Prologue:
Today was the day I finally get to meet him, talk with him, spend time with him, and catch up with each other's life. I am most eager to see him again. We'd been busy for the past few weeks I could hardly remember when was the last time we cross path in palace. Almost never.
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A huffing wind rose up then, I love the smell of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair. It felt pleasant and soothing. When the wind had passed I caught a glimpse of his figure, he'd his back on me, not noticing I was already there.
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"Rod!" I yelled out for him. His head turned around at my direction, his glacier eyes met mine. They were as beautiful ever.
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I used to believe his glacier eyes were cold, that they know no warmth and never know show love. I used to believe I was looking a prefect mirror of myself in those eyes, I used to treated others the same way too.
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That was what I used to believe but now I know the hottest fire always burn blue.
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"Lucette..." His face softens as his eyes laid on me, he ran towards me, eager to gobble me up in his arm, I'd run my way towards him too, ready for a tight and warmth embrace.
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The sky has darken and rumbling. A tinkling sound came to our ears as the first pearls of rain dropped onto the leave. A sheet of rain soon followed after, pouring down hard over our head. For a brief moment I stood still, too stunned to move or to comprehend how am I supposed to react to this.
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"What are you doing standing in the rain like this Lucette?!" Rod had shouted, his voice nearly engulfed by the sounds of pouring rain.
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"I-I..." I was still stunned to even move, this was supposed to be a perfect day for us, a nice sunny weather for a two lover to meet. But it seems like the whole world had turned their back against us today, today out of all day. Why must it be today? It ruined our day. Our sweet meeting.
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"Come on, let's get away from this rain! I know a short cut to a nearest shelter!" Rod's voice snapped me out back to reality, this was no time for me to be in daze. I need to focus on the matter at hand.
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"Yes, let's do that!" I agreed. Rod took out his coat and covered over our heads. He'd his hand wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him, making sure every inch of my body was out of the rain.
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"Stay close to me, Lucette. Ready and go!" We ran, side by side. We stepped on puddle, and sometimes jumped over a puddle. We were laughing, we were playful but the storm was merciless as it poured harder on us.
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We ran faster and faster, we're almost out of breath, we're no longer laughing or being playful as we focus on looking for shelter, the coat got almost blown away by the heat of our moment but I keep them together, holding them tighter in my gripped. Finally, we found an old pavilion and ran towards it, seeking shelter from the rain. We break apart as soon as the roof was over our head.
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I sat down on the bench, trying to catch up with my breath, my eyes automatically searched for Rod, he took off his boots, and hang his coat on a beam. His fingers combing through his brilliant blonde hair, he must have sensed I was eyeing on him, and he turned to looked at me.
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"That-That was unexpected and a lot more fun! Hahahaha!" Rod was the first break the silent between us. I snorted at him.
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"Rod, we're already in our twenties. We're not a child anymore playing game and having fun!" Rod raised his eyebrows at me, he was challenging me to say otherwise but I refused to admit my defeat.
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"Lucette, between the two of us you're the one who laughed the hardest and stepped on the puddle the most" I felt heat warmth up to my cheek, my cheek flushed in deep shade of red.
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"That—That wasn't what it looked like! I was running too fast and couldn't helped myself but to step on them!" Rod gave out a low chuckled, amused by my reaction.
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"You're so stubborn Lucette... You'd a huge pride in yourself, it make it hard for you to admit the little things that makes you happy. You're starting to behave more like my old self" I felt startled by his words. He was right about that.
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"No witty come back?" I caught him smirked at the corner of his lips. The man shook his head, I couldn't helped myself but feeling judged. I stood up to my full length, my eyes glaring up at him, our height different didn't helped me as he tower over me, he was head taller than I am but I stood on my ground.
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His glacier eyes shooting at me with amusement, no longer the boy who used to retort at every critique I throw at him. He'd outgrown his old personality and become more outspoken. A huge part of it was my fault, he'd pick up a thing or two from me and slowly it already begin part of him.
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I pressed my lips into a thinner line.
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Rod sighs in defeated. Finally, gave in.
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"Sit down, Lucette..." said Rod, he was the first to pull away from our eyes contact.
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"And if I don't?" I challenged him. Rod had forcefully push me down to sit down on the bench.
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"See, that wasn't too hard isn't it?" He kneel before me. "I want you to remain still while I took off your boots and throw the water out. We don't want you to catch a cold" Rod took off my boots, one by one. He turned it upside down and let it dry. I was expecting him to stand up but he was still kneel down on his knees, and kept on shaking the water off my boots.
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"Rod. You're not my personal maid. You didn't need to do that I can managed it on my own." I commented.
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I sighs in defeated. This man still refuse to look up at me. He wiped his hand dry with his handkerchief.
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"Oh? But I insists of doing you the favour." He finally looked up at me but his gazes quickly fell back to the floor, one hand slide into his pocket and glued to it.
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"Besides, it's a good position for me to..." his voice drifted further and further away into a whisper. It didn't helped my situation either when the rainfall become more intense, there were so much rain falling that the sound blurred into one long, whirring noise.
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"Rod?" I called out to him.
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His lips seems to be moving but I couldn't hear anything.
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"ROD! WHAT WAS IT?" I yelled out for him. The sounds of the crackling lightning flashed in the background, turning everything into white. The lightning faded into the thin air, and suddenly he stood right in front of me. I found myself gasping in surprised.
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"Princess Lucette, you know I would do anything for you, and love you unconditionally despite our circumstances." His voice was loud and clear, but more importantly there was something to his glacier blue eyes, there were unwavering and unbending determination.
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He looked serious.
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Another crackling of the lightning booming across the sky. The rain keep pondering over the forest.
