In the woods, they get down the horse for a moment to give the horse some rest because they have come a long way. They decide to sit by an enormous tree to take a break from all the travelling.
"I suppose that you don't like the prince." Williame states trying to start a conversation. "He isn't that bad. He's handsome, smart, kind, and a prince." he continues.
"It's not that I don't like him. I just don't want to get married with someone I don't love. Would you? Marry someone you don't love?" she asks while looking in his direction. Memorizing every part of his face because she knows she might never see him again.
"I won't marry anyone. I already decided to give my loyalty to our land, to surrender everything for the sake of my people, even love." he looks away as he says these words that he knows he will regret.
Grissell continues to observe his facial reactions. She watches his eyes darken as he mentions love. She wonders if someone broke his heart before, or if he has felt it already. She finds him so mysterious that she wants to spend all day with him. Williame turns his head in her direction and their eyes meet. Their hearts beat at the same time, they match. This feeling they have never felt, they ask themselves, is this love?
They quickly look away for they know that what they have will never end in a happy ending. Their hearts are still beating fast and they breathe heavily, trying not to get used to the warmth of each other, but all they can think of is this moment of silence that is so uncomfortable yet they dont want to let go. Grissell tries to shake off these thoughts but their skins touch and there was a spark that both of them felt. They pull away.
"It is already afternoon, Grissell. Let us proceed." Williame does not look at her because he is putting all his feelings in a bottle to keep it there, to control it. He does not deserve the love because he wont be able to give back the same amount of love. The Kingdom of Kraesha and its people will always be first than his own self. He can sense Grissell's feelings and he is trying to keep his distance. He is just trying to protect her from all the heartbreak he may cause her. He pulls himself up to ride the horse and help the princess.
"What if you come home with me? Once I enter the boundary of my home, I can invite you for the rest of our lives and let's just live together far away from the castle. Then, we'll have a family and we can be free from all these responsibilities in our lives that don't even matter." Grissell pleads with tears in her eyes of desperation. She is in love with him. She can't deny it. She won't deny it. She won't bottle it up like how Williame is doing because she is not a coward like him.
"Grissell-"
"No! You can't deny because I know that you love me. We've been together for less than a day but I feel like I have known you for so long. Tell me you don't feel that too. Look into my eyes and tell me that you don't feel that electricity when you're close to me. You are not a knave, so please be honest with me. Tell me." she continues. How much more should she say to convince this person of the way she feels. Is her words not enough? Is she not enough? Am I not enough? Am I no match to your people? she stipulated for an answer. Williame stays silent, he does not look at her as well. He stays firm and does not move. Grissell sighs.
"Alright." She looks ahead and lets out all the tears she has been trying to keep in. She cries her heart out without a care in the world around her.
Williame signals the horse to go as a tear escapes from his eye which dries quickly because of the wind blowing on his face.
As time passes by, Grissell begins to calm down. Williame guides the horse inside an inn for Grissell to have a proper place to rest in as he goes to talk to the King Hamnet.
They enter a room that Williame pays for. "Stay here for a while, I will be going to have a talk with the king. Don't go anywhere, Grissell. Do you understand?"
"Princess. Call me Princess Grissell. We have no relationship to be calling each other by our names. I would love it if you call me by my title. I think it would be easier." she tries to sound stern but her voice cracks because of the lump on her throat.
"I will be back, Your highness." he leaves not looking at her for he does not want her to see his weakness. It feels like he will break as soon as he sees her crying. He finds himself shattering into pieces as he walks farther away from her.
Hours passed, Grissell has not yet stopped crying even when she has tried to do so. She has had enough of the drama in one day. She just wants to go home and feel the hug of her mother. I'm done. she says with all her feelings and sighs. She's done.
The door of the room she is staying at opened revealing the knight she fell in love with. All of the walls she built to help her forget the man, fell apart. She felt so betrayed by her own heart. Her heart is too fragile that it breaks for a man she just met.
"I'm back." he looks away. "Let's get you home, Grisse-" he pauses as he realizes what he just said.
"I mean Princess Grissell. You've been out for too long."
The princess stands up and leaves the room leaving the knight alone. She waits for him by the horse because she can't go up on the horse alone. She thought of just walking back to her home, wouldn't it be better to go alone? She gets caught off guard as she notices that Williame is behind her. As usual he gets on first and offers his hand to her. They go on to their final destination. They try to make their goodbyes in their heads to ready themselves.
This is not how they thought their first love will be. They wondered if first love usually hurts like this, nobody warned them.
Author-nim~~~
This hurts 3 Idk what y'all feel but I'm about to cry rn T.T
