Brandon pulled the owner of the arm he held tightly toward himself, placed his foot behind her knees, and managed to topple her. Stella stopped struggling, allowing Brandon to think he had won. He was aware of what she was about to do but still allowed it and pressed his hands down beside Stella's head, leaning over her. Her giggling as she looked at him caused Brandon to freeze completely; the effect of her laughter on his body was instantly evident. Seizing the moment, Stella grabbed Brandon by the nape of his neck and lifted her body upwards, but she had not calculated that Brandon had turned to stone. The man she was trying to pull to the ground did not budge, and Stella remained hanging with her arms around his neck.

Their noses rubbed against each other and Stella felt all the blood drain from her veins. While Brandon's breath cooled her sweat-dampened skin, Stella could not understand why she still clung to him instead of loosening her grip, but she was very content with her current position and did not want to change it. As Brandon's hand, which was on the ground, moved to Stella's bare waist that her sports top couldn't hide, she felt herself shiver.

She wanted to press herself against him but forced herself to hold back and signaled her brain that she needed to stop. Brandon pressed his knee to the ground and pushed with his hand meanwhile he grabbed Stella and lifted her from the ground.

"I guess things didn't go as you planned." Brandon's breath was still on her face, and Stella involuntarily dropped her gaze to his lips and swallowed hard. Even though they had done nothing but train together for a week, Stella was beginning to understand that the slow heat rising in her blood was not just due to adrenaline and fatigue. Although Brandon's attitude towards her had not changed much, Stella felt herself being drawn to him involuntarily, and it was starting to frighten her. The thought of leading both Brandon and herself into a terrible mistake terrified her to death.

"I guess not." Her murmur pleased Brandon, and he couldn't help but smile. He couldn't understand how his smile quota was not yet full. Brandon was far from being someone who smiled and radiated joy. Dark clouds practically hovered around him because he had a rather dark personality. But Stella had managed to break these taboos so beautifully that he couldn't distinguish whether the growing feeling inside him was fear, desire, or both.

While gently loosening his arms, Stella felt the need to take a few steps away from Brandon. Her legs trembled from both the exertion and excitement, and Brandon's gaze did nothing to soothe her. Instead, it fanned the flames inside her. "You're doing well; the only problem is you're not good at pretending to give up. You need to exert a bit more force; suddenly letting go arouses suspicion." Stella nodded her head to show she understood and slid down the wall to sit on her bottom. Looking at Brandon from her seated position was priceless. His muscular and built body stood half-naked before her. Although Stella had initially blushed and embarrassed herself, she had come to understand that he couldn't train with a shirt or top and tried to normalize the situation. She was still struggling, but her blushing had somewhat diminished.

He ran his hand through his damp hair, staring at Stella, a silent exchange filled with question marks took place between them once more. They had been behaving quite professionally since they started training, but Stella felt an involuntary attraction to the skin touching hers for training purposes. And Brandon was not much different from her, for that matter. Stella forced herself to calm down, swallowing as her heart pounded in her throat. The looks Brandon gave her created a sensation of heat, as if a ton of coal was burning beside her, and she had a fierce desire to throw herself under cold water.

"Brandon!" They both turned to the door simultaneously, and Stella jumped up from her seat, looking at Brandon in panic. "Sky!" With a voice trembling in panic, she approached Brandon again, then turned to the door in fear. She wasn't sure why she was scared, perhaps feeling guilty for having thoughts about Brandon's body when Sky arrived, or worried that being caught in Brandon's room might get him into trouble. Swallowing, she turned to Brandon, who was trying to understand her panic by watching her intently.

"Calm down, Stella. We're not doing anything wrong."

Stella nodded, trying to reduce her panic somewhat, but one hand held Brandon's arm, trying to prevent him from going to the door. "Brandon! Open the door; I need to hide before Stella sees me in the palace!"

Stella clenched her teeth and frowned, thinking to herself, what a brat. Her panic vanished in a second and she moved toward the door with anger, her hands already glowing with a bright white light, while Brandon quickly followed her, hoping to prevent Sky from getting hurt. But as soon as Stella opened the door, she grabbed Sky by the nape and pulled him into the room, ignoring his startled face. Her moon powers had granted her strength, otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to drag him so easily.

