The new chapters are up!They are called Violation, The Plan, Two Letters, Dreams vs Reality, Safe, and Becoming the Gorgon. I have also updated Mortal with some dialogue between Thalia and Marcus shortly before the page break about half-way through the chapter.

I apologize for not being a more organized author. I believe these chapters better lead up into the story I ended up telling (I swear I have an outline, I just... wiggled around details... a lot.) and are hopefully more entertaining than the chapter 4 I originally wrote. In some ways, these chapters actually tell the story as closer to what I originally intended it to be but didn't have the skill to type out. I wish you guys didn't have to suffer through my terrible writing decisions, but here we are, and I thank you for being patient and for all your kind words. I do recommend you read them when they're published, because events and characters from these chapters are likely to be mentioned in the future.

Anyway, if you're wondering exactly how long this freaking story is going to end up actually being, don't worry. I'm in the same boat. I have no idea, but it looks like we're getting (close?) to the half-way point... of the first part. Thank you guys for your patience, advice, and feedback and a special thanks to Ava-001 and Addicted-to-GazettE for editing and beta reading and helping me improve.

Now that all that is out of the way, please enjoy this chapter!

Inside Muu Alexius's hotel room, Thalia slumped defeatedly on a chair, ignoring the fresh bunch of grapes beside her. She loved grapes, but right now, her appetite was ruined. In fact, this whole experience was ruined for her. She hadn't been around anything this luxurious in a long time— soft, velvet cushions in her seat and a golden goblet for her water. How was she supposed to appreciate any of it when she'd just fought with one of her best friends?

She turned her attention to the boy across from her, putting on a fake smile for him. She wasn't about to let a stranger have a glimpse into her personal life. She wouldn't even give him a reason to pry.

"So tell me about Thalia," Muu said. He leaned toward the girl whose name he believed was Parsine. "What kinds of gifts does she like?"

"Oh…" Thalia didn't feel like she deserved any gifts, but she needed to answer him or he wouldn't teach her about sword dancing. Though, at the moment, even sword dancing didn't sound particularly exciting. She racked her brain for anything that sounded pleasant in her current state. Maybe an apology from Dinarzade would suffice, but she didn't think Muu could give her that.

Her eyes drifted to the silk curtains hanging from the ceiling. There had once been a time when rich silks were all she wore. Now, she always dressed in plain white cottons and wools, the teal shawl Narmes had given her being the only exception. She supposed… if there was one thing she wished for… it would be to have at least one dress that made her look like Attican royalty. "Thalia was always proud of her home country," she said quietly. "I think she would like a traditional Attican dress."

"And how do they dress in Attica?" he inquired eagerly. "Also, do you know her measurements? I'll have an outfit made and give it to her when I meet her."

Thalia blinked in surprise. Was he serious? There was no way he was going to just have someone make an entire outfit for a girl he'd never met, right? She supposed… she could at least indulge him.

"Well, you don't need her measurements. In Attica, women wear a full-length rectangular cloth— that's the peplos— and we secure the sleeves with pins called 'fibula.' We fasten it around the waist with a girdle, and then we often wear a wrap called a himation for modesty. It's one-size-fits-all fashion."

Thalia straightened as he scribbled her words down.

"And what colors does she like?"

Her eyes flicked up in thought. Sinbad had complimented her teal shawl, but… wouldn't he get bored of seeing her in the same color all the time? Maybe she should spice things up with a sultry red or regal purple. The dye for those colors wasn't exactly cheap, but it wasn't like this Muu guy was actually going to have clothing made for her. This was all just wishful thinking… right?

She drew in a sharp breath as his hand hovered over his scroll, eagerly awaiting her answer. He might actually intend to go through with this, but she had promised to tell him about Thalia… and there was nothing she could do if he had clothing made for her without her permission. At least, that's what she told herself.

"She talked about wanting more red and purple in her wardrobe," Thalia informed him, guiltily hoping he really did plan on giving her something like that… so she could wear it for someone else.

