Aria's POV
I stepped out into the garden, the warm sun on my skin a welcome respite from the four walls of my room, excuse me I meant prison.
Ryker, my constant shadow, followed closely behind me, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mixture of caution and boredom.
I hated being accompanied by him everywhere I went, hated the feeling of being trapped and watched all the time. But I'd grown accustomed to it, and now it just felt like a normal part of my life as normal as it could get anyways.
I turned my attention back to the winding paths of the garden. I've used this past few days to explore it. The garden was bigger than I had expected, it had different sections to it. I was surprised it even had a small maze hidden behind the orchard. I tried convincing Ryker to allow me to explore it but he had refused dragging me away from it.
I still tried my luck at engaging Ryker in conversation, hoping that one day he'll finally decide to talk to me. "So, Ryker, how's it going?" I asked casually.
He grunted In response, his eyes never leaving the surrounding area. I sighed inwardly, knowing that I wouldn't get much more out of him.
Ryker was a man of few words, and I'd long since given up trying to get him to talk but once in a while, I tried my luck, hoping he would finally crack and warm up to me. But alas, it was as impossible as trying to get blood from a stone.
As much as I've been tempted to, I haven't attempted an escape.
I hated feeling like a coward but I've seen what Kael was capable of and that was probably just a glimpse of his abilities but it was enough to deter me.
So was the number of soldiers I see patrolling the castle from my room window.
The truth was I was in a strange place I knew nothing about and escaping is rapidly becoming a fading dream.
It was a depressing thought, and I pushed it aside, focusing instead on the present moment.
It was a survival mechanism I'd since developed. Always focus on the present, find a good thing to focus on.
I'd developed it in order to keep my sanity but when my father would lock me in my room for weeks. At least I was still alive, at least I had food, at least now he couldn't hurt in here. I kept repeating those words, they became my mantra.
So, this case was less worse. At least I was allowed to take walks, I also had Elara to bring me food, and at least I wasn't dead.
Even as I repeated those words, they lacked the reverie they usually had. I was too tired to care anymore.
The strange looking flowers caught my attention again. I made a made a mental note to ask Elara for their names. I stopped in front of a particularly beautiful rose bush, admiring the delicate petals and the vibrant color.
Ryker stopped beside me, his eyes scanning the area before coming back to rest on me.
"The roses are beautiful, don't you think?" I said, trying to dispel whatever dark cloud descended on me.
Ryker grunted again, and I smiled wryly. If not that he had spoken a few times I would have thought the man was mute.
My mind wandered back to Kael. He'd apologized, actually apologized, for his actions. I wasn't sure if I believed him.
It was shocking to think that someone like Kael felt guilt or remorse. And yet, he had claimed to. He had went as far as to apologize. The question was, why?
I thought about all the possibilities, all the reasons why Kael might have apologized. Maybe he was trying to manipulate me, to get me to let my guard down.
Maybe he was trying to make amends, to make up for his past mistakes, I scoffed at that. If he wanted to make amends he would let me go instead.
Or maybe, just maybe, he was genuinely sorry although I doubted that.
I didn't know what to think, and it was driving me crazy.
We walked back to the castle, Ryker's presence beside me was a stark reminder of my reality. I was a prisoner, and I wouldn't be forgetting that anytime soon. I thought about all the things I didn't get to try. I was so close to freedom only to realize I was walking from one cage to another.
When we approached the castle, I was surprised to see Lyra waiting at the entrance. She was the first person I met here, who showed me kindness. I was wondering where she disappeared to.
She gave me a gentle smile. "Aria, Elara has your lunch prepared. I was hoping we could have lunch together" she said.
I thought about and realized that I'd appreciate the company "Thank you, Lyra," I said, following her into the castle.
As we walked, Ryker fell back, allowing me to precede him. I knew he'd be watching me, always watching, and it made me shiver. I didn't like being trapped, didn't like being a prisoner. It has always been my reality.
As I followed Lyra into the castle, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The apology from Kael still lingered in my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I tried to push the thoughts aside and focus on my lunch, but my mind kept wandering back to the encounter.
Lyra led me to a small intimate dining room, where a simple but delicious-looking meal was laid out. I took a seat, while Elara dished the food, Ryker stood guard by the door, his eyes fixed on me as always. I tried to ignore him and focused on my food, but I could feel his gaze on me.
"Ok seriously, stop drilling holes into the poor girl's head Ryker" Lyra said startling me.
I hadn't realized she noticed how uncomfortable it made me.
"You can leave now, you don't have to watch us eat" she said, dismissing him.
Ryker grunted but turned and left the room.
"Thanks for that" I said, truly grateful.
Lyra smiled. "Don't mention,"
"I noticed you haven't visited the library yet. We have a great expanse of books if you're interested."
"I've never been much of a reader," I admitted. "But It wouldn't hurt to start. I seem to have great amount of free time.
"What kind of books do you like to read?"
Lyra's eyes lit up. "I'm a big fan of romance novels," she said. "I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, but I just love getting swept up in a good love story."
I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You really believe in happy endings?" I asked.
Lyra nodded, her smile faltering for a moment. "Well, I think they're possible," she said. "I mean, why not? Life is full of surprises, and sometimes those surprises can be wonderful."
I shook my head, feeling a pang of cynicism. "I don't believe in happy endings," I said. "At least, not in the way that romance novels portray them. Life is messy and complicated, and things rarely work out the way we want them to."
Lyra looked at me with a curious expression. "You're a bit of a pessimist, aren't you?" she asked.
I shrugged, feeling a sense of resignation. "I just think it's more realistic to expect that things will go wrong," I said. "That way, you're not disappointed when they do."
Lyra nodded thoughtfully, her eyes never leaving mine. "I can see why you'd think that," she said. "But I still believe that happy endings are possible. Maybe not in the way that we imagine them, but in their own way, they can happen."
I smiled wryly, feeling a sense of admiration for Lyra's optimism. "You're a hopeless romantic, aren't you?" I asked.
Lyra laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Guilty as charged," she said. "But I think it's better to hope for the best, even if it doesn't always work out that way."
I nodded sadly "It never seems to," I said referring to my captivity.
Lyra's expression softened as she looked at me, her eyes filled with understanding. "I'm so sorry, Aria," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can only imagine how scary and overwhelming this must be for you."
I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat as I thought about my failed attempt to run away. "I just wanted to be free," I said, my voice cracking. "I wanted to make my own choices and live my own life. But instead, I'm stuck here, with no idea what's going to happen to me."