Wilfred Part 7
The sun rays leaked through the curtains onto my closed eyelids, waking from my sleep. I fluttered my eyes open and see Wilfred's sleeping face in front of me. He was so close that I could feel his forehead touching mine.
'I feel like my heart is going to burst!' My face was heating up as I looked at his handsome face. 'Man, I guess we fell asleep while we were talking.' I watched him sleep for who knows how long. I felt my hand slowly reach for his cheek but suddenly he grabs it and intertwines his fingers with mine.
"Good morning." he said in a low voice that made my heart go faster.
"G-Good morning!" I tried to get up but he pulls me down into his arms.
"Where are you going so early in the morning?" he whispered in my ear.
"N-Nowhere!" I answered hastily.
"You...sound like a liar." then he starts to tickle me.
"Ahh!" I cried out and started to laugh and struggle. He puts himself on top of me and continues to tickle me.
"Wilfred you are mean!" I laughed and I tried to tickle him but he grabs both my wrists with one hand and pushed them back and tickles me with the other.
"That's n-not fair!" We both laughed until he suddenly stopped. I looked up at him and find him blushing hard and covering his face. I looked down at myself and find my dress a bit higher than its supposed to be. I quickly went red and pulled down my dress.
"T-That's you fault!" I looked away.
"Sorry…" he looked away as well but we looked back at each other like magnets. I don't know how long we were looking at each other like that but somehow are faces were slowly coming together again.
"Roomservice!" the door knocked as a woman's voice announced.
"No thank you!" We both called out. We smiled at each other and decided that we needed to get ready and head back.
….
We took our time going back. We held hand and played around as we headed back. We took a secret way to the palace so we don't get caught. We arrived in the garden and entered the back door. As we crept in, Claude was already in front of us, arms crossed and angry.
"Where have you two been!?" Claude shouted at us. He lectured us for a long time. He mostly looked at me when he was telling. When I was about to apologize, Wilfred cuts in.
"It was my idea Claude." he said calmly.
"Sir you do not need to protect her. She must understand!" Claude raise his voice a bit at Wilfred.
"Claude." Wilfred said with such a stern voice. Claude became stone when he heard this kind of tone from him. "It was MY idea. Do not blame her for anything. It was my fault. Got it."
"Sir…" Claude said hesitantly. "Cecile is here." Wilfred's eyes became wide and his face looks troubled.
"Cecile? Who is that?" I asked Claude.
"Sir Prince Wilfred's fiancee." Claude smiles a little wickedly as he answers. 'Fiancee? Since when did he have a fiancee?' I let go of his hand as my heart stopped beating.
"Wilfred!" a woman's voice called out. I looked over and saw a woman with Stephen running towards us. She had short, light brown hair and wore a green dress. She flung herself onto Wilfred and hugged him like an end of a romance movie.
"Cecile, when did you come?" Wilfred said with a surprise look on his face.
"Last night! I was hoping that we would all hang out together like old times but you weren't around!" she pouted. Then her eyes met mine and she smiled. "Who's this Wilfred?"
"Marika Yoshihara. Her home burnt down so she's staying here." he introduced us.
"It's nice to meet you." I reached my hand out for a handshake. Instead of a handshake she flung onto me.
"It's so nice to meet you!" She cheered. 'Oh gosh she's heavy.'
"It's not polite to do that to people you just met ma'am." Claude says gently taking her off me.
"Claude you always take all the fun away." She puffed her cheeks.
"But he's right though." Stephen said smiling.
'They all seem to be very close. Have they known each other for a long time?' I watched them have such a friendly exchange that I have ever seen between them. It kind of made me a little depressed. It brought back memories about Oscar and I when I was a kid.
"Oh Miss Yoshihara, some people wanted to see you!" Stephen said smiling at me. 'People? Who?'
"Aunt Marika!" I heard a large clamour of children from down the hall. I looked over and saw the kids running at top speed. Well Naruki was, Haruka was struggling because she was holding Kai's hand. Kai can't run very well but it looked cute that she is trying to help him. Then Naruki tackles me to the ground.
"Naru don't tackle me, I need my bones not broken and in their place." I said while grunting as I sat up.
"Where were you!? We got worried you know!" Naruki crossed his arms and looked away.
"Why did a certain little man miss me?" I tease as I pinched his cheek.
"No! And don't call me 'little man'!" Naru quickly turned my question down. Then Haruka and Kai get on top of me.
"Hey you guys are heavy now…" I said laying back on the ground.
