*several days later*

Nya's POV

Every muscle in my body aches. My legs wobble beneath me, each step sending a stabbing agony through my legs. My toes and feet have lost feeling, numb counterparts taking over instead. It's miserable.

Being alone for so long, especially since I've been walking several days after being in that last town, has taken a toll on me. I haven't talked to anyone in days, and it's been hard. Back at camp, I had a support system. I had my best friend, Aspen, to talk to if anything ever frustrated me. I definitely would have ranted to her about the whole "Heather situation". I still don't understand what her problem was, and I'll never know. There's no way I'm ever going back to that town.

I'm already physically and emotionally fatigued. I'm not the most physically affectionate person, but my craving to just be in someone's arms is intense. I can picture myself in Shade's arms as I drift in and out of thought. I really do miss him.

I would never admit it to anyone, but I regret the speed and intensity of my departure. I left the boy who helped me love again high and dry. He stepped out of line, but he definitely didn't deserve abandonment. The guilt eats at me from the inside out.

In the moment, I totally ignored how much my departure would affect the elemental army. The sides were balanced powerwise. While my departure will help us out in the long run, in the short run, it could be detrimental. I easily could have jeopardized 2 of the most important people that have ever been in my life. My departure could have easily tipped the scales in the unnatural elementals' favor.

Thinking about that weighs me down. In order to focus on my mission, I need a clear head. It's nearly impossible. Whenever I think about Shade in danger, my fight or flight reflexes kick in, and I want to fight whoever is trying to hurt him. That's why I try to ignore it. I need to disconnect myself from the worries of my life to focus on my mission.

I walk miles on miles before my knees start to give out. My knees get knocked out from under me with every step. It's only when I nearly collapse that I decide to take a break. I walk towards the closest tree before sitting down, letting my legs rest.

My legs feel swollen and as if my muscles are being ripped out. They're so fatigued that I don't think I could get up if I wanted to. The aching drives me crazy. I close my eyes, resting my head against the trunk of the tree.

All of this pain and agony will be worth it. It needs to be.

---

Seliel's POV

"Straighten your spine and lift your shoulders. Chin up, darling," Ms. Flickens taps my back with a rod, making me jump a bit. I sigh, following her instructions. "You're too tense. Let your shoulders drop a bit."

"First you tell me to raise my shoulders, now to drop them? Make up your mind," I groan.

Her eyes narrow at me, "Body language conveys more than words."

"Diplomacy and body language aren't what I should be concerned with right now. There's a war happening in our kingdom! I should be learning about war strategies and creating ways to help the natural elemental masters! Instead I'm here learning how to stand and how to properly hold a cup. It's all so trivial," I explain passionately, using my hands to talk as I sway them.

My teacher pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. "War is no matter for a princess. Besides, you have adequate protection if someone were to come after you. That war will not interrupt your training to be a proper noblewoman."

"Why does my future matter when there's a threat that could take away tomorrow?" I bring up a good point. "Times are changing. There are two women in the natural elemental army. Why can't I be like them?'

"Those two young women were born with abilities that make them suitable for fighting. They're the exception," she glares at me. "Now, mimic me."

"The master of water figured out how to create an electrical circuit, but I'm sure that's attributed purely to her 'elemental abilities' too," I scoff.

"Seliel," she grits. If looks could kill, I'd be on the floor.

I drop the fight, knowing it will get me nowhere. The lesson drags on, each second feeling longer and longer as it progresses. I continue to walk back and forth using only "proper" posture. Every step I take is critiqued, and with each critique a fragment of my patience gets chipped away. As the clock ticks by, the click of my heels on the tile starts to tick me off.

"We truly had to review the basics today. You should have mastered these skills by now," she speaks down to me as I walk. My fists ball up at my sides before I pull myself back. Lashing out would just justify everything she's been saying.

As my rage churns in my stomach, there is a knock at the door of the chamber we are practicing in. While a wave of relief flows over me, Ms. Flickens rolls her eyes. "Don't they know not to interrupt mid lesson?" She grumbles under her breath before stalking over to the door. She opens it with force, practically throwing it open. However, her firm scowl quickly shifts to a warm smile. She leans against the doorframe, her long, brittle fingernails tapping the gold trim.

"Hello, Ms. Flickens. I came to take the princess to the dining hall. They finished the food a bit early," the sound of his voice makes me feel at least 20 times lighter. I stop mid stride, my heart beating loudly in my ears.

"Oh that's no problem. We were just wrapping up. Seliel, your guard is here," she changes her tune, acting like a nice teacher as soon as he shows up. I sigh even though I should be used to it by now.

When I walk to beside her, I can finally see him. His long, raven hair is pulled back into a bun, the brigade of hair that frames his face a sign that he just got done training the new recruits in the army. His jawline is strong, matching nearly every other aspect of him. His brown eyes are warm, conveying a lot more than the small smile on his face. I can't help but feel pulled to him like a magnet.

"Thank you for the lesson today, Ms. Flickens," I curtsy before her.

She places a hand over her heart, "My pleasure." I gag in my mouth at her fake sincerity, but I try to hold in any adverse reaction. To make sure I don't let anything slip, I quickly turn and start to walk down the hallway. Cole follows me, and as soon as we turn down another hallway, I feel myself ease up.

"How was your lesson today?" he asks, looking over at me. He is in a tank top, showcasing the size and definition in his muscles. It takes all in my power not to stare at least a little bit.

