Align Ourselves

by Adrianna Schuh

  "Well, someone has to be. I haven't really had a chance to have fun in a long time. I was too busy keeping us alive," she said, moved to anger.

  "You're just proving my point now," he said, shaking his head. "We're having dinner, talking about having fun, and you're getting all serious. All angry."

  "Well, can you blame me? You are a very infuriating person. Tell me, is it just me that you go out of your way to annoy?"

  "Seems like it. Everyone else finds me quite charming," he said, smirking at her.

  She rolled her eyes. "Yeah...sure. Charming."

  He laughed.

  "And why the hell do you do that so much?"

  "Do what," he asked.

  "Smirk like that! It pisses me off. It has since the first time you did it."

  "Well then, that's why I do it," he said, smirking again. "To piss you off. But I assure you, the other girls like it."

  "I'm sure they do," she said, rolling her eyes at him again. "Who could resist the annoying, smirking, asshole king?"

  "No one, I'll have you know."

  "Well, there's a first time for everything because I assure you, I can definitely resist you."

  "For now," he said, and then he actually winked at her.

  That smug, overconfident asshole actually winked at her. "Don't hold your breath," she said coldly.

  "We'll see what you say once you get a little more comfortable in that bed."

  Her cheeks flushed, and she shook her head.

  Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. She felt relieved at the interruption. He was staring at her in a way that made her stomach clench.

  "Come in," Lex said, still looking at Aria.

  She looked to the door.

  A guard came in, "Sorry to disturb you, Your Grace, my lady, but one of the queen's people would like to speak to you, Your Grace."

  Aria's stomach dropped. Lex stood and walked to the door. Aria got up and followed him.

  She peeked past him and saw Ben standing in the hallway. The blood in her veins turned to ice.

  "What do you want," Lex asked, obviously displeased.

  "Can I talk to you? Privately," he asked, not even looking at Aria.

  "Sure," Lex said, stepping forward.

  Aria grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  "No," she yelled.

  Lex looked at her, confused.

  "Ben, you need to leave right now," she said.

  "What the hell is going on," Lex asked. Aria could tell that he was already suspicious.

  "I have to tell you something-" Ben began.

  "Take him away," Aria yelled at the guards.

  She turned to Lex. "Please, please send him away," she said, her voice pleading. He looked at her. She could tell that he was angry.

  "But-" Ben began.

  "Do as the queen commands," Lex said, still looking at her.

  Aria stepped forward and closed the door. She could hear the guards taking Ben away.

  "What the fuck is going on," Lex asked, his voice cold.

  Chapter 18

  "I-I..." she stammered, not knowing what to say.

  "Aria...if you have something to tell me, I suggest you do it now," he said.

  She looked at him but made no move to speak.

  "Is there something going on here? Between you two," he asked.

  That gave her an idea.

  "Can we sit back down," she asked.

  He went back to the table, but he was still angry if his glare was anything to go by. She sat down across from him.

  "Ben and I...we started something a few days after we arrived. It wasn't anything serious. And then I found out about him and Mara. She and Ben, they'd been together for a long time. Almost their whole lives. And even though they weren’t together anymore, Mara was still in love with him. When I realized how Mara felt, I broke it off," she said, looking right at him so that he would know she wasn't lying. And she wasn't. About this, anyway.

  "I haven't been involved with him since. But I guess he still wants me. Anyway, today in the village, he saw me buying something, and he got jealous. He yelled at me. He thinks I'm sleeping with you. So yeah, he was jealous. That's why I didn't want to eat in the throne room tonight. I was worried that he'd make a scene. And I wanted to avoid that. Avoid embarrassment."

  She studied his face, trying to figure out if he believed her or not.

  "What'd you buy," he asked, his face giving nothing away.

  "What?"

  "You said he saw you buying something that made him jealous. What was it? What made him so jealous?"

  She hadn't thought about that when she decided to tell him the story. She blushed and looked away. "Nothing...just-just a nightgown or whatever," she said, still not looking at him.

  "What kind of nightgown?"

  "Just a fucking nightgown," she said, angry now.

  He was smirking at her again. "Can I see it?"

  "Absolutely not!"

  "Then why'd you buy it? You won't be sleeping alone unless I'm gone. Unless you plan to wear it for someone else?"

  "Fuck you, Lex. I bought it because I wanted to!"

  He laughed. "I knew you couldn't resist my smirk," he said.

  Before she could stop herself, she picked her wineglass up. The next second, Lex's face and shirt were drenched in wine.

  She got up and went into their bedroom. She found a pair of soft pants and a shirt to wear to bed. She got under the covers and made sure that she was as close to the edge as possible.

  Eventually, she heard him come inside. He went to the bathroom first before getting in bed.

  "Are you awake," he whispered.

  "No," she said.

  "Aria..." he said, and he reached over to put a hand on her shoulder.

  "Don't touch me," she snapped, shaking his hand off.

  "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you..."

  She turned to face him. "Then what exactly were you hoping to achieve?"

  "Nothing...I just...shit. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I would never insinuate that...that you..." he stuttered. She'd never heard him stutter before. He was usually so confident.

