13. THE MYSTERIOUS SUITOR

Sofia sank into the bottom of the river and only saw blankness. In the middle of shock, she almost forgot that she had been able to swim until her body was swept further away by the strong stream of water. She struggled to float to the surface and tried to swim toward the river bank, but the flow in the middle of the river was stronger than she had expected. She was drifting away in the huge momentum of water current, and nothing much she could do about it except to hope for a miracle. Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her body and she was pulled by someone toward the river bank. A while later, she had been lying on the ground near the river bank. She was safe.

"Sofia, are you alright?" Someone was asking her. And that someone was Prince Hugo. She blinked. Sofia struggled to her feet only to be held back by Hugo.

"You are still weak, let me help you." Hugo held her on the upper arms to stabilize her body. "Are you alright?" He asked again, full of concern in his voice.

"Th...Thank you." She murmured under her breath, almost unheard. Hugo watched her throwing up and coughing badly to remove the excessive water from her lungs and she was breathing hard.

"Sofia..." Hugo started.

"Don't!" She snapped when her mind seemed to have recovered its initial state and remembered what had happened to both of them just before the fall.

Emotions are overwhelming her more than she could bear. Sofia took a step back when Hugo moved closer to her, still horrified, exasperated and exhausted from the whole ordeal. Her mind was foggy, unable to think straight and clear. Then, she turned to the opposite direction and ran away.

Sofia ran as fast as she could with the little energy, ignoring Hugo's shout calling her name. Not far ahead of her, she saw the jetty and the lodge, signifying she wasn't that far from the palace. Hesitating a bit, she stopped halfway in the busy area before her eyes caught the recognized footpath toward the palace which they had used that morning. She followed the footpath and continued running.

Meanwhile, the folk around the area were surprised to see a beautiful young lady dressed in finery ran frantically toward the palace's direction. The lady's sudden appearance drew a massive attention and they couldn't help but wondered what was happening to her to appear in such misery. Not far behind, they saw a nobleman was running after the lady, shouting and calling her name. They recognized him immediately as their prince.

"It's Prince Hugo!" Someone shouted.

The usually quiet place turned into a frenzy in no time when people, in this case, ladies especially, were shouting and screaming Prince Hugo's name. Some who were bolder jumped in his way and then hugging, gripping, groping and clinging to his body or clothes. They were all trying to speak to him at the same time, each of them competing for his attention.

Hugo bit back a groan. Oh, not now!

"Prince Hugo, you are so handsome!"

"My, this muscle of yours... Look delicious!"

"Prince Hugo, I love you!"

"Can you give me a kiss?"

As much as he detested that James of Enchancia, he detested fangirls the most. Especially the lunatic and fanatic ones, and in an emergency time like this. He remembered a few years ago, a fangirl tried to get into the palace by disguising herself as the daily maid and then snuck into his room just to see him! The worst part was he was just in his boxer at the time, for god sake! And the girl screamed at the top of her lungs upon seeing him in half-naked condition, not screaming in fright, but scream happily to be able to see his body. Oh, why more and more girls have become perverted, these days? Not to mention that this year alone, they had one case of a fangirl committed suicide the moment announcement had been made that he and Axel were to choose a princess for the royal courting.

With difficulties, Hugo disentangled all the ladies from his person and clothes, and quickly left the place to resume with his run, much to the girls' disappointment. "Prince Hugo, wait up!" Shouted the girls.

They were just lucky for being women.
If they were men, and trying to get in my way like that...
They will learn their unfortunate fate this instant.
I will punish and teach them a lesson.
And I will... I will...

Hugo grumbled to himself about his fangirls.

Meanwhile, Sofia arrived at the palace gate almost breathless and fell to her knees. Luckily, the guards recognized her and rushed out to assist the princess and let her in even though she looked horrible, like an insane woman just fled from a mental hospital. A pretty insane woman, though.

But she refused to be assisted and insisted she could walk alone without any help. Extremely drained, Sofia decided to walk slowly to calm her breathing until she reached her chamber, secretly praying nobody else would catch her in such a disgraceful state. Unfortunately, she was not that lucky.

"Sofia?" She heard a familiar voice call her, upon reaching the main compound.

Sofia froze.

She looked up to see King Garrick staring at her with a questioning look. Amber and Axel who had arrived earlier were standing behind the King, looking quizzically at her but said nothing. Worse, Queen Eleanor was also there, watching her with a look of distaste on her beautiful face.

"Err, Your... Your Majesties..." She stammered.

King Garrick took in the girl's condition. She looked a complete mess with damp, disheveled hair. Her dress was still dripping wet, clung to her body like a second skin. She was shivering even in the mild breeze with pale lips and gritting her teeth against the cold.

"Sofia, I thought all of you went to a picnic? What actually had happened? Why are you alone?"

"We were. I wasn't alone. I was with Hugo."

