In Chief Powhatan's Tent

With the celebration occurring around the tribe, Arthur had the tiniest of clue why he was summoned by the chief himself. Was it because he used some sort of magical power that he disapproved of? Or maybe he wanted to talk to him about his daughter's hand in marriage? If it is, then Arthur has to straighten things out with him about that fact. I mean, he only did this in order to get the tribe and his people in good terms... Right?

"May I call you Arthur?" The Chief asks, breaking the awkward silence in the room. Arthur nods with a puzzled expression. "Thank you. Then, Arthur, I would like to comment on your performance during this game. Overall, I think you are an amazing, unique, and talented man. You brought the hearts of my people, whom disliked your people for a period of time, in less than a day. You… also touched my heart, Arthur… especially during your last event," Powhatan takes deep breath, as if he wanted to cry out but stopped himself from doing so.

"Your Majesty…" Arthur mumbles.

"Your performance reminded me of my past… with my wife. We were one of the rare individuals whom had similar traits and personalities, and we had an arranged marriage. She was outspoken, beautiful, passionate, a lovely woman, much like my daughter. She used to sing that song to me whenever I feel stressed or tired, or simply, whenever I want to hear her voice. She… died at a very young age, it was a year after Pocahontas's birth. She died in the forest, after trying to safe keep the villager's children in a warring tribe's territory. This… is why my tribe has been isolated from other customs and cultures… but… Pocahontas turned out to be like my wife, even though she was never raised by her mother," Powhatan reminisces to Arthur.

"Yes, I have heard of this from Princess Pocahontas herself. I too do not have two parents, only a mother and four older siblings," Arthur tells a bit of his life to the king, whom stares at him with wide eyes. He then brings both of his hands on Arthur's shoulders and grips them tight.

"Then… I will say this as a father… Arthur, my boy, you were beyond anyone's expectations, beyond mine's especially, and I personally thank you for showing me what I have been doing wrong, and what I have been missing…" the Chief says with a smile. Arthur looks at him with shinning eyes and nods at the comment. The Chief then releases his grip on Arthur, and nods.

"I would also like to ask you one last question. Arthur, do you love my daughter?" Arthur's face immediately turns red.

"E-Erm we've just met for a couple of days… s-so I do not think 'love' would be the right word..." Arthur's mind goes blank at the thought of that. Chief Powhatan finds this quite amusing.

"Then I would like to rephrase the question. Arthur, you are not staying here for long, yes? Then, what are your thoughts on leaving my daughter behind after a few days?" Powhatan asks him. In reality, Arthur forgot all about his business trip here because of… her…

"O-Oh… yes… I will be leaving here soon a-and… In all honesty… erm... I do not want to part ways with her, b-but it is not my choice in the end. She has her own voice, her own will, and I know that because she's always declaring that to others and herself. She is open minded, strong, and athletic… and… she's the only person whom understands me in a way that I have always wished someone would do. To part ways with her will make me feel… uneasy… b-but I shouldn't be talking about this to her father... I mean... It would be a bit... Different without her, for I have known her for a while now..." Arthur rants, looking more depressed as he continues. He suddenly felt his heart aching for some reason, and to add to that, he finds it hard to simply dismiss it. "I… will miss her…" Arthur suddenly mumbles, which suddenly shakes him off his depressing phase upon realising that he's talking very casually about the Chief's daughter right in front of him. The Chief, on the other hand, smiles at him.

"I see… you are free to go, Arthur. It has been nice conversing with you," Chief Powhatan nods. Arthur, though confused by the Chief's calm expression, gradually manoeuvres his body out of the tent, but before he could step outside, he turns to the Chief.

"Your Majesty, if I may, I believe that it is better to let your tears out, than to hold it in," Arthur states, leaving Chief Powhatan bewildered by his statement. With a small chuckle, tears began rolling down his old cheeks consciously.

"Thank you… and… It seems that you do have feelings for her, Arthur…"

Outside the Tent

Arthur deeply sighs as he walk out of the Chief's tent. He didn't want to think about the day he will leave this area, because he's afraid to leave someone whom he feels very comfortable with, but for some reason, his heart seems to be beating very loudly. It wasn't the same when he had to leave his family behind because he knows that he'll be back for them and they would always meet each other, but with Pocahontas, who knows when they'll meet ever again. Before he could continue questioning this, to his surprise, he sees Pocahontas standing outside fidgeting her feet as if she is confused about something. With confused glances, Arthur walks up to her and place his face in front of her, causing the young maiden to jump from the sudden sight.

"Erm… Pocahontas…" Arthur mumbles with an apologetic face, not intentionally making her act surprised like that.

"Erm… sorry for that, I… was thinking about something…" Pocahontas mumbles back.

"May I ask what you are thinking about?" Arthur asks, intrigued. Pocahontas looks at him uncomfortably for a moment, before fiddling with her fingers.

"I-It is… just… erm… I-I was just wondering about the woman w-whom you danced with… during the last event," the young maiden says slowly. Why do I feel this way… this is not like me at all, Pocahontas thought. Arthur blinks a few times at her, then a small tint of blush spreads across his face.

