"Are you alright, Lady Eona?"

I looked into the face of the small girl before me and smiled at her.

"I am fine, Myka. I just want to be alone. Thank you."

With her face still creased in a worried frown, she left me to my solitude. I was touched by her concern for me. Although her time with me was short, having been assigned to me upon my return to the palace, she has given me nothing but great care and as much love as she could give a stranger. With Lady Dela in the east helping her father to restore peace and Rilla with Chart at my master's home, Myka's presence was a comfort. Still, right now it did nothing to help ease the feeling of restlessness in my heart from my meeting with Ido.

I silently cursed myself for my terse anger and my stubborn nature. I had not gone to Ido to argue, but in the end, that was all I managed to accomplish.

With a frustrated sigh, I sank heavily into a chair and stared at the floor.

"What bothers you, Naiso?"

I started. Kygo stood at my door, his tall height filled its narrow frame. Compare to the cold fury I had felt with Ido, Kygo filled me with a warmth that simmered across my body.

"Kygo," I smiled, my heart rejoicing at the quick smile that Kygo returned. "Nothing is wrong. I am just tired. Why are you here, your highness?"

With quick, long strides, Kygo crossed the room to where I stood and took my hands in his. "Kygo," he corrected, then, with a press of his lips to my fingertips, he asked "Do I need a reason to visit you, Eona?"

"No," I flushed.

Kygo's fingertips ran lightly across my cheek, his other hand drawing me into an embrace. I settled into the groove of Kygo's body, finding comfort in his strong arms. His fingers eased my face upwards towards his own and his lip found mines in a tender kiss.

"I miss you, Eona," he said when we parted.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my head resting against his chest and arms wrapped loosely around his muscular body. I could feel the rapid drumming of his heart, and wondered if he could hear my own steady heartbeat. "We saw each other just this morning."

I felt the rumble of a chuckle when he replied, "you know what I mean. I have seen you nearly every day, but I have not been able to be with you. I miss the feel of you on my lips, in my arms. I miss your sweet scent and your delicate gaze when you are with me as Eona the woman and not as Eona my Naiso. Do you not feel the same way?"

I gave my answer in the form of my tightened arms around him. His smile deepened as he gently kissed the crown of my head.

In Kygo's arms, I felt safe and warm, yet somehow, it was wrong. The giddy feeling of desire always bubbled beneath my skin when Kygo touches me, but lately, there was a small, dark chasm of emptiness that could not be filled. The thought left a thin veil of coldness on my skin, overlaying the warmth I felt.

"He is not mines!"

The sudden memory of my angry words sent my mind reeling. A heavy weight settled on my heart as I realized the truth behind my own words. The only words of truth I had spoken to Ido that day. Kygo was not mines. His first and last duties would always lie with his people and his land. He could never be mines.

Frowning, I pushed back the painful truth and pressed myself harder against Kygo.

Mistaking the meaning behind my actions, Kygo pressed his lips to my head again and sigh. "I feel the same way," he said.

The pain surged in my veins. He had no idea of the fears in my heart, how could he possibly feel the same? I felt the chasm widen and pulled away from Kygo.

"Eona? What's wrong?" Concern filled the handsome lines of his face. Then his eyes darkened and with a voice lined with ice, he asked, "Is it Ido?"

I shook my head, but a look of disbelief remained on his face.

Kygo had known I was going to meet with Ido. He had urged me not to go, but I had argued back and went ahead anyways. Now he stood in my room with his accusing eyes. Was this the true purpose of his visit?

"Nothing happened," I asserted, anger seeping into my voice. "Did your guards not tell you? Do you want a word for word account of my meeting with Ido?"

Kygo stiffened, but his voice was soft when he said, "That is not why I am here."

"Why are you here then?" I clung to my anger, using it to push back the tears that stung my eyes.

"I have already told you, Eona!" Kygo reached his hands towards me, but I stepped away.

"No. If that is truly your reason, you could have visited me any night since we returned, but you haven't." My voice was barely above a whisper as I spoke my next words, as if I was afraid to speak the words aloud. "You only came tonight because you still do not trust me. That is the true reason why you are here."

Silence filled the room. I turned away, refusing to meet Kygo's eyes. I did not want to see my words made true. I wanted him to deny it all, to sweep me in his arms again and to expel the ice in my heart.

"You are tired. I will leave you to your rest, Naiso."

His rigid voice and formal response broke my frozen heart.

There was a pause as he waited for my response. When I did not move, he briskly walked out the room. My ears followed the sound of his footsteps, each resounding echo crushing the broken pieces of my heart.

Author's Notes:

Hi! Thanks for reading folks :) There's quite a bit of foundation that needs to be laid down before I can really kick off the story, but I hope you'll bear with me D: I know it's still looking an awful lot like an impossibility between Ido and Eona, but it'll happen.

And... Since I have no idea where/how to reply to people's reviews, I'll be sticking it here at the end of my chapters D: You don't have to read this part if you don't want.

ElizaX: Hi! Thanks for reading and reviewing my stories. I really appreciate it. I went through the last two chapters and corrected whatever I could find, so hopefully that's all fixed up. Otherwise, I hope I live up to your expectations :)