"Stella, please." Brandon watched Sky struggle, he felt like he was in a bottomless pit. If it had been anyone else instead of Stella, he would have acted differently, but it was Stella. And in this situation, Sky was on his own. "Stay out of it." Her growl caused Brandon to raise his eyebrows in surprise and pleasure, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall to watch them. Stella shoved Sky with all her might, causing him to fall to the ground, then transformed into her fairy form, her hair flying around her as she glowed and leaned toward Sky.

"Give me one reason not to kill you."

Brandon stared in amazement at Stella, who he hadn't seen in her fairy form in a long time. Sky looked from Brandon to Stella in fear, while Brandon was more focused on Stella's white and gray glow. She was using her moon powers, his brain provided the answer. He realized this transformation was different from the sun powers. Stella looked more rebellious in this form. Her attractiveness was the same regardless of her state, but Brandon felt an undeniable attraction to her right now. The darkness inside him seemed to grow, trying to pull Stella into it. Swallowing and hoping they wouldn't hear his wildly beating heart, he approached them but couldn't take his eyes off Stella.

The dress she wore, resembling a garment with intricate details, was made of a translucent fabric that highlighted Stella's elegant lines like a work of art. The sparkling decorations on the fabric shimmered like stars dancing in the moonlight, complimenting her magnificent beauty. The bright white strands in her long blonde hair shone as if made of diamonds, giving her a mystical aura. The dress, with its delicate details, had a very short hem, designed as a mini skirt, causing Brandon to swallow hard once again. Instead of shoes, like in her sun transformation, the magic spread through her veins, resembling transparent, shiny, and delicate vines that extended up to her knees.

From her wrists to her shoulders, glitter sparkled on her arms, shining with every movement. Stella, with her moon-like glowing beauty, was once again dazzling, enchanting Brandon. The intensity of his emotions distracted him to the point of losing focus. He wanted something desperately, something he couldn't have, which was driving him crazy.

"Stella! Bloom would be very upset; don't do it!" Sky's weak excuse caused Stella to grumble, and she threw the glowing orb in her hand at Sky's leg, making him scream. This must have caught Brandon's attention, as he quickly approached Stella, grabbing her arm in a way that wouldn't hurt her, and turned her body toward him. "Stella calm down; let him talk first."

Stella's eyes found Brandon's, and she struggled not to curse. She had never felt so attracted to someone in her life and was completely overwhelmed. As Stella's gaze pierced into him, Brandon swallowed repeatedly, his throat struggling to perform the action, but his entire body was struggling. How could someone, fairy or not, be this beautiful? It was unfair.

"Brandon, let me go. This bastard trapped me here! I haven't seen the sun for a week! If it weren't for the moon, I would've died long ago! He didn't even think about that!" Stella's voice pierced his soul, and Brandon shuddered at the words that fell from her lips: she could have died… His hand released Stella's arm, and Sky looked at his friend in shock. "Dude, don't let go!"

Brandon silenced him with a look and sat on one of the couches in the room, indicating that he wasn't getting involved, though his eyes were on Stella once again. Stella, in turn, looked at Brandon in surprise for a moment, not able to believe that he had choose to support her and not Sky, the prince and his bestfriend. The prince! Remembering what she was up to she shook herself off and turned back to Sky.

"I'm ending this marriage, Sky. It's obvious that you'll never change; you left me here once and I'm sure you would do it again. I'm not your puppet." Sky flinched in fear, while Brandon felt a growing sense of joy at what he heard. If the marriage ended, perhaps it wouldn't be so difficult… He shook his head, looking at the independent and strong woman standing before him. Brandon had never been someone who belittled himself, but he didn't think anyone was worthy of Stella.

"No no, no, Stella listen, I realize my mistake. Believe me, Bloom reacted no less than you did, she's furious too, she's not even talking to me." Stella shook her head side to side to avoid softening and averted her gaze from Sky. Her best friend had tried to reach her a thousand times, but Stella hadn't responded at all, nor to the others who were blameless. But her hurt was so great and suffocating that she could do nothing but train. That's all she could manage inside as well.