"So, your answer to my earlier question made it sound like you're Attican as well." Muu observed, showing a rare interest in the actual Thalia before him and not the imaginary one that had moved to Kou.

"I am," she affirmed. There was no point in hiding it. Despite her Parthevian half, her Attican traits were the most prominent, and anyone familiar with what a typical citizen looked like would be able to place her easily. Lying about this particular detail would only serve to provide a point of weakness in her false identity.

"Did you know Thalia is your rightful queen?" Muu asked, sitting up.

That's right. Thalia wasn't just a princess anymore. She was supposed to be a queen. In that case, Dinarzade's words from earlier stung even more. That anyone could accuse her of not putting her people first… she was trying so hard to make up for her mistakes, and apparently she was failing in Dinarzade's eyes. What if Dinarzade was right, though? What if she was still willing to abandon them again? Surely there was nothing that could lead her astray again, not when she'd worked so hard to begin the process of atonement.

But deep down, Thalia knew she was selfish. She had always been, and always would be selfish. She was a terrible queen. Why had someone like her been born a useless princess?

"Some queen she is, abandoning her people in their time of need," Thalia sneered, voicing her self-loathing aloud.

Muu shook his head sadly. "You shouldn't blame her. It seems some nefarious organization tried to interfere with your country's politics, and her disappearance was likely caused by that."

"She ran away, didn't she?" Tossing her head back, Thalia laughed bitterly. "That was her decision. If she had just stayed—"

"If she had stayed where she was, there is a strong possibility she would have been killed along with her parents," Muu interrupted her, sitting up again and resting his arm on the back of his chair. "There was a way for her family to ally themselves with Reim without provoking Parthevia, but trying to marry her off to the crown prince was not in anyone's best interest. Most likely, a member of that organization was trying to wreak havoc by suggesting such a stupid thing. "

Thalia remembered the lilting voice that had convinced her father to betroth her to Nerva Julius. Was that person with this organization he was talking about? What motive could they have had for messing with Thalia's life? Was everything the fault of this organization?

"Reim is also partially to blame for the tragedy that befell your land," Muu continued, gazing out the window. "Unfortunately, our emperor was eager to obtain Attica as a military base and acted too hastily, ignoring warnings from his trusted advisors."

"But she chose to run away," Thalia challenged him. "She chose to abandon her people."

"Thalia may have made an irresponsible decision in running away, but it ended up preserving her life. For that, you should be thankful. Your country's monarchy will continue uninterrupted."

"So her people are just supposed to forgive her for her stupidity because it worked out in the end?" Thalia asked incredulously. Was he seriously saying she didn't bare any blame… at all? That she wasn't a failure? That she didn't need to hate herself any longer?

"That is the nature of destiny." Muu told her sagely. "It cannot be thrown off course so easily. There are a thousand paths, but they all lead to the same destination."

"And in Thalia's case… that destination is you," Thalia said, crossing her arms skeptically.

"It is."

"And what makes you so certain?" she prompted, picking up her water. "How can one know one's own destiny?"

Muu's expression registered a hint of guilt. "I hope you can forgive me, but as an unconcerned party, I'll have to keep you in the dark."

"Am I really that unconcerned?" Thalia kicked one leg over the other, swirling her goblet by its golden stem. "You're planning on following my former co-worker— who you haven't even met— across the world. It comes off as, dare I say, a little obsessive. Maybe instead of her soulmate, you're her stalker. In that case, helping you would put her in danger, which is very concerning."

She knew very well at this point that whatever reason Muu was trying to find her was more complex than mere stalking, but she threw out the accusation anyway, hoping to force him to give an explanation for his behavior. Why was he so intent on believing he was her soulmate? Why was he taking notes on how to win over a girl he'd never seen or talked to? This clearly couldn't have been his idea— someone would have had to tell him she existed, so who had put it in his head that he needed to come find her?

Muu removed his arm from the top of his chair, twisting back to face her. This time his friendly smile showed a hint of strain. "Miss Parsine, from our interaction last time where you attempted to extort money from me, I've judged you to be a calculating person. For that reason, I've decided it's best to keep you at arm's length in some matters. I hope you can understand… though, I suppose I can tell you this much: my family's connection to Reim's magi, Lady Scheherazade, is no secret."