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"As I do with you..." I stood up too. I grabbed a hold of his hand, and I hold it dear to my chest. My eyes softens, my lips curved into a sad smile, funny how fate toying with us. This unlikely circumstance. I do not wish for this to befall on anyone else.
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"We'd been through a lot together for these past few years and I couldn't imagine myself with anyone but you. Every day Rod, I waited for us to meet so we could be ourselves, to no longer hide for how we feel for each other. Every day I wait for this day. Every day, I'd planned for this day to be prefect and looked forward for the next. Every day, Rod. Every day." I'd laughed off my sadness, I was trying my best not to show it, I must not show any sign of weakness in front of anyone.
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Rod had pulled his hand up to my face, he cupped my cheek in his strong hand, and his thumbs wiped the tears from my eyes. I... I didn't realised I shed a few tears.
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"It was a privilege to be love so fiercely by someone like you." His pulled his hand, and he took my right hand as he kneel down before me.
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"From this forward, you shall not walk alone. I'll guide you and accompany with every steps you take. I vowed to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not. I wish I could give you everything, but I hope that this ring is enough"
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Rod took out a red velvet box from his pocket, he opened it and present to me the most beautiful diamond ring I'd seen before, it looked simple and elegant. He'd always like to remain modest, and this ring was a reflection to that.
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My eyes swell up with tears but my lips couldn't have smile even wider.
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"Yes! Yes! Yes!" I'd thrown myself into his arm. It didn't matter how we're still soaking wet, or how cold it was when I feel his wet shirt on my skin, that didn't matter at all, his body feel warmth in our embrace and that was all that matter.
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Rod had laughed and swirled me around. He too was happy, I can tell, it was amazing how my legs hadn't hit anything. But it didn't matter. All that matter was this moment, this bonding moment we both shared. I do not want anything to ruin it.
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A thought cross my mind as I pulled myself away.
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"But what how are we going to managed through this—I..."
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"You didn't need to worry. I'd already settle the issue with the king. You'd no absolute idea how hard your father been on me..." Rod gave me a reassuring smile.
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"The king!? What does he get anything to do with this?" I asked, confused
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"I asked for his permission for your hand in marriage and he gave us his blessing. We didn't need to keep our relationship a secret, the king and my mother already knew of this." I gaped at him, my eyes went wide.
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"You know I mean it when I said you shall not walk alone, I'll guide you and accompany you with every steps you take. I'll stay by your side every day." I was impressed. He was a step ahead of me!
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"I-I didn't know... All this time when you were away, you were really try to convince him?" I asked him, still in dazed.
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"Not entirely... I am a crown prince, it still part of my task to take my role even more seriously now that I'm planning to make you mine. He taught me how to be a proper ruler, and as your betrothed he just makes me meddle with this country's welfare a bit more than I used to"
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"Oh, I almost forgot Lucette. The king told me that-that her... Urm—no not, her..! I mean the wedding's date." Rod stammered nervously, I sighs. At the corner of my eyes I caught his cheek tinted in light pink, and I couldn't helped myself but to forgive him.
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I waited for him to finish his sentence.
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"He suggest for us to be wed after your coronation day" said Rod, as smoothly as he could master.
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"So soon? Not that I mind we're getting marry earlier but I get this nagging feeling, he demanding a grandchildren from us as he did with Emeglia..." A pang realisation hits me then, my face flushing at my own statement. Did I mentioned grandchildren? Oh, no!
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"I—I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that so soon... Ha-ha-ha..." I tried to laugh it off, and Rod's face painted in deeper shade of red than I am.
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"He is getting old..." Rod agreed, he keeps on talking "He keep saying he wish to see you crown as Queen and when I... I came to him and asked for his blessing he was glad that it was me who asked for your hand in marriage. He said when he'll pass, at least he knew you'll be safe with me..."
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'The King was worried about me? Even though he rarely showed it?' My face fell.
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"I'm jealous..." I admitted.
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"Lucette?" His eyes roaming over my face.
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"I'm jealous the king speak very fondly of me in front but never to me personally." I told him, flatly.
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"You still hate your father?" Rod looked at me intensely, his eyes were tight, and worried.
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"I—I can't simply forgive him, Rod. Especially after everything that transpire for a few years, he didn't make any efforts to amends our relationship, he is plainly ignoring me." I looked away from his gazed, I felt ashamed for it, with this feeling.
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"You know that isn't true. The king deeply care for you." His voice sounded soft, and thoughtful.
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"I find it hard to believe." I retorted. Shaking my head.
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"Let's not talk about the king. This is supposed to be our moment, our day, it supposed to be about us! Me and you. Does that mean I can openly show to the public that I love you?" Rod seems reluctant but he played along nonetheless.
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"The moment when our engagement news break into the palace we will. As a matter of fact, I would like us to announce our engagement during dinner. Then, we let the palace's staff do their works, and spread the news. We already have the King's and Queen's blessing, we didn't need to hide in secrecy" He smiled at me in the most radiant and brilliant manner, warming the very core of my heart.
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"All this time I'd been too busy training my magic. I didn't notice you'd been working for all of these behind my back." I smiled back at him.
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Words couldn't expressed how much I was amazed this fact. All the time we'd been away from each other was not for nothing. He'd grown so much. So much... I missed out a huge part of it for these past five years.
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"It was no wonder you'd been working so hard lately, I rarely seen you in your study" I pointed out.
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He leaned in closer.
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"The King was a strict but otherwise he's a great teacher..."
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I leaned in closer too.
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"I feel so proud, proud of you and us. We'd come a long way."
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Our faces are inches away from each other.
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"Indeed..." Rod had agreed. He bend down and pressed my lips on his.