"Your mother hasn't returned yet, but your father doesn't let her absence be felt! I'm suffocating here, Sky, do you know what state I'd be in if it weren't for Brandon?" Sky glanced at his friend, still trying to shake off his shock, wondering why Brandon hadn't tried to protect him. He didn't even try; instead, he watched silently from a distance.

Stella lowered her hand, waiting for Sky's shock to pass. "Sky, say something! Don't drive me crazy."

"Look, Stella, everyone's already coming down on me. Believe me, I know my mistake, and believe me, it's not because I don't think of you, I was worried about Bloom. When I learned she was going on a mission, I had to leave immediately." Stella felt her anger rising again. "On that mission, who do you think would have been more useful, me or you?" This time, Sky felt a completely different emotion building inside him. Anger. As he stood up, he could see that Stella was just as angry, if not more, but he didn't care. Standing before Stella with anger, Brandon felt his muscles tense and slowly stood up, approaching them in alert.

"Careful Stella. Don't talk to me like I'm incompetent, remember, I'm the captain of the specialists." Stella grumbled in a way that clearly indicated her disdain, raising one eyebrow while crossing her arms, standing there in her sports top and shorts, having exited her fairy form. Brandon thought this was better from his perspective, but as he looked at Stella's sweat-soaked and gleaming skin, he realized he was wrong. This was definitely not better. Sky, on the other hand, clenched his teeth and his fists, trying to control himself, and he had to, because Brandon was on guard, knowing very well whom to protect. "Stella," She looked at Sky angrily, finally letting the poison on her tongue out to lessen her anger a bit.

"You always try to make others pay for your cowardice, Sky. For once, you should try to take on your responsibilities and handle them yourself, you run away and someone else has to do it for you."

"Stella!" Without realizing it—or perhaps quite aware—Sky reached for his sword pointing it at Stella, but before Stella could make her move, Brandon grabbed Sky's sword-wielding hand and slammed his friend against the wall. However, Sky, intent on venting his anger on Stella, didn't even register his best friend's attack. Growling, he attempted to move towards Stella again, but Brandon slammed him against the wall once more, this time growling at Sky to calm down. Sky, blinking, looked from Brandon to Stella, unable to grasp the situation they were in, but finally aware of his anger.

"Get a grip!"

Brandon's grasp seemed more like he was trying not to harm Sky than stop him. Calming down in shock, Sky realized something else as well.

"What are you doing here? Almost half-naked and sweaty?" Stella rolled her eyes, cursing Sky under her breath, went to sit on the couch Brandon had just vacated.

"None of your business! We're doing whatever we're doing!" Brandon cleared his throat, trying to keep calm and shot a look at Stella for her response. Sky attempting to attack Stella at least twice had awakened the beast within him. And the beast didn't seem like it was going back to sleep yet.

"Stella! You're my wife and alone in a room…" Brandon slammed him against the wall again, getting closer to his friend's face, feeling the beast slowly emerging from its cave.

"Get a grip, Sky. Be aware of what you're accusing me and her of, and how you're speaking to Stella, she's not your slave, she's your friend."

Sky looked at Stella and then at Brandon. As his gaze slowly dropped to the ground, the shame building up inside him was so overwhelming that he closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. His hand went to Brandon's arm that had pinned him to the wall, gently patting it twice to imply that it was okay and that he had calmed down. Brandon slowly removed his arm from his friend, but he was still on edge. After all, Sky had pointed his sword at Stella just moments ago, causing enough unrest within him.

Sky sighed and slowly walked towards Stella. Brandon followed him cautiously, but the unease within him had grown so much that he felt he wouldn't be able to protect Stella even if he stood right next to her. However Stella was calm, but her crossed arms and the way she angrily tapped her foot made it clear that she hadn't forgiven Sky and that her anger was as strong as ever. Sky, abandoning his stance in front of Stella, knelt down and sighed deeply.

"Stella, I'm so sorry. I never intended to hurt you."

Stella shot a glance at Brandon, whose tension only increased her own. Yet, outside of that, the sight of Brandon's tense and twitching arm muscles distracted her enough to find them somewhat appealing. Ever since she had known Brandon, she had developed a fetish for muscles and veins, but it seemed to only become a fetish when Brandon was the one mentioned. Sky had a muscular build too, but he paled in comparison to Brandon. Forcing her gaze away from Brandon's imposing physique, she turned back to her kneeling friend—her foolish friend.

