Serene’s POV

"Serene, are you alright?" Shumal Sensei thumped my back so I could breathe. While Zeph touched my arm making sure I was fine.

"Yes, yes I just inhaled too quickly." I straightened up with red eyes due to coughing.

"Be careful dear," Shumal Sensei kept rubbing my back. As everyone watched me with concerned eyes.

"Thank you, Sensei. I am fine now." I offered her a small smile and wiped my face with a napkin.

Thankfully that topic was diverted and the rest of the dinner went peacefully.

Zeph didn’t speak at all after that and I could feel him sulking beside me. After dinner, it was time to bid farewell to the newlyweds. Artins Sensei had arranged a special chariot for them, it was white and gold and being pulled by four white horses. Artins Sensei had arranged for them to stay in his castle for a few days.

All of us bid goodbye to the couple and their families, who thanked us for our hospitality and love. Lancile whispered in my ear before leaving: "Talk to him, both of you make a cute couple." Feeling embarrassed I simply nodded at him.

All the guests left finally, amidst tight security of slayers and combined forces.

My feet were aching from wearing high heels, so I took them off, and all of us just slumped on the chairs in the wedding reception area. Tanzil was sitting in Mikasim’s lap, Ayrden had her head bowed on Cainos’s shoulder while Alvene and Ralph were in deep conversation.

I sat down on one of the chairs and began to massage my feet. "So did you enjoy dancing with him," Zeph’s cold words hit me like a brick and I turned around to face him with a scowl.

"Why do your care? Isn’t that what you wanted?" I hissed at him in a low voice.

"I never wanted that, I just said what might be a possibility and you showed I was right." He glared at me with those pitch-black intense eyes of his. "Don’t you dare pin it on me, you better watch what you are saying?" I glared back at him, my whole frame shocked by the effect of his words. How could he blame this on me?

"Don’t take me to be so naive Serene. I am not blind. First Arlo, now some random guy who asked you for dance and you threw yourself on him. I feel like you were looking for an opportunity to get out of this relationship. I was right about you royals." His words were cold like ice and they froze my veins. I couldn’t bare to hold myself for the nonsense he was uttering. After offering him my heart and soul, this is what he thought of me as if I was a cheap street harlot.

Getting up I slapped him hard across the face.

~Thwack~

The sound of my slap echoed all around us and I could hear Ayrden gasp behind me as Ralph rushed forward to separate us before the situation would escalate. My whole body was shaking with rage and I wanted to slap him again. He watched me with bloody eyes, anger resonating from every pore.

"Watch your mouth. If I am that disgusting to you and you hold such a low opinion of me, then I never want to see you again. Don’t ever try to talk to me again, don’t even touch me again. You and I are over and all our friends will bear witness to this." I yelled at him with so much force that I could feel my energy zapping through me, getting restless.

"Serene, calm down. Let’s talk about this. We all are under stress, let’s not escalate it, please." Ralph pleaded to hold me by my arm while Ayrden stood beside me as well.

"What’s to talk about when he believes I like to throw myself at other boys? Haven’t I suffered enough that I have to bear this from him too?" Yanking the pendant from my neck I threw it at him and jerked my arm free from Ralph, I walked away. Ayrden followed me.

"Serene, listen..." she began to plead.

"No, Ayrden. If he can’t trust me, this won’t work. I need some time away from him. I want to go home." I told her angrily.

"Calm down, please Serene." Tears were spilling from her eyes and I could sense how upset she had become. All of us were falling apart, slowly. I sighed and hugged her and both of us cried for a while.

We went to our room and after changing sat by the window to talk. We were depressed at how the day which had been filled with laughter ended on such a dismal note. My heart ached thinking about him. Why couldn’t he see past his insecurities, how was I to tell him that my heart belonged to him?

The night turned into morning and there was no sleep. Ayrden had gone to sleep in the middle of the night but I was awake. It was our free day as we had no classes. Ayrden got ready and went down for breakfast, she requested me several times to come with her but I just couldn’t get out of bed. Seemed like all my energy and appetite were gone.

The whole day passed at a snail’s pace with his thoughts occupying my mind. He wouldn’t leave me alone, my heart seemed to be ripped out of my chest again and again as his harsh words echoed in my mind.

By evening Alvene came to visit me. She had a small vial in her hand. "Heya! Serene. How are you doing?" She inquired with a small smile.

"I am hurting Alvene." I confided in her for the pain was becoming impossible to bear.

"Here drink this, it will make you feel better." She handed me the calming potion. I gulped it down in one go and could feel its calming effect relaxing me. Before I knew I drifted into the valley of sleep and only woke up the next morning.

We were to resume our training today. "How are you feeling Serene?" Ayrden asked with a smile, seeing me awake.

"Better I guess. Let me change so we can head down to grab some breakfast before classes commence." My stomach was growling, I hadn’t eaten anything yesterday.

We headed down after getting changed and went to the dining hall. Zeph, Ralph, and Alvene were sitting at our usual table. Seeing him brought all his harsh words back and for once I wanted to head out. But I couldn’t avoid him forever. He was deep in conversation with our friends. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Ayrden I don’t want your relationship with him to suffer because of me. I will sit on any other table, you are free to sit wherever you feel like." I gave her a half smile.

"Serene, I will sit with you." Both of us settled down on a side table and Ayrden went to bring us some breakfast. I didn’t glance in his direction again but Ralph joined me after a while.

"Heya! Serene," he smiled at me.

"Heya! Ralph," I smiled back.

"How have you been?"

"Hanging in there," I replied with a sigh.

"Serene, I won’t lie to you but this is breaking my heart. You are my sister and he is my best friend. I can’t see either of you in pain. I have reprimanded him for his actions. You know he is more bark, he doesn’t mean half the things he says. He was just hurt and that constant pressure that you might leave him someday hurts him beyond anything. That is why he projects his insecurities on you. On my request, please talk to him and find it in your heart to forgive him." Ralph pleaded with me taking my hand in his.

"Ralph I can’t stay with someone so insecure. I like my freedom and recently he has been suffocating me." I shook my head and took a deep breath to ease the pain my heart felt.

"I understand but don’t forget the times we are living in. Sahala is gone and any of us could be next, is it the time you people have to bring your differences in? Be the bigger person Serene. I know you have a tender heart, just give him one last chance to prove himself."

His words held the truth and I was reminded of how I had almost lost him, my gaze automatically went to him and he was keenly observing me with sad eyes from behind his ruffled hair. The tension between us grew and I averted my gaze and focused on Ralph.

"Alright Ralph, if you say I am ready to talk to him but if he accused me again then I won’t give him another chance. I am not someone morally loose whose feelings he can toy with. Tell him to meet me in the Aurorian common room." Ralph’s beautiful smile returned at my words and he sprang from his seat.

"Thank you, Serene," he squeezed my hands and ran over to Zeph.