"The cherry blossoms aren"t blooming here either huh," Rhys said. 

She merely respond with a quiet " uh huh". Not blooming huh? That"s normal since its not the cherry blossom season anymore. Yet she still came all the way out here just to see.

Staying over at the main castle is still stifling for her, so she would occasionally sneak out. These days she spends more time with Allen order to make up for that loss time. Just when it seems like he"s not mad anymore, once in awhile he would get that look in his eyes and it truly does send her in to turmoil.  Empty branches...huh?

"You know there was a time where my parents promised me something. They were supposed to come look at the flowers too. They made me a promise. Due to the fact that they missed my birthday, Mother promised me that we would see them together and even have a small picnic. However as the King and Queen they were always busy."

It surprised her when her mother who never spoke to her before suddenly brought that up. But Lyn wanted to take advantage of it.

"Before I knew it, somebody kidnapped me and Mother ended up severely injured. Father was traumatised after that and didn"t dare go inside the gardens or ever looked at flowers ever again.  It all came to a end before anything started." She pauses. "Just like that I could no longer smile."

It"s scary being in a unfamiliar place.

It"s all pitch dark. Mother, father when will you come home?

"It must have been lonely."

Lyn briefly closed her eyes before she opened them again. " Yes it was lonely. Afterwards my father burdened himself in work everyday and I rarely saw him anymore. I wanted him to know how lonely I felt so I worked as hard as I could to do that. But it was no use." She mumbled.

In the end she could never tell him and to this very day he remains clueless.

She could never bring herself to say it. She glanced over at the kid that was still fast asleep, "This little guy he sensed the bad mood between us earlier and that"s why he ran of. I"m sure he wanted us go back to normal too."

"Please smile. I"m still here".

Her violet orbs looked up at the skies. "I know that kids can sense these things easily. But it was no use. No matter how much I tried. It was impossible."

"You can cry if you want."

Her eyes widened when she heard those words and she bit her bottom lip.

Lyn  shook her head. "I won"t cry. This little one already did the crying for me." That"s right there is no longer any need to cry. That is what weak people do.

....

It took quite some time before they found the kids parents, when they finally did Lyn recognized them. The kid belonged to someone from General Adrian"s family. No wonder that spoiling technique was familiar.

Rhys didn"t look very happy on the way back to the castle. Lyn wanted to say something to comfort him but since she didn"t know what was wrong it was difficult.

The moment they got into the room, he picked her up and placed her down on the bed. Now once again she was in this situation where Rhys was attacking her neck.

"Rhys, it"s cold." Lyn mumbled. "Would you let me close the window?"

He frowned. "Leave it."

"Why are you so angry?"

Rhys sighed. "Not angry, just sulking a bit."

Uh, so why is he sulking?

"Rhys, you know." She ran her hands through his hair. "Pupillam calls this a toxic relations.h.i.+p. She told me I ought to back away while I could."

"That guard of yours is too nosy."

A toxic relations.h.i.+p huh? Such a thought crossed her mind too. But, she pushed it away for a good reason. If she admits that then she won"t be able to treat Rhys the same way.

"He means well, despite his actions."

Or maybe that was an excuse to keep this going? Her gaze fell on the man who was kissing her neck line and loosening her clothes. Despite how hasty he seemed, his kisses were very gentle.

Lyn watched as the water lapped around her body. The bath in Rhys room seemed to have issues so in the end they had to go to the royal bath area. It was already quite late, so not many guards were around.

Rhys dismissed the guards on duty and said he would handle the rest.

"Don"t come in okay?" Lyn said.

Rhys sighed. "I"m already standing behind the door. Geez, trust me a little will you."

How can she trust him when all he does with her is weird things? 

"Rhys." Lyn mumbled. "Are you and Kazuya fighting?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Just a feeling."

The two talk to each other and yet she senses awkwardness now. Is it just her imagination?

She hears a clattering sound and panicked again. "Rhys? Really, don"t come inside."

"You"re so annoying these days. I"m just sitting down."

"I--I see."

"Lyn." Rhys suddenly changed his tone. "Do you not like me?"

Huh?

"Well, I think you"ve figured out by now. Whether you choose Kazuya or me, the outcome will be the same. You won"t stay in the Mist Kingdom, so you should forget about the throne already."

"So that"s what is troubling him these days." Indeed he made a point there. No matter who she picks, the outcome is still the same.

"If I don"t pick either of you?"

At that comment she didn"t hear a reply and heard him stand up. Lyn sighed knowing he would leave. However the doors suddenly slid open. Her eyes widened when she saw Rhys enter the room.

"Wait a momen-" her sentence fell short when she saw the menacing aura around the man.

"Rhys, unngh. Your clothes." Lyn tried to part their lips. But, the dark gaze in his eyes made it difficult for her to say no.

"A toxic relations.h.i.+p is.."

A toxic relations.h.i.+p contaminates your self-esteem, your happiness and the way you see yourself and the world. A toxic person will float through life with a trail of broken hearts, broken relations.h.i.+ps and broken people behind them.

"Lyn." Rhys growled. "Touch me."

It wasn"t a request and more of a command. Even if she didn"t move her hands. He wouldn"t let her go.

She hesitantly raised her hand and drew circles on his chest. She maybe seventeen years old now. But Lyn still didn"t know the first thing about relations.h.i.+ps.

Rhys brought her hands to his mouth, he licked and sucked causing her calm composure to vanish. "What is he doing?" Her fingers are dirty. She didn"t get a chance to scrub herself properly before she came in. 

"Rhys, stop that."