They were all looking remarkably better. Stronger, healthier.
She had gained some of her weight back. Her face was rounder, her eyes no longer had purple bags underneath them.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying their time here—everyone besides Ben, who somehow found something to complain about every night.
"Oh, shut the hell up already," Martinez exclaimed that very night. Most of them had grown tired of Ben's complaints. "We couldn't have dreamed of a better place. We're eating. We actually have jobs, we're making our way into their society-"
"And no one's trying to kill us. That's my favorite part," Peter added. Brent and Isla nodded in agreement.
"Okay, but-" Ben began.
"But nothing," Martinez said, "We all know you're just upset about the fact that Aria has to marry the king. And since she's not complaining about it, I don't see why you are," he spat out.
Aria blushed. No, she wasn't complaining about it. Yeah, she still didn't want to marry him. But Martinez was right; they couldn't have hoped for a better place. Though everything comes at a cost. And her hand in marriage didn't seem like a terrible one, so.
Ben's cheeks flamed. "Shut the hell up, Martinez. I'm sorry if I'm the only one who hasn't let their guard down. I'm sorry if I'm the only one who hasn't forgotten what the Terra told us!"
"Well, if that's how you feel, then maybe you should join them," Martinez said, raising an eyebrow.
No one else spoke up. Ben shook his head in disgust and looked at Aria like he hoped she would take his side. She just shrugged.
He got up and left the room without another word.
Part of her felt guilty. Part of her felt like she should follow and try to console him. But she didn't. She hoped that some time alone would relax him and clear his mind.
"He really needs to stop that," Brent said. He'd been talking more and more lately, getting back to who he was before getting captured. "What if Lex- or worse, Grace- hears him?"
The others looked to Aria. She shrugged again.
She'd already tried talking to Ben a few times, but he was still suspicious. She wasn't sure what she could say to make him stop. It seemed like the closer they got to the wedding, the worse Ben got. Which was utterly ridiculous to Aria. If anyone should be freaking out, it was her.
But surprisingly, she had been able to keep her fear at bay. She thought it was mostly because she'd already accepted that this had to happen. Being married to Lex was a small price to pay for all of the good things that would come from their marriage.
They hadn't spoken much since the night he returned, since the night he'd given her the present. But so far, he didn't seem that bad. Yeah, he annoyed her. Yeah, that stupid fucking smirk made her want to claw his eyes out. But he'd been reasonable, he'd been....decent....so really, it could have been a lot worse. She could've had to marry the king she’d heard about, not the one she found here.
She decided to go to her room, hoping for some solitude so that she could finish the poem she'd started the day after she got her journal. But on her way out, Lex joined her.
"So, I've heard that you took my advice and began training," he said, looking over at her.
She rolled her eyes. "Actually, I hadn't even thought about your advice when I decided, for myself, to start training. I just figured I should since everyone else is. And besides, I don't know what I'll have to face at any given moment."
"A wise decision, I'd say," he said, walking by her side. "So, want to show me what you've got?"
"Excuse me," she said, stopping in the middle of the hall.
"Your fighting skills, Aria. Unless you've got something else in mind?" And again, that stupid smirk made its way onto his face.
"No, thank you," she said, rolling her eyes, blushing. "I'm surprised you even know how to fight. Being king and all. Don't you have your guards there to protect you?"
"Well, I wasn't always the king. And I'll have you know, I'm the best fighter here."
"I thought you said that was Grace?"
"Actually, I said she was second best. I'm probably the only person that can beat her," he said, smiling.
"Somehow, I really doubt that," Aria said, recalling how she'd seen Grace take on (and beat) Martinez and Adrian the day before.
"Then let me show you," he said, "Unless you're frightened?"
Well, that did it.
"Lead the way," she said, her voice cold.
He fought another smile as they silently made their way to the training area.
"Leave us," Lex said as soon as they arrived outside.
The four guards left without another word. Part of Aria felt a little insulted. The other part was glad that no one would witness her attempt at fighting. She'd been training for a few days, but she was still pretty bad.
Lex took off the jacket-like piece he'd been wearing, leaving him in a simple black shirt, black pants, and black boots as he made his way to the center of the area.
"You want to pick a weapon," he asked, "I'll let you, to even the playing field a little."
"That's insulting," she said, following him.
"Well, don't say I didn't offer," he said, smiling.
She was pissed off enough to go for the first hit. He dodged it.
He dodged the second and the third as well.
They circled each other for a few moments before she tried again. Again, he dodged it.
She sighed in frustration.
"Stop dodging," she yelled.
He let out a laugh, "Well, what do you expect? For your opponent to stand there until you can manage to hit
