian’s been by my side since we were children! Everything he’s ever done is for my sake! He’s always been dutiful to me. He’s loyal! He wouldn’t abandon his duty for nothing!”
“It may be that to him this is not an act of disloyalty,” Axton said carefully. Gideon’s face twisted with confusion, and Axton held up his hand. “If he, as your knight, notices that he has begun to put someone else over his duty to you, he has likely realized that he cannot protect you the way that is expected of him. Requesting dismissal from his post would eliminate the chances of him putting you in potential danger and allow you the opportunity for a better personal knight.”
“I don’t doubt that he is loyal to you, Gideon,” Piers said, his voice a bit gentler. “I don’t doubt that he sees you not only as his liege, but his friend. If he knows he is putting you in danger, then he will remove himself for your safety at such a cost. In a way, it is admirable that he would put your safety over such personal honor.”
Gideon sniffled and covered his face with a hand as he shook his head. “I don’t want another knight.” Tori remained quiet and didn’t expect him to question her. “Why did you criticize him as you did? Why did you question his duty?” His voice was filled with resentment.
Tori licked her lips and tried to reply calmly. “He is your personal knight, your closest guard and confidant. Your life is in his hands. If there came a day where he had to choose either his duty to you or his friendship with Hart, we need to be assured that he will choose you. Whether you agree with this or not, from the perspective of the people charged with protecting you and your family, without question, von Dorn should choose you.” She met his eyes and shook her head quietly. “You are not a regular student, Your Highness. You are a prince.”
Gideon's puffy eyes shut once more. Piers tapped his fingers on the arm rest. “How long did Father give him to reconsider?”
“A week,” Gideon said, swallowing hard.
“What will happen if he leaves?” Tori asked quietly as she looked at Piers. Piers was looking ahead, past his brother.
“He will be stripped of his title as a knight and forced to leave the palace. His living expenses and pay will stop. His tuition has already been paid; my parents will not force him out of Lycée, at least this year. However, as they are currently roommates, Fabian will transfer to another room.”
“Why does he have to be transferred to another room?” Gideon frowned.
“As a security measure,” Axton said. Gideon seemed to want to protest, but Axton shook his head. “It isn’t anything personal. It is protocol in itself that only a personal knight can be your roommate at Lycée due to the level of trust required. As it seems that no one is likely to replace him, then you will have the room to yourself.”
Gideon’s shoulders sank.
“Father cannot force him to stay,” Piers said in a steady voice. “A knight who is resistant to what the position entails should not be a knight.”
“This isn’t to say that your friendship will end.” Axton tried to offer some consolation. “He is only giving up his position because he feels he is lacking. That is not to say that he dislikes you. You can still be friends.”
Gideon didn’t answer. He remained staring at his hands clenched over his knees. “I can barely remember a time without him. I don’t understand...he is not lacking. I don’t believe he’s lacking. He made a small mistake....”
No one seemed to want to correct him. Tori shifted in her seat and then pushed herself up. Piers did as well. “I should leave. Ilyana and Henrik are still waiting for me at Cafe Fortuna.”
Piers nodded. “I will walk you out.” He headed to the foyer.
“I’ll see you next weekend, Axton,” Tori said. He gave her a nod from where he rose next to his seat. Gideon was still sitting on the sofa, in a daze. She turned around and followed Piers.
“I am sorry for my brother’s attitude towards you. He was rude,” Piers said in a quiet voice as they stood by the door. Tori shook her head.
“I said some rude things, as well.”
“But you were right to question Fabian.” He gave her a small bow of his head. “Thank you for troubling yourself with my brother.”
“Will he be all right?”
“No. Fabian is his only close friend,” Piers said, looking down. “Without Fabian at his side, Gideon will be upset for some time. I would be upset without Axton.”
She lifted her hand and rubbed his arm supportively. “You did a good job tonight, Piers. You are a good older brother.” She cracked a smile. “I would know. I have some of my own.”
She caught the slight smile on his face as he nodded. “Axton and I will speak to him further.” He unlocked the door to the hallway and pulled it open. Tori stepped forward to walk out and felt her heart stop as she nearly ran into another person. Her eyes went wide as she locked on to similar blue ones.
