2017, June 4th

Another insufferable ball. And the excuse for it? It was his birthday.

Lord Bartholomew Arden would rather be sitting in his room preparing for midterms than be here with his parents and all of these pretentious people. Duke Arden took Bart around the room, drilling into his head the name of every nobleman and noblewoman in attendance and their current dealings with the Arden House. As though Bart weren't already aware of them all. He would have given many things to not have to endure this night.

Grievances aside, there was one thing Bart looked forward to about tonight. He would get to see her. At least he hoped he would. Things between their families were still very unstable and he hadn't seen her since the last time she came home. Mind you, there was no guarantee he would see her tonight. She had elected to spend this year at a prestigious boarding school abroad, intending to shun her father's wishes for her by attending fashion school next year. He didn't know if his birthday was reason enough to bring her home right before midterms.

Relief washed over Bart as his mother approached with a friend in tow.

“Look who I found,” she said in greeting, shutting down Duke Arden’s potential deal, the nobleman they were talking to excusing himself.

“Ethan Maine.”

Bart held out his hand, a ghost of a smile on his face.

“Hey Barry,” Ethan grinned, picked up his somewhat larger friend and crushed his arms around his ribs.

Duke Arden scowled at his wife, whose voice he still had not learned to find bearable even after being married to her for 20 years.

“You just have the best timing, don’t you?” Duke Arden hissed.

“Play nice, dear. It’s Bart’s birthday,” she said, holding out her hand to him.

Duke Arden watched his too serious son’s face soften for the first time in days and took his wife’s hand.

“I know,” he said begrudgingly as they walked off.

“Don’t hurt yourself now,” Bart said arrogantly as Ethan set him down.

Ethan held onto his lower back. He wasn’t a freaking giant like Bart, but being the captain of an army necessitated that he look after himself so Ethan’s own routine was rather rigorous. Still, no one could keep up with this guy. Ethan had never seen anything like it. Didn’t matter what it was, Bart seemed to do it better and more efficiently than the rest of them. Bart kept telling Ethan that he’d probably just been slacking off since he got to Terres Somnia, which was likely true. Ethan was sure combat training would be a bitch to get back into when he went home in a few weeks.

“Shit Barry, you must have gained 20 pounds since the last time I saw you three months ago, all of it pure muscle too. Look at you, you’re a fucking beast!”

“Mind your language, Your Highness,” Bart chided. “How was the visit back home?”

“Oh, you know how it is. King’s on my case about coming back full time. Same old,” Ethan said, shrugging the serious stuff off as usual. “I brought someone with me this time that I want you to meet,” he continued, changing the subject. “Better do it quickly too, I bet the chicks are lining up to check you out."

Ethan put his hand on Bart’s bicep. Bart slapped it away. He wouldn’t know if they were and it didn’t matter anyway. They would never be her.

“This isn’t UC, you dweeb. And you’re here representing your country. Act accordingly,” Bart whispered, himself straightening up.

Ethan was about to respond when they walked in and Bart’s deep blue eyes glazed over. Bart folded his arms and zeroed in on her. She was a 6’1” goddess with long, silky, chestnut brown hair pulled back behind her. Her piercing, blue-green eyes and beautiful fair skin. Everything about her seemed to alert you that she’d arrived even before her party was announced. The dress, the shoes, the tiara on her head. Her stance, every elegant step she took. Ethan had seen enough of them to know when a princess walked into the room. She was definitely a princess.

As soon as she heard the announcer say, “Presenting their majesties King Henry, Queen Mary and their highnesses, Princess Caroline and Prince Aaron” she was looking too. Until her eyes found Bart’s. When she found him, she broke out into a dazzling smile. Bart, in true Bart fashion, only continued to stare blankly, making no effort to show pleasure or displeasure. But Ethan was becoming familiar with reading his new best friend.

“That's her then. Your girl,” said Ethan, watching Bart intently.

“She’s not my anything,” Bart returned sharply, turning his back on her.

“Someone should maybe tell her that then. She's coming for you, dude," Ethan said, watching her make her way through the crowd.

Every few seconds, she threw a glance back up to where they were standing on the second floor.

Bart struggled against his rapidly beating heart, telling him to turn back around. To go out and meet her, to give himself a dance with her as a birthday gift. A dance was hardly a proposal. A dance was okay. But Bart was an Arden and Ardens made decisions with their heads. So instead, he pulled Ethan towards him, so that his back was now to her too.