  He sighed. "I apologize for what I said. I was being an asshole. I'm sorry if my comments made you uncomfortable, okay? I'm not-I'm not really sure how to talk to you.”

  Aria was a little shocked. "It's okay," she said, "Maybe I overreacted a little..." She thought about the wine.

  "No, don't apologize. If I ever make you uncomfortable, I'd like for you to let me know. As I said, I'm not really sure how to talk to you. I've never really had..." he didn't finish the sentence.

  She studied him, lying on her side now. "You've never had what? A girlfriend?" She couldn't stop herself from smiling.

  "You're obviously more than a girlfriend...and I'll have you know, I've been with many women."

  "But you've never had a girlfriend?"

  "Not exactly."

  "Oh my god," she said; she couldn't stop herself from laughing.

  "Shut up."

  "The king...the king's never had a girlfriend..."

  "Please shut up," he groaned, turning his back to her.

  She couldn't stop herself. "Wow. The kings never had a girlfriend!" she said, pulling on his shoulder, forcing him down on his back. "I've had more girlfriends than the king!"

  He shook his head.

  "So, what is it? You sleep with random girls and never talk to them again?"

  "I talk to them. I'm not that big of an asshole. But I know how to talk to them. You're different. More than a friend, obviously. And unlike the others, I actually care what you think about me."

  That made the laughter die in her throat. She realized her hand was still on his shoulder. She pulled it away.

  "Oh...."

  They lay in silence for a few minutes.

  "So... how about that nightgown," he asked, his voice innocent.

  "You asshole," Aria yelled, but she was laughing. She sat up and grabbed h
er pillow. She hit him over and over with it.

  He was on his back again, and Aria was sitting up on her knees at his side.

  "I've had enough," he said after she brought the pillow down on his chest again.

  "You'll have enough when I say so," she yelled, bringing the pillow down. But her voice didn't sound as stern as she wished it would; she was still laughing. "I am the queen!"

  At that, he got up. So fast that Aria didn't have time to prepare herself when he pushed her back down. His hands pinned her wrists above her head. He was hovering above her on his knees, his body between her thighs.

  "Yes," he whispered, "But I am the king. And I say I've had enough."

  His face was so close to hers, and for a moment, she was mesmerized by his eyes. They held so much emotion at that moment. So intense.

  "And one day, you're gonna want to wear that nightgown for me, I promise," he said, smiling down at her before letting go of her wrists.

  He moved back to his side of the bed, and for a second, she missed the heat of his body so close to hers.

  "Jackass," she said, but her voice came out weak.

  "I know," he said, turning on his side, his back to her.

  He was infuriating. And she still wanted to slap him. But heat pooled in her stomach. She turned to her side, clenching her thighs together. How the hell did she go from being upset about Ben to feeling like this? Ben. Shit. She'd completely forgotten about what he tried to do.

  "Hey, Lex," she whispered after a while of complete silence.

  "Yeah?"

  "Can-can we go to that place you were talking about? I think I'd like to get away for a while. Even if it's just for a few days."

  She felt embarrassed, mortified, at what she was saying. She knew how it might be coming off to him. They flirt, and she tells him she wants to be alone with him?

  "Uh, sure," he said. He sounded surprised. "When do you want to go?"

  "Tomorrow."

  "Okay."

  "Okay? That's it?"

  "Yeah, okay. You are the queen."

  She smiled to herself.

  When she woke the next morning, she was alone.

  She panicked for a few minutes, but then she heard Lex moving around in the front room.

  She got up and went to find him. He was standing by the front doors, talking to one of the guards. She waited for him to close the door before speaking up.

  "Hey," she said.

  "Good morning," he said, smiling at her. "I've got a few things to take care of, so why don't you go ahead and get ready? Pack what you want. I'll be back in an hour or so, and we can leave."

  "Um, yeah. Okay," she said. Thank god. At least they'd be leaving early. Ben wouldn't get a chance to talk to him, seeing as everyone was only invited back to the palace at dinner time.

  He left, and she took a bath. She packed some clothes and her journal into a bag she found in a drawer. She got ready, putting the purple tunic and the black pants on again. Something about the color really agreed with her skin tone, her eyes.

  She tried not to think about being alone with Lex for the next few days. But she knew that she had to tell him. It seemed like a good idea last night. She could talk to him alone, and he wouldn't be under pressure to act. And they'd be away from the palace.

  Now, she wasn't so sure.

  When he came back. He had two packs with him. He nodded to a third one at the base of their bed and told her to carry it. She wasn't sure how far away this place was, but she hoped it wasn't that far. She didn't want to hike for hours, even if the packs weren't too heavy.

  He led her outside, and her eyes widened when she saw two horses waiting for them, saddles and all.

  She walked towards the white one. The other one was black.

  She reached out and stroked the horse's mane. Lex strapped two of the packs onto one horse and the other two on the other.

  "Well, it's not too far away, but it'd be quite a walk on foot," he said.

  He stood beside her. "This one's yours," he said.

  "Mine?"

  "Yeah, think of it as a late wedding present," he said.

  "Oh, wow, thank you," she said, blushing.

