Thalassery Palace was far larger than Elara had imagined.
After passing through the main gate, the Asterian royal party walked down a long corridor with glass walls overlooking the sea. Sunlight pierced the surface of the water and cast blue reflections across the floor, making the corridor seem as though it lay at the bottom of the ocean.
Elara walked a few steps behind her family with Liora. Her eyes moved slowly as she took in every corner of the palace. Unlike Asteria, which was filled with gold and floral carvings, Thalassery felt more tranquil. Blue, white, and silver dominated its rooms. Even the air inside the palace carried a faint scent of the sea.
“It's beautiful,” Elara murmured.
Liora smiled.
“Do you like it?”
Elara nodded.
“It feels peaceful.”
“Then perhaps you'll feel at home here.”
Elara didn't answer right away. She didn't know whether she would stay long enough to feel at home.
This journey wasn't for her. Mayalyn and Alexander's wedding was the main reason they had come to Thalassery. She had only come because her family needed her as part of the royal party.
Nothing more.
The royal party eventually arrived in the palace's main hall. King Cassian Valerian and Queen Isolde Maris invited the Asterian family to sit, while servants served drinks and light refreshments.
Elara chose a seat at the very end. A place where no one would pay much attention to her.
Mayalyn sat near Alexander. They spoke with several members of the Thalassery royal family, while Queen Seraphina occasionally smiled as she listened to their conversation. Rosalie stood not far from Mayalyn, ready to attend to anything the first princess of Asteria needed.
Elara simply watched from a distance.
She didn't feel jealous.
At least, she had grown too accustomed to it to call it jealousy.
“Princess Elara.”
Elara turned. Alexander stood not far away.
For a moment, Elara looked confused.
“Your Highness?”
Alexander walked closer.
“Why are you sitting by yourself?”
Elara glanced at the chair beside her.
“Liora is here.”
Alexander looked toward Liora, who was talking with one of the servants.
“She isn't at your side right now.”
Elara gave him a faint smile.
“It's all right.”
Alexander was silent for a moment.
“Don't you want to join the others?”
Elara shook her head.
“I'm not very good at talking to large groups of people.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
“I never expected a princess to say something like that.”
Elara laughed softly.
“Being a princess doesn't automatically make someone good at socializing.”
Alexander smiled.
“You have a point.”
For the first time since they had met, the atmosphere between them felt a little lighter.
Alexander sat in the chair across from Elara.
The chairs were placed closer together than Elara had realized. When he leaned forward, his knee came within a breath of the folds of her skirt. Neither of them moved away. Elara told herself it would be rude to shift her chair. She did not let herself think about how aware she suddenly was of every inch of space between them.
Elara looked at him.
“You don't need to keep me company, Your Highness.”
“I know.”
“Then why sit here?”
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
“Because I want to.”
Elara didn't know how to respond. In the end, she turned her gaze back toward the window.
Alexander followed her line of sight.
“The sea?”
Elara nodded.
“I like it.”
“Why?”
Elara thought for a moment.
“Because the sea never asks anyone whether they deserve to be near it.”
Alexander turned toward her.
Elara was still looking at the sea.
“The sea is simply there.”
Alexander fell silent. The simple words sounded far deeper than they should have.
“You seem to think about a lot of things.”
Elara smiled faintly.
“Maybe.”
Before Alexander could say anything else, Mayalyn's voice came from behind them.
“Alexander.”
They both turned.
Mayalyn stood a few steps away.
“There you are.”
Alexander rose from his chair.
“Yes.”
Mayalyn then looked at Elara.
“Elara, Mother is looking for you.”
Elara immediately stood.
“All right.”
She turned to Alexander.
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
Alexander nodded.
“Of course.”
Elara left the room with Mayalyn. Alexander watched them until they disappeared behind the door.
He had only known Elara for a few minutes. Yet their brief conversation continued to echo in his mind.
Meanwhile, Mayalyn walked beside Elara toward another room.
“You were talking to Alexander?”
Elara nodded.
“For a little while.”
“What did he say?”
“He only asked why I was sitting by myself.”
Mayalyn smiled.
“That sounds like Alexander.”
Elara looked at her sister.
“What does?”
“He likes to pay attention to people.”
Elara fell silent. The words reminded her of Alexander's gaze ever since they had arrived in Thalassery. But she quickly dismissed the thought.
