"The cards never lie. Don't give up hope." Ariella didn't know this prince well but she was going to do everything in her power to try and help him. She would help him find his lover, his twin flame. It existed out there for him and it was coming to him. She would be his wingwoman. She wasn't giving up.
Amyntas grumbles. “Whatever…I’ll freeze before i find anyone.” He sighs.
Ariella pinched his stomach. "If that were true, the cards would have predicted it, and they didn't. There is a chance, you just have to believe and want it." She wasn't going to accept this sort of talk. "Go back to sleep. Rest."
He grumbles something, sounding like; “I hope i freeze.” He closes his eyes. “Whatever…”
Ariella didn't respond to his words as much as she wanted to. She knew there would be no convincing him otherwise. Not today at least. No words would be able to change his mind. She would have to show him a better life. Show him that it was worth living for.
Eventually, Amyntas falls asleep, sleeping the rest of the day away. At midnight, his cold finally fades away. He sighs softly with relief.
Ariella stayed curled up against his side. She spent many hours just watching over him and wondering what in the underworld she had gotten herself into. As the sky began to darken, exhaustion came to her and eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Amyntas jumps awake once his clock struck midnight. He looks around, then sees Ella. His gaze softens slightly. This girl. He sighs and turns, sleepily wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. He was so tired, he didn’t even know what he was doing. He just…was.
Ariella stirred slightly as Amyntas moved and wrapped his arms around her, but she didn't wake. She only snuggled further into the touch. Touch. It was such a soft touch. She hadn't had that in, well, forever. She had never been touched kindly, held for the sake of being held. A soft sigh released from her lips as she drifted back into a deep sleep.
Amyntas hums, slowly falling back to sleep. In all honesty, it felt amazing to have someone to hold again. Someone to care for. He nuzzles into Ella’s hair, sighing contently.
As the morning came and the sun filtered through the curtains, it was Ariella's stomach that had woken her. She hadn't eaten at all the day before, too worried about Amyntas to have an appetite. Her stomach was angry with her now. It was growling and rumbling and it pulled her right out of sleep with a pout. She had been enjoying her sleep.
Amyntas grumbles, “Go eat…” he mutters sleepily. He still kept his arms around her, holding her close.
Ariella was groggy as she woke. It took her a moment to remember where she was and even longer to try and figure out why she was being held. It was weird. She didn't know what to think of it. "You have to let go of me in order for me to do that." She was trying to wiggle out of his embrace. "And I don't know where the dining room is."
Amyntas sighs, letting go and rubbing his face. “Down the hall, to your left. From there, keep going until you see the big arch. You’ll see the dining table from there.”
Ariella rolled out of bed as soon as he released her. Her hair was a bit of a tangled mess. She wasn't quite sure how, she hadn't moved a lot in her sleep. But it was a mop on her head. "I expect you to join me. You haven't eaten either. You need to get your strength up."
He huffs, “Not hungry.” He says simply.
"I don't care. You're eating. If I don't see you there when I get there, I will come and drag you out of bed. And don't think I won't do it." Ariella was threatening him. She wasn't afraid to follow up her words.
Amyntas scoffs, “you could try. I weigh over 130 pounds.”
"Don't underestimate me. I'm stronger than I look." And Ariella had been trained from the moment she was able to walk.
Amyntas huffs, “Whatever. Go on and eat. I’m not hungry.” He nestles into the covers, turning away from her.
Ariella grabbed the covers and threw them off the prince. "You're acting like a child. Are you a child? I thought you were a prince. Now get your ass out of bed and let's go."
He huffs, turning to her with a dead look in his eyes. “Listen here, princess. I’m dying. I can’t eat. I immediately lose it. Just the smell of food sickens me. Thats part of my curse. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He turns away from her, pulling the covers over himself.
"Don't call me that," She pointed her finger at him. "I am not a princess, not anymore. I left that life a long time ago." Ariella ran a hand through her hair. "It's time for you to stop feeling sorry for yourself and Get. Up. You're never going to break this curse or get anything done if you just lay there."
Amyntas sighs, “I’ve stopped trying a while ago…don’t concern yourself with me.” He closes his eyes. He wasn’t trying to only worry about himself, or sulk. He just had given up. It was too hard to try if the same thing kept happening. And who knew how long it would be until he found someone. And if they were to leave him, he’d just instantly freeze. Turn to ice. Amyntas hides his face in the covers, silent.
"Then why did you bring me here?" Ariella couldn't fathom why she was in the palace then, why this prince had taken her with him. "If you don't want my services, don't want my help, what is my purpose here?"