"As my guard," Lyn repeated. "But would you want to? I won't be shameless and ask something like that," she mumbled softly. "If I ask you to do that, I'll truly push you away from me."

As her guard? Now she is the Queen that means guarding the royal family. Her family with Kazuya. It would mean accepting that Lyn has a family, accepting that she is no longer his, but is that not fine? If became her guard again, she would be safe. She would be safe from harm.

"Alright."

Lyn looked very surprised. Of course she would, agreeing is the same as giving up on her. After everything he said to her, he knew this action would only confuse Lyn.

"I have conditions though Queen Lyn."

"Let's hear it."

"First of all, this is the most important thing. I won't give up on you."

"Ah-huh, I figured," Lyn kept looking at him. Is she trying to search for the reason that way? What a foolish girl, there is no need for her to do that. He intends to tell her everything.

"Second, I will quit once this whole war is over."

"Alright."

"Third," Rhys extended his hand out, "After that allow me to seriously pursue you."

Lyn turned quiet and slowly nodded. "Say Rhys, are you saying all this because you know what will happen to Kazuya?"

Huh? What does she mean by that? Lyn saw the confused look on his eyes and paused. A wave of sadness flashed through the girl's eyes.

"Kazuya is...dying."

She said it quietly, but Rhys heard it loud and clearly. Kazuya is dying? Kazuya... He couldn't believe it. But why would Lyn joke about something like this? Kazuya die? That guy, sure he's an idiot but Kazuya is still his best friend. He was the only one who stood by him during the darkest parts in his life. It was because of Kazuya that he found the strength to love and care for another person.

Rhys placed his hand on his forehead, and Lyn looked down. "You didn't know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you like that."

"No, you did the right thing."

If Lyn didn't tell him, that idiot would keep it to himself wouldn't he? Rhys was already taking the situation badly and he hasn't heard the full story yet. But if he can't take it then what about her? Rhys glanced over at the girl and saw her head down. Ah...

"Are you okay Lyn?" It was a stupid question. But, he didn't know how to phrase it right now.

"No."

"Lyn," Rhys called out. That single no - he felt so much pain behind it.

"Of course I'm not okay. Why would I be okay? I don't want to loose Kazuya," Lyn's voice grew weaker and weaker.

She looked so meek and so feeble. This is the most fragile he's ever seen her. Right now Lyn isn't the Queen of the Mist Kingdom, she is a normal woman. A woman who doesn't want to lose the man she swore her life to.

She is breaking down and crying in front of him. Rhys wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and wipe her tears away. He wanted to hold her and tell her exactly what he was thinking. But did he have the right to approach her and could he comfort her properly? Hearing about his friend's upcoming death made him equally as miserable as her.

For the two of them Kazuya is very important. He played a huge role in their lives...

Rhys decided to put his feelings aside and comfort the girl in his arms. Right now what is more important to him is Lyn's tears. Whenever Lyn cries, Rhys always pauses to look at her. There is something beautiful about her tears, 'it looks like glistening water.' Rhys didn't comfort her with words, instead he patted her back.

"Rhys," Lyn breaks the silence and tugged on his sleeve. "Give me a hug."

"Huh?"

"You should comfort me."

'So helpless and childish.' But, quite some time has pa.s.sed since he last saw this side of her. Then again, he has not been by her side for such a long time.

Rhys cupped her cheeks, he felt his heart speed up. Thump, thump. 'So loud, can Lyn hear it?' This rapid heartbeat, all because he is touching her. He felt stupid getting all nervous, his palms are sweaty and his face too. How many times has he touched her? Why is he getting nervous like an idiot for?

"Don't cry," Rhys finally closed the distance between them. At first he hesitated before he licked the girl's tears away.

Lyn looked at him with a strange expression. Her cheeks are red, no her entire face all the way to her ears burned red.

"Rhys," Lyn said slowly.

"Yeah?"

"You're too close."

He chuckled when he hears those words. Rhys continued his advances and Lyn turned redder by the minute. He could feel the heat from her face transmit through his hands.

"Hey Lyn, you look beautiful," Rhys complimented.

"Do you have a strange fetish too?"

"Maybe."

At least when it comes to her, he certainly can't act normal. Rhys felt himself sweating a lot, just looking and touching Lyn like this made him react this way. Lyn kept looking away from him, but the girl didn't move away. For him that was enough.

"Say Rhys, do you think Ayah can hear whenever you try to hara.s.s me?"

Ayah, right he almost forgot about that woman. "Does it matter?" Rhys questioned. He doesn't see what the problem is.

"Rhys, my legs hurt."

"Then let's sit over on the bed--" his sentence fell short when Lyn shook her head.

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"I want to do some work."

"I had Luxin send me some stuff over from the castle."

By stuff does she mean paperwork? She wants to do that here? Rhys frowned at that thought. Rhys knows what Lyn is like when she is working. He spent all that time with her in the past. Even when she was a Princess she was a workaholic, let alone now. "We only have three days."

"But," Lyn muttered. "I have a lot of things to sign."

"Lyn," he said sharply.

"I understand, give me an hour or two at max."