Unlike Kaari, Lex didn't seem troubled by the watchful eyes that followed them as they walked out of the ballroom.
The tranquil walk through the corridors did very little to ease her racing mind as she tried to figure out the cause of the heavy tension between her and the emperor.
The princess had hesitated to follow since she knew better than anyone how easy it was for baseless rumors to spread and ruin your life even as a royal subject, and right now, her worst nightmare was unfolding right before her eyes.
Though as concerning as that was already, she needed to focus, for the moment, on the immediate issue of the walking, breathing presence before her.
They hadn't experienced this kind of silence in seven years, and even then, the air had felt far more breathable than whatever was hanging between them now.
Lex's grip on her wrist was firm yet gentle, reassuring her she wasn't in immediate danger. Still, despite the flicker of fear in her chest, her heart raced wildly at the thought of the touch, leaving her feeling both flustered and ashamed.
"You said you had something to discuss, Your Majesty?" Kaari finally broke the silence between them which caused Lex to halt to a stop. "I believe we're far enough from the crowd now, so go ahead and say whatever's on your mind."
Maybe it was her thoughtless remark being the first thing she'd said to him all day that became the last straw for Lex, because when he finally spoke, his voice no longer carried the warmth it once had.
"I didn't see you at the ball yesterday."
"I left earlier than planned."
"Right, I heard you were feeling unwell." He finally turned to look at her, only to find Kaari's gaze fixated on the ground, blatantly making it clear that something was, in fact, wrong.
"I was."
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes, I am. Thank you for your concern."
"Kaari." He frowned at the sound of his own voice.
He hadn't meant to come off this way, but her sudden coldness was starting to wear on him amidst everything else he was dealing with.
At that moment, his grip on her wrist loosened before he released her completely, suddenly realizing he had been all but dragging the delicate princess through the halls the entire time.
'She won't even look up to meet my eyes.' He noted to himself, wondering what was going through that little head of hers. 'Let alone smile at me.'
"You're clearly upset about something." He pressed on patiently when her brief answers did very little to satisfy him. "But I won't know what's bothering you if you do not tell me."
"There is nothing to be upset about." She insisted, though it did not convince Lex in the slightest. "I am simply tired from overworking myself."
"Then clearly, there is still something wrong." Lex countered, the frown on his face deepening. "Let me see if Margaret is awake so we can-"
"That won't be necessary." She gently assured, her voice so calm it only made Lex feel more uneasy. "Besides, leaving on such short notice when there is someone waiting for me would be rather rude."
"... You seem, quite close with that human." He remarked casually, though his expression tightened at the mention of the man. "Were you with him last night too?"
"His name is Gabriel." Kaari clarified and Lex noticed instantly how her tone softened at the mention of the man. "And yes, he was kind enough to keep me company for the evening."
His anger only grew at the mere thought of the man showing even the slightest interest in her.
'Kind enough, huh?' He repeated her words internally, taking notice of the sheer pink dress that barely covered Kaari's fragile silhouette.
It was far too revealing for his liking, though he couldn't remember when exactly it was when he started to care for little details like these.
"I... didn't realize you two were on a first-name basis."
"You know very little about me, Your Majesty."
"Is that so?"
"..."
Again, silence enveloped the two, and for some reason, the tension felt heavier that before, and though neither would admit it, they both felt it just the same.
"No matter if you choose to remain silent." Lex finally stated with confidence, catching Kaari off guard. "However, now that I am here, I will assume you will accompany me to this ball from this point forward, correct?"
"I... don't understand." She hesitated to meet the emperor's gaze as she was certain he'd been staring at her ever since he first looked her way. "I thought we agreed to keep our distance in public, and you promised you wouldn't-"
"So what? It's not like it'll make much difference anyway. Those bastards will make something out of thin air if it pleases them, I know that better than anyone." Lex frowned, clearly annoyed by Kaari's pointless arguing. "So just ditch that loser and spend the evening with me instead."
"Leaving him all alone where he knows no one would be cruel." Kaari's defensiveness clearly irritated Lex, who was accustomed to having his demands met without question.
"He is a grown man, I'm sure he will be perfectly fine. And I don't want him anywhere near you. Only I should be allowed by your side, no one else."
"D-Do you even hear yourself?" She tripped over her words as anger threaded through her voice, but her cheeks burned crimson at his effortless confession when she finally locked onto his unwavering gaze. "How can you say these things with such ease when... when-"
'When I'm here, falling apart at the seams for your love.' She wanted to yell the words at him, but she fell silent, knowing there was no point in saying more to Lex when it was clear he had no interest in understanding why she was so worked up.
Kaari had never once tried to make her feelings known to Lex, and deep down she knew his kindness was just out of pity and tolerance.
She should've realized it sooner, but at least it was better to know now than after making a fool of herself by confessing the truth.
'It would be utterly pointless.' Her stomach dropped at the harsh truth. 'When my love will only amount to nothing to him.'
"If this was all that you wished to discuss with me, I shall be taking my leave." The coldness of her words took Lex by surprise. "I'm sorry, but I can't-"
"Are you in love with him?" Lex asked, and when her face crumbled into anxious uncertainty, the knot in his stomach tightened. "Is that why you're acting so strange all of a sudden?"
"I mean, it makes sense, doesn't it?" He kept on with a sharp, mocking laugh, oblivious to how Kaari's expression grew weaker with every word he uttered. "The young, ever-lonesome princess finally meets her one true love at a party, and they fall for each other at first sight. Such a romantic story, isn't it?"
"... Who I give my heart to does not matter to you."
"What if I say it does?"
"It does not." Kaari pressed forward, refusing to back down this time. Lex could've sworn he caught a flash of anger in her eyes as she raised her voice. "Not after you've already shown the whole world you're interested in someone else."
She thought she'd feel relieved to finally get it off her chest, but her heart broke even more when she saw Lex standing there, looking utterly crushed, his usual spark of confidence completely gone.
"The woman you walked in with..." Her heart raced, refusing to settle, as she finally voiced the question she'd been desperately trying to suppress. "Who is she to you?"
"... Someone you need not concern yourself with." The tension in his voice did little to support his claim. "Whatever relationship you believe I have with her is merely a misunderstanding-"
"How much of a fool do you think I am, Lex?" She continued to spill her heart despite being surprised to see him react this way. "I... I've heard the rumors. Your council has been pushing you to marry against your wishes, and you've only kept me around to stall them."
"I... I thought I meant something to you, but clearly, it was simply my imagination." Kaari confessed with a sad smile, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "Forgive me for crossing the line, Your Majesty."
"Kaari, please-"
"Please, don't make this harder for me than it already is." She begged, and this time finally understood there was no way to save this. "Because the last thing I want is to end up hating you."
Kaari expected immediate retaliation after what she had said, but she never thought the silence that followed would hurt deeply, even after everything she had unwillingly come to learn.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she turned to go, and Lex just stood there, frozen, unable to spill the truth that could've cleared up all the misunderstandings that lead them to this point.