'I thought you left?'

All eyes turned to Enzo as he asked, ignoring Bonnie's reprimanding twitch. He'd been robbed, he was allowed a moment of insolence.

'We were going to,' said Kai, now becoming well aware of Bonnie's companion. 'Rode almost half the night in the other direction. But then suddenly dawn hit and…' He paused, thinking back to what convinced him to change his mind - and then change it again- coming up blank. 'We weren't needed back so urgently.'

'What was the reason you felt the need to flee?' Bonnie asked with little regard to how pissed off she sounded.

'A message' He lied seamlessly, 'from my own Kingdom. But another one met us by dawn telling us the issue was resolved.' Donovan beside him had the good sense to nod along despite hearing this story for the first time. So he wasn't as stupid as he looked. Last night when his Majesty returned half an hour later and ordered the convoy to turn around, just to suddenly change his mind back hours later, he tried to question Kai's decision. Only to be treated to an ear full of passive aggressive silence.

Bonnie looked at him, a little peeved before, now even more so with how vague his answer was. Eventually her diplomacy took over, understanding nonetheless that some situations were unavoidable. A short nod was her way of conveying this.

'Well, you'll forgive the lack of reception, we obviously weren't expecting you.'

'Forgiven with a whole heart.' A genial smile meant to make him look boyish marked his face.

'Your rooms aren't prepared either so you can't rest immediately. And since you weren't supposed to be coming I changed my schedule. I'm not sure I can accommodate you now.' She could lie too.

Diplomacy was a skill of the Queen's, pettiness was a skill of Bonnie's and she wanted to see how put out she could make him before he snapped.

Kai widened the charming smile, revealing ivory incisors as he spoke.

'I slept more than enough in the coach. I don't mind entertaining myself either- if your schedule is no longer freer than before.' Sinking bags under his eyes disagreed with him.

She was shirking him, hoping he would come to the conclusion that he should leave all by himself, and any normal response would be to go home.

Trying to hide the sudden twist to his smile, he decided he wasn't having that, reading her inner dialogue of wanting him to leave yet knowing it would be rude. Offending another Kingdom, who's military power was much mightier than her own, wasn't a wise decision. The last thing she needed was for one little mis-step with him to result in the decimation of her people. So she'd let him stay. But she made no promise about letting him enjoy his visit.

'Well I had archery with some Nobles scheduled for this morning. If you're going to stay, you may as well come with me.'

Sports and socialising when he was exhausted. Not the best revenge but it was petty enough to satisfy her for now.

'Sounds excellent. Lead the way.' His twitching grin disappearing as they headed outside.

'You did what?' Sheila would have beaten Enzo to death right there if it wasn't for the fact that

A, he stepped out of her reach in time and B, she needed him alive.

His protection specifically. But erasing her granddaughter's memories made her seriously consider whether it was worth it.

'I had to. To protect her-'

'You violated her mind.'

'Well if you say anything like that then it all sounds bad. Take for instance, you violated that sandwich.' Enzo stepped back even further from her reach as he spoke, stopping as his back hit bark. 'All I did was hide some bad memories from her that were causing her crippling emotional pain. Is that really so bad?'

Her eye spasmed as she charged forward and slapped him. Violent urge satisfied, she added a deep breath, relaxing some of the initial anger.

'Has she changed in any way because of it?'

'No.' He answered immediately.

'How would you know when it's only been a day?' She snapped.

So they were at trick questions then. That was never a good sign. This whole conversation wasn't a good sign. He debated whether telling her was the right decision. Thanks to the arrival of certain unwanted guests, keeping it to himself was no longer an option. Sheila would obviously come asking Bonnie questions about Kai, trying to prepare her for the fact that he didn't remember their love.

Now she didn't have to, because Bonnie didn't remember either. So really, he'd just done her a massive favour, and he wasn't even requesting a 'thank you'. Benevolent man that he was.

She seemed to be cottoning onto that fact, mouth closed as her mind played over the information and the repercussions.

