Chapter 14: The letter! (part 1)

Shirayuki (P.O.V.)

I woke up in the morning really excited thanks to the previous night I spent with Zen! I haven't had so much fun for a long time, even though I think that this walk was a little bit different than the last ones. Mom and Dad said that we have another ten days being left. What a shame! I wanted to stay a little more time... Zen knows that we have ten more days and he doesn't seem happy about it, neither do I.

Kiki and Mitsuhide try to make my last days there even greater. They are teasing me all the time and it makes me happy. I don't want these moments to get lost in the future. I hope I'll remember all of them!

We went the four of us with Obi in the forest to have a little fun. We invited Izana too but he said he had a lot of work to do, especially paperwork. I pity him because I don't like this kind of work like Zen. Now we are in the forest teasing Mitsuhide and playing hide and seek like little kids do. We have so much fun that we indeed look like kids. Kiki closes her eyes and starts to count from one to fifty. Obi climbs a tree, Mitsuhide hides behind that and Zen and I hide in the shrubbery. Kiki seeks for us and the first one she finds is , who else, Mitsuhide. Then she finds Obi on the tree as she imagined. Now the three of them search for Zen and me but they don't seem to find us. We smile to each other and stay to our hiding spot.

Zen (P.O.V.)

I'm here with Shirayuki while hiding from our friends. I wish I could hug her but I'll be such a weirdo. She smiles at me and I'm getting lost inside her green eyes. I hold her hand and she has a bright red on her cheeks. She's so cute when she blushes! I love everything about her... Just everything!

Wait, what did I just say? That I love her? Izana was right as Obi and everyone else. Why did it take me so long to realise it? Now I can explain everything that happened to me since she came in Clarines. I get jealous when she's talking with other men and I have strange feelings when I'm with her. Mitsuhide has told me that this is love but I didn't listen to him. Shirayuki is my sunshine, which clears my sky when there are clouds. I want to confess my feelings to her but unfortunately I'm not that brave. I can fight anyone but when it comes to feelings, I can't do many things.

- Zen, I think we should get out of our hiding spot. They're getting tired and I don't want them to feel like this.

- Okay let's do it. Hey guys, we're here!, I say to my friends.

- Oh God, Zen. We're looking for you two everywhere. Finally you revealed yourselves, says Mitsuhide a little irritated.

Shirayuki feels responsible for what happened with Mitsuhide so she apologises.

- I'm so sorry guys for all this trouble. We didn't mean to irritate you.

- Don't worry Shirayuki, Mitsuhide comforts her.

We sit down the grass and say jokes. I see everyone else who have fun and I'm happy that I have all of them as friends. Shirayuki has an expression that I can't explain well. She feels happy and sad at the same time.

Shirayuki (P.O.V.)

Everyone is happy and I'm here wanting to cry. What am I, a crybaby? I just don't want all of these to get over. I have here in Clarines such a wonderful time! When I'll go back to Tanbarun, the maids and my teachers will tell me to get down to business. I can't deal with it! I wish I could be a normal person without all these that a princess needs to do. I want to be free to do what I want...

I feel Zen taking my hand and guide me to a tree. He looks deep in my eyes and holds my hands. He's blue eyes are so beautiful under the sunlight! I love them!

- Shirayuki, why are you like this?

- What do you mean by "like this"?

- You look happy but inside your heart there is sadness, I can feel it.

- Don't worry, I'm alright, I smile to him.

- No you're not. Shirayuki, I know you very well and I can tell when you're feeling sad. Please tell me what's happening.

- It's not something you need to worry about. It's just that... I don't want to leave Clarines. In ten days, I'll return to Tanbarun and...

Zen hugs me tight!!! He holds me in his arms and whispers in my ear that he wish we could stay like this forever. I hug him while telling him I want this too.

We look one another in the eyes and have a wide smile on our faces. I think I like him, or better, I love him! I want to know if he feels the same way I do but I don't have the courage to ask him something like that. It's beyond my strength...

We part and and return to our friends. Everyone asks us why are we so happy and we just giggle. Mitsuhide stands up and says that we'd better go back to the castle. We ride our horses and when we enter the room where Zen's and my parents are, we look at them wondering what is going on. They seem worried but the moment they saw us, the four of them smile.

I wonder what's happening. I haven't seen them like this for a long time. I hope they can tell us while we'll eat lunch.

NARRATOR

The two royal families sit around the table to eat lunch. The chef has prepared Zen's favourite food so he waits with excitement to eat it. Zen and Shirayuki start narrating to their parents how much fun they had with their friends in the forest. But the parents don't seem to pay attention, especially Shirayuki's parents.

- Can you just tell me what's going on here? You seem sad and you don't tell us anything. What's wrong, Mum?, Shirayuki says worried and a little angry.

- Calm down honey. We're okay, aren't we?, King Mitsuo speaks.

-No you're not. I can figure out when you're lying and how you feel. Please Dad tell me what's in your mind?

King Mitsuo and Queen Hitomi look to each other worried and then at their beloved daughter.

- Who will tell her?, Queen Hitomi says and her husband made a motion that he would say it.

Tanbarun's king takes a deep breath and starts talking.

- Well... Shirayuki listen why we are like this. This morning, while you were at the forest, a messenger came here from a neighbour kingdom and gave me a letter.

- What did it say?, asks Shirayuki slowly.

- My dear daughter... This letter was sent by the King of Kareni's Kingdom and...

-And?

- And his eldest son asks you to marry him, King Mitsuo says slowly and worried to see how his daughter will react.

Continued...

What will happen in the next chapter? How will Shirayuki and Zen react to this announcement? Wait for the next part...

Hey guys! I updated after about a month and I'm so sorry but I was very busy... I hope you liked this chapter and I'll wait for your reviews!

See you next time...