Thalia nearly dropped her water. "You're saying… a magi sent you?"

A magi like Judar… a maker of kings… had sent this man to find her? Could magis predict someone's destiny? If that was the case, if this Muu guy really was her destiny, did she have any right to try to defy it?

"See, Parsine, when Thalia ran away, she didn't really do so by choice. Her actions were guided by fate, all so that she could live, and one day she and I could find one another. I'm going to marry her and help her take back your country. Within a couple of years, you'll be able to return home. Isn't that great?" He beamed at her like he'd just delivered the best news she would receive in her entire life.

She thought about the future she had envisioned for herself: her and Sinbad ruling Attica together. With his intelligence and leadership skills, they would restore Attica to its former glory. Her citizens would be lifted from their dark state of oppression into an era of peace and protection, the same thing Sinbad provided for Thalia. The people of her country would be happy, and, most of all, it was a life where she wouldn't have to sacrifice her happiness with her best friend.

Was Dinarzade right about Thalia not having a future with Sinbad? Was that dream… impossible?

Thalia brought her hand up to touch the intense ache that was burning in her chest. This went beyond disappointment. This was… something else entirely. She'd had her concept of the future ripped out from under her before, but nothing had ever made her feel quite so broken and lost. She couldn't even cry. All she could do was stare at Muu, the boy who had come to ruin everything. She didn't want him. She didn't want her destiny.

"Parsine? Is something wrong?" Muu stood up and crossed the room, putting a kind hand on her shoulder.

It seemed he was a genuinely good guy.

Thalia still didn't want him.

"I think… that's enough for today," she told him quietly, standing up and smoothing out her skirt. "I'm afraid I'm suddenly not feeling well. You can hold up your end of the bargain another day."

He gave her that friendly smile he was always wearing. She'd begun to find it comforting and familiar, but right now she hated it.

"Thank you for your help, Miss Parsine. I hope you feel better soon. Despite what I said earlier about you being calculating, I don't get the feeling that you're a bad person. I hope we can become friends."

Thalia forced a flattering grin. "Friends… yes. Let's be friends."

And nothing else.

Maybe it was time she stopped tiptoeing around the issue of marriage with Sinbad. Maybe she needed to take her future in her own hands. Dinarzade and Muu kept trying to tell her Sinbad wasn't her destiny, but she had spent her entire life allowing other people to tell her what to do. She was stronger now. Maybe she could forge her own destiny, one where she didn't have to give up the happiness she'd found at the Sindria Trading Company for the sake of her people. Maybe she could have everything.

Sinbad stood solemnly at the edge of the company grounds, waiting for his date to show up. Tonight was supposed to be exciting, but all he felt was dread. When the night was over, he wouldn't just be telling Thalia they wouldn't be going on another date. He was going to have to break off their friendship altogether because he cared about her too much to let her fall into depravity for his sake.

"Sin, you're early," Thalia's voice greeted him soberly. Sinbad looked up to see she was wearing a sleeveless dress— rare but not unheard of. Wrapped around her shoulders was the teal shawl that had first appeared in Heliohapt on the night she'd been on a date with another guy. It had obviously been a gift from him. Was she trying to tell Sinbad she was still thinking about Narmes?

Then, she inched toward him, reaching for his hand, and her eyes glittered with a faith and affection he'd never seen directed at anyone else. That look was only for him. Whatever her reasoning for wearing a gift from another guy, Sinbad could see he was the only one in her heart. She was a great actress, but she was terrible at hiding that particular fact.

"You're early too. Were you that excited to see me?" he teased, reaching out for her outstretched palm and tugging her against him. She let out a cry of surprise, and he chuckled, wrapping his other arm around her. He could mope throughout the entire date, or he could give her one unforgettable evening. Sinbad was too selfish to do anything but the latter. Years from now, when she was lying awake at night with her boring spouse by her side in a plush bed fit for a queen, he wanted her to remember this date and ache for him, for what could have been. He wanted a piece of her to always belong to him.

