Chapter 7: Love's The Word

~Enchantment~

Over the hills, through the grass, under the clouds. We've made it back after a couple days of traveling. Before we make it back to the village, for me the castle, we switch horses. Jui and Koir said they'll get a head start while Riharu and I catch up. I was nervous when they made this plan. We're insight of our homes but it could be 20 minutes before we get there. 20 minutes I have alone with Riharu.

Riharu controls Lietha while I ride on the back. Lietha is in a slow walk so I don't have to hold on to Riharu. Surprisingly, I'm the first to break the silence.

"How come when you saved me from being caught, you never asked me if I got the locket?" I ask him while looking at the trees above us.

"Because I just wanted to get you out of there, Channie."

I laugh, "I forgot I told you to call me that. You can say Channie or Chan. Either one is fine."

"Hmm, Chan, I like that."

"Just be sure to address me as Lady Enchantment in the public. But when we're just by ourselves, Chan is completely fine." I smile. I feel like a lot of weight has been lifted off of my shoulders now that we're home with the jewel.

"Hey, Chan?"

"Yeah, Riharu?"

"After you turn the jewel in or whatever, will you please meet me at the Coastal Reefs?"

"That place where the water is crystal clear blue with nice soothing waves and if you go out there at a certain time you'll see whales jump out of the water from afar?"

"That's the one. Be there after sunset. You should get some rest first."

I lay my head on his back and pretend to snore. He laughs. Besides my brothers and a select few servants, I feel like he's the only one I can be myself around. He makes me smile and laugh. He makes me happy.

I pick my head up and ask, "Did you read that?"

"You're happy around me. Come to the spot and I can show you how to cover up your thoughts and mask your energy field better." I forgot energy fields is technically where you can read someone's emotions. But I like to call it an aura. Aura is a prettier word.

"If I am not held up or an emergency doesn't happen, I will happily hop there."

He laughs again. Geez, I'm not even that funny.

We finally make it into the tropical village. Riharu takes me to the castle. I slide off of Lietha and grab the weapons Riharu held for me this whole time.

"Please return her to her stables. I must go," I look up and tell him.

"Of course. You know where the spot is located, right?" he asks me.

"Yes. I used to go there to make songs. Not to mention, most fiestas would be held there." (Party or feasts.)

"Okay then. Bye for now."

"Adiós, Riharu." (Goodbye.)

~/\\~

I take a bath. I put on a green shirt with floral flower designs on it. I throw on some white leggings with white winter boots. I put on a flower crown, and soon my outfit for today is finished. Well more for tonight. I don't need to rest. I'm kind of in a restless mood right now.

Mother and Father wishes to see me in the dining room. I didn't give them the locket yet. I don't think they were too worried about me. Just worried if I got the jewel or not. It's a possibility that I've accepted.

I slowly but surely make my way to the dining room. When I walk through the doors, my brothers' faces light up along with mine. Aponsay is the first to run up to me and hug me.

"Oh, how I've missed my brother!" I tell him. Juel clears his throat. I hug him too and say, "But just as much as I've missed this one." Not forgetting my little brother, I walk over to him and pull him in a hug. "Don't worry, I've probably missed you more." Jakara smiles when I tell him that.

"Darling, come sit." Mother says, patting a chair next to hers. I walk over to the chair that she wants me to sit in.

"Padre, no te vi antes de que te fueras." (Father, I didn't see you before I left.) I tell Father when I see him.

"A new interest for your language I see."

"Yes, you could say that." I tell him, grabbing a piece of bread and pola.

Mother clears her throat and asks me, "Well, did you get the jewel?"

I hand it to her and say, "Yes, but it is a part of a locket. I went through much trouble trying to retrieve this, so tell me, what do you plan on doing with it?"

She touches the jewel but it doesn't light up. That's peculiar. After examining it some more, she looks up and tells me, "It will inform me if you are the Chosen One. If you aren't, then it must be another witch. Give me your hand." I do as I am told. When my fingers come into contact with the jewel, it glows radiantly.

"So, you are the Chosen One." Juel says.

"Wait. I'm undeniably confused right now. What is the Chosen One?" I ask no one in particular. I just want some answers.

"I will inform you of it all later. For now, just eat your meal." Mother says. After a minute of staring at it, she excuses herself and leaves. Father too.

The Chosen One? What is the Chosen One? A powerful witch or something? Was stealing that the only way to find out? Is that the only thing it can do?

"What was all of that about?" Jakara asks.

"The Chosen One, I'm guessing," Aponsay responds.

"I'd like to know too," I tell them.

"Who cares? Let's just eat up." Juel says, getting a little too excited for me. I laugh at his enthusiasm even if it's just over food.