'How did you even manage it? Witches can't be compelled.'

'They can't.' Enzo replied, thinking how to say the next part without it ending in a stinging cheek.

'But witches without magic are basically humans.'

'You took her magic?' She shrieked, twitching her palm out in front of her again. It didn't sting so much, more irritate him. He'd already braced himself for the nosebleed to accompany it but the sudden raging migraine she caused had him crumpling to his knees.

'Not me.' He grunted.

That addition made the pain intensify and he rushed to correct- to expand before she killed him.

'That boy- he siphoned her-I just used t-the situation to my advantage-' it didn't help, 'she's got her magic back now-she's okay-' that did.

Sheila released the hold she had on his brain and let him stand up. 'This doesn't mean I forgive you.'

'I know.'

'I mean,' she still shook with anger, 'I'm am furious with you.'

'I get it.'

'I am seriously wondering whether I shouldn't just send you away.'

'I'd understand if you did but please don't.-'

'How dare you even think you have a right to ask me that? After what you've done?'

This wasn't the right time to bring up that fact that the whole reason they were in this mess was because she made a deal with Rudy to have Enzo wipe Kai's memories in the first her own guilty conscience hadn't prevented her from returning to the castle earlier, then maybe they wouldn't be in this mess.

'Look I am sorry, but she's happier than I've ever seen her, she even laughed today. When was the last time she did that?'

'She laughs plenty.' Her grandmother replied while secretly struggling to recall Bonnie's last chuckle.

'Maybe if you actually looked at her for more than five seconds you could see how much she was hurting.'

That earned him another slap.

'I know she was in pain. And I know that it was my fault. What I also know is that Bonnie is a thousand times stronger than the hurt she endures. If you left her alone she would have been just as fine as you think she is now.'

'You don't know that for certain. She could just have easily crumpled. I've seen worse happen to people who are a lot stronger.'

Another aneurysm but with half a heart. He stayed on his knees this time and looked up at her. 'I have a plan, alright? I'm going to go to his Kingdom, have a snoop and see what skeletons I can bring up. Or have him actually called back home for some reason. Either way he'll have to permanently leave her alone before he can cause anymore damage.' He'd have to be clever in how he got rid of him, especially since he couldn't be compelled again now he had Bonnie's freshly siphoned magic.

'No.' Sheila snapped.

'No?' He thought she'd be the most supportive of getting rid of Kai, hating him almost as much as Enzo did.

'No.' She echoed. 'Now you're going to leave them alone. No more mind tricks, no more manipulation. Let them be.'

'That's a very big gamble.'

'It's not. She has a bright future. And I know he's not in it. She'll be smart enough to realise that.'

Enzo stood up, knees muddy from the riverside ground. In the distance he could see Bennetts peering down at them from the camp, wondering what he could possibly be telling her to have the great Sheila so angry.

'What are you saying?'

'I'm saying I trust her. After everything I helped put her through, I'm finally trusting her to know what's best for herself. Leave her alone Enzo. Your only job now is to protect her from a distance.' Sheila pinned him with a glare as if it would stamp the command into him. He acquiesced, giving a sore nod.

He'd protect her from afar.

Incredibly far.

As soon as he got a chance he'd go as far as Kai's Kingdom, hunting for bones.

All through archery he never complained once. No matter how off his aim was, how red his eyes were becoming, or how every other sentence was punctuated with a yawn he struggled to swallow, Kai kept it to himself and engaged her in only polite conversation. It was the least he could do. A little part of her twinged with guilt, and she thought about letting him go to bed, seeing him later on at dinner.

'You know the forests back in my Kingdom have a better quality to them.'

Then he'd say something boastful like that and the guilt dissolved into abjection.

She notched another arrow and replaced him in front of the bullseye. Back to being passive aggressive as he carried on.

'They're not just green. From the top of the castle you can see-'

She let the arrow fly and they watched it sink into red as she listened with half an ear.