The corner of her brother’s lip twitched.
“Tori,” Kasen said in a low, measured voice. “So...is this why you weren’t answering your comcry?”
Her mouth was open, but no words were coming out.
“Senior Kasen.” Piers greeted with a small nod as he stood behind her. “I’m sorry. She was busy with me.”
Tori shut her eyes and whimpered.
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Piers was not dead, but Tori was escorted back to Lycée by her brother. She had to call Ilyana and tell her that she was sent back and no longer going to the cafe. Kasen sat across from her for the longest carriage ride of her life. His eyes seemed to be piercing her skull as she tried to look anywhere else but at him.
She had tried to explain that she was only there because of Gideon and what happened to Fabian, but her brother didn’t believe that was enough of a reason to be in a ‘young man’s home unattended’.
“But...Kasey, he slept in the same be...I mean room in the cabin as I did.”
“Benedict was with you and there were knights present,” Kasen told her firmly.
“There were knights present here, too!”
“Axton barely counts.” Her brother frowned and then ran a hand down his face. For a moment, he seemed at a loss. It was as if his sister had gone out of control and was some sort of rebel. “Tori, you’re so young....”
Her head shot up. “We were just talking!”
Her brother gave her a knowing look. “Doesn’t it always start with ‘just talking’?” She let out a pained cry. Kasen rubbed his chest, as if seeing her in a man’s flat had physically cut out his heart. “I know that you’re an adult now and we can’t control your...choice in relationship.”
“It wasn’t what it-”
“But promise me you will be careful,” Kasen told her. “You must be very selective and choose a good, suitable partner you can trust. Trust is very important, Tori. You can’t simply jump into bed without trust.”
Tori had a sudden urge to throw herself out of her carriage. She swallowed. “Kasey, I’m not-”
“You may not believe me, but you can do better than Piers.”
She stared at him, dumbfounded. “What do you mean by better?”
“Someone Sebastian and I can take care of if he treats you badly,” Kasen answered truthfully. “It will be difficult to discipline Piers if he wrongs you as he is a prince.”
“What...how would you...why would Piers wrong me?”
“I know you are very fond of him, but you can’t always protect him if he upsets you.”
“Kasey, we were just discussing von Dorn and the second prince.”
“I only want to reiterate my concerns for your safety,” Kasen told her gently. “You are our only sister, Tori. Remember that the family loves you and that you deserve the best. We can’t allow a subpar man to hurt you, so we have to remind you to keep your standards up and your wits about you.”
Tori crinkled her eyes. “You think Piers is subpar?”
Her brother had looked utterly pained. His voice became weak, as if her question meant that he had somehow failed her. “At least drink the tea after. As you know, pregnancy can be difficult on a young body.”
Tori shot out of the carriage as soon as it stopped, mortified. She had almost forgotten her bag. Her mother had already given her such a talk, it was not necessary for another one and this time from her brother. Ilyana found her face down on her bed.
“Are you all right?”
“What does my brother think I’m doing with Piers?”
“Oh.... No wonder he asked me to make sure you were all right and to help you buy tea, if necessary, when we saw him outside,” Ilyana said with a knowing nod.
“I am doing nothing of the sort.” Victoria’s body was too young by her standards to begin with.
Ilyana put Tori’s box of food on Tori’s desk. “I know, but it’s nice to have people who care about you. If you do need me to buy you tea in the future, I will.”
“Same to you,” Tori said as she rolled out of bed.
“So, did you take some time because of Lord Kasen?”
Tori shook her head. She didn’t expect to see her brother at all. Kasen had to stop at the capital for some reports. He was still technically working. While her carriage ride with her brother felt like a long time, it wasn’t, and Tori told Ilyana about Fabian and Gideon.
She didn’t blame Ilyana for looking so surprised. Ilyana’s eyes were wide, and she shook her head. “Is he sure that von Dorn asked to be dismissed?”
Tori nodded. “He was called into the Emperor’s study, and they discussed this. Von Dorn has a week to decide if this is what he really wants. After that was made clear, the second prince took a carriage to Piers’ flat.”
