Chapter 4
The First Phase

.:Nya:.

Her eyes slowly opened and the first thing she saw was darkness. She squinted her eyes and she could see the outlines of the furniture she's too well familiar with. She was in her room. Slowly, she recalled the previous events.

Her car broke and she got it fixed by Jay then she drove back to the palace and Cole made her a little bit upset. She left to the park where she cried and… Ah! How stupid could she be? Nya only just met Jay and there she was crying in his arms, who know if he could be spreading the words. The princess started to regret her actions and she groaned and banged her head with her hand.

But unlike Cole, Jay held her and didn't press her for answers. His embrace wasn't suffocating like Cole. It was warm and very cosy… What is she thinking?! Why is she thinking of such absurd thoughts? With a sigh exiting her lips, she decided that what was the past, remains to stay as the past. There is nothing that she could change.

She couldn't remember anything after that though. She was about to close her eyes again when she heard the door to her room open. She quickly closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Nya's ears tried to pick up any sound so she could identify this person but when she heard a sigh, she knew it was Kai. Footsteps could be heard and they got closer and closer. She waited for him to speak but instead, she heard the mattress shift as a body sat on it, then a hand caressed her cheek, how siblings would normally do.

"Nya, I know you're awake." She heard Kai spoke softly and a weary sigh left her lips.

"What happened Kai?" She asked and she sat up. She felt her brother's arm wrap over her shoulder and he brought her closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder like she had done so many times when she was a kid.

"A boy called Jay said he found you in the park sleeping so he decided to bring you back to the palace… He also said that he fixed your car."

"That's true… Was that it?"

"Was that what?"

"I mean is that all he said, he found me sleeping in the park?" She asked him.

"Yes… why, do you think he did something to you while you were sleeping?"

"Of course not…" She muttered. So Jay didn't tell her brother about her crying? Her heart was warmed by this simple gesture. She turned her face so that her forehead rested on his shoulder and she felt his hand rubbed her back.

"Nya, I know something's wrong and you're not telling me or Cole."

"What do you mean?"

"Cole told me you left him in a middle of a conversation and you just bolted out, saying that something was wrong with you… Is there something wrong? Plus I can see the tear-stains on your cheek. Don't think that I'm stupid Nya. Cole may be blind but I know something is up." He told her softly and his hand rubbed her arm soothingly.

She didn't want to tell Kai what was wrong otherwise it would place trouble on his shoulders. Her hot-headed brother had always looked out for her since their parents' death and she doesn't want to be a burden to him.

"Nya, I can read you like a book and don't you dare think that you're a burden to me because you're not."

"If you can read me like a book, why can't you see what's hurting me..?"

"So you're admitting that there's something wrong?" He asked and she realised her mistake. "Come on Nya; tell me what's wrong… Are you pregnant?"

"What?! Of course not!" She exclaimed and pushed her brother away. A chuckle left his lips but his eyes remained trained on her.

"Ok then, what wrong before I think that is the case… But even if it is, I'll make sure I'll skin Cole…" Kai grumbled to himself.

"I'm not pregnant, I'm not even married but…"

"Okay, so this does have something to do with Cole and not just you."

"It is me!"

"So tell me what's wrong." By this point, Kai had both of his hands placed firmly on her shoulders, his eyes staring deeply but softly into her's. She could see the worry placed in his forehead and brows and his amber eyes filled with concern.

"Please don't worry about it Kai."

"But the longer you keep it away from me, the more I'll worry."

"So don't because I'll fix it up."

"By running away?" He asked her and she sighed.

"Please Kai-"

"Please Nya. You're my little sister and I want to make sure that she's happy and comfortable. If you're sad then I'll worry like any brother would."

"Except you worry more than a brother normally would."

"Well I should have an exception since we're part of the royal family where many people look upon us. Please Nya."

"Kai, I said don't worry!"

"I can't help but feel worried until you tell me what's wrong. If you don't tell me, I keep pressing you for answers and if that still doesn't work then I'll assume that you're pregnant and in one of those crappy mood swings. Then I'll skin Cole alive."

"Kai!"

"What..?"

"If you skin Cole then it would mean that the heir next in line would be fatherless and who else would help me?"

"So you're admitting that you're pregnant?"

"What? No! Stop jumping into conclusions."

"So tell me." Nya could tell that Kai was begging at this point in time. She looked around the room to make sure that no one else in the room.

"Alright then… Please don't tell anyone, not even Lou or Cole alright?"

"Of course."