“That bad, huh? Hey I get it. She certainly is a bombshell,” Ethan grinned, throwing another glance at her over his shoulder.

“Stop looking at her,” Bart growled.

Ethan snickered, raising his hands in the air in surrender.

“It’s not me you should be worried about.”

Caroline (CC) Condor was about halfway through clearing the lower level of the Arden House’s grand ballroom, steadily making her way to the stairs. He came out of nowhere. Was in front of her before she knew it. She tried to sidestep him, the way she had every man who had tried to ask her to dance up until now, but this one was not to be turned away. This man was a prince.

He bowed gracefully for her and she gave a quick curtsy, before trying to escape again.

“Prince—” he began.

“I know who you are,” she said hastily, stopping in her tracks.

The prince smiled.

“A woman after my own heart. No introductions needed then, Princess Caroline,” he said, bowing gracefully once more before holding out a hand to her. “However, I certainly wouldn’t say no to a dance.”

Five minutes passed, then ten and Bart finally admitted to himself that he was waiting for her to show up. Why hadn’t she reached him yet? His curiosity getting the better of him, he turned back around and instantly wished he hadn't. It was a waking nightmare. The kind where she laughs at something he said just as you turn around to look at her and you suddenly realize you should be the one holding her, the one making her laugh. That she should be dancing that dance with you.

Ethan threw another glance over his shoulder, saw what was happening and put a hand on Bart’s shoulder.

“Better luck next time man.”

The longer Bart watched, the angrier he got. With the guy, with himself and especially with her. The angrier he got, the less able he was to turn away. Her eyes met his again. She could always see past the deadpan poker face. He knew she knew that he was fuming and that just made matters worse. As the dance progressed, their eyes remained fixed on each other. With the ending of the melody, CC pulled away abruptly. Bart was about to run out to her and ask her a million unfair questions. Make a scene. Hopefully not kiss her.

As if by divine intervention, before Bart could make his move, CC and her partner ran into her brother.

Aaron had a girl on his arm, as Prince Aaron always did. It was a mercy really, when it was just one. As soon as Aaron laid eyes on CC, the redhead was all but forgotten. Bart’s eyes had somehow managed to unglue themselves from CC as he followed the redhead up the stairs. As she ascended to the second floor, the redhead watched Aaron be joined by Emily Maine moments later, her own existence evidently entirely forgotten.

She let out a cackle of laughter, as though Aaron being a dick was amusing. Now on the same floor as him, her eyes met with Bart's. There was hurt in her warm amber eyes as she approached the two men. She blinked once and it was gone as her gaze shifted to Ethan.

“Hey there stranger,” she said, pasting a smile on her face.

Ethan’s mouth broke out into a goofy grin as he picked her up and gave her a similar greeting to the one Bart had received.

“Aria!” he yelled, setting her down with a thump before taking her hand and presenting her to Bart.

“Ria, Barry. Barry, Ria. My sister, who is also a princess,” Ethan said, giving Bart a wink.

“He’s never subtle, is he?” Aria said with a giggle as she held out her hand for Bart to shake.

“No, he really isn’t,” said Bart, taking Aria's hand.

Bart was about to shake her hand, but then thought better of it. The pity swimming around in his eyes was unmistakable as his lips touched the back of her hand. She pulled back sharply, hurt flashing in her eyes again. Ethan rolled his eyes, took her hand and put it back in Bart’s.

“Good! I’m glad you’re both aware. Now do my bidding and dance!” Ethan ordered.

Aria was about to pull her hand away again when Bart pulled her into his arms.

“It’s just a dance,” he said, stroking the vivid, red hair flowing down her back.

Aria's small smile didn’t make his heart hurt as she put her head down on his chest the way CC's did. She wasn’t as beautiful as CC either. Bart understood that that wasn’t her fault. To him, no one could be. Ethan patted himself on the back, giving Bart a thumbs up when he was out of earshot of the pair.

“I’m sorry about Prince Aaron. It is unfortunate that you have made his acquaintance so soon after coming to our country for the first time,” said Bart.

“Are you in the habit of apologizing for other men, My Lord?”

“No, I just don’t do well with crying women,” he replied in earnest.