'-All the treetops. Reds, greens and I swear under the moonlight there's blue ones too. Reminds me of the sea here. You'd like it.' Only for him to end the boast like that, and she found herself reconsidering the former thought.

When he loosed his arrow, and it went straight through the treetops behind the bullseye, she settled on the idea.

'I think the servants should have your rooms ready by now. You should go and rest. We'll see each other at dinner.'

He barely hid the look of relief washing over him as they began heading inside. Donovan wasn't as good an actor and almost wept with joy. From somewhere behind her she felt a breeze and looked to see Enzo joining them as they all trudged inside. She slowed her gait to walk behind with him.

'What happened to you?'

There was a purplish bruise on his eye, slowly receding even as she asked. Kai didn't bother to turn to see who she was talking to, content to hear that there was something wrong with the man rather than confirm it.

'Walked into a branch.' Enzo drawled, staring daggers into the back of Kai's head. 'I'll be going away for a while.' He said lower, slowing their walk even more to separate Bonnie from the group completely and feeling unexpectedly glad to see her looking a little taken aback. Without jinxing it, he was hoping for it to turn into something like missing him.

'Why?' She asked.

'I have some business to attend to.' He resisted the urge to tuck a strand of hair behind her ears and instead closed his goodbye with 'try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone will you?'

Bonnie humoured him with a smile. 'I can't promise anything.'

At dinner he was much more awake. Enough to start digging into her for information. The last time he and his brother were here her father insisted on having dinner with the Nobles every night, in an effort to show off.

But she didn't want prying eyes and ears.

'I was so sorry to hear about your father.' Kai looked down as he cut into his fillet, pity barely reaching his eyes.

That was fine. She didn't need it.

'Likewise about your family.' Bonnie took a sip of wine. She could dig back just as easily.

'I suppose it must have been a blow for you too. Losing your father and your fiance in such quick succession.'

'Yes.' She twitched, remembering what Lucas was supposed to be to her and feeling remorse at ever forgetting. He was a nice person, in a situation just as tough as hers. In her anger she blamed him when that shouldn't have been the case. Now he was dead and she was here, sitting with his brother.

'But for you to lose your whole family and your sister- your twin.' Her words had the intended effect and he gulped down some water, looking less keen than before.

'Josette's betrayal stung most of all.' It was too refined, the sadness slick in his eyes. Practiced and not the least bit genuine. They allowed a moment of silence to sit between them for their dead, before he spoke again.

'Let's move onto less morbid topics, shall we?' Chimed Lord Donovan, sat halfway between them both, opposite Bonnie's buffer.

'The soup is excellent.' Elena supplied.

For the remainder of dinner, they stuck to polite chit chat, with the odd question about each other's respective Kingdom's. Genial talk to the servers around the room but to the trained eye they were sizing each other up. Behind each word she could see the smallest hint of someone he was hiding. A version of himself tucked away, out of her reach. It made her wonder why she invited him in the first place, until she remembered how much of an ally the Kingdom would be.

A cold shudder went through her at the thought. A familiar phrase. Someone said it to her. Her father. When she was...

She wracked her brain, ignoring the slight push against her temple. When she was upset at her previous engagement. Her father said it to try and convince her to go through with marrying Lucas.

Somewhere along the way, she started to think of herself as a commodity to be used for the benefit of the Kingdom. Her father never felt that way about himself, he felt that way about her- but not himself. So why was she putting herself through this again? Through the same torment of a marriage she didn't really want.

Kai was still talking as she began to study his face. He was attractive enough, well spoken, and well mannered too. At least to her face and for now. There was a deeper motivation beneath his cordiality. The way his eyes roamed over her when he thought she couldn't see him. How his gaze always lingered a little too long on her mouth. She felt the look swallow her and realised what it would mean. He'd try to devour her if they ever got married. Absorb her into his power as another puppet for him to use.

That's if she was underestimating herself like everyone else seemed to do. If she thought about it, putting her own intellect to good, she'd be just as likely to use him. A military three times the size of her own would come in handy.

