Keith Alford: Goodbye Kiss
He was drowning in agony. She was in pain.
She was gone. His heart had shattered.
"Be sure to dress presentably for our date." Keith spoke haughtily into his phone, sounding rather condescending but yet there was a hint of tease in his voice.
A female voice rebutted quickly, tinged with miff, "Do I always dress poorly?" It was a rare phone call from her prince but it was always inevitable that they would start bickering unintentionally.
"Not at all," Keith grinned to himself, "Just the other day, you were wearing sweatpants and a rather old shirt…"
"Hey! That was because I was at home the whole day! You were the one who appeared suddenly at my doorway!" She was beginning to sound flustered and Keith only chuckled more at her lovable reaction.
"Yeah, yeah. I will come and meet you at your university tomorrow. Have a good sleep."
Simply hearing the voice of his beloved, it was enough to lift the weary mood of the prince. It was an unorthodox relationship, an unconventional one, between a royalty and a commoner. But Keith was determined to see things through, he was adamant to crown this woman that he loved so dearly as his princess, his queen.
The arrogant and brusque prince was willing to do anything for her.
Anything.
If love was nothing more than a fleeting moment of sparks, then what was this constant pounding in my heart?
She was wearing a white romper with a maroon knitted cardigan over it and she had her hair tied into two braids, looking as vivacious and jovial as usual. She was leaning against a large oak tree, in their usual obscure spot for their meetings, waiting patiently as she clicked her boots against the grass.
Donned in disguise, the prince arrived from the Liberty Manse, finally free from his hectic royal duties. Keith grinned as he caught sight of his beloved, pleased to be able to meet his girlfriend after a long and tedious week. He had practically threatened Luke into freeing his schedule up, despite the upcoming large projects in Liberty but Keith had needed this break desperately.
"Your Highness!" She called out ecstatically, running forward to greet her prince, her steps lithe and graceful.
Keith laughed at his princess' enthusiasm and he reached over and embraced her petite frame with his strong arms. "I didn't know you were this excited to see me."
"I am not..." She puffed her cheeks out, trying to break free from his grip in protest but Keith only held on tighter in response.
"So where shall we go now?" Keith flicked his princess' forehead playfully.
As Keith eventually released her, he took her hand and subtly intertwined their fingers. Keith was gleeful as she didn't resist him, only blushing silently at his touch.
"Shall we head over to the Charlesian café that you have been raving about recently?" Keith suggested as his mind wandered to their conversation the previous day.
"Okay! It's really popular with the students though, I am worried that we may be noticed by the others."
"There's really no problem considering that I am in my disguise. Furthermore… what is wrong with me enjoying a date with my beloved?"
"Oh.. Prince Keith.. you…"
The two went on bantering, their conversation suddenly changed to the topic of that paparazzi and tabloids, all the while too focused on each other to notice that a car was lurking at the road, tailing them, a few pairs of eyes watching them with malice.
There weren't many customers in the café, it was considerably emptier than the usual crowds, much to the couple's luck.
"I will have the chocolate latte!" She chirped jubilantly, as Keith pondered over his choice. "Well… I will just have whatever you are having. I have no idea how to order using this…" Keith gestured in disdain at the new ordering machine that shops had begun to use in their operations.
She laughed at Keith's inexperience and tittered gently, "Looks like our prince is not all that capable, huh."
"Are you picking a fight now, woman?" Keith sighed, as the two took their seats by the corner.
She began to speak gaily about her school life, filling in details of her daily routine to the prince in which Keith had shared with her his usual chores and seemingly endless work that of a royalty as well. "Oh, Catherine asked about you, too."
"Really?" She widened her eyes in surprise, "Is she feeling better recently?"
"Yes, and she is really hoping that you can come and visit her, maybe stay a few days too in the Manse." Keith then coughed before adding on shyly, "I am… slightly… hoping that you are able to… too…"
She giggled innocently at the prince's embarrassment, he could be so bold and brazen at one moment and then shy and anxious at the next. She nodded in agreement, promising to stay with them during the weekends.