“Ethan has you pegged alright. You are just what he said you’d be. Handsome, strong, honest. Where do I get one of you?” she flattered boldly.

She looked down to where Bart had been discreetly stealing glances at a couple dancing together and said, with a jab to his chest, “Clearly this one is unavailable. Just my luck.”

CC and Bart were trading outright glares now. It seemed she didn’t appreciate his dancing with another woman either. Bart didn’t like how CC was looking at him, or maybe he did. Maybe he liked it a lot. He wasn’t sure. She was getting into his head and he was having trouble focusing on the woman in his arms.

Aria Maine had been slighted once too many times tonight. It was one thing for The Casanova of Casanova to ditch her for her cousin on the dance floor, but she didn’t appreciate being danced with by a man who was gawking at another woman. She was a damn knock out and she bloody well knew it. Feeling somehow like she knew this man, what with Ethan talking about him nonstop, she felt she could do it. So she did. She pulled Bart’s distracted head down to her and kissed his cheek.

“Aria Maine will be our guest at the palace for a little while,” Aaron explained, watching Bart’s face do things he’d never seen it do before. “She’s just recently become queen after her family got killed in a war-”

“Is she here yet?” Bart asked, an urgency to his voice.

He looked devastated, like Aaron had just told him a friend had died.

“Should be arriving soon,” Aaron answered.

Zoey looked at her brother worriedly.

“Are you okay, Bart?”

Bart started running, not hearing Zoey, not seeing CC on his way out.

“What the hell?” Aaron frowned, as he watched Bart go.

Aaron and CC followed Bart out to the front door, where King Henry was greeting the young queen.

“Ria,” Bart gasped.

Queen Aria smiled a small smile when she saw him.

“Lord Batholomew, how good to see you again.”

Queen Aria was not prepared to see him so soon. Their last meeting was still burned into her brain, one of few happy memories she had to cling to these days. She’d heard of his engagement. His wedding was to be in two months, so he didn’t make the list for potential King Consorts, but seeing him now, so distraught for her, his eyes shimmering as he was approaching her, the queen couldn’t help but put him back on the list and forget that any other names had ever made it on in the first place.

“I’m so sorry Ria,” said Bart, putting his arms around her right there and then, no regard for the king and whomever else might be watching. “So sorry about Ethan, about your parents.”

She stroked his neck, feeling the first tear she would shed as queen fall down her cheek. But she was standing in front of a king, in front of the king’s children. She could not afford to show weakness. So she wiped the tear away and pulled back.

“Thank you, My Lord,” she said, her voice hoarse.

She smiled at him brightly, just like he was used to, and that made his heart hurt more for her.

King Henry would have said something, done something, if he only knew what that something should be. Cassandra came up to them, seeing her husband struggling. She and Henry were friendly these days, or at least civil. Even after eight months of living at the palace, she wasn’t quite sure that she was ready to just overlook the last five years. Henry was only glad she hadn’t left.

“What the hell is happening?” CC asked, dumbfounded.

She’d never seen Bart’s eyes make tears before, never seen him so distraught.

“Who is this woman?”

“Aria Maine is now the sole surviving heir to the throne of Sartis Est, an ally of Terres Somnia’s. She’s asked for refuge in Terres Somnia while she looks for a King Consort to secure her rule. It’s really tragic, actually. She’s just lost everything, including her home. There are people who don’t think she’s fit to rule. If she doesn’t return to her country and claim her throne with a king consort in four months, she’ll forfeit the throne, to her uncle, Duke Maine. That’s if they don’t find her and kill her first. Her country’s very conservative. While she may rule, it may not be without a man by her side,” James answered.

There was silence.

“Well, looks like she’s found herself a potential king consort,” said CC, watching Bart with her.

It was like looking at another person altogether. She found she could not watch for long. This new Bart was confusing her, making her think that they really were too young for this after all. Not knowing what else to do, CC simply walked away.

“We’re coming home,” said James.

“It’s not necessary,” Aaron replied, taking her in.

She was more striking than beautiful, but he thought that that was by design, a trick in the way she wore her hair or her makeup or something. Her hair was shoulder length and she was shorter than her cousin. It was like looking at Emily, if Emily were a tomboy who cared a little less about her appearance.

“Aaron, don’t do anything stupid. This is not just some wounded girl who just lost her entire family. If you thought Emily Maine was a handful, this woman, this queen, is ten times worse. Her reputation precedes her. She’ll see you coming from a mile away.”

