"I would think about it" Valerie replies smiling. "I just don't want her to start feeling uncomfortable around me because I talk about you with her"
"You don't have to say it like you plan it, just chip it in."
"You're right"
"You've grown close," he said, half-curious, half-surprised.
Valerie smirked softly, reaching for the teacup she had set down earlier. "Recently," she answered. "She has a calmness about her—a quiet strength."
Darius nodded, a trace of longing seeping into his features. He stepped toward the window, his hands behind his back. The sunlight painted his profile in gold.
"Perhaps I could give her something. Something grand."
Valerie set the cup down, folding her hands in her lap. "Darius," she said sternly, but kindly, "life isn't about buying people or things. That might work with courtiers or foreign dignitaries, but not with someone like Odi."
He turned fully to face her now, brow slightly furrowed. "Then what do I do? I don't know how to woo someone who hates me."
Valerie smiled knowingly. "You don't win her over with gifts. You win her over with effort. With moments. With being there."
He raised a brow. "Moments?"
"Yes," she said, leaning back. "Take her on a walk. Talk with her. Listen, not just with your ears, but with your heart. Protect her from this vicious court, show her she has a friend in you. Be honest with your feelings."
Darius chuckled softly. "You make it sound like a fairytale."
"It isn't," Valerie replied, her gaze turning distant for a moment. "It's harder than buying her a palace. But it's real."
He watched her, seeing the gleam of wisdom in her eyes. She'd grown in the past few weeks. Matured. "You've been reading those books again, haven't you?"
"Always," she teased. "Remember the one we used to read as children? 'The Garden of Two'?"
Darius laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "The one about the soldier and the flower maiden? You cried every time the soldier left."
"And you always pretended not to care," she added.
"But I did," he admitted. "You used to say love wasn't about power. It was about presence."
"Exactly." Valerie leaned forward. "So be present. Stop commanding her. Start understanding her."
He nodded, her words sinking into his chest. "It sounds... refreshing."
"It is," she said. "Let your heart speak louder than your title."
They sat together for a while, discussing old stories, sharing small laughs and silent reflections. The past seemed distant, and the future, for a moment, felt full of promise.
Darius made a silent vow then. Not as a king, but as a man.
He would win Odi's heart the right way.
And he knew now—thanks to Valerie—exactly how to begin.
***
Odi walked briskly through the corridor, her mind still dwelling on Valerie's revelation and the unexpected warmth in the princess's eyes. She knew there was something happening that doesn't seem right. She believed in the rule of the land having just one Sorcerers and she was also extremely sure that Valerie is not the villain, so it is either the rule has been abolished or the other sorcerers is the actual villian, Heath. She thought about it as she walked and just as she was about to turn a corner toward her quarters, she heard voices echoing through the hallway.
Princess Ariana.
And Heath.
They were speaking in hushed tones, but the urgency in Ariana's voice was unmistakable. Odi paused for a moment, considering another route, she wasn't ready to face that rude and mean lady, and she just wanted peace at the moment and nothing more, but before she could step back, Ariana's sharp eyes found her.
"Hey you!" Ariana stopped her and gave her a very daring glare. "Why are you being sneaky? Are you eavesdropping?"
"Eavesdropping? No. I just wanted to find my way back in my quarter but decided to take another route when I saw you here. Is that a problem?" Odi asked.
"Not at all. You can pass," Ariana said coolly, stepping aside but glaring fiercely. "Take that way."
Odi met her gaze with quiet defiance, then walked past them without a word. Heath simply observed her, his eyes unreadable. Just as she walked passed them, something lingered, it felt very strange and she knew they were up to no good. She knew instantly that Heath is not to be trusted and she needed to warn Valerie and warn King Darius.
As Odi disappeared down the hallway, Ariana turned back to Heath, her voice laced with urgency. "We don't have much time. You need to push him, Heath. King Darius must marry me. We need a date set. The engagement must happen soon. I am tired for waiting, I have waited for years now. What is stopping him from marrying me? I am devastated, frustrated and lonely. I've been waiting, is your king homosexual?
Heath gave a slow nod, his expression thoughtful. "Patience, Ariana. You're saying very criminal words at your king, you could be held in bonds. We mustn't rush and trip over Darius' pride. The plan must be meticulous. We only get one shot. Darius is very smart and if we do not threat cautiously, we would be in trouble."
"I don't care how it happens," Ariana hissed, lowering her voice. "Just make sure it does. We can't let her get any closer to him. The news I've been hearing isn't encouraging at all and my whole family is on my neck concerning the preparatory plans for the wedding."
Heath glanced in the direction Odi had gone. "We won't lose him to her, the King wouldn't settle for a commoner. The privy councillor would be all against it. Don't worry."
The scheming continued in the shadows, as fate slowly carved out the path for everyone involved. The battle was just about to begin. And in the center of it all, Odi remained unaware of just how deeply entangled she had become in the web of royal desires and dangerous ambitions.