"Then, where is he?" The king looked around. "Tell me what had he done?"

"N...Nothing."

"And why are you soaking wet?"

Sofia scared stiff. She didn't know how to answer those questions, because she knew the answer would lead to another question.

"Because we fell into the river." A masculine voice answered from behind her. Prince Hugo.

The king studied Hugo. He looked no better than Sofia. His princely suit was drenched wet and his shoulder length hair was damp and messy as heck, stringing down each side of his face where it had escaped the rubber band that held his low ponytail.

"Hugo, there you are. How could both of you fall into the river?"

Sofia was nervous and panic. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt ashamed of her quick temper and tantrum that caused the fiasco in the first place, but refused to blame it all to herself. She glared at Hugo, who was staring at her coldly. Actually, the glare and the stare were not so much threatening, but rather denial guilty looks.

Sofia looked up searching for Amber, as if wanted to apologize to her sister for letting her down, for jeopardizing her courting chance with Axel and for causing such embarrassment to their family. She caught Amber's eyes, expected to see anger or disappointment in them but she only found sympathy and empathy that made her feel even worse, made her angry and couldn't forgive herself. Sofia stood there slouching with her shoulders slumped dejectedly looking just like a prisoner awaiting execution while Hugo cast his eyes downward, but kept his chin up and maintained his shoulders straight and squared.

How could this guy remain calm and looked arrogant even in this situation? Sofia mused.

"It was an accident." Answered Hugo.

"Explain!" Demanded the king.

"The winds and waves were strong and rough. The boat became unstable, and we fell." Hugo told him nonchalantly, leaving the part about their squabble.

The king's eyes bore into Hugo's, trying to sense any deceit on that face but failed to find any. Finally, he sighed.

"Very well. Sofia, go back to your chamber and change your clothes. I do not want you to catch cold or become sick." Said the king concernedly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Sofia quickly took off from the unpleasant situation, did not dare spare a glance to the other royals.

King Garrick watched Sofia went away and then turned to look sternly at Hugo. "I do not take this matter lightly. If I ever found out what had happened today was due to your foolishness, be ready to face the consequences." Threatened the King.

Hugo sighed. He bowed to the king and went off.

TUSoPS

Everyone in the Enchancia's castle was very busy as they would celebrate Sofia's eighteen birthday, tonight. She wished to have just a simple birthday party with only family and close friends, but King Roland insisted on having a grand birthday celebration because he thought that reaching the age of eighteen was something special. She stood in front of the mirror, trying on the dress specially designed by Madame Collette, the royal seamstress for her birthday party. She rolled her eyes to see how extravagantly the lady in the mirror was dressed.

Ugh, this was what would happen if you let Amber decide on the dress, Sofia thought. Somehow she felt the dress was overly decorated and not to her style. Suddenly she heard a knock on her door. Turning round, Sofia saw her mother stood in the doorway.

"Well, don't you look beautiful?" Queen Miranda walked towards her, smiling. The Queen approached her daughter and looking at her proudly.

Queen Miranda looked a little hesitant. "Sofia, as agreed by the Enchancia's court and your father, you must choose your suitor tonight. They are a few kings, princes and nobles from our neighboring kingdoms and our allies have already confirmed their attendance and looking forward to meeting you personally."

"Mom, do I really have to choose a suitor this way? I barely know them." Sofia let out a heavy sighed and felt her cheeks burn. Queen Miranda giggled, but gave no further comment. "I thought I would marry someone I love. Someone I could respect and would accept me just the way I am and makes me happy."

"My dear, I have a hunch that you would meet someone very special, tonight. Someone meant for you that will live happily ever after with you."

Sofia stared at her mother's grinning face. "Mom, stop lying. Life isn't a fairytale and a make-believe story. I'm not a child anymore to believe such nonsense." Sofia sighed, slightly annoyed with her mother's optimist attitude. "I don't want any royal nor someone wealthy. I'm looking for..." She closed her eyes and her voice became softer at this point onwards. "Someone who could make me lost when I look into his eyes. Someone who could brighten my day with his smile and someone that creates music in my heart just by whispering my name lovingly."

"Sofia, life is full of surprises. Sometimes, what you are looking for comes when you are not looking at all. Always believe something wonderful is going to happen." Queen Miranda smiled. "Good luck and see you at the ball, dear." She kissed her daughter's cheek and left the room.

Sofia quickly finished brushing her hair, made a small touch up and put on a glittering silver mask for her masquerade birthday ball.

Heaven, how to choose a suitor if I cannot see their face? What a brilliant idea, geez... Amber.

Everyone cheered and applauded as Sofia made her grand entrance into the ballroom. She looked incredibly beautiful and stunning even part of her face had been hidden under the half face traditional Venetian mask. After the cake cutting and the candles blow out ceremony, she made a simple wish and walked gracefully towards the dance floor where her suitors were waiting for her.

