Chapter 12:

The light was shining brightly on the young woman in the meeting room. Alakiah stood at the door for a second as he admired her beauty. He was so close to her... so close to being what she wanted, and yet he was too far. He was not Lord Malakiel, he was Alakiah. The servant she had grown up with and learned to get accustomed to. He didn't want to seem disappointed, however he couldn't help but feel like maybe, as Mayala always said, he was destined for so much more. She sensed his presence at the door and smiled as she turned to see him.

"You startled me."

"I am sorry, your Majesty... I didn't want to disturb you."

"Come in, please." He walked in and sat across from her at the table as he saw the pen and stationary spilled everywhere.

"Need help?"

"Please." She smiled, almost embarrassed to admit it, but he just smiled back at her.

"I'll take note... just tell me what you'd like to say." She stood up from her seat and began to pace back and forth as she thought out loud.

"Okay... umm... Esteemed Guests. Uhhh... You are cordially invited to visit the royal household of Antar for a magical evening of dinner and dancing. It will take place after sunset on the evening of the full moon." He smiled and jotted down the information on her flowery stationary.

"That sounds perfect."

"I personally wouldn't care to invite too many people. There are only certain people I want to see." She sat back down and looked over at him. His blue eyes were bravely staring into her own and a familiar feeling came over her. It had already been twice that she'd seen some of Malakiel's qualities in Alakiah. But she didn't want to believe it. Because she knew... she knew that if he was the man she was looking for, that her heart would break at not being able to have him. Princesses could not marry servants. No matter how amazing they may be.

"When you look at me... what do you see?" Her words came out as a surprise to him and he was caught off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"What do you see?"

"Well... I... I see a very talented and beautiful woman. A woman who is strong enough to rule the kingdom with wisdom and respect. A woman who has grown so much from when I first knew her. One who is afraid of herself because of the power she possesses. But I believe that you have not yet reached your full potential. You have so much more to offer if you'd just let yourself go a little bit. You are still afraid to live in your own skin. To feel... to truly feel." Their eyes were searching each other's thoughts, feelings, and souls. She wanted to just kiss him. To just run away from her obligation and love him for his honesty, for his humor, for his openness, for just being her friend so many years.

"Alakiah, I..."

"But I believe that in time you will make the right decisions. I have faith in you. And when you do... I will be here to support you." He smiled, a smile that spoke volumes to a lonely soul. He knew Vilandra. He knew the way she worked. He'd been silently worshipping her for years. But she was always so perfect and so completely unreachable. However, more than enough times he'd offered his friendship and she'd accepted with open arms. Now, they were grown, and she still relied heavily on him, for his opinion and support. Even if he could never have her love him, the way he loved her, he could at least be sure, he would never lose her.

"Thank you." She smiled and did something neither of them expected. She reached out and grabbed his hands across the table in her own. "Thank you more than I could say in words." He nodded submissively and she let go. He picked up the pen and proceeded to write. Suddenly she knew... this man that sat in front of her, he was her Lord Malakiel, and although she could never openly admit that she had wished he was, she would silently thank the gods for sending her a gift.