And really, husbands died all the time.

Maybe a hunting accident with the help of a certain vampire guard. She just needed to find something genuine about him first to latch onto. A demand from the part of her heart still beating after her trauma, clawing to the good inside her. Find something real about him, a thread into his true soul. She wanted to know who he really was before making any decisions.

'I like to play chess' he answered and she'd almost forgotten that she asked about his hobbies.

That could be something.

'Because of the strategy?'

He gave half a smile, ready to share.

'Because it's calming.' Then deciding against it. They spoke some more until she was exhausted with how evasive he was and he was equally disappointed. After dinner, she and Elena meant to retire to her rooms and vent about the awkward dinner but Lord Donovan suddenly spoke.

'Lady Gilbert can I walk you back to your rooms?'

Elena seemed to pick up on his hint and took his elbow, shooting Bonnie a sorry look as she left her alone with Malachai.

'Shall we?' He put out his own arm for her to take. With a reluctant titter she fit her fingers neatly into the crook.

'Do you remember much of the castle since your last visit?' She asked to pass the time. He frowned thoughtfully, dark lines across his forehead in the corridor hit by the setting sun.

'I remember thinking how different the architecture was.' He flexed the fingers of his free hand, resisting the urge to put them over hers as an excuse to touch her. 'My own castle was built with fortification in mind.'

'Ah.' She said, struggling to think of something to say next. 'Yes, It was designed by Italian architects. When you came last time they'd just finished the chapel.'

He nodded.

She made the excuse of sorting out her skirts as they walked to unhook herself from him.

'So when would you say the high tra- Is that a library?'

He paused in his tracks as he said it and Bonnie kept walking a few paces before realising. She looked back to see him glancing at a door, ajar with a glowing orange light among the growing dimness.

'Yes it is. One of several.' She said, walking slowly back to him, keeping an eye on how suddenly devoid his features were of any of the tension that came with his forced charm.

'It looks big.' He commented, counting the multicoloured spines on shelves he could see through the crack in the door.

'It's the biggest one. Not just in the Palace but in the Kingdom.' She felt her chest beam with pride as she looked in with him. 'Some of the books were rescued from Alexandria. We've had scholars from all over the world come to study the texts.'

'Really?' His interest piqued at all the possible knowledge.

'Mhm. Come inside,' Her fingers brushed against his as she moved past him, excited to show off. 'I was even tutored by some of them' She said to his neck, head craned up to take in the domed ceiling painted with bearded old men in byzantine clothing, arguing over scrolls.

'Is it wrong to want to marry you because of your library?' He smiled as he looked back at her.

A little hiccup, suppressed laughter, escaped her as she smiled back at the sudden candour.

'I take it you read.'

'I have my favourites. But I've always held an appreciation for all books.'

She nodded, heading towards the first stack with outstretched fingers. 'See any you like?'

'A few. You've got a lot of folktales there.' He said, joining her.

'My grandmother used to read them to me before bed when I was younger.'

He nodded, this time seriously, instead of mocking her like she assumed he would.

'What would you say is the most important part of a fairytale then?'

Without thinking she replied 'Timing.' As if she was discussing the story of Snow White with Caroline and not this stranger. When she started talking about her stories, fondness overtook her, no matter who she was talking to.

'Timing?' He ran a thumb over the green-ridged spine of The Brother's Grimm, Collection of Fairytales, waiting for her to explain while she eyed the books.

'The whole part of being Prince charming is that he arrives at the exact right moment. Before or after that would be too early or too late. He arrives at the exact right moment that the Princess needs help. Ergo Timing.'

'Timing, huh.' He agreed, waiting, but he stayed quiet. 'Aren't you going to ask me?'

'I know you want me to ask you.' She pulled out another book, this time opening it up and studying the contents. 'But I also know what your answer is.'

He scoffed. 'Really?'

