Chapter 18: No Banquet For you!"
Lirian stirred.
Trying to open her eyes, the heaviness hit her forehead; her limbs felt sore.
Then, blinking a few times, she slowly became aware of her surroundings.
The soft light of the morning was coming into her chambers, exposing a person slumped in a chair by her bed.
"Gabriel?"
His head rested on his hand; golden eyes were closed, deep shadows darkened the skin beneath them.
Lirian frowned.
She moved slightly, and his eyes snapped open, alert despite his exhaustion.
"You're awake," he said as if he hadn't been asleep.
"What are you doing in my chambers?" she demanded, sitting up quickly.
Lirian noticed she was only wearing her nightgown, meaning someone had undressed her last night. "Why...?"
Her hands instinctively went to her body, checking to make sure everything was still intact.
She pulled the blanket closer.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow, yawning.
"Relax. There's nothing to look at anyway."
Lirian's cheeks flushed with color red.
She grabbed a pillow from the bed and hurled it at him.
"Get out!"
The pillow hit his chest, and he caught it effortlessly.
"You should rest more. You fainted last night. It's not something to take lightly."
"I said get out!"
Gabriel stood, tossing the pillow back onto the bed.
"Fine. But don't do anything stupid, Nightwind. You need to recover."
Lirian glared at him as he left, closing the door behind him.
As soon as he was gone, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
Her head spun slightly, but she ignored it.
Her eyes caught sight of a letter on the small table near her bed.
The seal had been broken.
"He read it," she muttered under her breath, picking it up and unfolding it.
The elegant script confirmed it was from the Crown Prince himself.
Lirian's eyes widened as she read the contents: an invitation to a banquet hosted by Princess Aurora.
Her stomach growled at the thought of all the food that would be served.
More importantly, she thought of an idea of escaping Gabriel's overbearing presence for one evening.
"I could eat in peace..." she said to herself, a small smile forming on her lips.
But her smile faded as she heard a voice from the other side of the door.
"You're not going."
She jumped, clutching the letter to her chest.
Turning around, she saw Gabriel leaning casually against the doorframe. His arms were crossed while he was checking his nails.
"How long have you been standing there?" she snapped.
"Long enough," he replied, stepping into the room. "I never left."
"You have no right to decide what I can or can't do," she said, her hands trembling slightly as she gripped the letter tighter. "Why can't I go?"
"Because I said so," Gabriel answered, leaving no room for argument.
Lirian's jaw dropped. "That's not a reason! You can't just boss me around because you feel like it!"
"I can and I will," Gabriel stated, placing his hand back.
"Give me one good reason," she demanded, stepping closer to him. "One logical reason why I can't go."
Gabriel stared at her for a moment.
The fire in her blue eyes was what made him enjoy her ruckus the most.
Finally, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"You're not ready for a public event like that. You'll be out of your depth."
"Out of my depth?!" she repeated, raising her tone. "It's a banquet, Gabriel, not a battlefield!"
"You don't know what those kinds of gatherings are like," he said. "They're not as harmless as they seem."
"Oh, please," she scoffed. "I'm sure I'll survive a few hours of polite conversation and good food."
Gabriel's jaw tightened. "You don't understand the dangers."
Lirian crossed her arms, glaring at him. "You're just trying to control me, like always.
This has nothing to do with danger."
"I'm trying to protect you," he let out a long sigh.
"Protect me from what? A three-course meal and some small talk?"
"From people who might use you to get to me."
Lirian blinked, caught off guard by the intensity in his eyes.
"What... What does that even mean?"
"It means," he said, softer now, "that being associated with me puts a target on your back. The Crown Prince's banquet will be full of people who would love nothing more than to exploit that."
"So you're saying... I'm in danger just because I'm near you?"
"Yes," he said simply.
Lirian shook her head, taking a step back. "That's ridiculous. You're being paranoid."
"Call it what you want," Gabriel said. "But you're not going. End of discussion."
"You can't just—"
"I can," he interrupted. "And I will."
Lirian clenched her fists, bubbling like boiled water. "You don't own me, Gabriel. You don't get to dictate my life!"
He sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"This isn't about ownership, Lirian. It's about keeping you alive."
"I don't need your protection," she yelled. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."
"Really?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Because last night didn't exactly scream 'capable.'"
"That wasn't my fault! And it doesn't give you the right to treat me like a prisoner!"
Gabriel's facial muscles relaxed just slightly.
"You're not a prisoner, Nightwind. You're under my protection. There's a difference."
"To me, it feels the same," she said quietly.
Both of them just stared at each other with nothing to say.
Finally, Gabriel sighed and turned toward the door. "Rest, Lirian. You're still recovering."
As he left, Lirian clenched the letter in her hand, her mind racing.
"Over my dead body, Gabriel," she muttered under her breath. "I'm going to that banquet whether you like it or not."