Confusion was what clouded his mind.

He should be happy. God, how many nights had he prayed that Princess Eadlyn would get tired of her little game and just kick him out of the competition?

Not that it would change much, but the Palace was huge, he could easily coexist with her there and not even care about her existence, the damn suitors or the cameras and everything else. It seemed perfect. But it wasn't.

His head was spinning. Moments replaying. Fragments of memories and voices. Familiar faces. Every press conference with a stupid, fake smile, every night he spent with her just to "advise" the princess in choosing her future king consort.

A deal. That's what they were. A damn deal.

He promised her. He promised himself and most of all, he promised you.

Perhaps that was the irony of the whole situation. He was still one of the Selected, he was still part of the Princess's Elite and he was still Untouchable to you. Or maybe it was the opposite.

As part of the nobility, second in line because Eadlyn's twin brother had rejected the position after his escape to live his romance with the Princess of France, you were as close to the throne as Eadlyn is so far away from him.

"Why did you come here, anyway?" Your voice didn't do much to ease his inner demons. But he was trying.

"You..." He begins, not knowing how to finish.

What would he say? Do you know that your sister used me mutually to avoid getting married? Do you know that my head is at war with my heart? Do you know that I don't know who to choose between?

Verbalizing it was another story. Blue eyes search the skies in the Newsome library, the ancient temple to the queen's resting place. He didn't know what to look for.

"I can explain myself." He mumbles softly, more to himself than to you. A self-assurance that he was sorting out his mess.

"I...I made a deal with Eadlyn." Kile starts and can feel the silent question in his eyes, when did the princess go from "Spoiled Brat" to Eadlyn? "It was just a deal. The interviews. The photos. The...dinners."

The kisses...

They don't have the courage to say it looking you in the eyes. But he didn't need to. Not when you knew him so well and could read between the lines. Not when Eadlyn made no effort to hide it and silently tease the situation. She knew. He knew. And heavens, you knew.

"{{user}}, I need my anchor..." He whispers in a soft, almost broken tone with tears flooding his blue eyes. "Please..."