'Mhm. You're going to say love is the most important part of any fairytale.' Her face scrunched callously over the word. He didn't really have an answer until she said it, and then once the word left her mouth he knew that's what he would have said anyway.

'Isn't it?' It was his turn to defend the decision she made for him. 'Take the Prince and the Princess, their love for each other is what's driving everything.'

'But would they even love each other if it wasn't for the timing?'

She snapped her own book close grinning down at the top of her head, watching her flick to Little Red Riding Hood.

'Take the same two people, put them in an entirely different situation, are they always destined to fall in love?'

'I guess we'll never know.' His voice was lower than he remembered, softer against the pages.

She chose that moment to look up, feeling the intensity of his storm coloured eyes on hers, no idea what was going through them. In the light, his stare shot through her and she felt her heart thumping.

Fear.

It had to be fear.

Fear in how badly he looked like he wanted to eat her. So she cleared her throat and stepped back from him, focusing on the shelf.

'It's getting late and I'm tired.'

'Of course.' He blinked away the intensity and took a step back, gesturing for her to lead the way.

'I think Lady Gilbert's really nice.'

'You would.' Kai muttered as he and Donovan ambled back to their rooms. He was a talker. Liked to mutter incessant observations and think out loud as they walked. Intimidating silence made him ramble nervously and short answers just made his own ones longer.

'How did it go with the Queen?'

'Good.'

'She seems to be warming up to you.'

'You think?' He couldn't help the sudden interest in the conversation. Particularly what Bonnie thought of him.

'Mhm.' Donovan yawned. Kai waited for him to carry on but he chose this of all moments to stop talking. So he encouraged him on.

'What makes you say that?'

'Well the way she was looking at you during Archery, and you bonded over your shared trauma at dinner,' Matt's smirked and Kai appreciated the humour, 'and she invited you here didn't she? A part of her must like you.'

He accepted the answer, nodding a goodnight and heading to his own bed. Staring up at the canopy felt familiar. It was funny, the last time he visited was only for a few weeks and many years ago- but he remembered the scenery well. Images of the places he visited, blank and beautiful, hollow scenes with something out of a place that he could never figure out. Like for instance this deep purple canopy. He remembered tracing over the golden patterns and counting the white circles of the design- sixty-two. He remembered doing all that and feeling so content and peaceful as he did- the irritation of siphoning quelled. But he couldn't remember what it was that made him feel that way. So instead it felt natural to think back over the day's events.

Of her.

Of Bonnie.

All through dinner she had been cold but in the Library he could have sworn there was a moment between them, before she switched suddenly and practically ran to get away from him. She was hard to read and everytime he looked at her it was like putting together a never ending puzzle- how could he finish it with pieces missing?

His mid-day nap after arriving meant he wasn't tired enough to go to sleep, he wasn't hungry enough for a snack and he wasn't motivated enough to venture into the forest. There was one place he could go, where the view was exquisite.

His feet moved automatically to the balcony, seeing the dark ocean waves crashing against grey sand come majestically into view. But his view wasn't drawn to the ocean like the first time. Instead it was pulled to the woman on the balcony opposite. Tiptoeing over the edge of the stone wall, head thrown back and green eyes relaxed shut as she felt the night breeze, travelling miles and miles over treetops to caress her smooth neck.

He stayed in the shadow of the doorway, watching her and deciding to call the heat blooming beneath this ribcage apprehension. He didn't know what she was thinking and it meant she was dangerous. Anyone dangerous to him was his enemy. So he would get to know her. Thoroughly, carefully and intimately. For the sake of politics, of course.

When he saw her next morning though, he recognised the look in her eyes. Determination.

'I thought you might like to accompany me to the Junior Guard celebrations today.'

'Sounds exciting, I'd love to.'

The ceremony took place in the lower Ballroom of the Castle, all decorated with banners and streamers, food and drink- it reminded him of childhood birthday parties thrown for his siblings. Because of how loud and vibrant and colourful it was but also because of how many children there were. Boys and girls all older than twelve but younger than eighteen darned in compact versions of the Guards' uniform. Bonnie was lost to the crowd the minute they entered and he had to be content with watching her from a distance, mingling with the children as importantly as if they were nobility.