"Aunt Marika, Frizzy has two holes in him so he needs an operation." said Haruka.
"In one night?" I asked. "What a bad bunny huh?
"It's not his fault...well partially but still not his fault." Haruka quickly defended him. I laughed a little and ruffled her hair a bit. The twins got off me, letting me stand up. When I did, I felt that one leg was heavier than the other. I looked down and see Kai clinging onto me.
"Hi Kai." I patted his head and then lift him up into my arms. He gave me those puppy eyes again like he does when he 'wants' help on his homework. "I am not doing your homework." I told bluntly. He shrugs like he knew.
"How about doing ours!?" the twins said pulling me away from everyone else.
"You weren't around when we needed you so you are going to help now!" Naru said, pulling my clothes. I reluctantly went along since I had to help them.
…..
After hours of homework, the kids fell asleep. I quietly tucked them in bed and snuck out of the room. I decided to take a nice stroll around the garden.
As I walked and admired the flowers, I saw Wilfred from the distance. I was about to call out to him but I saw he was with his fiancee. They seemed to he having a fun conversation. I didn't want to bother him so I quickly held my tongue.
"Miss Yoshihara," Claude's voice called out to me. I turned around being prepared to be yelled at but when I looked at him, he looked very concerned. "You...must be hurting inside." he said in the most nicest tone I have ever heard from him.
"I'm fine." I said, hiding my feelings.
"I'm sorry for the way I have been treating you. I've just been trying to not get you too involved with the royal highnesses but...I don't think I did a good job of it." He gives a sad smile as he looks at the Prince. "I was trying to protect the both of you. Can you forgive my behavior?"
"Claude of course." I said to him. "But Claude you have to know that sometimes intervening doesn't even work. Sometimes things have a way of finding itself together and when it does, it falls apart." I shrugged.
"You are very wise you know that?" he smiled genuinely. "I've heard the way you talk to you nephews and niece. I wish I could be that wise."
"I'm not that wise. Besides, becoming wise isn't easy really. You experience things that you shouldn't have to experience." I said, thinking about his first compliment to me. I looked down a bit as many memories go through my head. Those memories taught me many lessons and gave me a sense a wisdom. All those sad memories...
"I see that what I said had brought some unkind memories. I'm sorry." He bowed.
"Claude it's fine. Don't be so stiff. Relax a little. You said nothing to upset me...well….there was that time-"
"I'm sorry for that!" he interrupts.
"I know! I'm joking!" I laughed so hard. He became flustered. We had this exchange for a while until he was called back to work.
…..
As I walked back to the kids bedroom to see how they are, I was pulled into a room with a hand over my mouth. I struggled in whoever's grasp until I was loose.
"You little mother-" I was saying, raising my fist until quickly shut my mouth as I saw Wilfred right in front of me. He pushes me up against the wall, grabbing both of my wrists to stop me from running away.
"What were you talking to Claude about?" he said in a stern tone.
"What about Claude?" I asked. I am at a lost.
"I saw you guys talking in the garden today. It made me feel very angry. I was tempted to step in so much but I couldn't do that." he said, putting his head on my shoulder. I turned my head to look at him and his face was so very close to mine. Like it was that last minute on earth, we shared a passionate kiss.
We kept kissing. I felt fire on my lips everything our lips touch. I don't know how long we kissed but eventually we stopped. He put his forehead against mine with our uneven breaths.
"We can't be doing this…" I pulled away. He tried to pull me back but I pushed him back and quickly left the room.
I ran down the hall but I quickly hid myself behind a pillar when I saw Stephen and Cecile together outside. Cecile seemed to be crying and Stephen was wiping her years away. He kissed her forehead and hugs her tightly.
"They are in love but can't be together." Claude sneaks up on me, making me jump a little. "Cecile is engaged to the Prince. They can't be together. She can't break it because the marriage is for the kingdom."
"That's so tragic." I leaned against the pillar.
"Are you going to leave?" Claude suddenly whispered to me, making me gasp. "There's really nothing you both can do to be together. Everything is set in stone." I didn't know what to say.
"I...need to go back to my kids." I said walking past him and quickly went straight to the kids room.
I entered and looked at my kids as they a lot peacefully. I laid next to them and patted Naruki's head. He smiled like he liked it. That also made me smile.
"What am I going to do?" I asked myself as I close my eyes. Should I leave and forget about this place or stay and continue to be hurt as I will have to watch Wilfred be happy with his bride-to-be?
