By sunset, servants had already begun moving her belongings. Two maids she had never seen before stood near Alina’s small wardrobe, folding her gowns into baskets while another maid carried boxes of her belongings to the west wing.

After they were done with her room, they went to Austin’s room. His room barely had any her belonging despite how much time she had spent there over the past months.

There were just a few books, a shawl draped over the armchair, her blue hairpin and a sewing basket under the side table.

Austin stood near the fireplace watching the maids work with growing displeasure.

"I want that pillow," Alina said, pointing at the pillow she used to sleep on.

The maid nodded and reached for it but

Austin grabbed it before she could touch it.

"I’ll carry that."

The maid immediately stepped back. Another maid picked up Alina’s books carefully while avoiding Austin’s gaze. The atmosphere in the room had become tense ever since he started glaring at anyone who called her "Your Highness."

Finally, the head maid closed the last basket.

"Princess Alina’s suite is ready in the west wing," she said.

Alina finally stepped inside the suite and immediately hated it. The room was enormous. Windows were draped in ivory silk that overlooked Ravenmoor’s western gardens. Fresh flowers were waiting for her in the crystal vases near the fireplace. The bed looked too big for one person.

"It feels like a museum," Alina whispered.

The maids exchanged nervous glances.

"We prepared everything according to royal standards, Your Highness."

"That’s the problem," she replied sadly.

The sitting room connected to the bedchamber through carved double doors, and beyond that was a dressing room bigger than her old room. She had three maids and a personal attendant now.

Everything looked perfect but it didn’t look like hers. Austin entered behind her carrying the pillow and few other books she liked.

"It’s hideous," he said the second he stepped inside.

One maid gasped in horror.

"Austin..."

"It feels cold," he muttered, looking around the room. "There is no warmth here."

He put the books and pillow on the bed, then turned to the maids.

"Leave us alone."

The maids disappeared immediately.

Alina walked towards the window looking outside. She couldn’t see Austin’s room from here. The distance suddenly felt even more real.

"You don’t have to stay here tonight. You can come with me," Austin said.

"And tomorrow? And the night after that?" she asked, turning back to him.

He sighed in frustration. She walked back and put her forehead on his chest and he immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"I hate this room already," she whispered.

"I hate it more."

She laughed at his response. For a while, they just stood there, holding each other tightly.

"Your Grace...we need to unpack," the head maid said from the outside. "Also Mr. Harrington is looking for you."

Austin rolled his eyes and pulled back.

"These advisors won’t leave me alone," he muttered in annoyance. "I’ll come back tomorrow. Stay safe."

"You sound like I’m leaving for a war," she laughed.

"It is worse than that," he murmured and kissed her forehead before leaving.

It took the maids another hour to finish unpacking everything. After they left, Alina lay down on the bed, exhausted. She turned onto her side out of habit and reached across the mattress before she remembered Austin wasn’t there. The emptiness beside her hurt far more than she had expected.

By the time she finally fell asleep, dawn had already arrived.

In the other part of the castle, Austin was still in the meeting with the advisors. The meeting had dragged on for hours discussing trade routes, Arcasedian negotiations, border instability, and so on.

By the end of the meeting, he was exhausted and irritated.

"Let’s discuss the remaining reports tomorrow," Austin announced.

Everyone nodded and began to leave. Once everyone had left, he loosened his collar and walked through the dim corridors toward his room.

Then suddenly someone lunged from the alcove beside the stairwell and slashed his arm with a sharp knife. He hissed in pain before slamming the attacker into the wall and knocking the knife away from his hands.

Guards shouted in the distance as they rush towards him but the intruder freed himself taking the advantage of Austin’s injury and disappeared into the darkness.

Austin ran after him a little but was stopped by the guards.

"Your Grace!"

He put his hand against the wall as dizziness hit him suddenly.

Damn it.

In her suite, Alina kept sleeping, unaware of what was happening outside.

Two maids entered her suite the moment she woke up, as if they had been waiting for Alina to open her eyes for hours. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Good morning, Your Highness. His Grace requested breakfast to be prepared whenever you wake."

Alina had barely opened her eyes when she noticed the bloodtstained clothes in the other maid’s arms. Her eyes widened immediately.

"Whose blood is that?"

The maid hesitated a little.

"His Grace was injured last night, Your Highness. The physician said the wound is not serious..."

Alina didn’t want for her to finish. She was already on her feet, flying down the corridors in her nightgown.

She shoved open the door to Austin’s room and found him sitting on the bed with his shirt open and fresh bandages on his arm.

"Alina?"

She stopped right in front of him, breathing unevenly. The torn coat lying on the chair made her heart ache.

"You were hurt?" her voice cracked. "And I didn’t even know."

"I’m fine," Austin replied with a smile.

"I used to wake whenever you came back late," she whispered. "But last night... I was sleeping while you were bleeding alone."

"Alina," he said, reaching for her hand. "It’s okay."

"No, it’s not," she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. "I should have been with you."

"If you keep crying like this...I will bring you back in my room."

"You’re comforting me or threatening me?" she asked.

"Both."

He then pulled back and wiped her tears.

"Your Grace," Harrington knocked on the door. "There is a matter that needs your attention."

Austin closed his eyes in frustration.

"Can the castle give me atleast one peaceful hour?

"No, Your Grace."

Alina smiled faintly. Austin sighed dramatically before looking back at her.

"See?" he muttered. "I almost died and they still won’t leave me alone."

"Maybe because you’re the duke."

"I think I made a terrible career choice."

This made her burst into laughter. And the sound of her laughter eased all the tension inside him.