'You're the Prince!' Said a giddy voice from behind him. He looked around to see a group of teenagers gawking at him.

'King.' He corrected, squinting at them. 'Do I know you?'

'Khaya,' an older boy gestured to himself. 'You visited our orphanage the last time you came.'

'Khaya? Look how big you've gotten,' he didn't remember him, or his supposed visit, but he greeted the boy's enthusiastic smile with his own as he acted like he'd never forgotten him.

'Thanks, it's the training.' Khaya replied animatedly. He introduced the others around him and Kai pretended like he remembered their names- and as he noticed them he started to see the picture around him a little clearer.

'Am I interrupting?'

He turned around at her sweet voice. Bonnie held a champagne flute out to him and he took it gratefully.

'Not a bit, I was just reminiscing.'

'I'd hate to pull you away,'

'Then tug gently.' He held out his arm, making his excuses to the teenagers, Bonnie slipped her fingers into it and let him guide them around the room.

'So what is this ceremony celebrating specifically?' He asked.

'It's monthly recognition for the best trainee.'

Trainee.

She was so diplomatic, it was mesmerising listening to her dance between words. These were soldiers for an army to do her bidding. A celebration once a month to amp up the competition between them all, and judging by the brawns in the room, it was a close competition. Half the men in his own army didn't have the build of these youths.

Suddenly quiet in his reverie, he hardly noticed her steer them to a quiet corner, leaving his arm to stand in front of him. All this he watched her do in intense interest and silence, each movement of her's breaking apart the image of he'd built in his mind.

'Aren't you going to say it?'

'Say what?'

Don't be coy, her smirk said. Yet he had to be, it was the rules of their game.

'There are men and women on my guard.'

'Very forward thinking.' He replied, refusing to give in. She wanted him to comment on how odd that was. Soldiers were supposed to be men, she wanted him to say. Instead what came to mind was the brilliance of it. 'Genius too. You restrict your soldiers to just one gender and you're limited. Open it up and suddenly your recruitment has more than doubled.'

'Tripled.' She corrected, taking a sip to hide her smugness.

But what was her motivation behind showing him? It couldn't just be to boast, that was too crass for Bonnie. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off as another group of scouts approached them, taking her attention. The thing about children, particularly these ones, was that they lacked propriety. Don't get him wrong, it wasn't a bad thing. In fact it was even a little refreshing. Unfortunately it meant he didn't get another chance to hear her speak until she gave a speech for the victors of the month.

Rudy used to have to shout to get the room's attention- a small memory- but her voice need only be clear and even and she had command of all the ears. He looked around the room, realising that was why he was here. So he could see the same look in everybody's eyes. They adored her, these people.

They were fiercely loyal.

They would die for her.

She was protected and she was proving it. She wouldn't be someone he could just absorb into himself, he couldn't siphon up this kind of power. Bonnie was formidable and she wanted him to know it.

'Nice speech.' He managed to say after the ceremony was over.

'Thank you.' She replied. This time, as they walked through the corridor, there was no linking arms. They stood tall, equal distance apart from each other.

'They love you.' He remarked. 'It's the sign of a benevolent ruler.'

'Your people fear you.' She replied, even voice with a jagged edge. She'd done her research.

'It's safer to be feared than to be loved, your Majesty.' A lesson he learnt from one of his favourite books.

'It's best to be both.' She quoted back.

Kai smiled, of course she'd read it too.

'Fear and love can't exist together, Bonnie.'

Saying her name sparked something inside his chest and a look flit across her face at how intimate it sounded falling from his lips. Like he'd said it a million times before in a million different ways.

'Not true,' they rounded the corner to her tower, 'you can fear how much you love.' They stopped at the bottom of the spiral staircase and she gave him a nod.

'Thank you, Kai.' She said, like he'd heard it a million different ways too.