As the two sat for some time in the café, more people began to stream in, taking notice of the imposing yet refined man sitting at the corner. Whispers were heard echoing throughout the cafe, "Is that… Prince Keith…?"
Keith sighed, it was hard for him to enjoy his privacy and as his princess had caught his cues as well, the two walked out of the café, bringing their date to an early end as they tried to hide from the public surreptitiously.
There was soon a commotion, and Luke had sent a message informing the prince that paparazzi were arriving in the area in hordes and the two had to walk their separate way. News had spread albeit a little too fast, much to the chagrin of the prince.
His princess had left first, as Keith trailed behind her silently, watching her forlorn back as she believed it to be her fault. It was heartrending, unable to hold her and only watching her from afar as the prince had to keep his distance.
It was his eventual regret.
Everything had happened in a flash, so sudden, so abrupt, and so loud.
She was crossing the road, as the prince stalked afar from behind, as a black car appeared from nowhere at an incredulously high speed. The car went straight into her, she barely even had the time to process what was going on before she flew far from the impact.
Time froze.
Her braid was loosened, her bag had fell amongst the grass, her items scattered everywhere. She was lying on the pavement, still and pale. Her small figure was crunched at an impossible angle, blood flowing incessantly from her head, staining her outfit and the black cement with cruel crimson red.
There was a loud screeching noise as the surrounding vehicles came to a stop, but the black car had long already disappeared from the scene after the deed was done.
The prince watched the whole scene unfold, dazed and immobile, before his senses gripped him in full force. He yelled, running towards his girlfriend, kneeling beside her, gently caressing her soaked forehead. He understood that he shouldn't carry her for fear of hurting her even further but yet in a dark corner of his heart, he knew that she couldn't be hurt anymore.
Keith was helpless.
"Luke!" He bellowed as the butler came rushing forward, together with the bodyguards who were fending off the onlookers.
It was a pandemonium, and it was a tragedy.
She was taken to the hospital immediately, Keith refusing to leave her side for even a single moment. He had wanted to hold those fragile fingers so dearly but the nurse had warned of her possible fractures and to not touch her at all. Keith knew well that the nurse was doing this for his sake, not hers.
Keith stared and stared, his gaze never leaving his beloved. She had looked like she was sleeping, her hair was in a mess, plastering to her face in red. She was barely moving, no, she had long since stopped breathing.
Keith yelled in anguish, "Save her, doctor! Save her!"
Luke had to restrain his master as she was taken to the hospital. Keith was pacing impatiently, almost in rage, as he waited for the verdict. Soon afterwards, Prince Edward appeared, hurrying from Charles Castle upon getting the message from Luke, and it was still a futile attempt to pacify the grieving prince.
It was barely a few hours as she had sat there, in front of him, animatedly speaking about how well she was doing in school. It was not even a few minutes that she was consoling him that they had to be away from each other only for a few seconds and that they would be reunited in her apartment soon.
But yet it was within this short frame of time that she was gone.
"I'm sorry." The doctor was bowing fervently, expressing his condolences towards the devastated prince. "I'm really, really sorry."
Actually Keith had already known all along, he had heard snippets of the nurses' words as they carried his princess' body into the ambulance.
She was pronounced dead at scene. The crash was fatal. She could never be saved.
Yet Keith had still held on to that small glimmer of hope in his heart, silently praying for her sudden revival. He knew that she was only brought to the hospital in a weak attempt to bring her back. It was a horrid crash, there was hardly any ways for a delicate woman such as his princess to survive the fatal accident.
But he had hoped endlessly.
Keith walked wordlessly into the operation room, his body trembling with sorrow, his tears threatening to fall. His initial composed demeanor was soon giving way to the distraught man underneath. He was devastated.
Keith walked towards the lifeless body on the table, staring at his princess in disbelief. She was wiped clean of blood, and she was dressed primly in a white gown, her eyes closed as if she was in a deep sleep.
