I couldn't sleep.

My mind was racing with thoughts of war and the alligiance with Mekhi.

And his eyes.

I knew I had seen them before. I swore it had been in a dream; but that didn't make any sense. Why would I have dreamt of a man I hadn't even met? None of this made sense. Why had I dreamt about his eyes? Why did he unsettle me just by being in the room?

Why couldn't my mind shut up for one moment about how good his voice sounded or how perfect his body was?

I groaned into my pillow with frustration. I didn't like this. It was new and uncharted territory and I wasn't fond of the unfamiliar. I didn't like that I couldn't control my mind. It was like I was an outsider looking inside and not having any control over what was happening.

I glanced towards the window and saw the early morning light beginning to escape through the cracks in the curtains. I sighed, I had wasted a whole night of sleep because of one man. This was not a good start to my day.

I sat up and groomed the hair away from my face. It didn't matter that I was tired; I couldn't afford to miss a single thing that happens in this place.

My thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks on my door. Seems I wasn't the only one wanting me to keep up with everything.
"Come in," I said, straightening up in my bed. To my surprise, it wasn't maids or my father coming to tell me about something I had done wrong again; it was Addison.

I gave him a questioning look as he went over to my closet.
"I thought I would give you a warning that father is on his way," He explained, opening my closet. Addy cringed at the poor choices of clothing, and I couldn't help but sympathise; I felt exactly the same everytime I looked into it as well.

"You certainly weren't exaggerating," He murmered, "I'll have to get you some proper clothes; this is just ridiculous." I let out a slight chuckle in response to his comments. It definitely was a slight disaster area.

Addy pulled out the gown he had gifted me yesterday and held it up towards me.
"This will have to do, I guess," He smiled at me and I took the dress from his hands. I wasted no time stripping out of the clothes I had worn to bed last night. Addy turned around to give me privacy and started scanning the room.

"You know I had to fight mother and father to keep everything the same in here," He said. I smiled to myself, I knew he must have had something to do with that.
"Thank you for that Addy," I tapped his back as I approached him. When he turned to face me I turned around to show him the open zipper. He quickly zipped me up and I was ready for another day.

And not a moment too soon. As soon as I turned back around to thank Addy, our father burst through the door. As my father came into view, he opened his mouth to say something but his eyes then travelled down my figure. A rush of emotions flooded his eyes before irritation won out.

"What do you think you're wearing Anwen?" He growled. I smirked at him; this was making my day slightly better. My father's eyes grew darker.

"And you Addison," He turned his attention to my brother, "I let her out of that cage and you let her dig her claws straight back into you." Addison stared at my father defiently, but refused to respond to him. I couldn't say the same for myself.

"You didn't have a choice father," I grinned tauntingly at him, "I was getting out of that dungeon whether you wanted me to or not; it was the law."

"A law you manipulated your own brother into creating," He gritted his teeth as he spoke, attempting to contain his anger. My fire licked at the surface of my skin as I let out a laugh in anger.

"The only manipulation that happened was you placing Addy on the throne just so you could control him," I growled, "But he outmaneuvered you. Checkmate, father." My father breathed deeply, probably to ready himself to yell at me. I braced myself, but before my father got a word out, Addy interrupted our argument.

"Father please," He said softly, "This is getting ridiculous." A calming feeling filled the room. I knew it was because of Addy; on top of being able to control wind, Elementals like him were able to the mood of a room. They don't control emotions, but something about being able to control temperature and scents caused them to be a calming or agitating affect on people when they wanted to be.

It was a risk; using his powers to calm father. If he caught onto what Addy was doing, he would be lashed and called a traitor, most likely destined to suffer the same fate I had for the last ten years. I gave him a warning look and he caught onto what I was thinking and slowly the feeling reduced.

I looked at our father catiously as the redness in his face dissipated. I sent a silent prayer to my ancestors that he didn't recognise what Addy had done. His eyes settled on me once again and the coldness in them almost sent a shiver down my spine. Almost.

I stared straight back at him, refusing to be the first to look away. As a silence settled over the room, it seemed that neither of us wanted to appear weak to the other. Eventually, after he realised there was no way in hell I was budging, he grunted as he tore his eyes away from mine and I allowed myself a small smile in victory.

"Why was I not informed that you had had a meeting with another Elemental late last night?" He said. I shrugged in response.
"I'm the Queen, father," I crossed my arms over my chest, "I don't have to strictly tell you anything."

"If it has something to do with this kingdom, I need to know Anwen," He growled, his eyes piercing mine. I felt my anger brew for what felt like the umpteenth and I gritted my teeth, trying to control my fire.

"No you don't," I answered back fiercely, clenching my fists at my side. "You are no longer on the throne father; I am the leader of this kingdom, not you. Do what you will; train me, punish me, manipulate me, but this kingdom will never be yours again. Learn to give up control where it's no longer needed."

"Having the throne seems to have bloated your head Anwen," My father growled. "Remember who you're talking to." Without another word, my father left my brother and I in a suffocating silence. I felt Addison's calming breeze fill the room and I glared at him.

"I'm not in the mood Addison," My voice sounded quiet and tired. Addison sighed as he walked over to me.
"I'm not going to pretend I know what happened to you Wen," He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "But I'm not your enemy. Father; maybe. But not me. I'm here to help, but you have to let me."

I looked up at my brother, his eyes sending a sense of warmth through my body and I breathed deeply. I had promised myself that I would never have a weakness. But I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, I could have one vulnerability.

So, from that moment on, that's what Addy became.

My weakness.