"I broke my rules for you." I stare at her.

Valencia avoids my gaze. "I know," she replies softly.

"I told myself over and over again that I wouldn’t let anything distract me from protecting the princess and then I do get distracted — by you. The one person I should have been protecting her from. Her assassin."

She swallows and looks up at me with those large green eyes that drawed me in the first place. "Ade-"

I shut my eyes tightly and raise a hand to silence her. "No. No- Don’t- Don’t look at me. I can’t have you looking at me. Not like that."

I open my eyes again to find her still looking at me. Her brows are furrowed. "Ade, please-" she steps forward, reaching for me.

I step backwards.

"Valencia."

She takes a small step back, her arms dropping to her sides. Her fists clench.

"How- How could you? She is your friend- Anastasia adores you — _Cyrus_ adores her!" I grip onto my hair and pace for a couple of moments before letting go and stopping in front of her again. "If your little brother was to find out-"

Her head snaps up, her eyes widened in fear. "Ade, please. You can’t- You can’t tell him! I’m doing this for him!"

"Don’t worry. I won’t-" I pause, frowning slightly. I look back up at her. "What? What do you mean you’re doing this for her?"

She pauses and takes two more steps backward before she hits the yellow brick wall. "I-"

"Valencia," I step forward. The dots connect. She’s scared. "Who’s forcing you to do this?" I ask softly.

She hesitates. "King Matako."

(Based off of War of Hearts)