"Awful. We 'went back over the basics' again, and it was so tedious and useless. Who cares about the exact arch of my spine?" I rant, letting out a groan. "They're just training me to be some man's lapdog. Sebastian doesn't have to take classes like this."

"Your brother is preparing to be the next king. He's getting a lot of training too. He was out with me just the other day sparring. The king is having me give him one on one lessons."

"Why can he train to fight, and I can't?" I grumble, crossing my arms.

"Then, I'd be out of a job," Cole jokes. "In all seriousness, I'm always going to be here to protect you. There's not a compelling reason you can give the king. If I get hurt, he'll just replace me with one of the other soldiers." His second sentence turns my insides to mush.

"The fact that my father has the best fighter in the kingdom as my personal guard is comedic. They need you out there, but he has you in here protecting me," I shake my head.

Unbeknownst to Cole, when I don't have any lessons, I watch him train the new recruits in the courtyard. He's a natural leader, teaching them by putting everything into simple words with clear demonstrations. When he spars with them, it's effortless as if he's not even trying. It even looks like he holds back a lot of the time. He's unmatched in every way.

"I wouldn't say I'm the best fighter," he responds bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wouldn't change it though, not being out there. There's a reason I tried to become your personal guard and not join the army. It's not what I want. If I was out there, all I would do is worry about you."

My throat dries up as my stomach goes rampant. The blood rushes to my cheeks as I feel my pull towards him increase. I want to reach out and grab his hand, but I hold back.

Ever since the incident with princess PIXAL hundreds of years ago, on her 16th birthday, each princess has been given a personal guard to protect her. They stay with her until she's married, and oftentimes they join the royal family's on sight guard.

I was against having a personal guard ever since I was 8. It was stupid; I could just learn to fight and take care of myself. I fought it and fought it up until my 16th birthday. I begged my father to reconsider, thinking that it would also take away some of my freedom, but he refused. The night before my 16th birthday, I went to bed crying. I was scared of being perpetually uncomfortable and feeling watched.

The next day, everything changed. I was called into the throne room as soon as I woke up and got myself situated. The whole time I was getting ready, it felt as if I was being pulled towards the room. With each step closer, it got stronger and stronger until I finally entered.

That was when I first met him. When I walked in, he was talking with my father. His broad, strong build was on full display, his hair tied up as well. Then, when he turned around, it was as if my whole world lit up. He was by far the most gorgeous person I had ever seen, and he gave off a comforting, safe feeling that I had never felt before. As he introduced himself, I decided that I was no longer against this idea of a personal guard.

"That's sweet. I'd be a maniac back here knowing you were out there. You'd be in a lot more danger than me anyways," I link my arm through his, a casual gesture that is common between us. Nonetheless, the closeness makes my heart crazy while also comforting me at the same time.

"You'd be surprised," he tugs on my arm a little bit with his strong one, so I move slightly closer to him. "Princess PIXAL was left alone, and look at what happened to her."

"She didn't have you," I tell him, but it doesn't seem to help. His brow is furrowed. "You're worried."

"I just get worried about you, that's all."

"Do you want to hear a hot take?" I ask him. My choice in language brings a smile to his face.

"What is it?"

As we walk, I reach into a little bowl set up for the people working on the castle and grab a lollipop. The castle has been getting "modernized" recently. The stone walls are being drilled into in order to fit vents for air conditioning. The gold decor and trim that lines the walls still remain, leading down past the hallways. Many of the rooms now have actual electric lights, replacing all of the candles we have resting on our walls.

I put the lollipop in my mouth, the pink sphere tasting sweet like cotton candy. "You worry too much," I inform him. "You care, and it's sweet, but you have to live your life too. I'm not that fragile. Besides, if you were to teach me how to fight..."

"I'm not teaching you how to fight. You know how mad the King would get. Good try though. It's only the third time today that you've asked."

"I'm persistent. What if you just taught me self defense? Then, you could have some peace of mind when you're not with me," I suggest to him. I look into his eyes that aren't meeting mine. He's clearly concentrating while looking off into space.

"We'd have to be alone. No one else could know," he tells me quietly, turning his head to mine. My heart thrums from the thrill.

"My lips are sealed," I tell him. Looking up, I pretend to zip my lips and throw the key away.

His eyes, they're always filled with an intensity that makes me feel like he can only see me. I never would have thought a shade of brown could make me feel so warm inside.

I never had close contact with anyone outside of my family, but something deep down inside of me tells me that how I feel about him is unique. I have a crush on him, obviously, but it's more than that. From the moment I met him, I've felt deeply attached to him. I can't explain it, but I don't feel like it's a common thing.

I can't get myself to bring it up to him. I might be awfully bold when it comes to other things, but this is where I draw the line. Sticking myself out like that is a no go. For now, I'm going to keep this good thing going. 

A/N Soooo Cole is with Seliel (she doesn't know that he's the master of Earth cause she was so little that she can't remember) What do you all think of that?

Next chapter we get to see a new character. Hmmm wonder who that could be

So sorry for the late update. I skipped last Friday, and I'm going to be skipping next Friday (don't hate me). I have my SAT the day after so writing definitely isn't a priority. If I finish a chapter by them (unlikely) I'll post it. An unscripted chapter next week is more likely

any predictions? 

Thank you all so much for reading! You're the best!