"So what are we all going to do tonight? You know, as a celebration for our lovely sister here?" Aponsay says, pointing to me.

"Let's throw our own fiesta!" Jakara exclaims.

"I don't know what you guys are going to do but I have somewhere to be tonight." I say. I go on to say, "And it doesn't involve any of you. I don't want you meddling in it."

"You have a date or something?" Juel asks. My cheeks burn bright red.

Aponsay notices and says, "A date? No! You don't get to date." Everyone at the table laughs loudly. Except Aponsay of course.

"Okay: You don't get to tell me if I get to date, and no, it isn't a date. No courtship will be happening tonight," I take a couple of strawberries and get up, "It's my life, I'm going to live it as I please." I start walking out, but before I do, I turn around and throw a strawberry at Aponsay. He starts getting up but I run out of there as fast as I can, all the while laughing uncontrollably.

~/\\~

The sun has finally settled and the butterflies have started to rise in my belly. A blue butterfly circles me and flies off west. Maybe I am the Chosen One. Since I can make butterflies in my stomach fly right out.

I had decided to take a nap after all. A nap right under my special tree I would go to—for crying under when I was younger. But now it's time to meet Riharu. I raise myself up and start walking to the Coastal Reefs. I wonder if he changed his clothes. What will we do? Will we sing songs once I get there? Maybe swim? I really need to stop asking myself questions, it just makes me more uneasy.

I arrive there. I search for him. I look farther out, and I see him sitting by the shore. I walk over to him. I didn't even realize how fast I was walking. Usually when I'm nervous about something, I walk slow with my head down. I sneak up behind him and slam my hands down on both of his shoulders and shout, "Boo!"

He gets so spooked. I begin to laugh so loud and hard. I literally start wheezing in laughter. He laughs also and gets up. "I'm sorry. I just had to." I voice out to him.

"You're in a good mood all of a sudden."

"I guess I'm just happy to be back home. Definitely to be with my brothers." I say, smiling.

The next thing he did was just as unexpected as me scaring him. He picks me up and gently throws me on the ground. Well, as gently as throwing someone down gets. Once I'm on the ground, he starts tickling me. Very unfortunate for me since I am ticklish practically everywhere.

"No! Stop!" I say in between laughs. I laugh so much that a tear trickles down my left cheek.

"Please, Riharu. You're . . . killing . . . me here!" I laugh more.

He stops and sits me up. We sit on the blanket that's over the sand. We sit in silence for a few minutes. Both of us trying to make up something to say.

"So what now?" I'm the first to talk.

"Let's play a game."

"Okay. Do tell." I say, getting excited.

"We can ask each other anything, and we have to answer truthfully. No matter what. Do not worry my lady, I don't judge," he says. I laugh at how he goofily speaks the last sentence.

"Alright, me first. Is there someone you love in your life? Or someone you used to love? Basically, I'm asking if you've ever had a significant other."

He just sits there thinking for a moment. Finally, he says, "There was no one I ever really loved before, besides my family of course. But now, there is someone. I just don't know how she feels about me."

I take his hands in mines and tell him, "Well, personally, one would be a fool not to like you. You're great. You're amazing. If she doesn't like you, there's always other girls. And don't tell her I said anything, but, she must be really, really, stupid not to love you back. If she doesn't love you that is."

He chuckles and asks me my question, "Okay, my turn. Did you like that Elfling back in Mirkwood?" I draw my eyebrows together. Why does he always ask about Legolas? He just can't seem to leave the subject alone.

"I don't know. He was a nice friend while it lasted. The more the merrier, I guess. My turn, why do you always ask about Legolas?"

"I don't always ask about him."

"Don't avoid my question, Riharu." When I say this, Riharu rolls his eyes and stands up. I get up too. He starts to walk away.

I'm about to tell him to come back when he turns to me and shouts, "Maybe it's because I like you! Or even love you!"

I just stand there, shocked as ever. My feet don't want to move towards him. I had suspected he had a little crush on me, but I never really considered it.

He starts to walk back to me and fast too. When he's just a couple of inches away, he takes my head and brings it to his. My head being a little lower since I'm about five inches shorter than him. Our lips meet. His lips feel like the softness of a rose. He pulls away, staring me in my eyes. Waiting for me to say something. It was such a sweet and tender kiss. I make sure to mask my emotions and thoughts. If I'm going to tell him anything, I want it to come from my mouth, not my mind.

~Riharu~

The kiss gave me life. At this point, it's exactly what I need. Life from her to go on without her. To at least go on without her for a few hours. She doesn't know how much I need her. How much I want her. How much I love her. I was always afraid to think of that word when it came to Enchantment. Because I didn't know if she could ever love me back.

Now I can't stop thinking about her sweet, pink lips. She's my everything and she doesn't even know it. I feel stupid just standing here waiting for a response. I should have just never pulled away. Just tried to make it last forever.