"I… I don't see Cole as a lover… I still see him as a friend and it's killing me because I know Cole loves me but I can't return the feelings…" She said softly before placing her arms around her brother and burying herself into his chest. His arms caged her in and she admired the secureness she felt in his arms.

"Do you mean you set eyes on another man?"

"No Kai! I said stop jumping into conclusion. I mean Cole is not the one for me… I can't marry someone I know I won't return feelings for." She admitted and she squeezed her grip around Kai's chest. She could feel her eyes burning and she wanted to keep the tears in but she's not sure if she can.

"So you want to call off the wedding? I honestly don't mind, it was Lou idea and I thought it would be a good one but I won't force you to do something you don't want to do." She heard Kai told her softly.

"But what about Cole? I don't want to hurt his feelings Kai… I just don't know what to do…"

"I'm sure he'll understand."

"But Lou? He'll be furious."

"I think he just wanted to be married into the royal family but I'm sure he'll understand. Why don't we ask Lou tomorrow night, I know Cole will be out okay?"

"Alright…"

.:Jay:.

Sweat poured down his face as he hammered the nail into the metal in the scorching hot sun. His arms were sore and he felt hot and sticky. His body was covered in sweat as well as his hands. Just as he was about to hammer the nail, his hand slipped across the nail from the sweat and he ended up hitting his own hand with the hammer against the boiling hot metal. He hissed loudly and backed away from the truck his mother's sister asked him to fix.

He wiped his hands on a rag before wiping the sweat off his brow. He then took off his shirt which was drenched with sweat. After doing this, he went to continue on the truck. He didn't mind working on cars for people, it would get him away from his pestering mother. Now he felt the sweat sizzle on his back as he worked.

His mind was often wonder back to Nya and why she was in the park crying. He wished he wasn't so damn curious but he wants to know! She looked vulnerable, fragile and broken when he found her crying in the park that it broke his own heart. The way her eyes were covered with a layer of tears, her sclera was laced with thin red lines and her battering eyelashes wet. The way her lip and body tremble made him wanted to hold her to keep her warm so she doesn't tremble but he can't do that. He had this huge feeling that crashed on him then, a protective feeling.

He was about to fix a dint when he heard the sound of a smooth engine entering the junkyard. He turned his head and his eyes met with the bright blue car. He saw Nya driving and she looked fine compared to yesterday. He looked back to his aunt's car and continued fixing it.

He could hear the car turning off before the door opening and closing. Then footsteps were coming closer to him. He placed the hammer down on the hood of the truck and turned around. A squeak left the princess' mouth and she turned around. Jay was sure he saw redness on her cheeks.

"How come you're not wearing a shirt?"

"Would you still wear one if it's covered in sweat?" He then realised this wasn't a way to talk to the princess, he was about to apologise when she turned around.

"I'm sorry about my behaviour yesterday at the park although I must ask… How come you told my brother that I was sleeping?" She asked him with a tilt of her head.

He must admit that she looked cute in the dress she was wearing. The beige coloured silk dress was strapless ended just above her knees. The bloused bodice fits nicely around her chest but the neckline just covers the front of her chest. The skirt part of the dress –which was separated from the bodice by creamy ribbon wrapped tightly to show her curves- was a gather skirt, each part curved nicely and the hem had a glitter strip that went around the hemline. Her wedge shoe straps were the same colour as her dress.

Her hair was different this time. It was parted on the left and the curls were tossed over her right shoulder. Her tiara was made of silver since the king had gold, the think silver pieces wove in with each other, creating loops with large ruby placed inside the loop.

"I-I thought you wouldn't want him to know… Why, was it a bad idea to keep it a secret?" He asked her and he wiped his hands on his pants. He tried not to goggle at her but she was gorgeous.

"Oh umm… No. Thank you for not telling him otherwise he would have worried like a mother hen." His brows rose at this. He thought she would have told him off for lying to the royalties.

"He's just concern about you like all older brothers should be. If I had a younger girl, I would do the same thing." Jay told her and she smiled.

"So I see you have started a car business."

"Oh this? My aunt truck broke on her way here so I volunteered to fix it."

"Well thanks to you, my car has never been smoother than before." She smiled and he could see a pink ting on her cheeks unless that's makeup.

"Oh, that's alright." And his nervously scratched the back of his head. They both avoided eye contact.

"Umm… I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about my little meltdown yesterday… things have just been a little bit stressing."

"Of course, I won't tell a soul."

"Thank you Jay."

"No worries Princess."

"Please, just call me Nya."

Sorry for the long wait, just finish a Volleyball competition and we got first place! Never been so happy before but I hope you liked it and sorry if there was any grammar mistakes.