Sofia took a glimpse at the elegantly dressed gentlemen around her who were mostly princes, nobles and a few young kings. The crowd parted and made way for her as she moved forward and briefly scanning the suitors. She could recognize a few of them by looking at their figure shape, hair and facial features. Honestly, she was surprised to see one or two princes from the RPA had been interested in becoming her suitor. Suddenly, she saw someone looked awfully familiar.

"James? What are you doing here?" Sofia was surprised.

James was about to answer her when the string quartet chose that moment to play the music. James took her hand gently into his own and slipped another hand onto her waist as they began to waltz around.

"What do you think I was doing here?"

Sofia laughed. "Don't tell me you are scaring off my suitors."

James smiled. "Actually, that's what I intend to do."

"Crazy, possessive James..." Sofia muttered. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because they are all not good enough for you." Replied James in a serious tone that made Sofia's smile faltered a bit, thinking about his words. "My beautiful princess should only choose the best."

They spun gracefully.

"And do you have any idea as to who may be the best suitor for me?" Sofia raised an eyebrow.

"Well, he is close to you all this while. Closer than you even realized." James looked at her but only saw confusion on that face. "Sofia, you look breathtaking, as ever." James decided to change the topic.

Before Sofia could say anything, the music ended there and James had to retreat to pass the next dance to another suitor.

Then, Sofia found herself looking at... Prince Axel?

"Hello, my beautiful Princess Sofia." Axel kissed her hand. The music started again and the new waltz began.

"Hello, Axel. Uh, what are you doing here, standing amongst my suitors? Where is Amber?"

"Amber? Well, I'm sure you know that she doesn't love me." Sofia saw a somber expression flicked briefly across his handsome face. She couldn't help but pity him.

"Did... Did she tell you that?"

"No. She never tells me anything. Most probably, I am the last person in the world to know anything from her." He closed his eyes as if regretting his fate. "And I know Amber loves that idiot brother of mine." He said sullenly.

"Axel, look, I'm sorry for what happened-"

"Nope. Do not apologize. I've decided to forget Amber and court you instead. I would like to be your suitor, Princess Sofia. I'm sure we will be a perfect couple."

"What?!" Sofia squeaked. She watched Axel grinning stupidly.

The music ended and played again and again, from one suitor after another, but Sofia still had not found her right suitor. Her husband to be. She was desperate. Suddenly, she saw a gentleman standing elegantly at the very back of the crowd. Despite standing in the last row, Sofia could still see him as he most probably the tallest suitor in the room.

She walked towards the gentleman. The crowd parted. Now Sofia could see him clearly. He was a hunky guy with a nice body that would make every woman on the planet drool. He bowed and held his hand out when Sofia stopped in front of him.

She placed her hand into his. A sudden jolt of sensation flickered through her hand as a result of the touch. It was faint and fast like a distant lightning, but it was there.

He was the only one who able to produce such a tingling sensation to me.

Sofia looked up at her suitor. He was wearing a shimmering black mask that covered the entire face excepted eyes and mouth. She was a bit disappointed. There was no way she could see his face and got the clue how he may look like. Judging from his figure and his poise and his dance, he was every bit a graceful. He twirled her body in an elegant motion and lifted her up effortlessly like lifting a feather, as they changed the dance steps.

God, he dances to perfection. Who is he?

And then, his eyes. They were glistening like eddying snow dancing in the air during the early winter, but also burning with emotions like a brilliant sun on the horizon during the middle summer. Sofia found her eyes drawn to his like metals attracted to a powerful magnet. Unwilling to look anywhere, not wanting to see any other, happy to be lost in those charming pools and refused to find their way out.

(I'm looking for someone who could make me lost when I look into his eyes). Sofia startled as the conversation she had with her mother crept into her mind.

"Princess Sofia." He whispered softly into her ear. It was the most gentle sound she ever heard. Sofia felt something inside her heart swaying and doing a weird dance.

(I'm looking for someone that creates music in my heart just by whispering my name lovingly). Sofia surprised.

"Princess Sofia of Enchancia, I offer myself to be your suitor, your future husband." He was staring down into her eyes. "I'm not a king nor a crown prince, I'm just a mere prince. I could not give you a throne and make you a queen, but I promise you will be my queen, forever, the one and only."

Sofia found her eyes gazing at his lips as he said the sweet speech. They were not pale or dark as what they looked on some men. By contrast, they bore the faintest shade of red that colored naturally on the fine two piece of skin, as if representing his other excellent features hidden under that mask.

Sofia blushed furiously when she noticed the prince had caught her gaze. But then he smiled. A genuine smile that was glistening his eyes further and warming his molten gaze to a few degrees higher. A smile that made her smile.

(I'm looking for someone who could brighten my day with his smile). Sofia almost gasped. Almost. Could he be the one?