“Well, that's good.”
Mayalyn turned to her.
“Good?”
“At least he isn't arrogant.”
Mayalyn let out a soft laugh.
“You've only just met him.”
“I know.”
They reached a room where Queen Seraphina was waiting.
“Elara.”
Elara bowed.
“Mother.”
Queen Seraphina studied her for a moment before speaking.
“You don't need to take part in preparing for the engagement ceremony tomorrow.”
Elara nodded.
“All right.”
“Just stay in your room. Don't cause any trouble.”
Elara lowered her head.
“I won't cause any trouble.”
Queen Seraphina then turned to Mayalyn.
“There will be a family banquet tomorrow. You need to prepare yourself.”
Mayalyn nodded.
“Of course.”
Elara stood silently beside them.
No one asked whether she wanted to attend. No one asked how she felt. And as usual, Elara said nothing.
Night began to fall over Thalassery.
After dinner, the members of the royal family returned to their rooms. Elara walked to the balcony of her room, opened the glass door, and stepped outside.
The sea breeze touched her face at once. Far below, the waves moved slowly and struck the cliffs with a steady rhythm.
Elara leaned against the balcony railing.
For the first time that day, she felt truly alone.
But the solitude didn't bother her.
Quite the opposite.
She liked it.
“Not asleep yet?”
The voice made Elara turn.
Alexander stood near the balcony door.
Elara was slightly startled.
“Your Highness.”
Alexander walked closer.
“Do you always call me that?”
Elara nodded.
“You should.”
“We're not in front of our families.”
Elara looked at him.
“Then?”
Alexander gave her a faint smile.
“Call me Alexander.”
Elara was silent for a moment.
“Alexander?”
“Yes.”
Elara gave a small nod.
“All right.”
Alexander stood beside the balcony railing. Together, they looked out at the sea.
The night wind was cold. Elara wrapped her arms around herself without thinking, and a moment later something heavy and warm settled over her shoulders. Alexander's coat. It still held the heat of his body.
“You'll catch a chill,” he said, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
His fingers lingered at the collar for a heartbeat longer than necessary, smoothing the fabric against her neck. Elara stopped breathing. Then his hand withdrew, and she was left wrapped in his warmth and the faint scent of cedar, unsure whether to thank him or to give the coat back before it became something she could not return.
“Beautiful, isn't it?”
Elara nodded.
“Very.”
“Tomorrow, I'll take you to see another part of the palace.”
Elara turned to him at once.
“Why?”
Alexander looked slightly confused.
“Why what?”
“Why do you want to take me?”
Alexander fell silent. He didn't have a clear answer himself. Perhaps it was because she was different. Perhaps because he was curious. Or perhaps because from the first moment he had seen Elara standing alone among the Asterian royal party, something had made him want to know who she really was.
“I just want to show you a place you might like.”
Elara turned her gaze back to the sea.
“All right.”
Alexander smiled.
“Then tomorrow.”
Elara nodded.
Before they could say anything more, the sound of footsteps came from inside the room.
Liora appeared in the doorway.
“Princess Elara.”
Elara turned.
“Yes?”
“It's time for bed.”
Elara smiled.
“I'll come in soon.”
Liora then noticed Alexander and bowed.
“Your Highness.”
Alexander nodded.
“Good night.”
Liora left first.
Elara looked back at Alexander.
“Good night, Alexander.”
Alexander smiled.
“Good night, Elara.”
Elara went back inside her room. The balcony door slowly closed.
Behind the glass, Elara stood still with her palm pressed flat against the door. His coat was still around her shoulders. She had forgotten to return it.
She drew it tighter instead of taking it off. Her heart was beating far too fast for someone who had only said good night.
Alexander remained there. For a while, he simply stared at the door that had just closed.
He didn't understand why his brief conversation with Elara had felt different.
After all, tomorrow he would spend his time with Mayalyn, his intended bride. Everything had been planned. Everything had been decided.
Yet that night, for the first time, another name appeared in his thoughts.
Elara Celestine Alaric.
Asteria's second princess.
The princess even her own family almost never noticed.
Alexander drew a slow breath.
He didn't know that their brief encounter that night would become the beginning of something far greater. Something that would slowly change both their lives.
Without realizing it, Thalassery would become more than just the site of a royal engagement.
It would become the place where a princess no one had ever chosen finally found someone who chose to see her.