"W-well...I-It… was you…" Arthur says in all honesty. Pocahontas's eyes widen upon hearing the answer, though she hates to admit it, part of her feel relief it wasn't another woman. Arthur, not wanting to leave the woman hanging, decided to explain everything to her. "I'm sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable, b-but… when I was panicking and unable to sing in front of so many people, I… heard your voice… telling me to be brave… telling me that everything is alright as long as-"

"I'm with you…" Pocahontas cuts Arthur's sentence with gaped mouth.

"Y-You knew about it?"

"N-No… I-I was saying all that in my head… I never knew that you would be able to hear it too," Pocahontas explains with a tint of blush across her cheek. Arthur looks at her with similar blushing face, and the two stood face to face in silence for a minute, neither of them knowing how to respond to this encounter.

"Thank you…" The Englishman says, breaking the awkward silence between the two. Pocahontas looks up at his sincere face. "Not many people would… encourage me in such a way… everyone thinks I'm stubborn and indecisive, which is mainly why I hardly have friends to begin with… y-you're the first person I have ever met that understands me… and won't judge my personality…" Arthur continues, darting his eyes back and forth. Pocahontas simply smiles at his explanation, before gently touching his hands with hers.

"Your personality is what makes Arthur, Arthur, the same personality that I come to love," she gleefully says with a genuine smile across her face. Arthur's eyes shine upon the native's statement, and the world seems to be still once more for them. Slowly, Arthur came to know the young woman everyone told him to stay away from, everyone deems to be 'barbaric'. At the same time, Pocahontas came to know a young man labelled as 'ruthless' and 'treacherous' due to his skin colour and ethnicity. The two overcame that stereotype, consciously and unconsciously, and soon, their relationship between one another blossoms during the harsh winter weather.

"Oh, Arthur, the grandmother and child you saved wanted to talk to you, if it is not too troublesome for you, that is," Pocahontas reminded herself, breaking away the moment they share. Arthur breaks away from the trance as Pocahontas releases her grip on him.

"Of course, love," Arthur happily agrees. "But before that, there is a custom the people in my continent do to show their gratitude towards people who are close and of great importance to them… and… with your permission, may I do this gesture to you…?" Arthur mutters, clearly enough for Pocahontas to understand. The young native looks at him with questionable glances.

"Hm? Of course, Arthur," she happily complies.

"Okay, you said yes, so you cannot deny the fact that you allowed me to do this," the blond affirms the native's statement, who looks at him with more confusion.

"Erm… Yes, Arthur… but I do not seem to understand what 'gesture' you are talking-"

Pocahontas suddenly finds herself unable to utter another word. Her brain is also in disarray from something she has no knowledge about. To her, the world stopped, and everything around her became nothing but a field of slow moving objects. Her body acts confused towards her brain's mix commands, as if it doesn't know how to simply breath. Her heart feels like it's about to burst from the small room it has been residing in for many painful months. She feels as if something is preventing her from functioning her body perfectly, preventing her from moving her ligaments in normality. Unfortunately, it was not something, but someone. To be more specific, it was Arthur's gesture.

Pocahontas, who knew little specks of concepts of the outer world, did not know what sort of gesture Arthur was talking about. To her, a 'thank you' gesture, polite one, would be a simple handshake or a slight bow. If it was someone closer, she would expect a hug or a bright smile, or something equivalent to that. She, however, did not expect such a loving gesture that would stop her and time all together. No, she did not expect a kiss on the cheek.

With closed eyes, his lips pressing gently on her cheek, his body leaning close to hers, Arthur's loving 'gesture' astonishes Pocahontas to another level. For what in reality lasts for less than a second or two, seems like twenty minutes for the young maiden. Neither her nor her feelings know what to do or how to act. She imagines herself looking stupid standing there with wide eyes and a stiff body, but part of her brain does not have time to think that way.

After a second or so, Arthur pulls away from Pocahontas, incidentally pulling his fringes and hair accessory down to cover his eyes. He then slowly gives her a nod, and walks forward to approach the abundance of crowd waiting for his arrival, and beyond them, the two females whom wants to converse with him. The two soon distance themselves further and further away from one another, which in this case, allow them to take a small breather regarding the action that happened just seconds ago.

Pocahontas slowly place both of her palms on her face, before lowering her head a little. She feels her body shiver from the aftereffects, and her heart beating loudly that ever before.

"Hey, Pocahontas, have you seen Sir Kirkland- What happened to you? Are you okay?" Nakoma immediately switches her tone from cheerful to panic upon seeing her friend in such a state. But, as she peers closer, her emotions switches to let out a small sigh of happiness and what Pocahontas sees as a slight mischievous tint in her smile.

Arthur, meanwhile, continues walking forward with his head low, hoping that no villagers would see the state his face is in and ask him questions regarding it.

In all, the young man and woman, with blushing red faces, both had the same thought running joyously through their mind. Though they do not know if it is a good realisation or a bad one, it does not leave the fact that this thought will preoccupy them for the rest of their sleepless night.

D-Do I… like her/him?

They're finally questioning their feelings for each other! Arthur being his tsundere and confusing attitude again :P I wonder what would happen to their love story... will Pocahontas continues her willingness to wait for John Smith, or will Arthur Kirkland snatch her feelings first? Oddly enough, it seems Chief Powhatan already knows~ what will he say to this? Find out next chapter!