Sorry it's short, but I want to speed things up or repeat the story's point over and over again for more details.
To think, he had proposed! That was every woman's dream, of course. To get married and have a wedding with their lover and to top it off, mine was a prince! But...I was more shocked than anything. I wasn't really thinking of any of these joyous happy thoughts. It wouldn't as if I wasn't enthusiastic. I just really wasn't expecting this from Kouha. I looked down at the ring on my finger as Kouha's army set out. I heard a sign next to me. It was Koumei's. "Now we'll have to plan a whole royal wedding without him...And Kouha's picky," Koumei sighed once again and turned around to go back inside of the palace with Kouen, "Come to my office later [Name]. We have things to discuss." And just like that, they disappeared behind the red double doors, leaving me there alone.
Still stunned, and alone.
I'd be alone regardless since the only person I really connected with in my time at the palace had been Kouha. Kougyoku had been way too much for me and Judal...Well, he was a bit of a manipulative prick. I did have my friends from Magnostadt, but it was going to be tricky talking to them. I wonder if anyone will bat an eyelash if I ask some of them to visit me in Kouha's room. I could always act as if they're doing something for me. I'll have to see on that. Deciding that people would think it's highly weird of me to just stand out here, I went inside, going back to Kouha's room. I just plopped down on the bed, tired from waking up early to see Kouha set out. A good nap might be something that I'd need right now.
"[Name]...[Name]..."
"Shake her harder! We have to hurry!"
"Name!"
"Ah!" At first I thought I was dreaming with hearing the voices, but I wasn't. I looked next to me, seeing Titus, Nero, Aladdin, and Sphintus. "What's going on?" I asked. Had they been sent to wake me up? That's what it seemed like anyway, though around here you can never be too sure. Upon a bit of farther inspection, I could see that they weren't chained up or anything. They also seemed a bit anxious. Were they escaping? I hoped dearly that they wouldn't get captured. Then Sphintus started to explain.
"Aladdin's friend, ummmm, the King of Sindria I think..." the Heliohaptian male looked at Aladdin for confirmation.
"Yes, Uncle Sinbad," he nodded. Shinptus nodded in turn.
"Right. Well, Aladdin's friend just bought us all our freedom. Come on." I gulped. Hard. I couldn't go with them. Not now. Well, not really ever if I'm going to marry Kouha. My lack of response seemed to be the trigger of my answer. Titus was studying me, carefully. Sphintus rose an eyebrow.
"Don't tell me that the third prince really put a collar around you or something?" he asked, "He's not here, come on." I bit my lip. It was going to be hard telling them the truth. I felt so conflicted. I looked at all of them, trying to grasp the right words.
"I-I can't," I finally let out, only to receive a collection of surprised faces.
"What do you mean you can't [Name]! The Kou empire is dreadful! I mean Sai is still missing! She's probably dead! We have to g-"
"Did he propose to you?" Titus asked, interrupting a very frantic Nero. Their eyes all snapped in my direction from Titus's once the question was asked. I assumed that he must have seen the ring. I simply nodded.
"And you said 'Yes'?!" Spintus said, "What the hell, [Name]?!" This news was very shocking for them all indeed, but they deserve the truth...Or at least what I consider the truth.
"Listen...As you already know, being with Kouha has no longer made me a slave to begin with. So it's not like I can't leave when I want to." That was a lie, but I wouldn't believe it. Kouha wouldn't allow me to leave if I wanted to and telling myself that I could was only to make things right in my head. "But he and I were together before this and I love him! Besides, it's as Nero said! Sai is still not found. By staying here I could find her! I can ask Kouha for help." Truthfully, I did love Kouha, but once again, the thing about Sai was another hoax for myself. Why didn't I ask before then? I'm afraid of the answer. I prolonged the search just to make myself feel better and to give a reason for being here. Truth is, Kouha's the only thing keeping me here. It's the way I feel about him.
The stares I got should be expected, but for some reason I'm surprised. There's a mixture of shock, disbelief, and sadness in their looks. "You can't be serious, [Name]," Nero said. I sighed and nodded.
"Maybe it's best that you all leave," I mused softly, "You do seem to be in a hurry."
And that was that. I do wish that I was making this all up, but they left and rather upset, too. I could see everyone that had been taken from Magnostadt leaving from the window in Kouha's chambers. There was a tall purple haired man there talking with Aladdin and I assumed him to be Sinbad. They all looked so happy to be returning to their countries and they couldn't be blamed for that. I sighed as I wondered if I made the right choice or not. In the end it all depends on my love for Kouha and what the future holds. I'm not sure what that is exactly, but I wasn't really excited to find out. I walked over to the bed in the room and allowed myself to fall back on it. It felt so nice to just relax for once and try to forget about everything. At least all of my friends were now safe and that solved that problem. Most of my dilemmas were now internal. I laid still, only moving to examine the engagement ring on my finger, thinking of my lover. I think the next time we're united again I'll finally ask him everything I need to know in order to make this work. About Sai, if I'll be able to go as I please, everything really. There was soon a soft knock on the door, followed by Kougyoku entering.
"[Name], it's time."