ALL OF YOU

ONE

•

"I WILL KILL HER," I declare angrily, barging into my bedchamber. Upon my arrival, I'm gracefully met by a familiar presence residing on my bed. Laid back, feet stretched— one leg over the other, as he reads a novel peacefully. On my bed.

"No, you won't." Rune retorts, licking his finger before flipping to the next page in his book.

I flop down next to him, "You doubt my word?"

"You've been saying you'll kill her since you were 8." Rune states. He looks up from his dreadfully boring book and meets my gaze, as we gape at each other, I can't help but admire him and his cold features.

Lesser beings would find him incriminating to look at as his beauty is cold and dark, but to the only one who matters— I find him brutally beautiful. The scar that resides beneath his left eye only intensifies his stunning attractiveness. His long jet-black hair is pinned up as usual, with only a few strings of hair hanging out.

"What did she do this time?" He asks, snapping me out of my fatuous state of admiration.

"She took my favorite stallion from the stables." Rune nearly laughs at this, a small grin shaping his face. "Truly? You have 2 fully-grown pet dragons and you're trifling over a horse?" He makes it sound as if I'm being foolish. Which I am not.

I do not like when people take things that are mine and mine alone. And everything in this realm is mine for the taking as long as I may wish.

"Yes, well, everyone in this castle knows that I am the only one who rides on that white stallion."

Rune sighs in frustration, "You fret over nothing. You are 18, every creature across the realms is coming to Valtoria in celebration of your birthdate."

"Yes, yes. I know." It's every year, that this horrendous event in my "honor" is hosted, and with every year that passes, I detest it more and more. It's nothing more but a frivolous attempt to show how everyone in this land and lands beyond, worship me when in actuality, they only fear me.

"I sense Alyra is not the source of your frustrations but the upcoming gala. Wish to talk about it?"

"Our association with each other doesn't include much conversing, does it?" An unidentifiable emotion sparks in Rune's eyes before he replies,

"No. I suppose it doesn't." He breaks away from my eyes as he goes back to reading his novel, his expression unreadable.

I hope to have not gotten too close to him for him to think anything of our current situational relationship. I don't get close to people and I heavily advise them to not get close to me, he won't be an exception. Though, I can admit to having an affinity for him, one that I expect will fade over time.

"What are you doing in my chambers, anyway?" I inquire, attempting to change the subject. Though I know the answer. 

"I was merely going to relieve you of any concerns before tonight's festivities."

I grin, "Relieve, huh?"

"As much as I deliciously love the sound of that, I, unfortunately, have things to tend to before tonight's celebrations."

I get up and move to the other side of the room to take off my shirt as I change out of horseback riding attire and into a black velvet jacket adorned with intricate golden embroidery, reflecting the grandeur of my position.

The dark red silk shirt underneath completes my regal outfit, I don a pair of tailored black trousers, perfectly accentuated by a golden belt.

"I fear that If I stay, we won't leave till next sunrise. Nonetheless, be here before the night ends." I inform Rune after I finish changing, and all the while he annoyingly keeps his eyes on his book.