  He helped her get on the horse and told her the basics of riding. She had a little experience since they’d ridden horses to get here. But she didn’t really know the rules. Though she found it a little hard to focus. He'd placed a hand on her hip when he helped her get on, and she could still feel the ghost of it, lighting her nerves on fire.

  The ride was long, but Aria enjoyed it. Her backside began to ache, but it was easy to ignore while she marveled at the beauty of the horse and the woods they were strolling through.

  Lex was quieter than usual, which made her a little nervous. But she figured that it was because of the ride. Or maybe he was just as nervous as she was about having to spend time alone together, away from everyone else.

  When they got to their destination, Aria gaped at the scene before her. Once they reached the edge of the woods, she realized they were very close to the mountains. A decent-sized house stood in the middle of the clearing, right at the base of the mountains. There was a small creek running behind the house.

  She turned to look at Lex, but he was looking at her.

  "It's-it's beautiful," she said.

  Chapter 19

  They got off their horses and brought them to the small barn on the side of the house. They made their way up to the house on foot.

  Lex opened the door, and Aria stepped inside, putting the bags down. It was modestly decorated, nothing like the expensive-looking furnishings in the palace. Lex gave her a quick tour. The entire house was lined with plush rugs, candles in each room for light. There was a large living area with big couches, a fireplace, and windows that gave a great view of the mountains. The first floor also held a small bathroom, dining room, and a huge stone kitchen. There was also a cozy library that Aria wanted to move into immediately.

  The second floor held four bedrooms, the largest of which resembled their quarters at home, though on a smaller scale. There was a bathroom attached to their bedroom and another for guests. Lex informed her that a husband and wife lived on the property year-round. They managed the upkeep. They had a bedroom on the third floor, and they would cook for the king and queen if they asked. But Lex had simply packed them food for a couple days.

  Now that they were here, she wasn't really sure what to do.

  "You hungry," he asked from behind her. They had made their way back to the living room.

  "Starving," she said.

  "I’ll get us some water and some plates," he said. "Why don't you get the food out of the packs?"

  "Okay."

  He left, and she looked through one of the packs, taking out a variety of foods: sandwiches, fruit, and vegetables.

  When Lex returned, they sat on the floor to eat, enjoying the view through the windows. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was...off.

  After they ate, Lex asked her if she wanted to spend some time outside. He put a blanket down on the ground a few feet from the base of the mountain.

  He laid down on his stomach and began reading.

  She did the same thing on her side. She faced the mountain and took her journal out, wanting to write down how beautiful it was here. She left a few feet of space between them.

  The sun had started setting by the time that Lex suddenly spoke up.

  "Grace told me what you told her before you got here, about not being sure you’d ever see your home or people again. About being worried about your mother. There’s no way for you to contact them?"

  "Uh," Aria said, a little surprised, "Not that I know of. We were supposed to send someone back to report on what things were like up here. Back home, we were running out of food and essential supplies. That’s why we needed to find out if the surface was safe. But obviously, we never got a chance to go back and tell everyone what we found. I-I don't know what happened, but...I think she's dead. I think they all are,"
she said.

  "But you don't know for sure," he asked.

  "No, I guess not. But I figure if they came across the Terra, which they probably did, they’re dead. Why?"

  "Just curious," he said, but she wasn't sure if he was telling the truth.

  She studied him for a few minutes. He must've felt her gaze on him, but he continued reading his book.

  When it got too dark for them to see, he suggested they head back inside.

  Aria wasn't really sure what they were supposed to do with their time. They'd only been here for a few hours, and it was already starting to feel awkward. What the hell could they do for the next two days?

  In their bedroom, Lex built a fire and got in bed. He kept reading.

  "Do you have another book," Aria asked, not knowing what else she could do. She wasn't tired enough to sleep just yet.

  "Yeah," he said, not looking up. "There's another one in the pack."

  She got up and searched through his pack, finding a very used looking book—History of the Trojan War.

  "You have a thing for history," she asked, sitting down on the bed.

  He nodded.

  Why the hell is he acting so weird? He was being distant. He hadn't even teased her all day.

  She thought about asking him. But what if it was because he was uncomfortable about her asking him to come here? She sighed and began reading. At some point, she fell asleep.

  The next morning, Lex asked if she wanted to go explore along the creek. She agreed, mostly because she wanted something to do. And a walk down to the water would take up some of the time they spent not talking to each other.

  The hike down wasn't bad. And it was beautiful, even though Aria couldn't go into the water. Not as deep as she wanted, anyway.

  Lex noticed her standing knee-deep in the water. At some point, he had taken his clothes off and disappeared into the water.

  "Come swim," he yelled from a good distance away.

  "You know I can't," Aria said, rolling her eyes.

  He went under the water, and when he emerged, he was only a few feet away, the water up to his waist.

  Aria looked away. Suddenly aware that he was very, very naked.

  "I'll teach you," he said, smiling at her.

  "I-I don't know," she said. She wanted to learn; she really did. But the thought of being close to him while he was naked made her a little uncomfortable. And there was no way that she would take off her clothes and join him, no freaking way.