Ilyana leaned back against her chair as she munched on her sandwich. “Do you think it’ll be awkward? They’re roommates and sit next to each other in homeroom.”
“I don’t know about their seating arrangements, but they will no longer be roommates. Axton said it was a precaution because they simply can’t have an unaffiliated person share the same quarters.” She sat at her desk to eat. “Don’t tell anyone. Let’s just wait and see.”
Both she and Ilyana were hyper vigilant the next morning. They arrived at their homeroom class well before it started and spent the morning discussing the Lions Gate release party. Two additional students entered the classroom after them, followed by Gideon. While his uniform was pressed, his hair was a bit more unkempt than usual. His eyes had bags and he looked a little pale, but he greeted the other two classmates like normal.
Tori and Ilyana pretended they didn’t notice, though noted that Gideon didn’t come with Fabian. Except for the time Fabian was recovering after his first duel with Tori and didn’t come to class, Gideon and Fabian always came together. Today, Gideon arrived by himself and quietly sat in his usual seat.
The two students who had arrived before him left the room to get something to eat and bring back before class started. They weren’t gone long when the door swung open with a loud bang and a shadow fell over the walkway.
Tori and Ilyana looked over their shoulders. Their eyes went wide. Tori wasn’t sure if they were more surprised or excited at the turn of events.
Fabian rushed into the classroom. He didn’t seem to notice them as he went straight to Gideon with a flustered expression. Anyone could hear him coming, but Gideon didn’t turn around. He continued to look over some papers even as Fabian loomed behind him.
“Where were you last night?” Fabian said in a low, slightly out of breath voice. “You didn’t come back to the palace, and you weren’t in the dorm room this morning.”
Ilyana gently pushed a small paper bag of potato chips she’d brought with her from the delta towards Tori. Tori reached in and took a piece, silently bringing it to her mouth as they watched from the back of the room.
“I went to my brother’s and stayed there overnight,” Gideon said. He sounded very calm about it. When he didn’t explain further, Fabian rounded the desk and stood in front of him.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I waited for you all night.”
Gideon paused in the middle of turning a page over. He lifted his head to look up at Fabian. “I told the other knights where I was going. You could’ve asked them.”
Fabian’s brows furrowed and his face twisted with frustration. “You should’ve told me! I was worried about you!”
Tori could’ve sworn Gideon’s hand trembled for just a moment. He seemed to force a smile. “I’m sorry. I was in a rush. I needed to talk to my brother. You slipped my mind...besides, didn’t you have training with the cadets-oh.” He drew his head back and his shoulders relaxed. “You no longer need to train with them.”
Fabian frowned. “I have not yet been dismissed.”
“You will be,” Gideon said, his eyes looking over a sheet of paper. “Fabian, if you want to be dismissed, I understand. I don’t want to make it difficult for you. If you feel you are unable to do your duty, as you said, I respect your decision to leave.”
Is he going to say ‘we can still be friends’?
“We can still be friends, can’t we?” Gideon offered Fabian a bright smile.
Fabian remained where he stood, appearing stunned. He lowered his eyes and seemed to think for a moment. “I...yes, of course.”
Gideon nodded. He returned to his work, immediately ignoring Fabian. The black-haired knight stood in place with a dazed expression. He looked down at Gideon and seemed almost at a loss of what to do now. When he didn’t move, Gideon glanced back up.
“Aren’t you going to take your seat? Class will start in several minutes.”
Fabian nodded. “Yes....” He took a step to the side, but stopped. “Are you upset?”
Gideon froze once more. “No.” He lifted his head and smiled. “I thought it over and you have valid reasons. I’m disappointed, but this is your decision.”
“I see...thank-”
“So, when will you move out?” Gideon asked as he lifted his pen. “Do you need any assistance moving?”
Fabian stiffened. “Moving out? Of the palace?”
“And my dorm room. Axton said that you can no longer be my roommate as an unrelated person is a possible threat. It’s nothing personal.” Gideon lifted his hand to silence Fabian before he could interject. “This is standard procedure if an imperial family member is without a knight. Piers had his own room when Axton went to La Garda.”