Keith took her fingers, they were cold, and it had chilled the prince to his core. He stared longingly at his princess, noticing that her usual blush was gone, and she was strikingly pale, a sharp contrast to the dark operation room.
Her thick lashes were fluttering, as if she might wake up at any moment time. Her lips were full and still soft despite the lack of blood. She was beautiful, looking gentle and surreal.
She was supposed to be his.
Keith touched her lips tenderly, staring at her miserably. "Hey…" He whispered, before his voice started to waver and large droplets of tears began to fell onto her cheeks. "Has… anybody told you that you are… beautiful?"
There was no reaction, Keith was half expecting his princess to smile and tilt her head in shy response, simpering at him as he had finally complimented her.
Keith faltered once again. "Who… do you think you are, you commoner? Leaving me alone after your promise to be my princess?"
Keith tried to mask his sorrow with anger but he knew he had never gotten truly angry at her even once in their many arguments. "Who… is going to bicker with me now? Who is going to reproach me…? Who will speak freely to me anymore…"
Keith was surrounded by luxuries, sweet nothings and empty flatteries and only his princess was genuine towards him. She was the only person who was commendably frank with him, the only person who had dared to defy him and the only person who had treated him with pure love and affections.
His knees buckled and gave way, his strength was sapped, he no longer had the energy to stand. He fell to the floor, kneeling quietly at her side, tears dripping endlessly down his cheeks. It was the first time that he had fallen this deeply in love with somebody and now he had lost his love. It was cruel, almost as if fate was mocking him.
Keith was full of regrets. He regretted that he had spent their initial time together bickering and quarrelling. He regretted that he hadn't complimented her much, and he was always making her worried and distressed with his unpredictable behavior towards the ladies surrounding him. He regretted not admitting to her how much he had loved her despite his heart already been taken fully by her.
He was weak, he wasn't proud enough to publicize their relationship, and to tell the whole world that he was going to make her his princess.
His final regret was not taking her hand firmly at the very end.
After what had seemed like an eternity, Luke knocked on the door meekly, indicating that it was time to leave. Keith had refused to let go of her hand but Edward's words had reminded him that it was time.
"Prince Keith, please let the princess go. She has to rest in peace. It wouldn't do well to dwell too much in your sorrow and to forget her final needs."
It was a gentle, subtle way to inform Keith that his princess had to be buried. He knew, but he was unrelenting, it was only just a dream. He didn't want to believe it.
Keith trailed his finger down her face silently, and he bended down to kiss her on the lips. She was getting colder and colder as time passed and Keith knew.
"Goodbye, my princess."
His heart was broken, and his dreams were shattered. The man was never the same again.
It was a grand funeral, something that Keith had made sure of as his final parting gift to his princess. He was finally aware that he was the indirect cause of her death, it was a warning from the ruthless mafia organizations in the Kingdom of Liberty. Keith had vowed to eradicate their very existence, after his princess' departure.
The other princes had arrived to pay their condolences as well, reminiscing about the gentle girl who had appeared bizarrely at their ball. Each of them placed a flower on the coffin, their words short yet their feelings were succinctly expressed and it was apparent that all of the princes had taken a liking to her.
After the burial ceremony, Keith was found sitting alone in his office, refusing to greet the guests. Catherine, his younger sister, was the only one who was brave enough to enter his office.
"Brother…"
Keith didn't bother to give any acknowledgment towards her presence, he was staring in a reverie at the ring in his hand. He was going to proposed to her on her birthday and it was only in a few weeks. He had pictured the joyous occasion, watching her as her face lit up in delight when he would finally place that ring on his finger.
"Cathy…"
Keith spoke after a long time, rolling the ring in his palm. He had carefully engraved it with their names and had especially chosen a large sparkling diamond. Keith smiled whimsically as he thought of how he had matured after meeting her.
"I am not capable of loving again."
She had taught the prince to be empathetic, to be considerate and lastly, to love. Keith knew that he would never see another woman again in the same way and his heart would always have this empty spot in it. When she was gone, part of him had died along with her.
His heartstring was broken and it would never be mended.