Aaron looked at CC, still walking down the corridor, listless. He thought about what she’d been through to finally get to a point where she was even ready to talk about a wedding.

“I’m the Casanova of Caines. Her being a challenge is half the fun. I’ll handle it.”

“Aaron-” Zoey began.

“I wore you down, didn’t I? This is what I’m good at, get the girl to like me. Queen or not, I don’t care how smart she is, I can get her to cave. They always cave.”

James and Zoey exchanged a look. She didn’t know if she wanted Aaron to manipulate her brother into a marriage. He could see it on her face. He didn’t want that either, but CC had had such a rough time of it lately.

“When you fuck this up, the minute you do, call me,” James said. “Your word, Aaron.”

But Aaron had already stopped listening. His eyes met with Aria’s. Maybe it was just because he had declared a war of sorts on her too, but he felt an electrical charge between them. Aria stared at the prince turned bastard’s dark eyes and winked at him. This little signal started Aaron on a dark road, one of deception, seduction, cunning, winners and losers. But once he took the first step, he found the next was easier to take and the next easier still until he was jogging to her, down the stairs. He went right up to her, brushing past Bart, took a knee, took her hand and kissed it.

“My condolences, Your Majesty,” he said, looking up at her, winking back.

Bart was about to chastise him for hitting on a grieving woman, when he saw CC standing in the doorway. There was an uncertainty in her eyes he had never seen before, not when she looked at him. He went to her without a second thought. Not for her but him, because it burned him. He didn’t know why, but it hurt him.

He pulled her to his chest and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She hugged him back and told her first lie to her fiance.

“Nothing.”

As Queen Aria watched the exchange, she looked back down at the man holding her hand and said, “Well, I suppose it’s not a list if there aren’t at least three names on it.”

December 3rd, 2019

(Caines, Terres Somnia)

CC's birthday was coming up. She had only recently started getting her dress ready for her birthday and planning for the next fashion show. Bart was glad to see it. The queen's absence finally seemed to be weighing on her less. CC even applied for fashion school next year.

Bart liked watching his fiancee. Shortly after they got engaged, he got himself a too comfortable bean bag chair that he placed in her office. When he dropped by and she complained that she didn't need a babysitter, he swore that he just needed somewhere to study. And he did study. He got through tons of material during his time at the fashion house. Did it take him twice as long as usual because he spent half of the time watching her work? Yes, but she didn't need to know that.

It might not seem sensible that it pleased him so much just to watch her, but then there was a time when he would have given anything just to lay eyes on her. A time when they were forbidden. Even now their families thought that they were moving too fast. “You’re too young,” his father had said. As long as she showed up two months from now to marry him, Bart didn't care. A 20 year old man had never been as sure that he wanted to marry someone as Bart was that he wanted to marry CC.

"Ouch," he heard her whisper under her breath.

As much as Bart liked watching her, he loved going to her even more. She already had the bandaid out by the time he got to her. He looked into her face as he took it from her and put it on her newly pricked finger.

"I can take care of my own needle pricks you know,” she complained, ghost of a smile on her face.

"I know Caroline," he said, bending over to pick her up.

Caroline.

Her name out of his mouth made her putty in his hands. He knew it and she knew he knew. It made her furious. His saying her name undoubtedly meant he was going to make her do something she didn't want to and she would allow it, because really there was nothing he wanted to do with her that she didn't want to do with him.

"Time for bed, you're exhausted. You can pick it back up tomorrow," he said, taking the unfinished dress from her.

"I'm not sleepy," she protested with a yawn, her arms wrapping around his neck as she snuggled up against his chest and her eyes fell closed.

"Right, of course not," he said, as he carried her out of the office.

Bart took CC to the room next to her office. He had turned it into a bedroom for her to take naps in when she had a show coming up and didn't have time to go home. It was one of many attempts at getting her to come back to work. He probably should have gotten her something bigger than a ¾ bed. CC ended up spending quite a lot of time at the fashion house after James and Zoey's coronation. Being at the palace all the time was still too hard for her back then and she didn't want to put Bart's parents out. Besides, she liked the effort he'd put into the place. It was cozy, she'd told him.

She clung to him as he tried to lay her down.