That was true, but he certainly didn’t seem to phrase it as if it wasn’t personal.
“What about your safety?” Fabian asked with a frown. “You can’t stay in a room alone.”
Gideon shook his head. “Fabian, you don’t need to worry about this. You are no longer my knight. My family will take care of my security.”
Fabian’s hands clenched into fists. “You said we were friends. Am I not allowed to be concerned as a friend?”
“I am also trying to be considerate of your decision,” Gideon said with a slight frown. “Once you are dismissed, you should no longer have to be burdened with the responsibility of protecting me.”
“What about when you’re not in Lycée? Who will escort you?”
“The imperial knight escorts. Piers said he will have Father assign two more knights to me at once.”
Fabian grit his teeth. “You have already made plans....”
Gideon lowered his head and wore a bitter smile. “Piers said that a knight who feels they are unfit for the position should not have it. I thought a lot about it, and I agree. You are my friend, and I shouldn’t force you to stay for my sake. That is unfair to the both of us. Axton and Piers explained things to me clearly and believe in preparing.”
Fabian’s chest rose and fell heavily. He looked away from Gideon. “I’m sorry I disappointed you.”
Gideon shook his head lightly. “Don’t be.”
The door creaked open and light footsteps came down the walkway. Tori raised a brow as Alessa came down the stairs with a satchel slung around her shoulder. She threw Fabian and Gideon a brilliant smile as she reached them. They hadn’t changed their classroom seating since the first year, so she was still seated across the aisle from Gideon.
“Good morning!”
“Good morning!” Gideon replied with a smile, but returned to his work.
Alessa’s smile faltered a bit as she put her bag down. “Are your parents still telling you to limit contact with me?” she said with a slight pout.
Gideon smiled weakly. “They are not only my parents, but the Emperor and Empress.”
“You should still be able to talk to her like normal in class,” Fabian said in a solemn voice.
Gideon kept a smile on his face. “But I am?”
Alessa lowered her eyes and touched the top of her desk. “I just feel it is unfair that they would order you to do such a thing. We are friends. They’re doing too much.”
Gideon paused. “Even if they didn’t order such a thing, which I agree is a bit extreme, with how busy we are it is difficult to socialize as before.”
“Dimitri is still able to make time. He came with me to the orphanage. Perhaps we can come see your hospital when you go for a check?”
“When it opens, I will be sure to invite you all.”
Alessa’s face fell. That was not the answer she seemed to want. Her other hand grasped the strap of her bag and curled her fingers into it. “I know you said that you don’t blame me, but I think you do.”
Gideon closed his eyes and seemed to take a deep breath. “I have already told you that I don’t.”
“Then why are you allowing your parents to restrict our communication and avoiding me?”
Gideon opened his eyes, but didn’t look at Alessa. He looked directly ahead of him. “I have already broken the rules once. I don’t want to disappoint my parents and my brother again.”
Alessa’s lower lip trembled. “I don’t believe that you don’t blame me. If you didn’t blame me, you wouldn’t allow them to keep us from being friends.”
“I don’t know how I can explain to you further that I don’t blame you. My parents gave me orders. I’m not a regular teenager, I can’t rebel against them and disregard their orders with little consequence. I am a prince and have responsibilities to my family.” Gideon glanced at Fabian and then looked at Alessa. “And if I had to choose between my family and you, I will choose my family.”
Alessa’s eyes went wide as she inhaled a sharp breath. Gideon gathered the things on his desk and put them in his bag. When everything was collected, he stood up.
“Where are you going?” Fabian asked, almost running around the desk to stop him.
Gideon slung the bag over his shoulder and took a deep breath. “Sitting here will only make it awkward. I’m going to change seats.”
Tori felt her stomach sink. There were plenty of open desks in the classroom, but she had a bad premonition. Gideon climbed up the steps.
“No...no....” Ilyana whispered beside Tori as she shook her head. Tori sat up straight at her desk and also shook her head. This was their spot! The spot they had been ostracized to when class first began.
Gideon turned into the empty row in front of them and sat down in front of Tori.