He hadn't intended to kiss her, but he found his lips buried in her fragrant hair. He'd once told her he liked her soap, but that had been a lie. It wasn't the soap he liked. No matter how many times she changed her shampoo or what kind of perfumes she wore, there was always a subtle undercurrent, a pleasant, sweet scent that was unmistakably Thalia. It was that smell he enjoyed so much, and now it was surrounding him, intoxicating him, stroking his desire and eating away at his self-control. His hand on her back began to drift lower, in search of the curves he knew existed under all her loose skirts and dresses.

"Sin!" she squeaked, slapping his wandering wrist away. "We're in public!"

"It's fine, isn't it?" he mumbled into her ear. "We're the only ones here."

Despite his words, he didn't continue to pursue the matter. He placed his hand chastely near her shoulder blades instead. He behaved like the perfect gentleman she'd always believed he was, and that's why it came as a shock when she pushed him off her anyway. Then he remembered this was Thalia, the impenetrable fortress. It really shouldn't have been surprising.

"This isn't just about people seeing us," Thalia muttered. "Look, it's not like I haven't thought about… with you…" Her face turned bright red as he smirked. The impenetrable fortress been thinking about those things? Maybe she wasn't so impenetrable after all. "But I need you to slow down. I- I'm still terrified. You know my experience with these things is… not the best."

He reached out and stroked her cheek tenderly. "Alright." He was on a bit of a time crunch, but she was ultimately in control. He would do his best to get a kiss out of her before their final parting, but only if she was comfortable with it. "Tonight, you get to be the tyrant."

He'd never seen Thalia puff up with such pride. If he'd known telling her she was in charge would make her so happy, he would have gladly taken a backseat more often.

...Unfortunately, it was too late. To think, there were still things about her he didn't know, and now he would never get the chance to find them out.

"So, what exactly are we doing tonight?" she asked, her foot grinding into the cobblestone street and her hands hidden demurely behind her back. Sinbad felt a rush as he realized that flirtatious posture was finally directed at him. It took all his will-power not to drag her back into another embrace.

"First, we're shopping for your birthday present," he told her.

"But Sin, my birthday's not for another month and a half. You know that, right?" She crossed her arms and set her jaw, making a display of her offense.

He forced a bright smile to hide the painful truth. In a month and a half, they would have nothing to do with each other beyond the necessary interactions between a boss and employee, and even those would be as few as possible. That was why he had to give her a present now, something she could remember him by.

"I know, but I just can't wait to spoil you." He took her hand, leading her in the direction of the night market. "Come on."

He guided her through Balbadd City's busy streets, holding on to her tightly. He couldn't afford to get seperated from her in one of these crowds. Every minute they were seperated was a minute he lost with her, and with only a few hours left together, every moment was precious.

He kept glancing behind him anxiously to make sure she was still there, that the warm hand in his grasp wasn't a figment of his imagination. Each time he looked back, her eyes were fixed on their intertwined fingers, her expression strange and inscrutable.

Why is she so fixated on our hands? he wondered.

No matter how many times he looked back, she was still staring, her eyebrows furrowed. Maybe his palm was sweaty and she didn't like it. Too bad. He wasn't giving her a chance to get lost.

He finally weaved their way to the place he'd had Mystras scope out for him in secret last night— the finest jewelry stand in Balbadd. Even the Sindria Trading Company didn't have items of such high quality and craftsmanship. The owner made all of the jewelry himself to exacting standards.

Sinbad stopped in front of the cart, scanning for items worthy of his best friend, the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on. Thalia stood next to him, looking around curiously.

"It's getting late, but so many shops are still open," she observed. "Just what is this place?"

"It's the night market," he explained. "You can find some of the most unique items in the world here at competitive prices, because operating permits are cheaper during these hours…"

He paused, a pair of dangling earrings catching his eye. Picking them up, he held them to her face and made a show of disapproval.

