Chapter 10
He smiled. That same smile that I had fallen in love with. It was different however. It was much more reserved not his usual bright smile. It was somewhat…dimmed. His light, his animation…it was all gone. He had grown taller and his hair was longer. His face looked tanned and he looked well-built like if he had been chasing ogres in my absence.
"Oh here and there," he said in his deep voice. "How have you been, Derek?" Derek grinned at him. "Perfect."
Char arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Last time you were miserable because of the dull court life. What changed?" Derek laughed and said, "I fell in love."
Char's eyes lit up for a moment and he smiled sadly, a smile full of secrets. "Yes, love does tend to do that." His voice was quiet. "And may I meet the one who's made you so happy?"
All this time I had my back turned, afraid to see him properly. I had only glanced over my shoulder to catch a small glimpse. I was frozen. I could not move. I knew I should have run like I did last time. But I could not.
"Of course," Derek smiled and turned to me. He turned my back to face Char. "Annabelle, I would like you to meet Char. Remember I told you about him?" He beamed at me. "And Char," he turned to his now frozen friend, "this is the woman I love."
Char looked at me in disbelief. "Derek!" Queen Ambrosine called. Derek looked to his mother and then back at Char and me. He excused himself quickly before rushing over to his mother.
"Ella?"
"Hello, Char," I said quietly. He swallowed. "It's really you?"
"Yes."
He looked stunned still. "Why does he call you Annabelle?"
I laughed softly. "That's my name now." I walked a little away and he followed. I turned to him again and sighed, "Will you please walk with me to the gardens?" He nodded quickly and we walked in silence.
He stopped suddenly and asked the one question I knew he would. "Why?"
I exhaled slowly before I began to tell him everything. I told him about Lucinda and the curse. I told him about my journey to Ayortha. I told him about Derek and me. I told him that I loved Derek.
"…So that's it. I'm free from my curse, finally." I sighed again and laughed a little. "It's ironic. I thought I'd always be with you but here we are and I'm getting married to someone else."
He had not said a word all this while. "You know I never stopped."
I nodded. "Yes."
"And even now, when you're free of this curse, you won't be with me?" His voice held a silent plea.
"Char, I don't know." I was speaking the truth. "I really do love Derek. I do. And I thought I did not love you any more." I chuckled grimly. "How wrong I was…"
"So you do love me then?" He was hopeful now.
I was thoughtful before I answered. "Yes. I don't think I ever stopped."
"So…what do we do now, Ella?" he asked, coming closer towards me. I shrugged. "You know even I don't know."
He laughed a little. "Yes." He looked at me. "But I do know that I won't be able to watch you marry someone else." His voice held a tinge of desperation and betrayal. "Even if it's Derek. I won't be able to do it, Ella. It would destroy me."
"Oh, Char," I sighed. "I wouldn't ask you to." He was coming closer and closer to me. He held my face in his hands. "I love you, Ella," he whispered as he kissed me.
We broke apart after a while. "So what are you going to do?" he asked me softly. I could tell the real question he wanted to ask was, "Who will you choose?"
I spoke the truth when I answered.
"I don't know."
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