"Sofia... Will you be my queen, lover and forever soulmate?"

"Yes..." She looked up to stare into his eyes. "Yes, Yes!"

Then he crashed his lips on hers. The kiss was gentle and sweet. And Sofia tasted heaven, for the first time.

All living beings in the Enchancia's castle cheered and celebrated for Princess Sofia. Sofia held her hand up and touched the prince's mask. She ran her fingers tenderly across the mask and stopped as her index finger reached the corner of his upper lip. She saw his lips twitched and curled into a sweet smile. She and the prince were holding hands, waiting to take off the masks and reveal their faces when the big tower clock struck twelve in about five seconds.

Ding! "Five." The guests cheered, and the countdown began.

Ding! "Four."

Ding! "Three."

Ding! "Two."

Ding! "One!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRINCESS SOFIA!"

Unfortunately, Lucky Angel seemed to be absent from the party as at that very second the entire castle was blacked out and Sofia could not see anything except pitch blackness. The situation was worse than she had ever imagined when she did not hear any voices nor music as everything went deathly silent. Movements around her seemed to have ceased as if the earth had decided to stand still. She was panicked and did not understand what was happening. Suddenly, she remembered she was no longer holding hands with the prince, her suitor.

"Prince?" Sofia called.

"Are you here with me?" No answer. In the darkness, she held out her hands in her effort to touch the prince who had been standing by her just seconds ago, but could not find him. She could not find anybody. She was actually alone.

"Prince, where are you?" She cried out.

"Prince! Don't leave me!" She hollered.

"Prince!" She was sad and despaired. Afraid and shocked.

If this was a joke, please, it's not funny!

Where is everybody? Where is he? I don't know his name! Heck, I don't even know who he is and how he looks like.

"Prince! Don't leave me alone!" She screamed in sorrow.

"Prince!"

Beads of sweat formed on her temples and tears flowed down her cheeks as she overwhelmed with a huge mass of emotions. Sofia felt someone held her shoulders to calm her. She also felt someone touch her cheeks and shook her body.

"Princess Sofia!" It was Scarlet's voice.

"Princess Sofia, you're dreaming! Wake up."

"Sofia, what happened to you? Come on, it's just a dream! Open your eyes." It was Amber's voice.

Sofia opened her eyes. She saw her handmaid Scarlet and Amber were sitting on the bed, both looking down at her.

"Hey, what did you dream of, to be screaming out like that?" Asked Amber.

"Where is the prince?" Asked Sofia again, disoriented.

"What prince?"

"The prince, my suitor?" Told Sofia.

Amber sighed. "Sofia, you were dreaming. There's no prince or suitor here."

Sofia blinked. She looked around her. It had taken a moment before she noticed she was in her chamber in the Kingdom of Albuquerque, not in a certain ballroom in Enchancia.

"You know, it's just 3 a.m. You should go back to sleep. We'll have quite an eventful day, today." Amber pointed out. Tucked in Sofia like a big sister would do, she then looked over her shoulder to speak to another person in the room. "Thanks, you two for coming down here. Nothing to be worried about. She just had a nightmare. She's okay now."

Sofia stretched her neck to follow Amber's direction of gaze and for the first time, she noticed two unwanted guests standing at the corner of the room. Princes Axel and Hugo. They were looking at her concernedly, just like a father over a sick child.

She remembered her dreams about Prince Axel wanted to court her and became her suitor. She flushed brightly.

I should have known, it was just a stupid dream.

Her eyes then darted to Hugo. For the first time, even in the dim lit room, she noted how tall Prince Hugo is. He is obviously much taller than Axel and even taller than James. Sofia saw the corner of Hugo's lips twitched and curled into a small smile. No, into a smirk.

He must have been laughing at me. Sofia mentally groaned. Hugo somehow reminded her of the prince, her chosen suitor. She cringed.

Suddenly, something dawned on her. Wait, how long have they been there? Did they hear me screeching out for the prince and mentioning something about the suitor? Damn, they sure did. God...

Sofia felt every layer of skin on her face was scorching. She wanted to slide under the sheet and cover her crimson face from everybody. That very moment, she wished to any star who pitied her would grant her some magic, so she could dig a hole out of thin air and go into hiding or at least make herself disappear. Now Sofia was positive that she could die from embarrassment.


AN: The first section was a bit tensed, so I decided to lighten up the mood in the second section with a bit of romance even it was just a dream. Had anyone ever been kissed like that in a dream? :D

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW: Next chapter is the last predicament between the two. I need that scene since it would determine Queen Eleanor's opinion on Sofia. Still the stubborn Sofia and the arrogant Hugo. (I shook my head). Next chapter is the turning point to the next phase of their relationship. Do not miss it!

REVIEW: I wonder where have the reviewers been? Are they lost in Hugo's charming eyes?