After what feels like a hundred hours, she says, "Riharu." That's it? Is that really all she can say? So, she doesn't love me back. It would just break my heart for her to not ever had even considered me to become a good lover for her.

I tell her, "I think I love you, Chan. It's fine if you don't love me back. Just please love me until the sun rises again."

"Riharu, you know that we can't ever be together. But you're just great. You know that. And, to be honest, some part of me does love you. It may love you forever. I mean, it's no secret how you make me feel," she tells me, pointing to her temples. I chuckle. It's never a secret when she gets to thinking or feeling.

She goes on to say, "But it's just not possible. I am a princess, and you are a guard. A guard of the royal family. A family in which would kill you if I told them I was to marry you. And, Riharu, I don't ever want them to be mad at you. You could lose your job. I won't let that happen." Tears start coming out of her eyes. I just want to cry along with her. But I want to be there for her too.

I wipe her tears, kiss her forehead, and say, "It's okay. I promise."

She starts crying more. She says in between sobs, "My mother and father . . . can make your life miserable. They don't . . . want me to experience love for myself. That's just how much . . . they'd ra-rather me to marry a prince. I don't want them to do that to you because, well because, I love you. I love you." I think my heart stops for a second. It's those words I wanted to hear her say a long time ago.

I shush her and tell her, "I love you too. I promise it'll be okay." She hugs me tighter, burying her face in my chest. I show her down to the blanket we were once on. I lay down and lay her head down on my chest. I rub her back, trying my best to comfort her.

"I've never even experienced love before. Why does it have to hurt so bad?" she says, sounding muffled.

"Sometimes love hurts. But don't worry about it. Just worry about calming down. Listen to the waves crashing against rocks. Listen to the crickets chirping away in the forest. Listen to the wind whistling through the leaves."

She stops crying after couple of minutes.

She picks her head up and looks at me to tell me, "Do you mind if I just lay my head on your chest for an hour more?"

I smile and say, "Of course not. Be my guest."

After some time, she says, "Thank you."

"For what?" I ask.

"For being honest with me. For letting me know that you love me. For protecting me. For being there with me. For everything basically."

A smile walks across my face, "You're welcome."

A few minutes later, she's fast asleep on my chest. I never even dreamed that me confessing how I feel to her would result in this. But I'm indescribably glad it did.

~/\\~

I wake her up and say, "It's probably midnight now. We must go. Your family may be worried about you."

She frowns and says, "They're not worried about me. They never are. Maybe my brothers once in a while but not them as a whole."

"What do you mean 'as a whole'?" I ask her.

"My mother and father could care less where I am, as long as I'm not dead. And it's not always all three of my brothers that's worried. Sometimes, it's just one. That's what I mean." After she's done explaining, she buries her head back into my chest.

I gently get up, trying not to throw her off. She stands up also.

She sighs, "So I guess we'll be on our way?" she asks me.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Okay. Yeah, okay."

"What are we now?"

"Witches," she jokes. I know she's just trying to lighten the mood and even avoid the question. I understand how hard this is for her, but I need to know.

I laugh, "Yes. We are. But what are we relationship-wise?"

She looks down. I was a fool hoping that we could be more than just friends. I hug her and talk in her ear, "I love you. No matter what we are, I will always love you. As a friend and more. I will always protect you. I will always let you cry on my shoulder."

She just softly kisses my cheek. I wish it could last forever. She pulls away from me and says, "I don't know what we are. And, honestly, I'm really scared to think about it. For now, let's just be. . . us. I guess because, in the end, all we can be is us. Goodnight, Riharu. If you ever need me, you know where to find me." She hugs me one last time and starts to go back home.

I yell behind her, "I love you."

She keeps walking, but she yells, "Yo también te quiero." (I love you too.)

I walk the opposite way and immediately start to think about her.


~ A/N ~ If you've managed to read this far, I wrote this when I was 14 (reaaallly young). I'm 17 now and I do believe my writing skills have improved a bit. I've always come back and forth to the story so I would say chapters 1-4, maybe 5 is when I was 14/15. I continue to grow as a writer and reading is a big help towards my writing. But I would really appreciate knowing what you think, constructive criticism, or even totally unrelated reviews :). It helps to know someone reads my work and maybe even likes it. Also, I do plan to go back and fix mistakes and make it a little less cliche & cringey ( "i lOvE yOU" if you get my reference) sometime in the future if you're worried. Almost forgot, if the formatting looks a little wonky and there's major mistakes or inconsistency with it, I did write this on Microsoft Word and this website is very new to me - in the publishing and editing portion anyways. Just let me know if it looks weird so I can see if it's fixable. Thanks for reading!