"You couldn't hurt me even if you tried, Sky. You might think I look like a spoiled girl, but I accepted this marriage for Bloom because you didn't have the courage to say no to your father about Diaspro." Sky bowed his head in shame. Hearing these words from Stella now, just like he had heard them from Bloom, certainly didn't make him feel any better, but he knew he deserved to hear them.

"Edden might be a threat," Brandon closed his eyes, trying to control his anger. Hearing the man's name unsettled him deeply. As the light outside suddenly dimmed and dark clouds gathered, Stella shivered. While Brandon didn't understand the cold and darkness he emanated, Stella hugged her arms around herself, unable to comprehend why it had suddenly become so cold. "But I didn't agree to marry you because I was afraid of him. I could have left, I could have disappeared, but I couldn't enjoy myself while Bloom was suffering here for her boyfriend."

Sky nodded to show that he understood and acknowledged her words, while Stella refused to soften towards his pitiful state. Dealing with Erendor and his ridiculous orders for a week hadn't been easy, especially since he had canceled his last-minute trip to Nyxoria, which had driven him up the wall for some reason. Nyxoria held great significance for Eraklyon, as it did for many other planets, but only a few could make an alliance with it. Even Domino wasn't among those few, proving how powerful it was. Solaria, on the other hand, was always a peaceful kingdom and planet, and Stella could easily say that it had good relations with Nyxoria. Knowing that Brandon was a member, even a part of the royal family of that planet, had created an impression on Stella that was hard to describe and even harder to shake off.

"Stella, I know." He raised his head to look apologetically at his fairy friend, he realized how pitiful his situation was, causing his shoulders to slump even more. He was becoming known as a coward in the eyes of others, and this greatly bothered him. Stella wasn't looking at him, though; she was looking at Brandon. Even though he hadn't yet figured out the proper logic behind the strong communication and bond between his two friends, he knew that Stella was good at making herself liked. Brandon on the other hand didn't have many people he cared about, and if the princess he was protecting treated him well, he would automatically be kind to her. But trying to protect Stella even when Sky's life was on the line? This was a closeness he couldn't understand because, even if Brandon wasn't his protector, he had always been loyal to their friendship and had chosen to protect Sky at the risk of his own life in critical situations. What had changed in a week?

"I know, and you're right to be angry. You're right in what you said too; I'm a coward because I don't know any other way." Stella turned to her friend with a derisive look. "Growing up in the kingdom doesn't mean you can't live without it, Sky." Brandon couldn't help but smile. Hearing this from a princess was surprising, but Stella always managed to surprise him. "You're afraid of not becoming king, but have you ever thought about it? Just as you have no other place to go, they have no other sons to leave the throne to. They can't afford to lose you either, Sky; it's mutual. But you prefer to let yourself be oppressed."

Stella wasn't the first to tell him this. Brandon had also talked to him about it before, though not as directly or briefly, warning his friend to stand up for himself a bit more, but Sky had continued to be the same as always. "Maybe things aren't much different now, but what if Bloom gets tired of this? You know how independent and confident she is. Your lack of these qualities will eventually tire her, and she'll want someone stronger." And there it was, the truth that even he had been avoiding, now spoken by Stella, plunging his already low mood even further.

"Sorry, Sky, but someone had to tell you this. No matter how strong and independent I am, I want my man to stand up, protect, and support me when necessary. This isn't about weakness; it's about not placing all the burden and strength on one person."

As the two men looked at each other, Sky noticed something in Brandon's eyes. Admiration? Stella's words were resonating with him, but that was because Sky was thinking of Bloom while listening. But who was Brandon thinking of, looking so thoughtful and affected? Sky stood up, Stella followed him with her eyes. Finally, their gazes parted, and Sky sighed.

"Don't worry, from now on, I'll do everything I can to change the balance."

Stella shook her head, stood up, and faced her friend. "Don't rush it. There's a difference between changing the balance and destroying it." Sky nodded and looked at Brandon. The knight, who had been listening silently, was practically weighing Stella with his eyes. Witnessing this alone made Sky feel like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he even felt his cheeks flush. Brandon and Stella? Could it be?