"Stay," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

Bart swallowed. She'd been especially clingy the last few nights, insisting he stay with her. There was this unspoken agreement between them that nothing beyond kissing would happen until they got married, so he didn’t usually stay the night. He loved her and wanted her to be happy and comfortable, but damn she was driving him crazy.

Ever since the first time he saw it, the uncertainty in her eyes, it was like CC no longer wanted what he thought they agreed upon. She was finally getting back to basics and that pleased him, but now there was this. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Did they need to talk about it? But he didn't want to embarrass either of them.

He couldn't go there with her. Not while that persistent look of uncertainty left him so confused about what was going on in her head. Bart needed to find a way to make that look go away before they could consummate their love.

The moment she asked him to stay, he knew it was coming. Just like the previous two nights, she was straddling him and her warm touch alongside her eager mouth told the story of her intent. He restrained himself, giving her free reign as he fought to not to explore beyond her mouth. For all the good it did him. Tonight her fingers weren’t satisfied with feeling out the buff chest, broad shoulders and rock hard core that hid under his shirt all day. As evidenced by the way she locked eyes with him, bit the corner of her lip as her shirt accompanied her arms up above her head, tonight CC wanted more.

Bart gulped as he watched her shirt hit the floor. What was he supposed to do with her shirtless and on top of him, threatening to take off more as she kissed her way down his body? The last two nights he'd managed to get her to fizzle out while spooning her and she'd fallen asleep in his arms. He’d hoped he had deterred her. Instead having caught on, CC only became emboldened. She already had them both half naked. His fingers dancing to the tune of her melody up her back, heading for her bra.

Stop. Tell her they needed to talk. He wanted to, he really did, but all his willpower went into not flipping them over and tearing the rest of her clothes off.

"I love you," she said, innocent eyes staring down into his.

The hot air from her lips mixed with his as he felt the bra he didn't know he had unclasped give way under his fingers.

Fuck.

He was going to stop now, wasn't he?

Her lips pulled up into a smile as she pulled the zipper of her shorts down. He found himself helping her, caressing her shoulders as he dragged her bra straps down her arms. Bra joining the rapidly increasing pile on the floor, his hands went straight for her breasts, squeezing and massaging her chest as her head fell back and she let out the most alluring moan to escape her lips in their eight month engagement.

Carefree. Out of control. These just weren’t things Bart ordinarily associated with himself. She just sat up there, taking it all, enjoying herself, lust tainting the love in her eyes. If this was wrong somehow, he'd deal with it later. If she wanted him to stop at any point, he would, but he was done restraining himself.

"I love you too Caroline," he said before he cupped her neck and pulled her mouth down onto his, wrapping his arms around her to pick her up and lay her down on her back.

She had her shorts down before he'd managed to pull his shirt all the way off, her legs wrapping around him as she welcomed his tongue into her mouth.

CC had finally gotten Bart to respond the way she wanted him to. He wasn't gritting his teeth, finding excuses for them to stop. Not tonight. Tonight he was all over her, kissing her and touching her like a mad man. She felt his lips heat up every inch of her skin. Starting with her lips, he moved onto her cheeks, her ears, her neck, her breasts. Tugging on her rapidly hardening nipples with his teeth.

“Bart,” she moaned softly. “Don’t stop.”

He was everything. Gentle but passionate. Generous and considerate. He kept looking at her, as though to ask her if she was sure. And she was, she really was, but by the time Bart pulled his pants down she found she couldn't keep her eyes open, not even for his ridiculously ripped body.

.

He felt her body go limp against his and gave a short laugh. She was lying under him, nothing but panties on with her brief clad fiance hovering over her. His head cleared quickly. He was an idiot. It never should've gone this far. As he pulled the covers over her, he couldn't help getting in next to her. Frustration and pure lust rushed through him as he took her into his arms, but he stayed anyway. She’d be mortified in the morning and he didn't want it to be without him next to her. So he stayed to reassure her. This might have to be the last time he brought her to bed for a while thoughMeanwhile, back at the palace, Aaron and Aria had been making eyes at each other for three days straight. She flirted readily and responded to his little light touches with little touches of her own. Aaron didn't know what James was talking about. She may just be one of his easiest conquests yet. It gave him morbid pleasure to discover that Aaron Condor, The Casanova of Caines, still had it.