"These won't do," he purred. "They look so plain compared to your beauty."

His teasing had the desired effect. Her face began to blush the telltale pink that he adored so much. His mission had been successful, but he was far from done. Sinbad was not a merciful man, and he was going to embarrass her until she couldn't take any more.

He picked up another pair, these even more extravagant, and made a show of inspecting them.

"Hm. Same problem." He turned to the merchant. "Sir, do you have anything that could possibly hold a candle to her radiance?"

The man laughed heartily, playing along with Sinbad's antics.

"I'm afraid not, but may I suggest this pair with rubies? Her blushing might seem a little less prominent in comparison."

Sinbad stifled a chuckle as she slumped, clearly mortified by the fact that even a stranger was assisting in his shameless flirting.

"I think we'll take the rubies."

"A- actually," Thalia managed to choke out from beside him, "I was thinking something more like this."

She pointed to a simple silver ring.

Sinbad laughed. She was on a date with the wealthiest man in the world, and she picked the cheapest thing she could find in the shop. It was so typically Thalia, but she was a princess, and it was clear she'd been spoiled in her past. She had to have more expensive tastes than what she let on. She was holding back on him.

"You realize I'm paying, right? You can get whatever you want. I promise, I can afford it."

"It's not about the cost," she explained, picking up the ring and handling it tenderly. "It's plain, but that means I can take it everywhere with me without worrying someone might want to steal it. Since it's a gift from you, I don't think I could ever bear to lose it."

Sinbad's smile faltered as she turned her adoring gaze back to him. He wished he could have told her if she ever lost her gift, he would just buy her another. He wished her words didn't cause a painful tightness in his chest, because it was so obvious she cared about him, maybe even loved him. She was his, but she shouldn't be. She couldn't be.

His arm moved to pick up her hand and try her new piece of jewelry on all her fingers until he found one that fit— the left middle finger, right next to the ring finger. It was fitting, he thought. He couldn't occupy that sacred spot, but his gift to her would always be there, taunting the man who dared to marry her. Maybe her husband would give her a flashy ring, one that thieves could covet, but this ring would always mean more because she couldn't bare to lose it.

Or maybe it's me she couldn't bare to lose…

...She'll just have to pull through. She's strong. She can do this.

"It's perfect," he told her, still clinging to her hand. He turned to the man who ran the stall. "How much?"

The man was watching the two of them fondly. "Normally, I'd charge fifteen gold coins for something like that, but it does my heart good to see a couple so in love. Reminds me of myself and my wife before she passed away."

Sinbad saw Thalia bite something back out of the corner of his eye. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and tugged her closer, wrapping an arm around her. Was she still trying to deny she had feelings for him even after what she'd just said about the ring? Why was she so stubborn?

"Since you two have made my evening, how about I charge you three gold coins? That's a pretty good discount."

"I would have paid whatever price you asked if it made her happy, but we're both grateful for your generosity. Thank you, Sir." Sinbad let go of Thalia's hand and took out the money, placing it in on the counter.

"So when is the wedding?" the man asked, fingering the coins as though he were inspecting them for validity.

"There's no wedding," Sinbad responded confidently. "We're both married to our jobs."

Thalia went rigid in his arm before squirming uncomfortably. "Actually, Sin, I was wanting to… negotiate with you about something."

Oops. At the mention of work, he had apparently reminded Thalia of something she'd failed to talk to him about during business hours. He swore if she asked for one more raise before the year ended, he was going to dock her pay for a week in the amount she asked for. …No, he couldn't do that. Then he would have to give her the raise anyway as an apology. He wouldn't be able to bear seeing the disappointment on her face.

Wait, since when did she have him wrapped around her finger to this extent? Had she crept up on him more than he'd realized? Did he more than just like her?

He pushed that question aside. The answer didn't matter. What he needed to do was still the same no matter how strongly he felt about her.

"We can talk about business at the end of the night," he assured her. "Let's have fun for a bit longer."

Every second with her was precious, and he still had so many things he wanted to do together.