As if she had heard the question, Stella turned to Brandon and smiled at him in a way she had never smiled before, a smile that seemed to captivate Brandon. Sky could see it because his two friends were very clear and obvious.

"I'm going to take a shower. I'm drenched in sweat." Brandon nodded while Stella headed for the exit, but instead of passing by Sky, she chose the small space next to Brandon. Her arm brushed against Brandon's, but he made no move to pull away or make space. Are they flirting?! Sky watched their movements in astonishment, Stella finally completed her long journey to the door, opened it, and looked back into the room, directly addressing Sky.

"One more thing… If you ever call me your wife again, I'll nail you to this wall and practice my archery on you." Sky barely nodded while Stella smiled, giving Brandon one last look before leaving the room. Brandon's gaze remained fixed on the door Stella had exited through. Sky approached his friend slowly, still in shock.

"What is happening here?" Brandon turned to him abruptly, as if he had just realized Sky was there, frowning. As he moved towards his shower, he shrugged.

"I'm teaching her to fight." Sky blinked, looking at his friend in disbelief. "Are you crazy? The only time she's not dangerous is when she's without magic, and you're giving her muscle strength too?!" Brandon stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. "I'm teaching her to defend herself, but you're wrong. Even without magic, you couldn't defeat her as easily as you think." Sky came closer to Brandon. He found it hard to understand how so many changes had occurred within a week. Brandon was still frowning at him while Sky, unable to hide his astonishment, looked at his friend with wide eyes.

"You two... get along well, I guess?"

Brandon narrowed his eyes in response. "She's... different." Even saying that felt wrong to him because Brandon had only one duty, which was to protect the galaxy. Sharing a personal thought felt like committing an illegal act. "Different?" Brandon knew the man standing before him, he decided that sharing too much, especially after Stella's words, would not be right. "I mean, she's a good person." Sky nodded, agreeing with him, and sighed, looking at the door as if Stella were still there.

"My father thinks Stella could make me give up on Bloom." Brandon felt his blood run cold. He didn't know how he looked or how he was staring at Sky, but he was sure it wasn't a friendly gaze. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming anger and hatred inside, at least as much as he felt towards Edden. "I don't know. Stella is very nice and smart, but I love Bloom, Brandon." Brandon covered his face with his hands, rubbing his face hard as if trying to snap out of it, and turned his back on Sky.

Sky noticed the coldness seeping into the room, aware that it was Brandon's doing. Was Stella really affecting him this much? The atmosphere only changed like this when Brandon was extremely angry, but what had triggered such a reaction now? "Brandon? What's the problem?"

Brandon took a deep breath to calm himself. Before turning around, he repeated to himself, as he always did, to know his place and not overstep his bounds. Sky knew he was the heir to Nyxoria, and as a prince, Brandon, even as his knight, Sky held no superiority over him. Brandon could return to Nyxoria anytime and take over the kingdom, but he didn't. He held his uncle responsible and had no plans to return to the lands his family had abandoned, though Erendor always knew that day would come. When it did, Brandon needed to see Eraklyon as an ally because his uncle had no such intentions. At least that was what Sky's father intended to succeed.

"Stella isn't right for you, Sky. She endured everything for Bloom. Even if things change for you, Stella would never betray her." Sky hadn't been oblivious to that possibility, but he had tried not to think about it. Stella was not someone people could easily say no to; definitely not. While her beauty was talked about across the galaxy, Sky, as her husband, considered himself luckier than many. But he knew he shouldn't see her as more than a friend, for he knew enough people who would line up to kill him for that. Aisha would be at the front of that line.

Sky sighed, looking at Brandon. "You're right," Brandon, without looking back, headed towards his shower again, and this time Sky didn't stop him, but he felt compelled to say something to Brandon, sensing he might regret it later. Opening his mouth, he said words that made Brandon tense, clench his fists, and struggle to suppress his anger.

"But marriage is sacred. Even if it's a game, we really got married. If there's even a chance, I don't think I'll back down."

Brandon turned around sharply, facing Sky's determined gaze, and through gritted teeth, he murmured words he never thought he would say to his best friend.

"When that day comes, let me know, Sky. Because I won't be standing by your side; I'll be right in front of you, sword drawn, ready for a battle."