Aria had gone out to get a haircut that morning, just when Aaron was getting used to the hair too. He decided it was in fact the hair that he didn't like. When he saw her again the day after meeting her, he went right up to her and pulled her hair out of the rigid ponytail she had it in and let it fall down onto her shoulders. As her hair spilled down, Aaron had to admit she was more than striking. She was gorgeous/ This was no small thing. He almost never changed his mind about these things.

Aria didn't strike him as shy, so Aaron figured an aggressive approach would be good. Hell, she'd all but invited him into her bed last night when she got into a hot tub with him with nothing but a tshirt and black thong on. There was no touching allowed this time, but damn the way she was looking at him before she opened that book and started reading, then completely ignored him for two hours. It did things to him. Aaron was usually the hunter, but somehow even as he got between her sheets buck naked, he felt a little like her prey.

"Get out," she said, taking one look at his greek god-like body and apparently deciding she was going to pass.

She sat down at her dresser and took in her new hairdo. And as she did, so did he. His mouth went dry, jaw dropped to the floor. She was wearing a knee length, violet dress. On her feet she wore classical black high heels. Aaron had always had a thing for black heels. Everything came together with a charming diamond necklace to subtly draw attention to her rack, which ladies and gentlemen, was also fantastic. And then of course there was the new haircut. Gone was the girl next door. There was no ponytail today and probably wouldn't be for a while. The way the chin length haircut framed her face made it look like red hair was invented for her.

Wait, did she just tell him to get out?

Aaron promptly slipped out of the bed and went to stand behind her, making sure she got a good look in the mirror. She looked, of course she did, she ran her eyes all the way down his body, surveying him like she was considering buying a slave and then went back to looking at herself and touching up her makeup.

"Impressive," she said apathetically. "Five stars."

What the hell was happening? This was not a response Aaron Condor was used to. Stay calm Aaron, she's just playing with you. On the inside, she's a wreck. A complete mess. They always are.

"Usually this goes a little differently," said Aaron, turning on the charm. "Usually I show up in someone's bed and I get a 'how do you want me?' not a 'get out.'"

As he approached, Aria felt her pulse quicken. Of course his body was doing things to her. She didn't think he would go this far this quickly. Hell just last night he was a being a fucking gentleman, as much as Aaron Condor could be asked to be a gentleman at any rate. He had looked, boy had he ever, but he didn't try anything. Now here he was ambushing her in her bedroom!

He was standing right behind her now, bending his head down to her neck, staring down her dress as he watched her in the mirror.

"Sounds like your usually is screwing a bunch of airheads," she answered, turning around, just as his lips grazed her neck.

She stared straight at his package, put a finger just above it and dragged it up his six pack before putting her finger in her mouth and sucking it.

"Like I said, impressive," she said, her eyes darkening.

She got up, grabbed his head by his hair and pulled his face down to hers so that she was looking him straight in the eye.

"Still not impressed though."

He snaked an arm around her waist, his head dipping down to her chest. She inhaled sharply as she felt the skin of his face, his hot breath, make contact with her breasts, her chest, shoulders and neck, felt his hands go down her arms, down her sides before he slid them down and grabbed her ass. He looked into her eyes. They were dark with lust, but there was no emotion in them.

She was attracted to him, wanted him, but not like this. He was wrong about her after all. This victory, even if he did get her into bed somehow, would be short lived. He was sure he would blow her mind and she his, but then where would they be? She wasn't some airhead, as she'd put it. She wouldn't be begging him to come back. If anything, sleeping with her now would probably only get him out of her system faster.

Aria saw it in his eyes. She'd won this one. She hadn't the foggiest why. He probably could've taken her right there and then and she would no doubt have let him, but he had found a reason to fall on his sword and she wasn't about to question it. She needed to get Adonis the hell out of her room.

"Next time, try harder. At least make some effort," she said, licking his cheek before sitting back down.

He stepped back, gave her a naughty crooked grin as if to say challenge accepted and turned around. He pulled up his pants and walked right out the door.

Aria let out the breath that she'd been holding. She was here to find a King Consort, not play hot and cold with Aaron Condor. What the hell had she been doing the last three days, acting like a child, making him think she'd spread her legs just because he came calling? She needed sanity. Something concrete. Reliable. Someone who would help her keep order. Aria needed someone that hadn't been at the palace lately. She needed Barry.