Alina woke first. Austin’s arm lay across her waist, the unconscious hold his body always found during the night no matter how difficult the day before had been.

Alina lay still and watched him. Even in sleep, he looked tense. He stirred suddenly. His eyes opened and saw her watching him across the pillow.

For one brief second, Alina thought he was going to pull her closer for a morning kiss like they had been doing in recent days. But then that expression disappeared.

"Good morning," he said politely.

"Good morning," she replied, matching his tone.

Alina then got out of the bed and walked to her room. He didn’t stop her, say anything, just watched her go.

During breakfast, they hardly looked at each other across the table. They were avoiding each other. Although they had come to a conclusion but the pain and hurt was still there.

Marguerite noticed the shift immediately but didn’t say anything. The whole sewing circle had seen him dragging her from the garden. But they waited to give Alina space like always.

When breakfast ended, they left through the same door, side by side, but didn’t touch each other. The crack between them was visible to everyone now.

By mid morning they were seated at the desk in the study with Maren sitting across from them.

She had spread the Crane documents across the table, and reviewed and revised their strategy.

"The king may structure the audience in three different ways," Maren said calmly. "He may see you together, separately or Austin first and Alina second. Each one tells us something different about his intentions."

"Together means he wants to observe us," Austin said.

"Separately means he wants to play you against each other," Maren continued.

"And sequentially?" Alina asked.

"Sequentially means he pressures Austin first, the man with everything to lose. Then you, the asset."

"We’ll prepare for separately," Austin decided, voice flat. "It’s the worse case scenario."

Maren agreed and began to ask questions.

"How do you frame the royal heritage concealment?" she asked.

"The truth," Alina replied. "Austin hid my identity because revealing it would have turned me into a state asset."

Maren’s brow furrowed.

"That argument crticizes king’s own system."

"Well...his system is indeed the problem," Alina replied, leaning forward. "If we pretend the system is fair and Austin’s concealment was only deviation, then we will lose. It would make Austin look like a traitor hiding royal property. But if we frame it as protection from a broken system that turns women into weapons, the meaning changes."

Austin finally looked at her and nodded.

"The Crane files," he said, turning back to Maren. "When do we deploy?"

"We only use them if necessary," Maren replied. "They’re our counter."

Austin nodded and they began to discuss their strategy again.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of preparations and tension. Servants moved through the castle carrying trunks and letters, guards exchanged updates in low murmurs. The study door opened and closed endlessly with reports from Maren and Harrington.

By the time night fell, every corridor felt quieter than usual, as though the entire household was holding its breath for what tomorrow would bring.

That night neither of them could sleep. They lay beside each other in silence, close enough to feel each other’s warmth but still emotionally distant.

"Garden?" she whispered, after hours of waiting.

Austin turned towards her slightly and nodded. They rose, slipped on coats over their clothes, and walked quietly through the sleeping castle to the east garden.

The bench was cold but they didn’t care and sat.

Above them, the sky was full of stars. Stars had been there every night but Alina had been too busy or too exhausted to look up.

"She finally looked up, realizing this might be the last night they spent on this bench together."

Then a soft sound interrupted their silence. Harwick appeared from behind the lavender bushes and jumped straight into Austin’s lap and began to purr.

"Your cat is here again," Alina smiled.

"He loves me a lot, I guess," he said as he stroked his head gently.

They sat on the bench for a long time without speaking. They just played with Harwick and looked at the stars.

Then when Alina was about to get up, Austin reached for her hand on the bench carefully, as if asking for permission.

She took his hand and intertwined their fingers together immediately. His thumb slightly moved on her knuckle as he leaned towards her slowly.

She met him halfway and kissed him. The kiss was soft and cold in winter air.

Harwick continued purring between them, completely indifferent to the moment but still happy with the warmth.

In the morning, a royal carriage waited for them in the courtyard with the king’s crest on the door. Whole castle watched them. Servants watched discreetly from the windows, guards from their posts while the courtiers gathered nearby.

Austin came first in his formal attire, then Alina joined him as she walked beside him in her green dress, the blue pin tucked in her hair and the locket resting on her neck.

Lord Ashby stood under the colonnade watching them quietly. Marguerite waited near the garden gate beside other women from the sewing circle.

Audrey wasn’t there but she was watching them from her room’s window on the second floor. Alina felt the gaze but didn’t look up.

Austin walked to the carriage door and opened it himself and turned to Alina.

Then, in front of everyone, he took her hand openly. They both climbed into the carriage together. The door closed behind them and horses began to move.

As Ravenmoor slowly disappeared behind the carriage window, Alina looked back at the castle towers, especially at the east wing.

Cecily was standing behind the glass with her hand pressed against the window. Alina had left her a note that morning.

We will come back together.

Beside her, Austin stared at the disappearing castle as well. His hand tightened around hers slightly. Alina squeezed back his hand immediately.

The carriage rolled onward towards whatever waited for them beyond the castle doors.